AAEA Blog

Members in the News: August 17, 2026

2026-08-17T13:28:00.000-05:00

Akwasi Agyeman Britwum, Bank of Africa Ghana Ltd

“Protector or Predator? How Anti-Immigrant Violence is Undermining South Africa’s Economic Recovery”
By: My Joy Online – June 15, 2026
“Guardian or Casualty? How BoG Paid the Price for Economic Stabilisation”
By: My Joy Online – May 11, 2026

Andrew Muhammad, University of Tennessee
Charles Martinez, University of Tennessee

“Soaring US Beef Prices Likely to Rise Further Thanks to Trade Tensions and Disease Outbreaks”

By: The Conversation – June 16, 2026

“The cost of beef, having spiked since early 2025, is coming under even more pressure. The most recent is the screwworm outbreak that hit cattle in Mexico and has now spread to the United States, where the cattle herd has already fallen to levels not seen since the 1950s, due in part to drought.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: The Conversation

Tong Wang, South Dakota State University

“Many Farmers Using Drones Question Whether They’re Worth It”

By: Ag Daily – August 10, 2026

“Unmanned aerial vehicles are more widely adopted for imagery than for input application in the U.S. because the former became commercially available at an earlier date. Application-drone use was nearly nonexistent five to 10 years ago, with most adoption occurring in just the last three years… Higher education equips farmers with more knowledge, skills and resources to effectively learn and interpret the output of complex technologies such as UAV for decision-making.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Ag Daily

Ricky Volpe, California Polytechnic State University

“Examining Kroger's Plan to Purchase Giant Eagle”

By: WOSU – August 11, 2026

(Continued...)
Read more on: WOSU

David Ortega, Michigan State University

“Inflation Eases in July as Gasoline and Grocery Prices Fall”
By: NPR – August 12, 2026
“Latest Inflation Report May Give the Fed More Time for Its Control Effort”
By: NPR – August 13, 2026
“Democratic Party Divide, Lettuce in Saving you Green, and Colombia Rescue Efforts”
By: NPR – August 13, 2026

Amitrajeet Batabyal, Rochester Institute of Technology

“Does it Make Sense to Tax International Trade?”
By: Basis Point Insight – August 13, 2026
“How Has Remote Work Affected American Cities?”
By: Rochester Business Journal – August 14, 2026

Shawn Arita, North Dakota State University

“US Sugar Market ‘Turbulent,’ Global Market Doesn’t Make Sense”
By: The Fence Post – August 13, 2026
“U.S. Sugarbeet Acreage Drops to Lowest Level in Decades on Weather and Economic Concerns”
By: Ag Week – August 11, 2026
“United States Threatens to Retain Part of Brazil's Sugar Quota”
By: CNN Brasil – August 11, 2026

Shon Ferguson, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

“Global Food Prices Reach 3-Year Peak: Heatwaves, Black Sea Conflict and Biofuel Demand to Blame”

By: Upday – August 11, 2026

“Experts warn that heatwaves in France and Spain will likely push food prices even higher this autumn. Shon Ferguson, an associate professor of economics at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, noted that repeated heatwaves during spring and summer negatively affected wheat and corn production in France. Reduced grain harvests threaten to increase meat prices as well.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Upday

Michael Langemeier, Purdue University

“Ag Economy Barometer Survey Shows Sentiment Gap Between Livestock and Crop Producers”
By: Brownfield – August10, 2026
“Why Commodity Prices Are Farmers’ Top Long-Term Threat”
By: Capital Press – August 11, 2026

Christopher Boyer, University of Tennessee
Aaron Smith, University of Tennessee
Eunchun Park, University of Arkansas

“Controlling Wild Pigs Can Work If It’s a Group Effort”

By: The Conversation – August 13, 2206

“The federal government is injecting millions of dollars into efforts to combat feral hogs – and it’s considering spending even more in the coming years. The problem has grown for decades, but our research has found that a recently revived federal effort offers the potential for bringing the hogs under control.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: The Conversation

Amy Hagerman, Oklahoma State University

“Understanding the Farm Bill Debate: Key Differences Between House and Senate Proposals”

