Agriculture
How Dairy Monopolies Keep Milk Off the Shelves
Consolidation in the dairy industry has created separate, inflexible supply chains for consumers and commercial markets. When COVID killed commercial demand, perfectly good milk and cheese was wasted.
To be fair the same thing happened to toilet paper around the same time. Most people don't buy more than a gallon of milk 🥛 at a time because it's a very pershiable product.
Farm Properties of Albany County
This interactive map shows all farm properties in Albany County, e.g. those assessed with codes in the 1xx range. It's not a perfect map, as some farm properties -- especially those with homes on them -- are assessed differently. Regardless, it's interesting to see who owns the farmland around.
Data Source: 2019 Final Assessment Rolls posted by local governments across the county.
Freemartins
I heard freemartin t-shirts are trendy to wear around some parts of the country.
Posted by Andy Arthur on Friday, August 7, 2020
See A Rare Piece Of New Holland History -1965 Model 1281 Self-Propelled Baler
Paul Lano's father started a New Holland dealership over 60 years ago. Now Paul and his brother run the business continuing to sell New Holland Equipment. Paul also collects classic New Holland equipment. One of the prizes in his collection is his 1965 Model 1281 Self Propelled baler. Just 430 of these were built and used on big farms in the Rocky Mountain states. We take a tour of Paul's collection and learn the details on this low production baler.
Now that's a piece of ag machinery you've probably never seen before.
Thousands of Households Have Received Mysterious Seed Packages. Every State Warns Against Planting Them. – Daily Yonder
In the last few days, thousands of packages of seeds have been mailed nationwide, according to Midwest Center’s review of 50 states’ agricultural agencies’ statements and local news reports.
More than 800 packages have been sent to residents in Florida as of Wednesday, according to a local news channel WFLA.
Virginia Department of Agriculture had received over 900 emails and several hundred telephone calls from people as of Monday, according to The New York Times.
The Idaho Department of Agriculture said in a statement on Monday that it had received approximately 20 calls or emails from people who had reported receiving such seeds in the mail.
As the number of reports of receiving such packages continue to grow, several states had referred to the volumes of their received reports as “multiple,” “numerous,” “several,” and “many.”
In some states, people have reported receiving similar seeds from countries other than China. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig confirmed on Tuesday that the Iowans have received unsolicited seed shipments from China and other countries.
Soil health means better human health | Successful Farming
Experts believe these soil microbes could also have a big impact on the nutritional content of our food. Moreover, the plants we eat and the dirt we come in contact with may also directly fortify our own gut microbiomes. The discovery of this link between soil health and human health has commanded the attention of big food companies, farmers, scientists, and environmental organizations, and it’s sparked a research boom that may soon tell us whether soil microbes are as important to our longevity as daily exercise and a restful night’s sleep.