If you’re like us, COVID-19 has taken over your daily news. But there are still lots of other things to talk about. Here’s a roundup of some interesting ag stories you might have missed.
There’s no doubt about it: COVID-19 is dominating the news cycle these days, which makes complete sense with much of the country dealing with different versions of stay-at-home orders and learning to cope with all the related issues this viral pandemic has caused (from the funny memes about toilet paper hoarding to the very real and concerning economic impact).
However, there is more than coronavirus going on in the world. With agriculture falling squarely in the “essential industries” category, America’s farmers and the food supply chain in general are still working hard. At Tillable, we’re incredibly grateful for all of those folks—as well as, of course, the healthcare workers and others putting themselves on the line to help during this crazy time—today and every day. While we wait to see what happens next, take a look at some of these stories you may have missed:
#Harvest19 Dragged On
In March, farmers in some areas were still harvesting last year’s crop, sometimes working snowed-under fields in order to do it. Read why several farmers say the yields are worth it, even when crop quality is uncertain.
#Plant20 Kicks Off
Farmers in parts of the country are already getting into the fields. While the USDA won’t release their first crop progress reports until April 6, when they do, you can track them via these interactive maps.
National Ag Day: Thanking America’s Farmers
Tuesday, March 24 was National Ag Day, and people and businesses around the country showed their thanks to the people who provide America’s most important goods. Twitter was full of terrific tributes.
Iowa Observes Women in Agriculture Day
More than half of farms have a female involved in decision-making. Iowa chose to celebrate women in agriculture during National Agriculture Week. Read more in Successful Farming.
Farmers Continue to Look for Ways to Improve
Check out this piece in AgWeb, including a podcast with two experts who discuss how farmers can use precision ag tools to boost returns. One of the key takeaways: little improvements and incremental upgrades can make a big difference.
Drones Help Efficiency Fly High
Drones aren’t new to agriculture, but as farmers look for more ways to increase efficiency, they can really help with scouting fields and other observational tasks. Learn about some of the requirements for operating drones, and how they can be used to help your operation, here.
How COVID-19 Affects the Farmland Market
Permit us just one story related to COVID-19: Successful Farming explores some of the implications of our current environment for farmland owners and investors. It’s a good starting point for a few perspectives on what could happen with farmland, which is historically one of the most stable investment opportunities.
Opportunity in Unlikely Places
If you like sushi, are you one of the brave souls who likes super-hot wasabi? According to this article in Forbes, you may not have really been eating real wasabi—and this profile of an Oregon farm looking to make authentic wasabi accessible to more folks reminds us that sometimes opportunities can be found in very specific niches.
All of us at Tillable are wishing you safety and health during this time. If there’s anything at all we can do for you, we’re here to help. Give us a call at (833) 845-5225; we’re ready to do whatever we can.
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