If you’d like more information about the subjects covered in the show, check

the list below for details about recent programs.

April 26: Farm Journal did some research on farmer impressions of “Smart Farming” technologies. One finding: older farmers are likelier than younger farmers to adopt new tech and practices. April 25: While individual broods of cicadas emerge almost every year, 2024 is unusual in that two broods will appear in the same year, even though they are on different cycles--one on a 13-year cycle, the other on a 17-year cycle. The Kansas State University Extension radio program, Plantorama, shares more on the subject (episode for 4/12/2024). April 24: It’s been 10 years since the USDA began its Regional Conservation Partnership Program, which provides funding for projects involving farms that are grouped regionally for the purpose of implementing conservation practices. April 23: A recent episode of the National Milk Producers Federation podcast, Dairy Defined, featured a discussion about biosecurity concerns for dairies with highly pathogenic avian influenza starting to show up in herds. April 22: Mike Steenhoek, Executive Director of the Soy Transportation Coalition, offers that shippers of agricultural commodities are facing challenges from a combination of man-made and natural events. Examples include drought-induced lower water levels on the Mississippi River and the Panama Canal, a ship crashing into a bridge at the Port of Baltimore, and terrorist groups attacking ships using waterways in and around the Red Sea. April 18-19: Dr. Jennifer Grenz of the University of British Columbia spoke about the role of climate change in the movement of invasive species at a recent international conference on the subject. You can watch a video recording of her presentation here. (Grenz starts at the 8:30 mark in the video.) April 17: Farmers and other rural residents have two new mental health resources available free of charge. The Family Farm Wellness Alliance is a joint project involving support from multiple businesses and organizations. And, the Rural Mental Health Resilience Program is a partnership between the National Grange and a nonprofit called Rural Minds. April 16: The National Pork Producers Council briefed ag reporters recently on the industry’s efforts to seek relief in the present farm bill under consideration from California’s Proposition 12. April 15: The U.S. Department of Agriculture continues to monitor detections of highly pathogenic avian influenza (“bird flu”) in dairy herds and other mammals. While commonly fatal to birds, cattle mortality has been minimal. USDA offers a web page with updates. April 10-12: The theme of the World Food Prize Foundation’s recent DialogueNEXT DC event was Seeds of Equity: Women Driving Growth and Innovation in Agriculture. Videos of conference sessions are archived on the Foundation’s YouTube channel.

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