Missed some ag news this week? Here are seven stories for a quick update.

1. USDA slashed 2020 yield forecasts for corn and soybeans more than any trade estimates had anticipated in the November 2020 WASDE report release. The smaller U.S. crops are part of a larger global trend of reduced crop output in 2020 as ending stock estimates for corn, soybeans, and wheat shrunk across the world.  – Farm Futures

2. Fifth generation farmer Paul Knowlton installed 18,000 solar panels to provide a steady income and renewable electricity. The panels on his Massachusetts property provide enough electricity for 1,200 homes. He is expanding his solar production, while also growing crops on the land, something called "dual-use solar." The panels will be mounted at least eight feet off the ground, allowing plants to grow beneath them. – WBUR

3. Overall farm tractor unit sales continued their growth across North America in October 2020,  according to the latest data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. – Farm Futures

4. China is expecting a record harvest this year, according to Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Han Changfu. – Xinhuanet

5. Montana voters legalized recreational marijuana, but it's not expected to have much impact on the state's agricultural industry. – KULR8

6. Less diverse croplands lead to greater variability in pesticide use as well as to higher peak pesticide application, according to a data analysis conducted by an assistant professor at the University of California Santa Barbara's Bren School of Environmental Science and Management and a colleague from the University of British Columbia. – Phys.org

7. The Senate Appropriations Committee proposed a total of $23.33 billion in funding that was included in draft legislation released on Tuesday. The bill provides more than $3.3 billion for agricultural research programs. - Farm Futures

And your bonus.

Farm Press caught up with Mark Thornbrough as he was stripping his dryland cotton. Follow along here.