Myths about Modern Agriculture
Organic farming is widely viewed as a sustainable solution to farming techniques that emit greenhouse gasses and harm the environment. While organic farming can in fact be sustainable, it may not be in certain instances. In a reprinted article on ScientificAmerican.com, David Montgomery, a professor of Earth and Space Sciences at the University of Washington, […]
How AI is evolving the agricultural industry
AI is being used for more than just improving customer service. In addition to helping companies boost sales and productivity, AI is now being used to help automate statistical evidence used by the agricultural industry. Normally compiled via human analysis, AI is gathering statistics to help big companies such as Monsanto, DuPont, Land O’ Lakes, […]
National Agriculture Day is March 21
National Agriculture Day is coming this month. On March 21, the agriculture industry has a chance to come together and educate the public about the role of agriculture in the economy and Americans’ everyday lives. Participant Mark Biedenfeld, who has been around agriculture his whole life, got involved with National Ag Day after he read […]
More Opportunities to Come in the Next 24 Months
In a short video for AgStar, agricultural economist Dr. David Kohl explains why the next 24 months could spark greater opportunities for expansion. Dr. Kohl estimates that 60% of U.S. farmland will change hands in the next 13 years. As older producers look toward downsizing or retiring, more land will become available. Dr. Kohl has […]
Watch for Beneficial CRP Changes
A new change has been announced by the USDA that could provide some benefit to young farmers or other farmers who are just starting out. Getting land to farm has been a challenge to new farmers, and the changes to the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) could assist them. Gene Lucht reports in Missouri Farmer Today, […]
Ag Tech Reaches a Wider Audience
With all the emphasis on the next generation and bringing Millennials into farming, Randy Krotz, CEO of the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA), thought it would be smart to bring the farm to them. The USFRA set up a booth at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this month, and it turned out to be […]
Trump Administration and Agriculture
As President-elect Trump prepares to take office, there has been speculation about who he might pick for Secretary of Agriculture. It has been noted that Sonny Perdue, the former governor of Georgia, is a strong contender. As far as policy goes, Farm Futures has some insight: “The U.S. is a major exporter of crops and […]
Operational Profitability
Measuring operational profitability is a complex process. AgStar’s Lori Teigin shares some insight into this process. Here are some of the factors involved in calculating profitability: Accrual: Teigin explains, “From a lender’s standpoint, accrual analysis, not cash, is the best way to look at how your business is performing.” (She goes into greater detail about […]