Latest News From Coronavirus

John Phipps: Why a Startling New Trend with Chicken Wings is Worth Watching
John Phipps: Why a Startling New Trend with Chicken Wings is Worth Watching

Chicken wings have been a hot commodity the past decade, but as the trend changes post-pandemic, red meat producers may want to take note. John Phipps explains why.

Walmart Will Now Pay Starting Truck Drivers $110,000, Could It Backfire and Make the Nationwide Trucker Shortage Even Worse?
Walmart Will Now Pay Starting Truck Drivers $110,000, Could It Backfire and Make the Nationwide Trucker Shortage Even Worse?

Increased regulation and the search for better work-life balance are two factors leading to a shortage of truck drivers in the U.S. Walmart is now increasing the starting salary for drivers to try to attract new people.

Exponential Risk: The Only Two Black Swans That Matter
Exponential Risk: The Only Two Black Swans That Matter

Black swans emerge, to cast shadows of doubt on agriculture’s future

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Shanghai to Extend Lockdown of 26 Million People as it Reviews COVID Test Results

Shanghai will remain under lockdown as it reviews results of an exercise to test all of its 26 million residents for COVID-19, authorities said on Monday.

China Can't Control Latest COVID-19 Outbreak, and It Could Now Constrict Containers at World's Busiest Port
China Can't Control Latest COVID-19 Outbreak, and It Could Now Constrict Containers at World's Busiest Port

The commodity markets came under pressure to start the week as traders tried to shed risk over shipping concerns in China as COVID-19 concerns caused officials to shut down transportation amid a two-pronged lockdown.

Two-Mile Long 'People's Convoy' Truck Protest Drives Laps Around Washington
Two-Mile Long 'People's Convoy' Truck Protest Drives Laps Around Washington

Hundreds of trucks, recreational vehicles and cars were circling the outskirts of Washington on Sunday, threatening to cause traffic backups around the capital as part of a protest against pandemic restrictions.

John Phipps
John Phipps: The Avoidance Alternative

The pandemic is now old enough to talk, and it’s telling us things about our actions and choices that suggest an unfamiliar future.

COVID Infections Drop, But 95% of U.S. Still in 'Red Zone'
COVID Infections Drop, But 95% of U.S. Still in 'Red Zone'

A red zone is defined by the White House as an area with 100 or more new infections over a one-week period. The good news is the rate of new cases is dropping, says Alan Morgan, CEO, National Rural Health Association.

U.S. Ag Exports Missing The Boat Due To Out Of Whack World Supply Chain
U.S. Ag Exports Missing The Boat Due To Out Of Whack World Supply Chain

If international trade were an Olympic sport, then the U.S. would have lost this latest round of competition by more than a mile.

EXCLUSIVE: Dr. Fauci on COVID Pandemic — "It Will End"
EXCLUSIVE: Dr. Fauci on COVID Pandemic — "It Will End"

Rural communities are likely to see an outbreak of the COVID-19 variant omicron later than big cities but Chief Medical Advisor to President Biden, Dr. Anthony Fauci says the pandemic will eventually end.

Rural Hospitals Face Staffing Shortages Amid Omicron Outbreak
Rural Hospitals Face Staffing Shortages Amid Omicron Outbreak

Small, rural hospitals are struggling to keep, find or hire staff as the omicron variant begins its push across rural America. Rural healthcare advocates say it's already creating an unsafe situation.

Just What the Industry Needed: Wide Window for Fall Applications
Just What the Industry Needed: Wide Window for Fall Applications

Jeff Tarsi credits the successful fall application across the Nutrien Ag Solutions retail footprint for lessening the potential pressure of the upcoming spring season.

Ag Groups Urge Biden Administration to Grant Travel Exemptions to South African H-2A Farm Workers
Ag Groups Urge Biden Administration to Grant Travel Exemptions to South African H-2A Farm Workers

More than 60 ag groups telling the Biden Administration on Monday the nearly 7,000 South African farm workers should be exempted from restrictions related to the Omicron variant. 

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White House Says 4.4% of USDA Employees Didn't Comply with Biden Administration's Vaccine Mandate

The White House says 95.6% of USDA employees have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine or filed for an exemption, but the number who've received the vaccine is the lowest among reported federal agencies.

Next Year And Beyond, Challenges For Ag Inputs Realized
Next Year And Beyond, Challenges For Ag Inputs Realized

“We're going to do it differently. We're going to choose active ingredients we haven't used before. We're going to do different kinds of production activities,” says Allan Gray at Purdue University.

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Ford Motor to Require Most of its 32,000 U.S. Salaried Employees be Vaccinated

Ford Motor will require most of its 32,000-strong U.S. salaried workforce to be vaccinated by Dec. 8. The second largest U.S. automaker said on Wednesday more than 84% of U.S. salaried employees already are vaccinated.

Cotton Prices Crashed, Now They’ve Climbed to Near Record-Highs at Harvest; Could it Become the 2022 Acre King?
Cotton Prices Crashed, Now They’ve Climbed to Near Record-Highs at Harvest; Could it Become the 2022 Acre King?

