Staying diligent means staying safe—and protecting your hard work from fire

As the number of machinery auctions increases across the country, prices for used combines remain strong. The data table on page 44 highlights auction prices for November 2017, and while not every combine sold on the high side, there are a few strong prices that jump off the page.

Producers stuck on the hemp sidelines may be able to take advantage of HempHub USA, a push by two companies to transport a decortication machine into states with legal hemp programs. Essentially, the processing machinery will leapfrog perpetual infrastructure roadblocks and enable farmers to bring crops to market.

Robotic harvest is knocking on the door of traditional row crop production and cotton growers may bring in the first fruits. A massive technological push steered by Cotton Incorporated aims to deliver automated harvest via fleets of swarm robots to U.S. fields within 10 to 15 years.

Teach a boy to farm and he feeds others for a lifetime. When 12-year-old Evan Kirkpatrick worked his first five acres of soybeans in 2017, harvest represented a big link in a chain connecting past and present.