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Innovations advancing real Christmas tree popularity
Artificial Christmas trees have risen in popularity over the years but innovations in the real Christmas tree industry in the last decade have provided a surge in popularity for the real deal. Christmas tree grower John Tillman of Washington state says recent advancements have provided producers with a more diverse product and given consumers a greater choice for the holidays. Tilman says traceability of seedlings has given tree farms more confidence in their future fully grown trees. Tilman...
U.S. officials to announce short-term “bridge payment” aid for farmers
USDA plans to roll out a short-term “bridge payment” for farmers next week, officials said Tuesday, in a bid to help growers survive tight margins and trade-related losses. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told White House colleagues a key purpose of the payment...
Farmervoicesmatter.org brings real producers into the spotlight
Farmers across the United States are finding themselves pulled deeper into a national conversation about how food is grown and what tools are used to protect the crops that feed America. That spotlight has only grown brighter in 2025 as questions surrounding crop...
Lessons learned from this growing season to be applied next year
Every growing season is like a year spent in the agronomy classroom for growers. Every time a farmer thinks they have seen it all, mother nature finds a way to throw a curveball. This year disease pressure was prevalent throughout the Corn Belt and southern rust was...
Covering both genotypes of PCV2 with one vaccine
One of the most influential diseases in the swine industry is porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2). What makes it tricky to handle is the fact that there are two strains to worry about: PCV2a and PCV2d, with the latter having taken over as the predominant genotype in U.S....
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza detected in a commercial turkey flock in Hamilton County
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have detected a case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1 HPAI) in a commercial turkey flock in...
AFBF emphasizes need for economic assistance
There are still many challenges facing farm country. During a recent phone call with Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins, American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall took the opportunity to discuss two important issues facing agriculture. Duvall said he had a great...
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Statements on farmer bridge assistance program announcement
ICGA Statement on Farmer Bridge Assistance Program Announcement JOHNSTON, Iowa – December 8, 2025 – Earlier today, the Trump Administration announced the Farmer Bridge Assistance program, offering $12 billion in economic assistance to farmers impacted by low commodity...
RCIS improves claims speed with modern tools
When disaster strikes and a grower needs to file a claim, every day counts. RCIS says that is why they have invested heavily in tools that make the entire process faster, clearer, and easier for farmers. From aerial technology to real-time communication, the goal is...
Establish and maintain a strong crop protection program in 2026
Throughout harvest, farmers are monitoring their fields for problem areas. Now that harvest is wrapped up, it’s time to take those observations and start making some plans for next year. Will Griffin of Valent said a strong pre-emerge program can protect the...
Forecasting winter temperatures and precipitation
The latest weather outlook from the National Weather Service is calling for a La Nina weather pattern that will dictate temperature and precipitation patterns for the winter months. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says that recent very cold temperatures are in line...
First confirmation of ASF in Spain since 1994
Late last month, African swine fever (ASF) was confirmed in Spain for the first time since 1994. ASF was first found in two dead wild boars in the Barcelona area, located in the Catalonia region. Eleven more wild boars, found dead in the same area, later tested...
