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Farms on the Kansas High Plains have long produced a bevy of crops and livestock, from wheat and corn to cattle and hogs. Now, a new type of operation is taking root in the southwest and northwest parts of the state called water technology farms. Last year, Tom Willis established the first of what are now 15 water technology farms in Kansas on his grain and forage operation, T&O Farms, LLC, based near Garden City. Willis, a Finney County farmer and ethanol business owner, says through the three-year pilot research program he hopes to reduce the total amount of water he uses to produce crops by 50%.

Orange-juice futures in New York are heading for a 15th straight day of losses, the worst rout in records back to 1967.

Data points are being collected on more than 4,000 acres.

Growers feel the squeeze as county’s citrus industry drops

Hurricane Irma roared across the gulf coast of Florida as citrus trees sat with full, nearly ripe fruit.

Cranberries might be a staple on Thanksgiving tables, but a glut of U.S. supplies has gotten so large that fruit could be headed to the compost pile.

This year’s U.S. Atlantic hurricane season is officially the most expensive ever.

Gestation stalls, manure application and antibiotics took center stage during a panel at the 2017 Sustainable Agriculture Summit in Kansas City, Mo.

Produce growers are searching for long-term solutions not just a short-term fix when it comes to agricultural labor. However, lawmakers and the farming community are mixed when it comes to those different solutions. The Ag Guest worker Act, introduced by Chairman Bob Goodlatte cleared the House Judiciary Committee in late October. It’s designed to replace the H-2A Program. That’s not the only piece of legislation floating around Congress. Lawmaker Lamar Smith introduced legislation called the Legal Workforce Act, which could mandate employers to use the e-verify system to check legal status of agricultural employees. It’s a tug-of-war battle to see which piece of legislation proposed at roughly the same time will work for farmers. AgDay national reporter Betsy Jibben talked with West Coast produce growers Neil Nagata with Nagata Bros. Farms in Oceanside, Ca., and Al Stehly with Rockwood Ranch in Escondido, Ca., about their challenges and thoughts on potential legislation. Betsy also talked with Tom Nassif, president and CEO of Western Growers as well. Listen to the full AgDay segment above.

The event will convene more than 500 leaders from across the food supply chain to discuss strategies for continuous on-farm improvement and scaling of best practices.