by Kevin Van Trump (with permission) May 13, 2019 From my perspective and many others, farmers have certainly taken the brunt of the hit associated with current trade negotiations. Yes, in the end farmers could be the biggest winner, but some are worried they won’t be able to hold their breath long enough to see…
Some veterans in the ag industry are calling this spring a “100-year event.” Never in history has there been a year quite like this one. To complicate matters, the U.S.-China trade talks continue to struggle and tariffs have escalated once more, taking a toll on the markets. This rare triple-whammy (trade, markets, and weather) creates…
Results from the 2017 U.S. Census of Agriculture have been published, and the picture of farming is changing. There are over 321,000 producers under the age of 35, and that ratio is growing as older generations pass on management of their farms. The USDA report says, “Farms with young producers making decisions tend to be…
Women farm managers are growing in number and rank. According to the most recent U.S. Census of Agriculture, female operators now make up 36% of farmers and work on 56% of all farms. Their role is growing, too. Most make some farm business decisions or manage the finances, and about 38% are the primary decision-maker.…
It’s hard to believe we’ve turned the page on 2019. Maybe you’re reviewing what went well (or what you could improve upon) and are making plans to step up your game in 2020. There’s a lot of wisdom in experience. In that spirit, we’re bringing you highlights from some of our best episodes of In…
It’s no secret that farming is a stressful occupation – no matter how noble it is. With growing stress around economics, a multitude of daily tasks, and now a global pandemic, mental health has become a bigger conversation – or it should be. Feelings are easy to push down or out of the way because…
More women are climbing into tractors, applying fertilizer, selling grain, and making important business decisions for their operations. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the number of female producers increased by 27% from 2012 to 2017, to 1.2 million female farmers working 388 million acres and making almost $150 billion in sales.
