Late-December farm outlook: Pacific waves bring West rain/snow and Central Valley fog; deserts risk frost. Clippers keep the Northern Plains cold; Plains mostly dry/breezy. Midwest sees rain/snow with freeze–thaw; South/Southeast periodic showers and inland frost; Northeast mixed systems. Key risks: frost, wind, heavy mountain snow, localized ponding; plan operations accordingly.
Electrified weed control (eWeeding) kills weeds with high-voltage current, targeting roots without chemicals or soil disturbance. Deployed in row crops, perennials, and infrastructure, it complements herbicides and tillage. Performance depends on species, size, and moisture; safety and dosing control are critical. Precision, variable-rate systems improve efficacy, economics, and sustainability.
Over the Christmas week, U.S. agriculture policy movement will be light, with Congress quiet and agencies posting occasional notices. Watch for funding continuity via CRs, USDA/RMA administrative updates, labor (H‑2A/AEWR) advisories, and biofuels guidance. Expect deadline extensions and program timelines, with segment impacts mostly incremental rather than sweeping.
September 29 threads U.S. agriculture’s past and present: the first state fair (1841), Michaelmas harvest rhythms, a 2006 spinach-safety reset, 2008 market shocks, the UN’s food loss and waste observance, and National Coffee Day with Kona harvest—highlighting how fairs, fields, policy, and markets continually reshape farming.
U.S. ag weather: recent variability with scattered showers and breezes. Next 7 days feature two fronts sweeping Plains/Midwest to East, delivering bands of rain and cooler shots north with patchy frost; South stays warm/humid. West mostly dry except unsettled PNW. Intermittent fire weather, low‑confidence tropical risks; plan fieldwork between fronts.
Agrivoltaics 2.0 co-optimizes crops and solar by sharing light spectrally and temporally. Semi-transparent perovskite/OPV, LSCs, and patterned PV plus crop-aware tracking diffuse heat, cut water use, and protect fruit while generating power. Results vary by crop and design; economics hinge on incentives, smart layouts, and durable, standardized materials and controls.
U.S. agriculture policy centers on averting an Oct. 1 funding lapse. Congress must pass a CR or full-year bill to keep USDA/FDA fully operating. Outcomes affect WIC, conservation, loans, inspections, and market reports amid peak harvest. Key data releases and farm bill positioning shape decisions and contingency planning.
With markets quiet and quarter-end positioning dominant, investors await a data-heavy week: consumer confidence, PMIs, and Friday’s payrolls/wages to steer policy bets. Thin liquidity and rebalancing may amplify moves. Treasury bill supply returns; housing and energy in focus. Outcomes will drive rotations across equities, rates, dollar, credit, commodities. Risks remain.
September 28 repeatedly marks U.S. agriculture’s resilience: Hurricane Ian (2022) and Georges (1998) devastated crops; Yorktown’s 1781 campaign reshaped an agrarian nation; World Rabies Day advances on‑farm biosecurity. Meanwhile, late‑September brings peak harvest, planting, and quality safeguards—farmers juggling immediate workloads, public‑health vigilance, and long‑term recovery.
Late September brings alternating fronts, brief showers, and several dry, breezy windows across U.S. farm regions. Expect patchy frost north/high terrain, waning monsoon West, early Pacific Northwest fronts, and tropical threats along the Gulf/Southeast. Align harvest and wheat planting with local forecasts; manage humidity, fire, wind, and drainage risks.
Rumen bolus sensors are ingestible devices that measure internal temperature, activity and sometimes pH, transmitting data for early disease detection, reproductive and nutrition management. Compared with collars, they capture physiology reliably. Deployed with gateways, they offer ROI via health, fertility, feed and labor gains, with signal, battery and governance considerations.