Cotton prices are a bright spot for cotton producers across the U.S. As harvest hits high-gear, yields are coming in strong, while prices remain at a 10-year high.

Cutting Into The Center Of Meat Processors' Labor Pains, This State Is Rolling Out A Hot Dog Factory On Wheels
Cutting Into The Center Of Meat Processors' Labor Pains, This State Is Rolling Out A Hot Dog Factory On Wheels

As labor woes continue to cripple meat processing plants, Missouri is rolling out a unique concept to answer many processors’ biggest need. The classroom on wheels will provide workforce development at a pivotal time.

House Subcommittee: Coronavirus Infections at U.S. Meat Plants Far Higher Than Previous Estimates
House Subcommittee: Coronavirus Infections at U.S. Meat Plants Far Higher Than Previous Estimates

Cases and deaths from COVID-19 among workers at the leading U.S. meatpacking plants were three times as high as previously estimated based on an investigation by the House Select Subcommittee.

Tyson Foods Says 96% of Workers Vaccinated
Tyson Foods Says 96% of Workers Vaccinated

Tyson Foods has achieved a 96% vaccination rate for COVID-19 among its 120,000 American workers.

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Is a Flood of FSA Staffing Shortages Coming Soon? USDA Denies FSA Vaccine Exemption Request

USDA said late last week it’s not approving a vaccine mandate exemption for Farm Service Agency (FSA) employees, and now there are fears the next shortage farmers will face will be with FSA local field staff.

Agriculture Left High Centered as Supply Chain Problems Expected to Persist Well into 2022
Agriculture Left High Centered as Supply Chain Problems Expected to Persist Well into 2022

Supply chain issues are becoming one of the biggest concerns for agriculture, and some economists say as the bottlenecks reach a critical point, it could take at least a year to remedy chaos in the global supply chain.

Trelleborg partners with Case IH
Case IH-New Holland Parent Company Forced to Idle Production in EU Due to Shortage of Semiconductors

CNH Industrial announced this week its temporarily shutting down several of its European manufacturing plants that produce agricultural equipment. CNH says it plans to shut down the facilities for eight days this month.

Deere Workers Go on Strike After UAW Fails to Reach Deal
Deere Workers Go on Strike After UAW Fails to Reach Deal

Thousands of Deere & Co workers began a strike on Thursday, the United Auto Workers (UAW) said, days after overwhelmingly rejecting a six-year labor contract that was agreed on with the tractor maker.

Oil Pumps
Crude Jumps to Multi-Year Highs on Global Energy Crunch

Oil prices rose by about 2% on Monday, extending gains as an energy crisis grips major economies amid a pick-up in economic activity and restrained supplies from major producers.

FSA Farmer Fallout? Vaccine Mandate Pegs All Personnel, Including Elected County Committee Members
FSA Farmer Fallout? Vaccine Mandate Pegs All Personnel, Including Elected County Committee Members

The White House’s executive order signed in September requires all USDA employees to be vaccinated by Nov. 22, and includes county FSA offices and employees, as well as elected county committee members who are paid.

Consumers Find Comfort in Ice Cream and Butter During Pandemic as USDA Shows Dairy Demand Hit New High
Consumers Find Comfort in Ice Cream and Butter During Pandemic as USDA Shows Dairy Demand Hit New High

Dairy demand continues to be a bright spot for the dairy industry. While climbing costs, issues with inflation and labor woes continue to mount, demand has been the one constant the past 12 months.

DC Signal to Noise: The Heat Increases on Infrastructure, Afghanistan and Vaccine Mandates
DC Signal to Noise: The Heat Increases on Infrastructure, Afghanistan and Vaccine Mandates

AgriTalk's Chip Flory and Pro Farmer’s Jim Wiesemeyer discuss the price tag of the human infrastructure bill, the Senate gearing up to hold hearings on the withdrawal from Afghanistan, vaccine mandates and more.

John Phipps: Possible Lingering Issues with the Pipeline Supply Problem in Agriculture
John Phipps: Possible Lingering Issues with the Pipeline Supply Problem in Agriculture

"Pipeline" is used to describe processes from petroleum refining to manufacturing X-boxes. Stuff can go in only as fast as it comes out, but when one pipeline part has a problem, it gets complicated, says John Phipps.

Tyson Foods, Unions Strike Deal Over COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate
Tyson Foods, Unions Strike Deal Over COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate

Tyson Foods said Friday labor unions have agreed to support its requirement for U.S. employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by November, and the company will offer new benefits to workers including paid sick leave.

Pfizer Vaccine Receives Full FDA Approval: “Now is the Time to Get Vaccinated,” White House Says
Pfizer Vaccine Receives Full FDA Approval: “Now is the Time to Get Vaccinated,” White House Says

Dr. Bechara Choucair, White House vaccination coordinator, joins AgriTalk’s Chip Flory to discuss Full FDA approval of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for people 16 years old and older.

