Despite reports suggesting many farmers may switch more acres from corn to soybeans due to lower production costs, the USDA dismissed expectations for increased soybean plantings.

A 7-year USDA study found that relatively low-level grazing does not compact the soil or significantly affect the amount of soil organic matter.

Farmers wonder whether they should continue trying to increase production on their farms or should they cut costs and try to save a buck by not going after the most expensive yield.

By taking advantage of a plant part called a 'spikelet,' scientists developed a mutant sorghum plant that produces 30-40% more seeds.

USDA researchers say that winter rye crops seeded in no-till corn-soybean systems have the potential to reduce annual nitrate loss in field drainage by about 18 pounds per acre.

New enrollments for the Conservation Stewardship Program will be accepted through Feb. 27, 2015. The program is designed to reward farmers, ranchers and foresters for maintaining existing conservation, and also the adoption of additional conservation measures.

If a recent study is any indication, getting more crop production from every inch of water is going to become even more important in the near future.The Institution of Chemical Engineers recently released a report describing the amount of hidden water used in food and drink production, estimated at up to 1.8 million liters per person each year — equivalent an Olympic-size swimming pool.

Corn had an average yield of 171 bushels per acre and soybeans saw a 47.8-bushel-per-acre average, record highs for both crops.

With an increasing global population, a shrinking agricultural land base, climate change and extreme weather events, the nations of the world are focusing their collective attention to the primary resource essential to food production — the soil.

The USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) today announced that the new Whole-Farm Revenue Protection insurance policy is now available for the 2015 crop year. The policy allows producers to insure between 50-85% of their whole farm revenue and makes crop insurance more affordable for producers, including fruit and vegetable growers and organic farmers and ranchers.