Cover Crop Use Up and Walmart Cuts Out Beef Middleman
From the Ag Information Network, I'm Bob Larson with your Agribusiness Update.
**As the push toward healthier soils expands, the use of cover crops does as well with farmers across the country planting 50% more cover crop acres, at 15.4 million in 2017.
A Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education spokesman says cover crops are one of the most effective tools we have to restore soil carbon and regenerate our soils.
According to greenbook.net, soybean yields are up 11.6% with cover crops and corn yields 9.6% higher even during the 2012 drought.
https://www.greenbook.net/article/2019/04/16/cover-crops-exceed-15-million-acres-terminate-them-time?mkt/
**In March, farmers throughout Nebraska, the Dakotas and parts of Iowa were devastated by floods after what meteorologists called a "bomb cyclone" overwhelmed rivers, swallowing farmland and grain bins in its path.
While there's much speculation about how much grain was lost, USDA officials says they won't quantify the loss until it's reflected in the June Quarterly Grain Stocks Report.
The USDA's Lance Honig tells agweb.com, surveying for the amount of grain lost to flooding would be a challenge right now.
https://www.agweb.com/article/usda-will-quantify-flood-damaged-grain-in-june-grain-stocks-report/?mkt/
**Walmart is taking control of the supply chain for Angus beef sold in some of its stores, CUTTING OUT meat processors as the company looks to offer HIGHER quality products.
Agrimarketing.com reports, Walmart would normally buy Angus beef from companies like Tyson and Cargill.
Walmart has now arranged to source cattle from Texas rancher Bob McClaren of Prime Pursuits and 44 Farms, who says the retailer will sell no-hormones-added Black Angus beef.
https://www.agrimarketing.com/s/123435
