Proposed Chinese soybean tariff could harm local growers
In the farming business, there is always something to worry about, much of it beyond the farmer’s control.
Trump’s call for tariffs creating anxiety in the farm belt
In Sioux County, where swine barns interrupt the vast landscape of corn-stubbled fields, exports of meat, grain and machinery fuel the local economy.
Tax law gives unexpected break to farmers who sell to co-ops
Key senators and farm groups are trying to fix a provision in the federal tax overhaul that gave an unexpected tax break to farmers who sell their crops to cooperatives rather than regular companies.
Back to basics: Area growers face increasing demand for locally sourced foods
They are unlikely pioneers on an unusual journey: a lawyer, a retired church administrator, a stay-at-home mom, a landscape architect and a classically trained chef.
Prospect of NAFTA rewrite gives US farmers a case of jitters
A sizable majority of rural Americans backed Donald Trump’s presidential bid, drawn to his calls to slash environmental rules, strengthen law enforcement and replace the federal health care law.
Fearing a worker shortage, farmers push back on immigration
The head of Bethel Heights Vineyard looked out over the 100 acres of vines her crew of 20 Mexicans had just finished pruning, worried about what will happen if the Trump administration presses ahead with its crackdown on immigrants.
Chicken farmers say processors treat them like servants
Former chicken farmers in five states have filed a federal lawsuit accusing a handful of giant poultry processing companies that dominate the industry of treating farmers who raise the chickens like indentured servants and colluding to fix prices paid to them.
Floods delay some planting, forces other farmers to replant
Persistent rain over the past few weeks has caused some Northeast Mississippi farmers to delay planting while forcing others to replant when the rain clears.
Agriculture industry seeks to create right to farm
In the nation’s agricultural heartland, farming is more than a multibillion-dollar industry that feeds the world. It could be on track to become a right, written into law alongside the freedom of speech and religion.
Tax break won’t lift cloud over catfish industry
Mississippi farmers are saving some money as of this month. Mississippi House Bill 844, which went into effect on July 1, exempts certain agriculture businesses from paying state sales tax on utility bills.
Soggy June puts damper on local crops
The unrelenting rainfall that has drenched the Golden Triangle throughout June has created challenges and delays for local farmers.
June rainfall was well above the average for Lowndes, Oktibbeha, Clay and Noxubee counties this year.
Poultry growers reeling from April 28 tornadoes
Poultry growers are looking for some help after the April 28 tornadoes that caused tremendous damage on farms and the loss of more than a million birds in four Mississippi counties.
Farm bill doesn’t just benefit farmers
It isn’t just farmers who will benefit from the sweeping farm bill that Congress has sent President Barack Obama. There’s also help for rural towns, grocery stores in low-income areas and, most notably, the nation’s 47 million food stamp recipients.
Farm bill plows under direct payments
Farm subsidies that have guided agriculture through record profits in recent years are going away in the five-year farm bill that could become law in the coming week. But new subsidies in the legislation could be just as generous, and farmers aren’t complaining.
Farm bill passes House after years of disagreement
After years of setbacks, a nearly $100 billion-a-year compromise farm bill cleared the House on Wednesday despite strong opposition from conservatives who sought a bigger cut in food stamps.
Iowans worry about ethanol’s lost political clout
ALTOONA, Iowa — For decades, presidential candidates’ chances in Iowa were wounded if not doomed unless they backed federal support for ethanol, a boon to
Scruggses lose bid for new patent trial
A federal judge has denied a motion for a new trial from a north Mississippi company sued by Monsanto Co. for saving seeds from one harvest and planting them the following season.
Michigan growers trying to get apples to doze off
CENTRAL LAKE, Mich. — This year’s Michigan apple crop is expected to be 10 times as plentiful as last year’s puny output. While the big
The secret, dirty cost of Obama’s green power push
CORYDON, Iowa — The hills of southern Iowa bear the scars of America’s push for green energy: The brown gashes where rain has washed away
Congress eyes milk prices in farm talks
WASHINGTON — The fight over renewing the nation’s farm bill has centered on cuts to the $80 billion-a-year food stamp program. But there could be