Below are a few news items for you for your weekend reading...
- Colorado's Pueblo chile's compete quite well with New Mexico's Hatch chile's.
- China's imports of DDGS, a by-product of corn-based ethanol, rose 67 percent on the year to a record 1.1 million tones.
- A supplement added to the feed of high-producing dairy cows reduced methane emissions by 30 percent.
- Fish farming is now a big hit in Africa.
- The Black Sea region may become an important supplier of increased grain demand in the future.
- Craft beer's economic impact on Colorado has gone over the $1 billion mark.
- Pope Francis is against transgenic crops.
- Scientists highlight the dangers of relying on climate-based projections of crop pest distribution because pests have their own way of doing things.
- Wells Fargo wants to dump its crop insurance business.
- A fatigue syndrome affecting feedlot cattle has been discovered by researchers. The syndrome is similar to one affecting the swine industry.
- Cargill has opened a new canola seed research and development facility in Fort Collins.
- Colorado pot growers face sky-high power bills ($40,000/month for one company).
- The FAO Food Price Index hit its lowest level in almost six years.
- Nebraska has been slow to adopt wind energy, and is now debating adding turbines to Gage and Lancaster Counties. For the affected farmers, their quality of life may be in jeopardy.
- Texas is researching how to grow high-value lettuce with 85 to 90 percent water savings indoors.
- U.S. farmers spent $397.6 billion on agricultural production in 2014, up 8.3 percent from 2013, the largest increase since 2008.
- Cost Cutting for 2016 from Univ. of Illinois: Budgeting for $4 Corn and $9.25 Soybeans.
- Lastly, the USDA report summarizing farm land values for 2015 is out. Below, are two key graphics from the report. (click either to enlarge)
