The fava bean is a frost tolerant, saline tolerant, nitrogen-fixing legume that has cool season and warm season varieties, produces abundant biomass and has a stout, erect growth. With a wide spectrum of forms and genetic traits, it can be tricky to find the variety best adapted for a specific area, but recent research from the USDA's Agricultural Research Service is helping to pinpoint the best options for growers in the West.

MAPHEX, the shorthand name for a mobile system that removes phosphorus from manure, is steps closer to offering dairy farmers greater flexibility in where, when, and how they use the nutrient to fertilize crops, says the USDA.

A tool developed by USDA scientists can help agribusiness model phosphorus loss in runoff and determine ways to reduce these losses.

Nearly 80% of Americans believe temperatures are definitely on the rise. Yet, very few members of the general public understand the key role that no-tillage will play in battling global warming over the next 90 years.