Get the scoop on soaring wheat prices, John Deere’s newest spraying technology, and the rapid test for African swine flu.
Another busy week is in the books. Did you miss some agricultural news? We’ve got you covered. Here are seven stories to catch you up.
Russia’s invasion and soaring wheat prices
Russia and Ukraine were expected to combine for 29% of global wheat exports in 2021/22. But Russia lost access to SWIFT, leaving no buyers booking new sales of Russian wheat. Even if the conflict is resolved, planting, harvest and supply chain disruptions could keep exportable wheat supplies tight in the Black Sea region. – Farm Futures
Bird flu spread continues
On Wednesday, Iowa had a confirmed case of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Pottawattamie County in western Iowa. The virus was detected in a non-commercial backyard poultry flock. On the same day, USDA APHIS reported a positive case of HPAI in Connecticut. – Wallaces Farmer, USDA
John Deere rolls out See & Spray Ultimate
The new See & Spray Ultimate offers in-crop weed control for corn, soybeans and cotton using both targeted technologies combined with the option for broadcast spraying. The system includes 36 cameras along a 120-foot carbon boom to differentiate weeds from the growing crop. Watch the video of the machine in action. – Farm Futures
USDA invests $80M in dairy initiatives
USDA is offering $80 million in funding to expand the capacity of four initiatives at University of Wisconsin, University of Tennessee, Vermont Agency for Food Marketing, and California State University Fresno that received $18.4 million last November. Funding will support processing capacity expansion, on-farm improvements, and investments in supply chain resiliency. – Wisconsin Agriculturist