Latest Agribusiness Headlines
All the headlines from our Agribusiness Topic Page, ordered by recency.
South Dakota Egg-Laying Chicken Farm Hit with Bird Flu
May 19 2015 // An eastern South Dakota farm with 1.3 million egg-laying chickens is the first in the chicken-production business in the state to be infected with a deadly flu virus despite efforts to prevent it, state and farm officials...
Outlooks for American Agricultural Insurance Positive
May 15 2015 // A.M. Best has revised the outlooks to positive from stable and affirmed the financial strength rating of A- (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating of “a-” of American Agricultural Insurance Co. (AAIC) of...
Brethren Mutual in Maryland Announces 5 Appointments
May 13 2015 // The Brethren Mutual Insurance Company in Hagerstown, Maryland, announced the following new hires and promotions. Jeff Borkowski joined Brethren Mutual as vice president of underwriting and marketing. He oversees the...
Wisconsin Dairy Co-Op Cited in Grain Bin Death, Fined $193K
May 13 2015 // A federal worker safety agency is proposing a $193,000 fine against a Wisconsin dairy co-op after a man died in a grain bin in November. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration on May 11 announced it was citing...
El Nino Emerges; Asia-Pacific Region Faces Months of Disruptive Weather
May 13 2015 // In 2009, the El Nino brought the worst drought in four decades to India. It razed wheat fields in Australia and damaged crops across Asia. Food prices surged. A closely watched forecast by Japan on Tuesday confirmed its...
Farm, Ranch Tourism Liability Bill Advances in Nebraska
May 12 2015 // Farmers and ranchers who open their property to tourists could be shielded from certain lawsuits under a bill advancing by Nebraska lawmakers. Senators gave the proposal first-round approval with a 33-1 vote. Sen. Ken...
HSB Launches Enhanced Farm Equipment, Machinery Breakdown Coverage
May 8 2015 // The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Co. (HSB), part of Munich Re, has launched a new farm equipment and machinery breakdown coverage with expanded insurance for mobile implements and the precision...
A.M. Best Revises Outlook to Stable for Georgia Farm Bureau Group Members
May 1 2015 // A.M. Best has revised the outlook to stable from negative and affirmed the financial strength rating of B+ (Good) and the issuer credit rating of “bbb-” of Georgia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. and Georgia...
Court Fight over Dow Chemical Herbicide Widens to 15 States
Apr 30 2015 // A court fight over use of a new Dow Chemical herbicide on genetically engineered U.S. corn and soybean crops is growing to encompass 15 Midwestern states after the company recently won federal approval for more widespread...
Farmers Sued by Female Employee Attorney for Alleged Discrimination
Apr 29 2015 // A class-action lawsuit against Farmers Insurance on behalf of female attorney employees was filed on Wednesday in federal court, alleging the insurance giant has discriminatory policies and practices. The suit accuses Los...
Bird Flu Found in 5 more Northwest Iowa Farms
Apr 29 2015 // The deadly bird flu virus was found in an egg-laying flock with 3.7 million chickens in northwest Iowa in addition to four more poultry farms, state agriculture officials said. The virus will now cost Iowa egg producers...
Bird Flu ‘Catastrophe’ Growing in Midwest
Apr 24 2015 // Deadly bird flu swelled in the poultry industry in Minnesota and neighboring Wisconsin amid speculation that winds may be carrying virus particles into facilities housing turkeys and chickens. “This is a catastrophe...
N.Y. Sen. Schumer: Ease Dairy Insurance Rules Amid Drop in Milk Prices
Apr 24 2015 // U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., says dairy farmers in New York state and across the country need help contending with falling milk prices. The Democrat says Wednesday that he wants the U.S. Department of Agriculture to...
Earth Day, Climate Change and Drought
Apr 23 2015 // As much of the U.S. and the rest of the planet celebrated Earth Day, California politicos and leaders squabbled over how best to deal with the ongoing drought – which may or may not be caused by climate change, depending...
Man Who Hacked Farmers Insurance, Government Sentenced in California
Apr 20 2015 // A hacker who helped break into the computer systems of DirecTV, Farmers Insurance and the Los Angeles Department of Public Works is going to federal prison. Mario Chuisano was given a three-year sentence last week and...
Missouri High Court Upholds Agricultural Liability Limit in Hog Farm Case
Apr 16 2015 // Missouri’s highest court has upheld limits to the damages property owners can recover in nuisance lawsuits against agricultural operations. The Missouri Supreme Court ruled in favor of a hog farm in a case where...
Parts of Nevada, Utah, Idaho Declared Drought Disaster
Apr 16 2015 // The U.S. Agriculture Department has declared two northeast Nevada counties natural disaster areas due to the lingering drought with an emergency order that also makes emergency low-interest loans available to farmers,...
Crop Insurance Uncertainty Hindering Arkansas Farmers
Apr 14 2015 // Lower commodity prices and uncertainties about new federal crop insurance programs are making it tougher for Arkansas row crop farmers to secure operating loans. Tight cash flow has already struck some growers as the...
Floods & Drought Amid Climate Change Cost Global Economy Billions: Oxford
Apr 14 2015 // A new report on water insecurity says floods and drought amid climate change and a lack of investment in reliable water supplies is weighing on the global economy by tens of billions of dollars a year. “Water is...
Missouri Bills Include Insurance Subsidies for Dairy, Agriculture
Apr 13 2015 // Gov. Jay Nixon has signed bills aimed at boosting Missouri’s dairy and $12.5 billion-a-year agriculture industries through insurance subsidies, scholarships, eased restrictions during parts of the year and other...
