Farm of the Future

Perhaps there was a time when there was a clear divide between organic farmers and conventional farmers. But if those lines ever existed, they are certainly blurred today.

History proves when production gets too high, market prices always inevitably fall.<p>

Last fall U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced a Grazing Action Plan. USDA indicates that it's working.

Consumer interest in both protein and fiber have put several of the pulse crops in the spotlight. But supply continues to keep up with growing demand.

The pulse industry has been working hard to find new niches and alternatives to support producers.<p>

Canada has become a world leader in the trade of pulse crops like peas and lentils by developing bulk supply chains.

The EU is one of the biggest holdouts on regulatory approval for gene-edited crops, but developments are expected in 2026.

You probably haven’t grown any gene edited crops yet, but they’re coming.

Technological breakthroughs in recent years with artificial intelligence and gene editing are opening up new possibilities for plant breeders.

USDA says big steps have been made on one of the pillars of the NWS program: sterile fly production. <p>

Commodity markets have been brutal this past year for many different crops, prompting some farmers to get creative with their marketing.

Labor is expensive and automation is getting better, but is any of it really cheap enough to start replacing labor needs on the farm?

Artificial intelligence and robotics are gaining traction in postharvest technology for fruits and vegetables.

Wootzano's highly dexterous robots help in the packing houses of fruits like tomatoes and table grapes. <p>

Some ranchers are concerned about the rising costs of raising cattle and the number of replacement heifers being retained.

What does it take to grow a business in production agriculture in today’s farm economy? One strategy is to build vertically.

It can be easy in production agriculture to assume that more production equals more profit.

Below normal Western Snowpack totals are causing more and more concern about regional water supplies.

With wholesale prices back to the farmer so low that margins are hard to come by, will more farmers start considering direct marketing?

Farmers who've already invested in automation systems like Netafim or Wiseconn can now make those technologies pay off faster.

Utilities across California are paying farmers to shift when they irrigate.

A newly re-branded company is offering farmers a way to earn extra revenue without selling their crops.

USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service shares some of the trends for farm land size over time as well as by sales class.<p>

Last week at Commodity Classic USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the “One Farmer, One File” modernization.

Eric Dinger, CEO of LandOption, sees a new type of agricultural expert coming to a farm near you.

Government agencies, non-profits and companies are all still offering conservation programs to reward farmers for more sustainable practices.

Farmers are right to be skeptical of conservation and carbon programs that don't have a trusted local advisor.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced USDA’s Farm Service Agency has issued final Emergency Livestock Relief Program payments totaling more than $1.89 billion.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced that the USDA is providing $1 billion in assistance for specialty crops and sugar.

Innovation in crop and livestock production continues to accelerate, but one area that hasn’t kept up is farm security.

Farmers considering the latest technologies in robotics and artificial intelligence have to determine: is it safe?

The topic of farm robotics has been something discussed for years now, so why don’t we see more farmers buying autonomous equipment?

Farmworkers are a vital backbone not just for the agricultural industry, but for America’s food supply as a whole.

Over the last decade, the cost of producing crops has continued to climb, yet for many farmers, their percentage of the food dollar hasn’t kept pace.

Shay Myers, owner of Owyhee Produce, says that if current challenges continue, the impacts could ripple all the way to grocery store prices.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins signed a Memorandum of Understanding that memorializes the relationship between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of War.

Brazil Potash is developing significantly more mining capacity for potash in the South American country. Why is this good for farmers?

USDA-APHIS is inviting U.S. swine producers and pig owners to participate in the “I Protect Pigs” Photo Contest

It’s too early to quantify the damages, but Valencia oranges and some grapefruit varieties could effected.<p>

If you’ve been to a modern dairy, you know how sophisticated these operations are.

In today’s farm economy, no farmer is going to invest in technology unless it is proven and well-suited for their specific farm conditions.

By the time symptoms of disease are observable in a crop, potential yield may already be effected. But what if there was a way to be notified earlier about crop diseases?

InnerPlant’s Gary Schaefer says they’ve developed technology that enables a soybean crop to make the decision for the farmer, providing early indications of disease.<p>

USDA announced the availability of funding to combat New World screwworm (NWS) and prevent its northward spread.

Clifford Pollard of Cream Co Meats argues that supporting smaller companies and small producers is worth the effort.

When you hear about how little of the food dollar goes to the farmer, you may wonder why we just can’t cut out some of the middlemen?

Working towards a more sustainable food system doesn’t necessarily have to start on a farm. Sometimes, it begins in the kitchen.

Obviously, job number one is to make sure that water is not the limiting factor to crop development, but how do you know that your system is performing as planned?

Obviously, job number one is to make sure that water is not the limiting factor to crop development, but how do you know that your system is performing as planned?

It’s often the threats that aren’t in the headlines that can take producers by surprise.