Growers to plant more wheat, pursuing war-boosted prices
With U.S. wheat selling for a record-high average of $9.10 a bushel, growers say they will sow the largest amount of land to wheat in seven years, enough to bump up production by 17 percent. It is the latest reverberation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, 11 months ago, that has disrupted global food chains and driven up prices.
After holiday peak, egg prices trending downward
Wholesale egg prices are down more than $1 a dozen since hitting a record daily average price of $5.40 a dozen in the week before Christmas, said USDA economists in the monthly Livestock, Dairy and Poultry report.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
Storms hit California strawberries: Recent wind and rainstorms caused up to $200 million in crop, property and equipment damage to strawberry farms in Southern California and the Central Coast. (Western Farm Press)
Iowa GOP targets SNAP: Three dozen Republicans in the Iowa House have filed a bill to greatly limit the foods that SNAP recipients could buy, including white bread, fresh meat and sliced cheese, and require Medicare recipients to work at least 20 hours a week to receive benefits. (Time)
Flame-retardant cotton: Agricultural Research Scientists bred four cotton lines that possess a novel flame-retardant trait that can be used to make self-extinguishing textiles. (USDA)
HPAI in Virginia turkeys: As U.S. losses neared 57.9 million birds, highly pathogenic avian influenza was confirmed at a turkey farm with 25,300 turkeys in Rockingham County in northwestern Virginia, the first discovery of the viral disease in a commercial flock in the state. (USDA)
‘Could be 150 years ago’: Sheepherders, often employed under three-year visas, work year-round with constantly moving flocks in remote settings in Wyoming. (Washington Post)
ON THE CALENDAR
Monday
International Dairy Food Association holds Dairy Forum 2023, through Wednesday, Orlando.
Clean Fuels America Alliance holds the annual Clean Fuels Conference, through Thursday, Tampa, Florida.
Wednesday
Ecovia Intelligence holds Sustainable Foods Summit, through Thursday, San Francisco.
USDA releases monthly Food Price Outlook report, 9 a.m. ET. At present, food inflation is forecast at 4 percent this year, compared to 10 percent during 2022.
USDA releases monthly Cold Storage report, 3 p.m. ET.
Friday
American Seed Trade Association holds annual Vegetable and Flower Seed Conference, through Jan. 31, Orlando.
Sunday
American Sugarbeet Growers Association holds annual meeting, through Jan. 31, Washington.