John Phipps: How the COVID-19 Pandemic Could Have Long-Haul Implications for Veterinarians
John Phipps: How the COVID-19 Pandemic Could Have Long-Haul Implications for Veterinarians

During the pandemic, companion animals were popular family additions. Pet ownership increased from 67-70% of households in one year, an all-time high. John Phipps explains why it could have lasting implications.

Rural Vaccination Rates on the Rise in 19 States as COVID-19 Testing, Cases See Uptick
Rural Vaccination Rates on the Rise in 19 States as COVID-19 Testing, Cases See Uptick

COVID-19 testing and cases are on the rise as the push to get America vaccinated continues. New data shows rural vaccination rates are up in 19 states, while questions remain about the new Delta variant.

Tyson Foods Mandating COVID-19 Vaccinations for U.S. Employees
Tyson Foods Mandating COVID-19 Vaccinations for U.S. Employees

The company says it will also provide $200 to fully vaccinated frontline team members.

Light At The End Of The Tunnel For One Chinese Port’s Backlog
Light At The End Of The Tunnel For One Chinese Port’s Backlog

Shipping giant Maersk says the backlog of vessels waiting to reach berths at the Port of Yantian has greatly improved in the past 10 days.

Rural America Lags Far Behind National Average In COVID-19 Vaccination Rate
Rural America Lags Far Behind National Average In COVID-19 Vaccination Rate

Compared to the national average of 70%, rural America falls behind with only 34% of the adult population vaccinated.

Is Food Inflation Real?
Is Food Inflation Real?

The National Restaurant Association says wholesale food prices remain on track to post their largest annual increase since 2014.

Despite Worker Worries, Foodservice Sales Soar to Record Levels in May
Despite Worker Worries, Foodservice Sales Soar to Record Levels in May

Foodservice spending at restaurants and bars totaled a record $67 billion last month. That's up more than $1 billion from February despite analysts saying the issue of finding restaurant staff is holding back sales.

U.S. Job Market Outlook: It’s Complicated
U.S. Job Market Outlook: It’s Complicated

The pandemic may be easing, but the job market remains complicated. 

Biden Administration: Fully Vaccinated People Don’t Need Masks
Biden Administration: Fully Vaccinated People Don’t Need Masks

The CDC recently announced new protocols for fully vaccinated people. Chip Flory discusses these new measures Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, Senior Advisor to the White House COVID-19 Response Team.

More than Half of Farmers Plan to Get COVID-19 Vaccine, New Survey Shows
More than Half of Farmers Plan to Get COVID-19 Vaccine, New Survey Shows

As the Biden administration pushes to get 70% of all adults at least one dose by July 4th, it's a goal that needs rural America's help. But a new survey shows there's still work to do in order to meet that goal.

FAQs on COVID-19 Vaccination with U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy
FAQs on COVID-19 Vaccination with U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy

“We know rural areas are different from urban areas, people are more spread out, it's not always as easy to travel to one location that's close to everyone to get a vaccine," Dr. Murthy says.

Building COVID Confidence on the Farm
Building COVID Confidence on the Farm

"Farmers openly talk about safety on the farm, whether that is with equipment handling or stockman training. Keeping a healthy workforce is another way that we can provide farm safety."

The Comeback of Cotton: Demand Claws Back as Sustainably Grown Cotton Wins Over Clothing Companies
The Comeback of Cotton: Demand Claws Back as Sustainably Grown Cotton Wins Over Clothing Companies

Cotton prices have been on a rollercoaster ride this past year. The start to 2021 showed a story of improved prices, which is a dramatic change from just a year ago, as geopolitical issues also come into play.

Study Finds COVID-19 Cases at Meat Processing Plants Caused $11 Billion in Economic Damages
Study Finds COVID-19 Cases at Meat Processing Plants Caused $11 Billion in Economic Damages

A new study from the University of California-Davis estimates 334,000 cases are attributable to packing plants. The study says that resulted in more than $11 billion in economic damage.

Rural Bankers: Farmland Prices Hit Highest Level Since 2012
Rural Bankers: Farmland Prices Hit Highest Level Since 2012

The April farmland price index climbed to 78.6 — the highest level since 2012.

Sorghum Demand Cashes in as Pet Sales Skyrocket During COVID-19 Pandemic
Sorghum Demand Cashes in as Pet Sales Skyrocket During COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 forced more Americans to stay home. As a result, consumers opted to get a new pet, and that domestic and international pet food demand is showing up for sorghum producers.

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Rural Mortalities, Hospitalizations From The Pandemic Begin To Slow

This is the first time since last July that rural cases of the virus are occurring at a lower rate than in urban areas, says Alan Morgan, CEO of the National Rural Health Association.

Veterinarians Authorized To Administer COVID-19 Vaccine In Some States
Veterinarians Authorized To Administer COVID-19 Vaccine In Some States

Veterinary technicians, podiatrists, dentists and paramedics are also being authorized to administer the vaccine.

Jennifer Shike
5 Hard Lessons Learned from a Year of Virtual FFA

A virtual FFA community can only fill the gap so far. I am grateful FFA has found solutions during the pandemic, but I believe the things FFA members have missed drive home the reasons why FFA is so important today.