Were you busy attending the Farm Progress Show this week in Boone, Iowa with other farmers and ag professionals? Or, perhaps you were busy polishing up your equipment and making last-minute repairs before harvest? Either way, we’ve put together a roundup of the top headlines in agriculture from the past week to bring you up-to-speed.

Case IH, Raven debut first autonomous spreader

As the gates opened on the Farm Progress Show, Case IH and its company partner Raven introduced the first autonomous spreader – the Case IH Trident 5550 applicator with Raven Autonomy. This comes less than a year after CNH Industrial purchased Raven Industries. The new machine uses cameras and radar systems for obstacle avoidance and will conduct work in a defined field boundary. – Farm Progress

China bans exports from Tyson plant

Tyson Foods Inc's pork processing plant in Logansport, Indiana, has been suspended from exporting products to China. Neither USDA nor the company on Monday said why exports to China have been halted. China has banned meat imports from various processing plants in several countries in the past, over concerns of importing coronavirus. – Reuters

Walmart invests in Sustainable Beef LLC

Walmart signed an agreement to acquire a minority stake in Sustainable Beef LLC, a rancher-owned company based in North Platte, Nebraska. Walmart’s investment will help Sustainable Beef LLC open their beef processing facility in North Platte, Neb. The facility, which will process 1,500 head per day, is expected to break ground next month and open by late 2024, creating more than 800 new jobs. – BEEF

Delivering nitrogen on-seed

This week Pivot Bio launched a new line of products to deliver nitrogen-producing microbes on the seed for crops like corn, sorghum, and spring wheat. The products – PROVEN 40 and RETURN On-Seed – provide a nitrogen source without the risks of leaching and denitrification.  The product will be available for farmers for the 2023 growing season. – Pivot Bio

Tragedy in North Dakota

Authorities in North Dakota identified four people Wednesday who were found shot to death in a wheat field during harvest this week. Towner County Sheriff Andrew Hillier did not identify a possible motive, but he said evidence at the scene suggested the incident was a murder-suicide. – NBC News

Vilsack previews climate-smart ag investments

While speaking at the Farm Progress Show, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said he remains optimistic about the many investments being made in rural America to continue to create more markets for U.S. Vilsack says USDA continues to encourage the agriculture industry in getting to a net zero carbon emissions future by focusing on actions that are voluntary, farmer-led and recognizing and respecting private property ownership. – Farm Progress

Boating in (pumpkin) style

A Nebraska man paddled 38 miles down the Missouri River Aug. 27 in a "boat" made from a hollowed-out pumpkin to celebrate his 60th birthday and hopefully set a Guinness World Record. The pumpkin vessel was complete with the name SS Berta written on the back and had a cupholder carved into the hull. – CNN