Michigan grants helping keep more business closer to home
Byron Center Meats is one of 10 recipients of a total of more than $1.1 million in grants awarded to projects by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), under the competitive Value Added and Regional Food System Grant Program.
Michigan yogurt maker in Sprint Accelerator efforts
Sprint announced early last month its fifth annual round of Sprint Accelerator recipients – companies it describes as small startups that are doing innovative things, including in the world of food and agriculture.
Farm Bureau market survey: Food prices up, but still low
The cost of an average meal this spring nationwide was up just slightly, but for eggs particularly, the Easter Bunny and consumers have had to dig deeper into their pockets.
McKinney: Trade deal work is rough, with worthy end result
The agricultural industry is concerned about trade: a trade war with China, pulling out of NAFTA and the agreement with South Korea, decreasing beef sales to Japan and less access to some growing markets than some of the United States’ trading partners.
ODA launches new sensitive-crops registry for applicators
The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) has announced a partnership with FieldWatch, Inc. to introduce a new sensitive-crop registry. The program will enhance communication between Ohio applicators and producers.
Ohio Farm Bureau YAP awards grants to 16 ag-minded groups
Ohio Farm Bureau’s (OFB) Young Agricultural Professionals (YAP) program has awarded $500 grants to eight local YAP groups and two collegiate Farm Bureau groups. The grants fund YAP-focused educational programming or events.
Sinclair College and NASA using drones to study Ohio algae issue
Sinclair Community College and the NASA Glenn Research Center have paired up in a project using drones to study Lake Erie’s harmful algal blooms (HAB). The partners are using Sinclair’s aircraft, ground support equipment and crew to fly a NASA hyperspectral sensor.
While U.S. growers expect to plant nearly 90 million soybean acres this spring, planting intentions are forecast to be slightly down this year from the 2017 record level, according to the USDA Prospective Plantings report released March 29.
U.S. soybean stocks up 21 percent over last March; wheat down a tenth
U.S. corn stocks in all positions totaled 8.89 billion bushels, up 3 percent from last March, with soybean stocks up 21 percent and all wheat stocks down 10 percent, according to the March 1 USDA Quarterly Grain Stocks report released March 29.
OIG raps SBA on illegal loans to poultry farmers, in report
An evaluation of U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) loans made to chicken farmers who act as contractors reveals that many of the loans are illegal.
