Next GOP leader?: South Dakota’s John Thune, currently No. 2 in Senate Republican leadership and a member of the Agriculture Committee, said he was “having lots of conversations” about campaigning to succeed Mitch McConnell as party leader in the Senate. (The Hill)
Biggest Texas fire: The Smokehouse Creek wildfire in the Texas Panhandle has burned nearly 1.1 million acres — an area larger than Rhode Island — to become the largest blaze in state history. (NBC News)
Slaughter line speeds: The USDA extended, until Jan. 15, 2025, permission for hog plants to operate at line speeds of more than 1,106 head per hour if they continue to participate in a study of worker safety. (Food Safety and Inspection Service)
Highest ethanol blend rate: The average gallon of gasoline sold in 2023 was 10.39 percent ethanol, the highest blend rate ever and a result of rising sales of E15, which is 15 percent ethanol instead of the traditional 10 percent. (Renewable Fuels Association)
Record peanut exports: Exports of U.S.-grown peanuts hit a record $889.5 million in 2023, up 24 percent from the previous year, with Mexico and Canada accounting for half of sales. (American Peanut Council)