By: Oklahoma Farm Report – August 14, 2026

“The ongoing discussions surrounding the United States Farm Bill remain a critical focus for agricultural producers across the nation. In a detailed conversation, Farm Director KC Sheperd spoke with Dr. Amy Hagerman from Oklahoma State University’s Department of Agricultural Economics to break down the latest developments in federal policy. They examined the comparison between the House and Senate proposals, analyzing key areas of overlap, significant differences, and what the overall process means for producers on the ground.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Oklahoma Farm Report

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Members in the News: August 10, 2026

2026-08-10T13:16:18.028-05:00

Ricky Volpe, California Polytechnic State University

“Trump Said Grocery Prices Are 'Way Down' — This Fact-Check Is A Rude Awakening”

By: Huff Post – August 5, 2026

“Food prices going down almost never happens… But it’s worth reiterating that they are going up both faster than normal and faster than they did last year.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Huff Post

David Ortega, Michigan State University

“List of Companies Slashing Prices as White House Takes Credit”

By: Newsweek – August 7, 2026

“There is no public evidence establishing that the cuts were caused by the president beyond the White House’s own claim… The fact that most of these announcements never mention him is very telling.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Newsweek

Sandro Steinbach, North Dakota State University
Shawn Arita, North Dakota State University
Rwit Chakravorty, North Dakota State University
Matthew Gammans, North Dakota State University
Jiyeon Kim, North Dakota State University
Wuit Yi Lwin, North Dakota State University
Ming Wang, North Dakota State University

“NDSU Agricultural Trade Monitor Wins National Policy Award”

By: North Dakota Ag Connection – August 4, 2026

"The Bruce Gardner Award is especially meaningful because it recognizes policy analysis that is grounded in economic theory and useful to decision-makers," Steinbach said. "The NDSU Agricultural Trade Monitor was built to provide timely, research-driven insight on global agricultural trade at a moment when producers, agribusinesses, and policymakers need clear, data-informed analysis."

(Continued...)
Read more on: North Dakota Ag Connection

Shawn Arita, North Dakota State University

“Experts Evaluate Alarming State Of U.S. Sugar Economy”

By: Sugar Producer – August 5, 2026

“Dr. Shawn Arita, one of the leading authors on that paper, said that his team "put together a rigorous and objective economic study looking at the effects of this influx of tier-2 imports on our U.S. sugar producers. We did find that it does significantly depress U.S. sugar prices."

(Continued...)
Read more on: Sugar Producer or Agriculture of America, Market Talk

Michael Langemeier, Purdue University

“Crunching the Numbers: There’s More to Organic Farm Production Than Profit”
By: Agripub News - August 3, 2026
“Farmer Sentiment Rebounds in the Latest Ag Economy Barometer Survey”
By: Brownfield – August 4, 2026

Nicole Olynk Widmar, Purdue University

“The Cyclospora Outbreak Is Driving Shoppers to Farmers Markets. Experts Say They’re Not Necessarily Safer”

By: INC – August 4, 2026

“The shift doesn’t surprise experts. “We don’t think much about food safety in the U.S. relative to many other food systems and places; now many of us are thinking about it, and that is disruptive and mentally costly to many people.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: INC

Sarah Low, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

“Study Shows Health Rsks Higher for Rural Residents”

By: Farms.com – August 6, 2026

“We can combine those biomarkers with socioeconomic information and survey questions like age, education and if they are a veteran or not.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Farms.com

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Members in the News: August 3, 2026

2026-08-03T15:32:04.737-05:00

Ricky Volpe, California Polytechnic State University

“Forget Gasoline: Why the Price Surge in This Under the-Radar Fuel is the Real Threat to the U.S. Economy”

By: Market Watch – July 18, 2026

“Our growing and harvesting sectors are very, very energy intensive, and they get hit hard when energy costs go up… People already have seen some price impacts from higher energy costs — as well as higher costs for fertilizer, whose inputs also largely come from the Middle East.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Market Watch

Ricky Volpe, California Polytechnic State University
David Ortega, Michigan State University

“Buying Less, Trading Down: High Grocery Prices Will Hurt Produce Growers”

By: Capital Press – July 29, 2026

“The shift toward processed food is challenging but farms and other businesses can adapt and take advantage of the change in consumer habits. Substitutions happen and this presents opportunities.”

