Industry News

A sweeping ban on equipment used in rodeo events, including ropes, spurs and straps, as well as the events themselves, was largely voted down by California's Alameda County Board of Supervisors. The board did agree to prohibit a ranch rodeo event known as "wild cow milking" where a team tries to get milk from a cow turned loose in an arena.

OMAHA (DTN) -- An attempt by the U.S. Department of Justice to block the sale of a large sugar refiner to a competitor failed Friday when a U.S. district judge in Delaware ruled the merger was not anti-competitive.

WASHINGTON (DTN) -- After pitching a climate-smart pilot program last spring that was expected to cost $1 billion, USDA on Wednesday rolled out up to $2.8 billion in grants under the Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities with expectations that more funding will be released before the end of the year.

ARLINGTON, Va. (DTN) -- After reporting more cases of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) on Monday, USDA's administrator for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) warned state agricultural directors there is a high risk that bird flu will continue to spread and a need to stress tight biosecurity measures to poultry producers.

Deere will have more than 10 but less than 50 of its newly launched autonomous 8R tractors out working the 2022 crop year.

Announced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas early last month, late model 8R 410 tractors, with the autonomous retrofit, are paired in Deere's initial offering with a TruSet-enabled chisel plow, GPS guidance system and other new, advanced technologies.

OMAHA (DTN) -- Livestock producers considering irrigated pastures have several different options available to them to grow more grass. Different species, from cool- to warm-season to annuals to perennials, can be selected.

Much like dryland pastures, proper fertilization and grazing management practices can extend the grazing season. Nutrient efficiency, utilizing rotational grazing as well as not overgrazing are important practices when establishing irrigated pastures.

MANY FORAGE OPTIONS

DECATUR, Ill. (DTN) -- Consider soybean cyst nematode (SCN) if you are thinking of planting back-to-back soybeans this spring. The pest already gained momentum in growing areas that experienced warm, dry conditions in 2021, and consecutive soybean crops are known to favor SCN reproduction.

OMAHA (DTN) -- Carbon pipeline companies looking to take carbon emissions from ethanol plants and pipe liquid carbon through multiple states are starting to face more organized landowner resistance.

An Iowa state senator's bill would take away the companies' ability to use eminent domain. The bill introduced by state Sen. Jeff Taylor, a Republican from northwest Iowa, would limit the use of eminent domain to public utilities and double the annual fee paid to the state for pipelines carrying hazardous liquids.

As the Great Lakes continue to hibernate, both the Port of Duluth Superior and the St. Lawrence Seaway released their 2021 shipping season summaries, showing a strong shipping season compared to 2020.

PEORIA, Ill. (DTN) -- Farmers are urged to consider nitrogen-use efficiency, revenue potential and the environment when making nitrogen application decisions for the 2022 corn crop.

Tips to get the most out of every nitrogen dollar include applying only what's necessary and protecting what is applied.