Daily News Radio Reports Focused on Agriculture!

by Jeff Ishee Early assessments show the region’s agriculture sector suffered far more damage than was first believed. ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, VA — Farmers across the Shenandoah Valley are still digging out after a late January winter storm. Early assessments show the region’s agriculture sector suffered far more damage than was first believed. Image credit - Farmer who would like to remain anonymous Officials with Virginia Cooperative Extension and the USDA’s Farm Service Agency

Source: Michigan Farm Bureau Michigan land values showed “remarkable resilience and strength” in the latter part of 2025, according to Jay Van Gorden, area sales manager for Farmers National Co. (FNC), a national landowner service provider. This is especially the case for high-quality farmland, said Van Gorden, which is still near record levels. “Farmers National has seen multiple sales in the $15,000 to $19,000 per acre range in the past few weeks in our Eastern Region for h

The U.S. Department of Agriculture released their annual report on crop production in mid-Janaury. That report indicated that ten states set new all‑time record corn yields in 2025. These records were driven by unusually favorable summer weather and a strong kernel set across much of the Corn Belt. As farmers might say, "Right weather at the right time." Soybean yield also set a new record at 53 bpa. States setting a new all-time high for corn yield include: Georgia Indiana L

Source: American Farm Bureau Federation For specialty crop farmers, 2025 has offered little relief from mounting financial pressures. Markets that once delivered stable margins are now marked by volatility, while production expenses continue to rise faster than prices. Trade uncertainty further threatens already-thin farm-gate revenues. Despite generating more than $75 billion in annual farm-gate value – over one-third of all U.S. crop sales – specialty crop producers operate

Source: USDA news release Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. published a joint opinion piece in Fox News highlighting the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025-2030, which call for Americans to eat real foods, including more protein, dairy, and vegetables, and reduce highly processed foods. Unprocessed, farm-fresh foods offer numerous nutritional benefits. Image credit - Je

Source: West Virginia Department of Agriculture Charleston, WV - The West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) is now accepting applications for the 2026 Veterans & Heroes to Agriculture Agribusiness Pitch Competition , an annual event designed to support veterans and other emergency responders pursuing agricultural careers and small-business ventures in the Mountain State. The competition provides qualified applicants an opportunity to present their ideas for innovativ

By Jeff Mulhollem, Penn State UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa . — Weed control is essential in apple orchards because weeds compete with trees for nutrients, water and sunlight, which can reduce fruit yields. However, physically removing weeds is not only labor-intensive, but it also can damage soil structure and tree roots. Using chemical sprays to kill weeds can lead to other problems, such as pollution, herbicide resistance and excess chemical residues on apples. Another option called

by Jeff Ishee Source: USDA Economic Research Service December 24 - The month of December is a time for many farmers to finalize planting intentions for the following year. Sitting at their desk with a calculator handy, the big question on every farmer's mind is "Will 2026 be a profitable year?" To assist in answering that question, the USDA's Economic Research Service offers national estimates for crop production every six months. The USDA estimates the national average cost

Source: GA Farm Bureau On Dec. 2, Walmart celebrated the grand opening of its owned and operated milk processing facility in Valdosta — a major milestone the company said will create more than 400 new jobs, strengthen Walmart’s end-to-end supply chain for affordable, high-quality milk, and advance the company’s long-standing commitment to U.S. manufacturing and local sourcing. The 300,000+ square-foot state-of-the-art facility represents a $350 million investment. According t

December 18, 2025 - The United Nations has officially declared 2026 the “International Year of the Woman Farmer,” a landmark initiative to spotlight women’s vital contributions to global agriculture and food systems. At a ceremony in Rome, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) launched the observance, emphasizing that women farmers are central to food security, nutrition, and rural economic resilience. Despite making up nearly half of the world’s agricultural workforce