Latest Agribusiness Headlines
All the headlines from our Agribusiness Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Cut Crop Insurance Subsidy by $40 Billion, Say Fiscal Conservatives
Mar 5 2013 // A coalition of fiscal conservatives on Tuesday called for a steep cut in federal subsidies for crop insurance, setting up a clash with U.S. farm groups that see the program as their top priority in a new farm bill. Growers...
2012 North Dakota Crops Valued at Nearly $11B
Mar 5 2013 // The value of crops produced in North Dakota last year totaled almost $11 billion, nearly doubling the $6 billion value of crops produced during flood-plagued 2011. The federal Agriculture Department computes the value by...
Snow and Rain Shrink Drought Area of U.S. Crop Belt
Mar 1 2013 // Light snow fell in much of the drought-stricken U.S. Plains and Midwest crop region early Friday with a bigger storm forecast for late next week, shrinking the area hit by the worst dry spell in 50 years. Agricultural...
Blizzard Eases U.S. Plains Drought but Crops Need More Moisture
Feb 27 2013 // A blizzard this week in the drought-stricken U.S. Plains will moisten soil for major crops, but the snow storm made it difficult to feed cattle and reach some cow herds, an agricultural meteorologist said on...
Court OKs Salmonella Treatment for California Almonds
Feb 26 2013 // An appeals court ruled Friday that federal officials have the authority to require that all California almonds be treated for salmonella following outbreaks linked to almonds from the state. The ruling by the U.S. Court of...
Capital Names Chatterton Vice President in Central California
Feb 25 2013 // Monterey, Calif.-based–Capital Insurance Group named Arne Chatterton vice president of field operations and business relations. The appointment is effective March 1. He was most recently senior vice president of the...
Study: Agriculture Plays Important Role in Utah Economy
Feb 25 2013 // Agriculture continues to play an important role in Utah’s economy, according to a Utah State University study. The study found that when taking into account related industries such as food processing, agriculture...
Farmer Confirmed as South Carolina Commissioner
Feb 25 2013 // The South Carolina Senate voted 29-1 to confirm a retired insurance lobbyist as the state’s new insurance commissioner. Raymond Farmer was appointed by Gov. Nikki Haley to serve as director for the South Carolina...
High Prices, Crop Insurance to Offset Drought Losses for Farmers in 2013: USDA
Feb 25 2013 // The seven-year-old U.S. agricultural boom, driven by record-high commodity prices and painfully tight supplies, is expected to peak this year and then come to an abrupt end as high costs start to bite, the government...
Montana’s Wheat Crop Valued At $1.7B
Feb 22 2013 // Agricultural analysts say Montana’s 2012 wheat crop was valued at a record $1.7 billion, making it the fifth time in six years that the crop has been valued at over $1 billion. The Billings Gazette reported farmers...
Federal Crop Insurance Board Gets 4 New Directors
Feb 22 2013 // Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently named four new members of the Federal Crop Insurance Corp. (FCIC) board of directors. The new appointees are James Bardenhagen, Iris Saenz, John F. Finston, and Kenneth Ray Sneed....
No Damage to Florida Citrus Crop from Cold Snap
Feb 20 2013 // Florida came through this week’s cold snap with no major damage to the orange blossoms that will produce next year’s crop, the state’s largest growers’ association said. Temperatures dipped below...
Supreme Court Justices Appear to Back Monsanto in Seed Patent Claim
Feb 20 2013 // U.S. Supreme Court justices signaled on Tuesday that agribusiness giant Monsanto Co. was in a strong position to claim that an Indiana farmer violated its patent for a type of soybean. In a case closely watched by the...
Rain and Snow Help Ease Plains/Midwest Drought
Feb 20 2013 // Crop-friendly rain and snow is blanketing much of the drought-stricken U.S. Plains hard red winter wheat region and the dry western Midwest, an agricultural meteorologist said on Wednesday. “Widespread coverage of...
Farmers CEO: Changes Align Leadership Around Core Businesses
Feb 19 2013 // Jeff Dailey, chief executive officer of Los Angeles, Calif.-based Farmers Group Inc., on Tuesday announced several executive leadership team appointments he says better aligns the leadership team around Farmers core...
Scientists Want Montana Climate Office Reopened To Help Farmers
Feb 19 2013 // State officials should approve and provide money to reopen a state climate office because new technologies could help crop producers track global competition as well as offer other advantages, scientists at the University...
Court: Iowa Farmers Who Host Tours Can Be Liable
Feb 19 2013 // Farmers who host educational tours for the public are not shielded from personal injury lawsuits under a law meant to promote recreation on private lands, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled. The owners of a dairy farm in...
Farmer Confirmed As South Carolina Insurance Commissioner
Feb 18 2013 // The South Carolina Senate voted 29-1 to confirm a retired insurance lobbyist as the state’s new insurance commissioner. Raymond Farmer was appointed by Gov. Nikki Haley to serve as director for the South Carolina...
North Carolina Agent, Farmer Sentenced for Crop Insurance Fraud
Feb 18 2013 // Two North Carolina men have been sentenced for their roles in a massive crop insurance fraud. A federal judge last Wednesday sentenced insurance agent William Larry Rogers to 9 years in prison for conspiring to make false...
Crop Insurance Tops Garamendi’s Ag Committee Goals
Feb 14 2013 // As the newest member of the House Agriculture Committee Congressman John Garamendi says he plans to put crop insurance, agricultural research, conservation programs, food security and the marketing of regional crops...
