Author Archives: tanya brown

Tannins, generally known for their role in making quality red wine, could also be beneficial for soils, forests and farmland, according to USDA researchers. A four-year project by the USDA Agricultureal Research Service has shown tannins to be important components of … Continue reading →

Farm income and agricultural land prices are headed for record highs. Farm income could top $87.3 billion this year, a number not seen since 2004, while cropland values are expected rise as much as 10 percent. Agricultural commodities have led … Continue reading →

USDA and the Department of Justice will hold its fifth joint public workshop to discuss competition and regulatory issues in agriculture. The workshop — held Dec. 8 in Washington, D.C. — will examine the issue of margins at various levels … Continue reading →

Designer soil is the new agricultural fashion trend. USDA scientists along with researchers at Virginia Tech are developing replacement soils that take waste products from the mining and agricultural industries and turn them into nutrient-rich topsoil. The man-made soil is … Continue reading →

More than 272,000 acres have been enrolled in the Wetlands Reserve Program, the highest single-year enrollment in the program’s history. According to a USDA press release, the number of acres enrolled is 52 percent higher than fiscal year 2009 and … Continue reading →

Indiana farmers are expecting to receive near record income this year thanks to an increase in grain prices. Driven by strong global demand for American grain, prices have soared, lifting the state’s farm income nearly 25 percent. Indiana’s farm income … Continue reading →

USDA released a plan that could allow farmers to plant genetically modified sugar beets, despite a pending lawsuit that halts the planting of the crop. The 365-page report provides ideas, including allowing farmers to plant the beets under a closely … Continue reading →