Latest News From AgDay TV

The commodity markets came under pressure to start the week as traders tried to shed risk over shipping concerns in China as COVID-19 concerns caused officials to shut down transportation amid a two-pronged lockdown.

UPDATE: 03/02 4:23 pm-EST-There are reports a missile struck a vessel flying under the flag of Bangladesh in Ukraine.

A major winter storm is barreling across the country bringing rain as far south as Texas and snow and ice stretching north to the Great Lakes.

AFBF's in-person annual convention focused on everything from H-2A workers, drought, supply chain chaos and policy changes like the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack addressed the group Monday.

As California farmers' try to battle back from extreme drought, hope is coming in the form of snow. The state's average snow water equivalent percentage of snowpack jumped from 19% on December 10 to 98% today.

More than 60 ag groups telling the Biden Administration on Monday the nearly 7,000 South African farm workers should be exempted from restrictions related to the Omicron variant. 

Meteorologist Matt Engelbrecht has a forecast with a lot of rain in it.

As backlogs at U.S. ports and climbing shipping rates plague the supply chain, new data shows container shipping rates between the U.S and China are dropping by more than 50% in  just a month. 

Some areas of the country are already looking to build up a snowpack.

A virtual working meeting is expected before year's end between President Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Meteorologist Mike Hoffman takes a look at the changes coming for the jet stream.

Port officials say strong American consumer demand has continued unabated for more than a year, as the Port of Los Angeles has seen a 30% increase in cargo volume so far this year, while exports fell 23% in August.

Work continues on cleaning up from Hurricane Ida with logistical problems remaining for moving grains. Now, Risk Management Solutions is estimating total insured losses between $31 billion and $44 billion.

Meteorologist Matt Engelbrecht has an update on the chances for rain in the East, along with cooler conditions in the Midwest.

Demand for ag workers has employers turning to the H-2A program more often. New data from the Department of Labor shows the highest rate of growth is in the fruit, nuts and vegetable categories, up more than 330%.

Meteorologist Matt Engelbrecht is tracking the latest storms in the Atlantic.

Meteorologist Mike Hoffman breaks down the latest changes in the Drought Monitor.

Hurricane Ida, and possible aid to producers, was a big topic of the Farm Journal Farm Country Update with Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack Thursday. Vilsack highlighted when additional aid may be on the way. 

All of California's national forests are now closed to the public due to raging wildfires. Wildfire threats and issues continue to grow as more than 6,800 wildfires have already burned 1.7 million acres in the state.

Hurricane Ida hammered southeast Louisiana, as the Category 4 storm came with 150 mph winds. And as the system moves across the U.S., meteorologist Mike Hoffman says some areas could experience significant rainfall. 

As Tropical Storm Henri weakened, it remains a threat due to heavy rain, which is causing flooding. All of this as a rural area of Tennessee is still searching for those missing after 17 inches of rain fell in 24 hours.

Meteorologist Matt Engelbrecht says hotter temperatures are on the way for a good portion of the country.

Federal officials announced this week mandatory water cuts to the Colorado River, marking the first federal water cuts, and it's the first-ever water shortage for a river that serves 40 million people in the West.

Meteorologist Matt Engelbrecht takes a look at a new map showing how smoke is being carried from the West Coast all the way to the East Coast.

Heat and dry conditions aren't helping the wildfire situation in the West. Right now, 67 large fires are burning across the U.S., scorching nearly 918,000 acres in 12 states.

As Tropical Storm Elsa neared landfall Wednesday, Meteorologist Eric Snodgrass says the early start to the hurricane season may be a strong sign of an active hurricane season ahead.

Law enforcement officials in Tulare County California arrested this man for allegedly stealing and reselling more than 42,000 pounds of pistachios. The goods had been repackaged into 2,000 pound sacks for resale. 

As weather continues to be a factor for farmers and producers, growers across Western U.S. see the impacts of drought first-hand. Now, access to electricity could also be challenged as hydroelectric power dries up.

The latest U.S. Drought Monitor shows nearly 10% of the contiguous U.S. is now under an "exceptional drought," which is the highest the rate has been since 2011.

A federal judge announced Friday a decision to halt payments in a USDA loan forgiveness program designed to help farmers of color. USDA has until Friday to respond to the court’s temporary restraining order. 

As drought conditions in the West are continuing to expand, hotter temperatures aren't helping things. Heat that started building over the weekend is not good news for areas already dealing with that drought.

To help with the ongoing demand for food in the U.S., USDA announced it is investing $1 billion in the country's food bank networks.

The United Nations issued a warning this week as world food prices are rising at their fastest pace in a decade. Global food prices have risen for 12 consecutive months and now sit at their highest level since 2011.

Federal and state water projects say they will provide little to no irrigation water to many agricultural customers, so farmers must calculate how much food they can grow with their limited supplies.

Cold temperatures in April squashed hopes for an early planting season here in Nebraska but now that farmers are in the field they're making up for lost ground, but dryness concerns are continuing to mount.

There is growing concern crops being harvested will make it to market. The problem stems from a lack of truck drivers as COVID-19 concerns and high unemployment benefits are impacting the available workforce.

The plants set a record for the longest time leafy greens have been grown on the space station.

You're looking at a new strawberry variety released by the USDA. It says it has been shown to have a significantly longer shelf life than several other popular varieties.

The milking facilities at Kinnard Farms in Casco Wisconsin were built for the long haul.

Congress is taking steps to address the labor crisis facing farmers and ranchers. The bill now moves to the full house for consideration. It comes on the heels of USDA releasing a new farm labor report.

Many people are concerned about exposure to pesticides in the fruits and vegetables they buy. The report comes from the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology.

USDA reports the U.S. is free of the plum pox virus. It's a virus that harms stone fruit trees, like peaches and almonds. It can cause yield losses and can reduce the marketability of stone fruit.

A fifth person has died in Michigan from Eastern equine encephalitis, also known as EEE. That brings the total number of deaths in the nation to 12.

The United Nations' food agency warns around 14 % of the food produced globally is lost. It's urging people to take action to address the causes of food waste. The report lists the areas with the most food waste.

There's a little bit of good news for producers in Florida's citrus region. The National Agricultural Statistics Service shares why.

The threat from Eastern Equine Encephalitis is continuing to grow, especially in Michigan where state health officials now say 12 counties have confirmed having human or animal cases of EEE.

California is opening a new front in the battle against Huanglongbing or citrus greening. California citrus growers and packers along with the University of California, Riverside opened the $8 million dollar lab.

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences reports minor losses to grapefruit along the east coast as winds ripped developing fruit from tree branches.

Florida citrus is slowly trying to fight its way through the devastation of Citrus Greening and some ideas are working.

Florida citrus is slowly trying to fight its way through the devastation of Citrus Greening and some ideas are working.