“When budgets are tight, food is one area where households have some flexibility, so consumers adjust at the margins. They switch to store brands, trade down from fresh to canned or frozen and prioritize who gets what.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Capital Press

David Ortega, Michigan State University

“Taylor Farms Produce Is Sold Everywhere, Making Outbreak Difficult to Escape”
By: Bloomberg – July 24, 2026
“How Michigan Became the Epicenter of the Cyclosporiasis Outbreak”
By: Crains Detroit – July 24, 2026

Amitrajeet Batabyal, Rochester Institute of Technology

“Simpler Applications Can Lift Welfare Benefit Uptake”

By: Basis Point Insight – August 1, 2026

“Governments in India face a recurring problem: many eligible citizens do not claim benefits that could materially improve their welfare. New research offers a rigorous and intuitive explanation. The application process itself can become the barrier.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Basis Point Insight

Michael Langemeier, Purdue University

“Impact of Leverage on Rates of Return of Crop Farms”

By: Successful Farming – July 27, 2026

“Increasing financial leverage will increase expected returns as long the marginal returns from the use of loans exceed the cost of borrowing. In favorable economic times, higher leverage can improve financial performance and stimulate farm growth. However, in unfavorable economic times, leverage can cause business performance to deteriorate rapidly. Thus, higher leverage may increase expected returns and financial risk. Given this risk/return relationship, what is the optimal level of farm debt?”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Successful Farming

Gregory Ibendahl, Kansas State University

“Rising fuel costs cause concern for Cortez Transportation”

By: WIBW – July 26, 2026

“The fluctuating fuel costs don’t come as much of a surprise… Gas prices react very strongly to what the oil price does, there’s hardly any delay at all to where we get the most usually before you start seeing something happen. So this jumping around in gas prices to me is not unusual because we see the oil price doing the same thing.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: WIBW

Bradley Lubben, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

“Economist Warns of Growing Uncertainty in Ag Policy”

By: Brownfield Ag News – July 27, 2026

“While there’ve been necessary updates to the farm safety net, it doesn’t address larger issues. The future directions of the ag economy and drivers on the policy front – those are the things that aren’t in the farm bill that have the most significant questions ahead.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Brownfield Ag News

Gary Schnitkey, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

“Volatile Fertilizer Market Could Change How Farmers Buy Inputs”

By: Brownfield Ag News – July 28, 2026

“There could be dramatic swings between now and spring. Spreading out the input decisions just like you would for spreading out sales, is a good thing and more important now than a year ago.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Brownfield Ag News

Hope Michelson, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

“How AI Can Unlock Africa’s AfCFTA Potential”

By: News Central TV – July 28, 2026

“Uninsured risks continue to affect farmers’ willingness to invest in improved farming methods and technologies. And there’s a lot of uninsured risk… when farmers lack protection such as crop insurance, they become less willing to invest in inputs and techniques that could improve productivity.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: News Central TV

Elizabeth Canales Medina, Mississippi State University

“From Price Spikes To a Cyclospora Outbreak: Lettuce is Hitting Some Restaurants Hard”

By: Fast Company – July 30, 2026

“Unusually hot weather in Arizona early in the year caused crops to mature too early. That caused big supply gaps until California production began in late April. Fuel costs, which increased after the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran and Iran blocked most oil tankers from leaving the Persian Gulf, have also been an issue. Lettuce is especially perishable and requires energy for cooling from the time it’s picked to the time it’s sold. The cold chain needs to be maintained. Cooling and transporting it is very important.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Fast Company

Lee Schulz, Ever.Ag

“U.S. Hog Inventory Edges Lower in June”

By: High Plains Journal – July 31, 2026

“Market hog inventories by weight category provide an indication of anticipated slaughter levels during the six months following June 1. All four USDA market hog inventory estimates were below the average pre-report expectations.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: High Plains Journal

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Members in the News: July 27, 2026

2026-07-27T08:26:41.388-05:00

Amitrajeet Batabyal, Rochester Institute of Technology

“Climate Policy Needs Carbon Pricing, Not Just Green Subsidies”

