Upside Foods announces commercial-scale plant
Upside Foods, one of two companies approved to market cell-cultured meat in the United States, will locate its first commercial-scale plant in a suburb north of Chicago, said CEO Uma Valeti on Thursday. The 187,000-square-foot facility would begin with the production of ground cultivated chicken, with plans to expand to other species and whole-textured products in the future.
Land values in Brazil soy belt doubled from 2019-22
Cropland prices in Brazil doubled from 2019-22, pulled up by high commodity prices and strong investor demand, and aided by low interest rates, said four University of Illinois agricultural economists.
In race to control the House, three Agriculture Committee toss-ups
A relative handful of contests in the Nov. 8 general election — one month away — will decide whether Democrats or Republicans control the House in 2023. Three of those toss-up races are in farm-state districts with seats on the House Agriculture Committee.
Miller defeats fellow House Ag member Davis in Illinois district
First-term Rep. Mary Miller easily won the Republican nomination to the House over veteran Rep. Rodney Davis in an Illinois primary election that she framed as a test of loyalty to Donald Trump. The former president endorsed Miller. Davis was one of 35 House Republicans to vote for creation of an independent commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by a pro-Trump mob.
Bird flu found in Illinois and Kansas
"High path" bird flu was identified in backyard flocks in central Illinois and eastern Kansas, said a USDA agency on Saturday. The outbreak in Franklin County, Kansas, about 55 miles southwest of Kansas City, was the farthest west that highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been confirmed in a domestic flock this year.
Surge in yields brings biggest U.S. soybean crop ever
The U.S. soybean hit parade, with record production in 2016, 2017, and 2018, will continue this year with the largest crop ever, the government forecast on Tuesday with the harvest in full swing. A late-summer surge in likely yields per acre prompted the USDA to say the crop will be 2 percent larger than its previous estimate.
Arid weather trims corn and soybean outlook
With drought expanding in the Midwest, the corn and soybean crops are in notably worse condition than a week ago, said the USDA Crop Progress report on Monday. The portion of the corn crop rated as good or excellent tumbled by 14 percentage points in Iowa and good/excellent ratings for …
Ten and done, says midwestern Democrat in House
Approaching her 60th birthday, Illinois Rep. Cheri Bustos, a member of the House Agriculture Committee, announced she will retire in 2022 after 10 years in the House. "It will be a new decade and I feel it's time for a new voice," said Bustos. Her decision also reflected the shrinking influence of the farm and industrial heartland in the House.
Temp-agency food workers should be prioritized for vaccine, advocates say
Workers in food distribution, production, and logistics who are employed by temporary staffing agencies and other subcontractors should be prioritized for early access to the Covid-19 vaccine alongside other food system workers, argues a new report focused on the Chicago labor force. (No paywall)
Two states top $1 billion in Trump tariff payments this year
Producers in Iowa and Illinois reaped 20 percent of the trade war payments from the Trump administration, as cash disbursements leaped to nearly $10.2 billion nationwide for this year's crops and livestock. Iowa collected $1.15 billion and Illinois $1.06 billion, according to the USDA.
Corn and soybean planting is half of normal due to wet spring
Wet weather is holding corn and soybean planting far behind usual rates for the first week in May, the USDA said Monday. Economist Scott Irwin of the University of Illinois said on social media that half of the corn crop must be planted in the next two weeks to avoid the large yield losses that accompany later-than-optimal seeding.
Pesticide applicators warned Illinois about potential dicamba damage
The Illinois Department of Agriculture was warned a year ago about the potential crop damage that could be caused by the herbicide dicamba if the department didn’t tighten regulations on its use, says a report by the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting.
Dicamba debacle spreads, Illinois sees more crop damage
The 2017 growing season was supposed to be the year of “spotless” soybean fields after Monsanto introduced a new generation of soybeans – the largest single biotechnology launch in the company’s history. The new soybeans can tolerate the use of dicamba, a traditional herbicide used on corn that spreads easily and has historically harmed soybeans. But the Illinois Department of Agriculture has received 368 complaints so far in 2017, which are more alleged pesticide misuse complaints than in the previous three years combined, according to a review of a statewide database of complaints by the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting.
Soda tax will apply to 41 percent of Illinoisans on Wednesday
Cook County, the most populous county in Illinois, will begin collecting a penny-per-ounce tax on sugary beverages beginning on Wednesday, making it the largest jurisdiction with a soda tax, following a state court decision that the tax is constitutional, said the Chicago Tribune. Som
Tougher race expected for House Ag panelist Bost
It’s still 15 months until the 2018 midterm elections, but prospects have turned cloudier for Illinois Rep. Mike Bost, a member of the House Agriculture Committee, says Sabato’s Crystal Ball. Now that a Democrat challenger has announced, the political tipsheet rates the race in the southern Illinois district as “likely” Republican, a change from its previous “safe” Republican assessment.
House Ag panelists Mike Bost and Rick Nolan draw challengers
Illinois Rep. Mike Bost, a member of the House Agriculture Committee, faces a potentially strong challenger in Democrat Brendan Kelly, says Roll Call, which rates the race as "likely Republican" instead of the previous "solid Republican." The Capitol Hill publication also said St. Louis County commissioner Pete Stauber, a Republican, will run for the seat held by Minnesota Democrat Rick Nolan, an Agriculture Committee member who narrowly won re-election last November.
Chicago Tribune is honored for reports on large-scale hog production
Two reporters and a photographer from the Chicago Tribune won the top writing award from the North American Agricultural Journalists for "The Price of Pork," a series of stories on large-scale hog production in Illinois. Written by Gary Marx and David Jackson, the stories "told the story of an exploding number and size of large hog confinements across rural Illinois, where state officials promoted an industry that poisoned streams, trampled the rights of farm families and brushed aside worker reports of animal abuse," said NAAJ.
House Ag member Bustos passes on run for Illinois governor
With three other Democrats already in the race, House Agriculture Committee member Cheri Bustos said she will seek her fourth term in Congress rather than run for governor in Illinois. Her decision leaves Democrats "without a major Downstate candidate" in the gubernatorial primary to face incumbent Republican Gov Bruce Rauner in 2018, said the Chicago Tribune.