Producers interested in joining the Conservation Reserve Program by offering land to help improve the nation's natural resources and protect millions of acres of topsoil from erosion, have one week to do so. Producers who enroll in CRP during the general sign-up period — which ends Friday, Aug. 27 — will  be expected to plant long-term, resource-conserving covers in exchange for rental payments, cost-share and technical assistance. Those interested should consult their local Farm Service Agency county office. Learn more or locate an FSA county office.

Research being conducted on a California farm could help cows stay cooler during the summer while reducing the energy costs needed to power overhead fans used to do the same job. The technology, developed by Arizona-based AgriAire Inc., pumps water from a farm well into a heat exchanger beneath a cow’s stall, which creates an updraft of cool air. The new system could save a typical dairy farmer more than $7,000 a year in utility costs — the amount it generally takes to power nearly 55 electrical fans. (McClatchy Newspapers) Read more.

Two agricultural groups have praised USDA for opening up the general sign-up for the Conservation Reserve Program for the first time since March 2006. Ducks Unlimited and Pheasants Forever support the program — that allows farmers to donate land in order to conserve natural resources and protect millions of acres of topsoil from erosion — because it will help prevent the decline of the bird population and protect the waterfowl habitat, which translates into more ducks in the fall flight across the country. (AgriNews) Read more.

Illinois farmers have launched a public relations campaign to improve their image among residents after research revealed doubts regarding modern farming methods. The research showed that consumers liked farmers, but they question large-scale production methods and use of genetically modified crops. Less than 6 percent of farms nationwide accounted for nearly 60 percent of farm sales in 2007. Yet, even big farms that bring in $1 million or more a year are family owned and operated. (Associated Press) Read more.

Producers interested in offering land in an effort to protect millions of acres of topsoil from erosion and improve the nation’s natural resources, have until next Friday, Aug. 27, to sign up for the Conservation Reserve Program. Producers who enroll during the CRP general sign-up period will be expected to plant long-term, resource-conserving covers in exchange for rental payments, cost-share and technical assistance. Those interested should consult their local Farm Service Agency county office. Learn more or locate an FSA county office.

A U.S. District Court judge has reversed the government’s approval of genetically modified sugar beets until a more thorough review has been completed. Judge Jeffery S. White’s ruling on Friday blocks farmers from planting the Roundup-resistant seed next spring but allows for seed that has already been planted and will be ready for harvest this fall. Planting of the seed — created by St. Louis-based Monsanto Co. — will not be allowed until a study to determine the environmental effects of the use of genetically engineered crops has been completed. Read more (Associated Press).
Additional sources: The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal).