Need a quick catchup on the news? Here are seven ag stories you may have missed.
1. The coronavirus has slashed Chinese economic demand, global energy prices and weakened the transportation industry, casting doubt on China's ability to buy $200 billion in additional American exports over the next two years. - The Wall Street Journal
2. Farmers are among the most likely occupation to die by suicide, according to a January study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study also found that suicide rates overall had increased by 40% in less than two decades. – USA Today
3. Farmers from across the U.S. shared the importance of building trade and also the lifeline offered through the Market Facilitation Program at a House agriculture subcommittee meeting this week. Subcommittee chairman Jim Costa, D-Calif., said, "MFP payments are a lifeline, but they should not be a way of life." – Farm Futures
4. Large farms, local governments and agricultural product distributors are buying high-tech equipment, including drones, as the spread of the coronavirus puts an impetus on reducing human contact. The interest in agricultural technology products and services also comes as the Chinese government has stepped up its efforts to reduce reliance on food imports. – CNBC
5. Hundreds of volunteers have helped Tennessee State University recover from a March 3 tornado. Four animals died at the university as a result of the storm. It's expected to take months for things to return to normal at the university's agriculture department. - The Tennessean
6. The latest on land sales in South Dakota. About 152 acres in Moody County, S.D., sold for $7,200 per acre. About 95% of the farm is tillable. Moody County often has some of the highest land prices in the Dakotas. About 640 acres of crop, pasture and hunting land in Ward County, N.D., sold for an average of $937 per acre. A quarter section of farmland in Miner County, S.D., brought $3,800 per acre. – Dakota Farmer
7. Planning your St. Patrick's Day menu? There's plenty of cabbage on hand. USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service reports cabbage shipping from the Imperial, Coachella and Palo Verde valleys of California selling for $6.50 to $8.25 per 50-pound carton as of March 5. – Fresh Plaza
And your bonus
Amanda Radke says that social media makes the farming and ranching community more accessible to the general public than ever before. – Beef Magazine
