Who else hates January? I don’t want to hate January. But there’s a lot of reasons. The glittery and festive atmosphere of the holidays is packed away. We’re in the middle of winter’s icy grip. And everything is set back to zero and we have to reach all those same achievements we were celebrating just a few weeks ago. This year I’m trying to reset my thinking. It’s not starting from scratch, it’s another opportunity to find success. Winter is a time to focus indoors and on the things that get missed when we’re always outside. And while the festive spirit is fun, normal life can be fun too. I ..read more

Perdue’s latest marketing campaign isn’t subtle. It shows Jim Perdue and (presumably) his two sons walking through the company’s corporate offices. The boys tell viewers that their “biggest competitor” (they don’t name it directly, but they’re referring to Tyson) is going back to giving their chickens antibiotics before they’re even sick. The boys say you can’t solve your problems by “throwing antibiotics at them.” The commercial then shows a woman throwing pills at the engine of her broke-down car. Cut to a promotion for Perdue who claims to raise chickens in a “healthy” way that doesn’t req ..read more

Farmers sometimes use irrigation to keep thirsty crops watered (learn about types of irrigation systems). But it might surprise you to learn that only a small percentage of row crops are actually irrigated. According to the USDA, only 12 million acres of corn are irrigated, which isn’t a lot when you realize that U.S. farmers annually plant around 96 million acres of corn. If you plant a garden or keep flowers, you know that they require water on an almost-daily basis. It might seem a little crazy that farmers would plant seeds and then just hope for the best. So why would farmers plant crops ..read more

Water is absolutely vital for the survival of every living thing. Plants are no exception. The challenge for adequate water is one that plagues agriculture. While rainfall provides a natural source of moisture, its erratic nature and unpredictable patterns often fall short in meeting the needs of crops. Enter irrigation systems–a strategic and purposeful approach to supplementing nature’s offerings and ensuring the optimal growth and productivity of crops. And you won’t believe how many different types of irrigation are out there! Let’s explore the different types of irrigation available for ..read more

Innovations in agriculture since the 1960s have paved the way for this feat. The post Food Production Since 1960 appeared first on The Farmer's Daughter USA ..read more

As my loyal readers know, I love the intersection of technology and agriculture to solve the world’s most pressing problems. Today that breakthrough tackles plastic pollution while fostering a sustainable future. In a recent deal between Dow, Inc. and New Energy Blue, corn residue has emerged as a transformative resource for renewable plastic production. This groundbreaking development not only addresses the global plastic crisis but also brings new opportunities for farmers. A Pressing Problem Plastic pollution is a major problem. Although most of us imagine that it has something to do with ..read more

The Clean Water Act is the primary federal law regulating water pollution in the United States. Its objective is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation’s waters. Since its passage in 1972, the CWA has given the Environmental Protection Agency authority to regulate “waters of the United States” (or, WOTUS). But what exactly is the “waters of the United States?” It’s a question that a lot of folks have spent a lot of time studying, including those in agriculture. Over the last decade, the EPA threatened to include temporary mud puddles and flooded ..read more

Photo by Lucinda Hershberger on Unsplash The Environmental Working Group recently released it’s 2023 Dirty Dozen list. This annual propaganda allegedly ranks the fresh produce with the highest levels of pesticide residues. EWG urges consumers to buy organic versions of those crops. This year strawberries and spinach topped the organization’s list. The problem is that the list is all a dirty lie. Science doesn’t support it. The list doesn’t include any risk analysis–that is, the risk of pesticide exposure is greatly outweighed by the benefits of consuming enough produce. And we know that these ..read more

Despite John Deere signing a memorandum of understanding with the American Farm Bureau Federation, it appears the right-to-repair issue isn’t going away any time soon. In fact, the pressure is only increasing. And that’s likely something John Deere thought it could avoid by signing the MOU. Remember, the MOU contains a provision that would allow John Deere to withdraw from the agreement if any AFBF member (and there’s a lot of them!) work towards passing laws prohibiting repair restrictions. So is that threat working? Here’s where we’re at… DOJ Supports Class-Action Lawsuit on Right-to-Repair ..read more

Source: U.S. Sustainability Alliance The post Soy & Soil Erosion appeared first on The Farmer's Daughter USA ..read more