An active late-winter pattern brings rapid fronts, changeable temperatures, and intermittent fieldwork windows. The West benefits from Pacific storms and mountain snow; central and eastern areas get front-driven rain with northern wintry mix. Southern Plains to the Lower Mississippi face early severe risks, plus breezy spells and localized mud.
Plasma nitrogen fixation makes nitrate fertilizer on‑farm from air, water, and electricity, promising resilient, low‑carbon supply. Containerized units produce nitric solutions for fertigation and split applications, leveraging cheap renewables. Economics hinge on efficiency and power prices; benefits include reduced logistics, dosing, and lower emissions, with safety, permitting, and scalability challenges.
U.S. farm policy debates intensified across safety net design, disaster aid, conservation/climate, pesticides, biofuels, labor, and trade, without a decisive federal move. Fiscal limits, regulatory certainty, and market access frame the politics. Expect incremental shifts via rules, appropriations, courts, or states; producers should monitor programs, compliance, and market signals.