Late-February U.S. farm outlook: expect frontal passages bringing brief precipitation and wind, then cooler, drier breaks. Risks include intermittent frost, variable moisture from West storms to Plains/Midwest mix, and trafficability issues. Use short spray/topdress windows, protect blooms and livestock, time nitrogen with light rains, and monitor local forecasts.
Farm cold rooms using phase-change materials act as thermal batteries, enabling efficient pre-cooling and storage where power is scarce. By banking cold during sunny or low-tariff hours, they cut spoilage, fuel use, and compressor wear. The piece outlines design, operations, economics, best-fit cases, purchasing criteria, policy supports, and next steps.
U.S. agriculture policy is shifting through Congress, USDA rules, EPA decisions, trade moves, court orders, and statehouse bills. Near-term signals—appropriations riders, hearings, pesticide and fuel guidance, export actions, and litigation—could alter inputs, risk, labor, and market access. Producers should monitor dockets and deadlines as regulatory steps sway costs and prices.
Markets ended the quarter dominated by positioning and rebalancing amid restrictive Fed policy and moderating growth. Attention shifts to a heavy data slate (PMIs, JOLTS, ADP, claims, payrolls) guiding views on disinflation, Treasury term premium, and earnings. Expect elevated, orderly volatility, with rates driving equities, credit, dollar, and commodities.
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.