Transportation system in jeopardy Monday, April 2, 2012 The deteriorating waterway transportation system in the United States is putting the livelihood of soybean farmers at risk, according to the United Soybean Board.A report the soybean board commissioned, entitled "America's Locks & Dams: A Ticking Timebomb For Agriculture?", says agriculture accounted for 22 per cent of all transported tonnage and 31 per cent of all "ton miles," a measure of freight movement, in the United States in 2007.Should a catastrophic failure occur, agricultural producers and consumers will suffer. From 2005 to 2009, 87 to 91 per cent of corn exported through lower Mississippi ports arrived at the ports via barge. For soybeans, the percentage was 87 to 89 per cent.More than half of the locks on the Mississippi, Missouri and Ohio rivers are past their 50-year life expectancy. More than one-third are 70 years old. At some key locks, delays measured in hours have tripled since 2005. BF South Dakota loves mini-cheeses The farmer who loves turtles
Middle East conflict pushes fertilizer costs higher, forcing Ontario growers to rethink corn acres Wednesday, March 11, 2026 Ontario farmers are bracing for a turbulent spring as fertilizer and fuel prices surge in response to the escalating conflict involving Iran, a development that analysts say could reshape planting decisions across North America. The spike in nitrogen costs—the most critical and... Read this article online
A new front in the repair access debate Friday, March 6, 2026 Iowa lawmakers have pushed the right‑to‑repair conversation into new territory with House File 2529, a bill that focuses specifically on diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) systems—the single most common cause of emissions-related downtime on modern farm machinery. The bill would require... Read this article online
March 8 is International Women’s Day Friday, March 6, 2026 Across the United States and Canada, women are taking on increasingly visible roles in agriculture—managing farms, leading ag-tech startups, advancing research, and strengthening the rural economies that feed both nations. Their work reflects a shift in an industry once defined... Read this article online
Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry to Visit Toronto and Southwestern Ontario Tuesday, March 3, 2026 The Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry will be in Toronto and Southwestern Ontario later this week as part of its ongoing study on the role of Canada’s agriculture and agri‑food sector in strengthening national food security. The fact‑finding mission is scheduled for... Read this article online
AgriStability Program Updated to Include Pasture-Related Feed Costs Beginning in 2026 Monday, March 2, 2026 In case you missed it last week, the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced that pasture-related feed costs will be added as an allowable expense under AgriStability starting with the 2026 program year. The update addresses rising operational... Read this article online