Latest Agribusiness Headlines
All the headlines from our Agribusiness Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Slide Assumes 86,000 Farmers Policies in Florida, Offers Appointments to Agents
Oct 16 2023 // Tampa-based Slide Insurance, which has made a practice of assuming Florida policies from other insurers in the last two years, said it has acquired renewal rights to 86,000 homeowner policies from Farmers...
Bird Flu Strikes Turkey Farms in South Dakota and Utah, Prompting Fears of More Cases
Oct 12 2023 // MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Highly pathogenic bird flu has made its first appearances in U.S. commercial poultry flocks this season, affecting one turkey farm in South Dakota and one in Utah and raising concerns that more...
Walmart to Build $350M Milk Plant in Georgia to Expand Control of Dairy Supply
Oct 12 2023 // VALDOSTA, Ga. (AP) — Walmart announced it will build a new $350 million milk processing plant in south Georgia, hiring nearly 400 people. Arkansas-based Walmart said the plant will provide milk to more than 750...
Iowa Farmers Eligible for $5 per Acre Discount on Spring Crop Insurance Premiums for Planting Fall Cover Crops
Oct 5 2023 // Iowa farmers and landowners who plant fall cover crops will soon have the opportunity to apply for a $5 per acre discount on their spring crop insurance premiums, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced. Farmers...
Farmers, USAA Lead Pack in Hiking Homeowners Insurance Rates in 2023: S&P
Oct 4 2023 // Farmers Insurance Group of Cos. and United Services Automobile Association (USAA) have increased homeowners insurance rates by nearly 15% each to lead all other insurers. According to S&P Global Market...
Louisiana Citrus Farmers Seeing a Mass Influx of Salt Water
Oct 3 2023 // Commercial citrus growers have dwindled over the past few decades in south Louisiana, where farmers have had to battle hurricanes, flooding, invasive insects, freezes and drought to keep their groves alive. The latest...
Lingering Drought and Wildfires Plague Texas, Threatening Water Supplies and Agriculture
Oct 3 2023 // A lingering drought affecting more than 80% of Texas is causing wildfires, hurting agriculture and drying up water supplies throughout the state. This year’s drought comes less than a year after Texas experienced one...
Saltwater Intrusion Threatens Louisiana’s Citrus Industry, Farmers Seek Solutions
Oct 2 2023 // BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) – Commercial citrus growers have dwindled over the past few decades in south Louisiana, where farmers have had to battle hurricanes, flooding, invasive insects, freezes and drought to keep their...
Invasive Spotted Lanternflies Found in Illinois, Threatening Crops and Native Tree
Sep 29 2023 // SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Illinois is the latest state to find invasive spotted lanternflies, a winged insect that`s spreading across the eastern U.S. and is subject to squish-on-sight requests in New York and...
Delayed Passage of Farm Bill Stirs Concern for Texas Agriculture
Sep 27 2023 // WASHINGTON — Key federal legislation to support farmers and consumers could get delayed due to the looming government shutdown, causing uncertainty for agriculture and nutrition programs in Texas. The must-pass package...
Florida Agriculture Losses from Idalia Reach $78M to $371M, Study Says
Sep 25 2023 // ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Florida agriculture losses from Hurricane Idalia are estimated at between $78 million and $371 million, with farmers also suffering widespread damage to such infrastructure as irrigation...
Drought and Low Mississippi River Levels Pose Challenges for Midwest Farmers’ Crop Transportation
Sep 18 2023 // DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A long stretch of hot, dry weather has left the Mississippi River so low that barge companies are reducing their loads just as Midwest farmers are preparing to harvest crops and send tons of corn...
Louisiana Prisoner Suit Claims They’re Forced to Endure Dangerous Conditions at Prison Farm
Sep 18 2023 // BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) – Men incarcerated at Louisiana State Penitentiary filed a class-action lawsuit Saturday, contending they have been forced to work in the prison’s fields for little or no pay, even when...
AM Best Revises Outlook for Georgia Farm Bureau Companies
Sep 18 2023 // The AM Best financial rating firm has slightly downgraded the credit rating outlook for two Farm Bureau companies after weather losses and a rise in reinsurance costs and inflation. The financial strength rating remained...
Wisconsin Lawmakers Settle Pollution Violations with Factory Farms
Sep 15 2023 // MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Wisconsin lawmakers agreed Wednesday to settle allegations that two factory farms violated their pollution permits for more than a quarter of a million dollars. The Legislature`s Joint Finance...
USDA Expands Whole Farm Revenue Protection, Micro Farm Insurance Plans
Sep 14 2023 // The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) announced changes to the Whole Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) and Micro Farm Insurance plans in an effort to increase participation and access to crop...
Connecticut Farm Worker Paralyzed After Being Attacked by Bull
Sep 8 2023 // A 59-year-old Connecticut man was seriously injured after being attacked by a bull at the farm where he was working. Family members told Hearst Connecticut Media that the bull attacked Randy Janquins on Friday at a farm in...
Federal Government Opens Two Areas in Gulf of Mexico for Wind Farms, but No Companies Bid on Leases
Aug 30 2023 // The federal government for the first time on Tuesday opened two areas in the Gulf of Mexico off the Texas coast to build wind farms. Groups representing supply chain businesses hailed the chance for the new offshore leases...
California Labor Commissioner Cites Farm Labor Contractor and Growers $1.9M
Aug 29 2023 // The California Labor Commissioner’s Office cited farm labor contractor M.G. Luna, Inc. of Parlier and growers Madera Persimmon Growers Inc. of Madera and Willems Farms Inc. of Kingsburg $1,926,531, for wage theft...
Farmers Insurance Laying Off 11% of Workforce, Citing Industry Challenges
Aug 28 2023 // Farmers Insurance announced it will part ways with approximately 2,400 employees – 11% of its workforce across all lines of business. “Decisions like these are never easy, and we are committed to doing our best to...
