Largest U.S. honey collection since 1997
Domestic beekeepers collected 183 million pounds of honey in 2022, the largest amount in 25 years, according to the latest Census of Agriculture. The United States is the 10th largest honey producer in the world and the number of beekeeping operations grew by 30 percent since the previous census, in 2017, said USDA’s monthly Sugar and Sweeteners Outlook report.
Dairy farmers seek bird flu funds from USDA
Only a handful of U.S. farms — 18 in all — are accepting federal funds to quash the outbreak of the H5N1 avian flu virus among dairy herds that began three months ago, according to the Agriculture Department. Up to $28,000 is available over three months for farms with an outbreak and $3,500 is available to other dairy producers to improve their biosecurity practices and test their cows for the virus.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
Chesapeake Bay dead zone: The EPA estimated the Chesapeake Bay dead zone will be just 4 percent larger than usual this summer, a sign of progress in controlling nutrient runoff in the bay’s watershed considering heavier-than-average spring rainfall. (Maryland Matters)
Left at the roadside: An Italian farmer was under investigation for manslaughter for allegedly leaving an immigrant farm laborer on the side of the road after the man lost an arm in an accident involving heavy machinery in a vegetable field near Rome. (BBC)
Solar farms and hail: Many solar farms use so-called trackers to turn the panels during the day to follow the sun, and developers say weather reports could be incorporated into the technology to minimize hail damage by changing the angle of the panels to the sky. (InsideClimate News)
Rural areas not covered: Some of America’s most heat-vulnerable populations are in rural areas, where common urban mitigation tactics, such as cooling centers and longer hours at public swimming pools, are ineffective because people live farther apart and may have to travel miles for help. (New York Times)
Forest conservation survey: The USDA will mail surveys to 43,000 landowners and land managers this summer to gather information on why they implement particular grazing and conservation practices and whether they change them over time. (National Agricultural Statistics Service)
ON THE CALENDAR
Monday
Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) holds webinar on highly pathogenic avian influenza and its impact on food production industries, 2 p.m. ET. “The webinar will explore the virus’s movement between different animal groups, the current state of the poultry and dairy industries, and strategies to mitigate the effects of HPAI based on lessons learned from past outbreaks,” said CAST.
Farm Credit Council holds learning conference, through Wednesday, Chicago.
USDA releases weekly Crop Progress report, 4 p.m. ET.
Tuesday
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter speak on “increasing competition and fairness in food and agricultural markets” at the Center for American Progress, 11 a.m. ET. Washington. The event will also be webcast.
The National Sunflower Association holds summer seminar, through Wednesday, Duluth, Minnesota.
The National Potato Council holds summer meeting, through Friday, Fort Collins, Colorado.
USDA releases monthly Food Price Outlook report, 9 a.m. ET. At present, food prices are forecast to rise 1.2 percent this year, the smallest annual increase since 0.9 percent in 2019.
USDA releases monthly Cold Storage report, 3 p.m. ET.
Wednesday
Marcia McNutt, president of the National Academy of Sciences, delivers the inaugural “State of the Science” address, followed by a panel discussion, 3 p.m. ET, Washington. The session will “explore how U.S. science and innovation are poised to respond to rising global competition and shifting priorities for the nation’s economy, security, public health, and well-being.” The event will be webcast.
Environmental groups, community organizations, and farm groups deliver to EPA a petition signed by more than 33,000 people in opposition to federal support of manure biogas and anaerobic digesters on livestock farms, 10 a.m. ET, Washington.
Senate Agriculture subcommittee hearing, “Combating drought with innovation,” 11 a.m. ET, Burlington, Colorado.
Thursday
President Biden and former president Donald Trump meet for first of two debates ahead of the Nov. 5 presidential election, 9 p.m. ET on CNN. Their second debate is scheduled for Sept. 10 on ABC.
International Grains Council releases Grains Market Report, London.
USDA releases quarterly Hogs and Pigs report, 3 p.m. ET.
Friday
USDA releases annual Acreage and quarterly Grain Stocks reports, noon ET. Traders expect plantings of a dozen crops—from corn, soybeans, and wheat to cotton, oats, and barley—will be marginally larger than growers indicated in March. The increase in corn acreage would be the largest, rising by 517,000 acres, or nearly 6 percent, to a total of 90.35 million acres.
USDA releases monthly Agricultural Prices report, 3 p.m. ET.
