At the Commodity Classic’s General Session the morning of March 11, U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack focused on the positives – and what American farmers can do to remain positive. He opened his speech by talking about a recent phone call he had with Roman Leshchenko, Ukraine’s Minister of Agrarian Pol...

Growing trees for fodder can affect the health of the environment and a farm’s livestock, according to Steve Gabriel of Wellspring Forest Farm and Cornell Small Farms Program. He presented “Tree Fodder for Livestock Health and Carbon Sequestration” as part of the NOFA-NY virtual conference. A big be...

For some horse keepers, a horse trailer is a necessary component of horse ownership, especially if you show your horse or if your local riding options are limited. But for others, like those who are purchasing their first horse, the thought of having their own trailer is a luxury. As it will be a ma...

Maple syrup is usually the product people think of when there’s talk of tapping maple trees. But there is an emerging market for something else – something simpler – that sugarmakers may want to tap into. In “Maple Foods Beyond Syrup: Maple Sap Water, An Emerging Functional Beverage,” hosted by Univ...

“Because utility scale solar is relatively new in Pennsylvania, most municipalities have no zoning ordinances dealing with solar,” stated Darrin Youker, director of state government affairs with Pennsylvania Farm Bureau (PFB), during a recent webinar. He also serves as the principal lobbyist for PFB...

This is a very good question and rather hard to clarify. The front legs of a horse are more designed to bear weight and the hind legs are more designed for pushing off. They are not comparable to each other. They both must bear weight on the landing but the fronts receive more load as they unfold an...

Corn nematodes negatively affect corn yields. Mike Stanyard, Cornell Cooperative Extension Northwestern New York Team, presented “Corn Nematode Survey Results: Management Implications?” at the recent Corn Congress, presented virtually by Cornell University. A nematode is a microscopic roundworm. Of ...

One of the first articles I ever wrote for the popular ag press was titled “Lime may be your tractor’s best friend.” The year was 1977, and I was employed as an agronomy Cooperative Extension agent. The idea behind that title was that if crop yields drop because soil pH is too low, more land must be...

A new study in the Journal of Dairy Science tests the properties of cow milk protein against SARS-CoV-2 variants As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to claim lives around the world, dairy scientists may have a surprising role to play. In a new report published in the Journal of Dairy Science , scient...

Dr. David Kohl, professor emeritus, Virginia Tech, said we’re in a time of roller coaster economics, and encouraged business owners to maintain a management mindset. “Ag business owners will have to manage several major aspects of their business over the next three to four years,” said Kohl. “We hav...

Those who raise poultry, either as a small-scale farm enterprise or a large commercial operation, are likely aware of recent cases of avian influenza diagnosed in the U.S. AI is classified as either low pathogenic (LPAI) or highly pathogenic (HPAI). Cases of HPAI have been reported in commercial and...

Like other sectors of U.S. agriculture, those who raise pigs are seeking out ways to be both more productive and sustainable. Sara Crawford, Ph.D., vice president of sustainability at the National Pork Board, discussed what the industry is doing during the recent “Creating the path to more sustainab...

At a recent meeting of the Pennsylvania Forage and Grassland Council held in Lancaster, PA, Dr. Chris Teutsch, University of Kentucky Extension forage specialist, addressed the issue of rising fertilizer costs. Fertilizer prices over the last 18 months have nearly tripled, putting pressure on both l...

Estate planning is a concern of many farmers across the country. As agricultural landowners prepare for the next stage in their lives, many are taking advantage of 1031 exchanges. First introduced in the 1920s, 1031 exchanges are a feature of a tax-deferred swap program in which farmers and ranchers...

Even if crops and animals thrive, workers abound and the weather is ideal, a farm needs one more element to be successful: effective management of the farm’s finances. Maria Pippidis of University of Delaware Cooperative Extension and Jesse Ketterman of University of Maryland Extension recently pres...