By: Basis Point Insight - July 20, 2026

“Fighting climate change is difficult because it is a global problem that requires coordinated action across countries, industries, and individuals with differing interests and priorities. The benefits of reducing greenhouse gas emissions are often long-term and widely shared, while the costs of mitigation are immediate and concentrated on specific sectors and communities.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Basis Point Insight

Ariel Ortiz-Bobea, Cornell University

“Heat Stress Hits Dairy Quality as Well as Quantity, Study Finds”

By: Sentient Media – July 20, 2026

“This matters to the dairy industry because farmers get paid not by the overall weight or volume, but are instead priced using a formula that takes those nutritional components into account. As climate change increases the intensity and duration of heat events, industrial dairies with more capital tend to be better equipped to handle the added strain on their margins.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Sentient Media

Simon Somogyi, Texas A&M University
Yong Liu, Texas A&M University
Weifang Liang, Texas A&M University

“Expect Stable Meat Prices This Summer”

By: National Hog Farmer – July 21, 2026

“Now with New World screwworm, that’s going to cause issues that we haven’t seen yet. We could see higher prices without those historically steady imports from Mexico.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: National Hog Farmer

Brian Roe, The Ohio State University

“Weight Loss Drugs Are Leading to Less Spending at Ohio Restaurants, OSU Study Finds”

By: WOSU – July 23, 2026

“We found that consumers, once they started the medication, were cutting back in terms of their dine-out experience. We found, for example, about $37 less spending per week on dining out among current users of the drugs than those who were former users of the drug. And most of them said that their spending went down by more than 10% after they started their medication.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: WOSU

Taejun Mo, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

“Self-Driving Trucks Could Upend America’s Freight Economy”

By: Earth.com – July 23, 2026

“Self-driving technology has great potential to rewrite the economic geography of the U.S., which in and of itself will create new winners and losers… If a certain geographic area were a major transportation hub in the days before autonomous trucking, it’s possible that it would not be a major hub in the future.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Earth.com

Becca Weir, Pennsylvania State University
Barry Ward, The Ohio State University

“Financial Health of American Farms Strained' By Many Factors”

By: Allied News – June 23, 2026

"It's challenging to make high-level generalizations about the farm economy because each region and agricultural sector faces different challenges. Our current market conditions could change quickly with adverse weather during the remaining crop production season or an intensified livestock disease outbreak. At the moment, the overall financial health of American farms is strained."

“The biggest risks often come from weather or climate patterns. We look at the last 100 years; margin and profitability have always been central in farmers' minds, and part of that has to do with weather, especially in crop production and indirectly, livestock production.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Allied News

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Members in the News: July 20, 2026

2026-07-20T14:24:51.039-05:00

Amitrajeet Batabyal, Rochester Institute of Technology

“The Hidden Cost: Why Carbon Taxes Are Unpopular”

By: Basis Point Insight – July 14, 2026

“Economists generally favour carbon taxes because they are a relatively efficient way to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. By putting a price on carbon, a carbon tax forces firms and consumers to account for the environmental damages associated with fossil fuel use. In theory, this leads to lower emissions at the lowest overall cost to society.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Basis Point Insight

Richard Volpe, California Polytechnic State University

“Traditional Supermarkets Are Struggling. Kroger Hopes its Giant Eagle Merger Will Help”

By: Marketplace – July 16, 2026

”That's a format that has been losing ground for quite some time in the food retail landscape in the U.S., and at a pretty dramatic rate.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Marketplace

Carl Zulauf, The Ohio State University
Henrique Monaco, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Gary Schnitkey, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

“Minding Ag's Business Blog”

By: Progressive Farmer DNT – July 14, 2026

“Market losses are more common than market profits in the U.S. field-crop sector… In stretches when farmers were profitable, the safety net increased cumulative returns by 70% in the period from 2007-2013 and 41% in 2021 and 2022. The authors argue this represents a fundamental shift in the role of the safety net, which they describe as "supercharging profits" rather than simply protecting against losses.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Progressive Farmer DNT

Elizabeth Canales Medina, Mississippi State University

“A Perfect Storm of Factors is Driving Up US Produce Prices, But Shoppers Can Still Save”

By: The Conversation – July 16, 2026

“From tomatoes and berries to lettuce and peppers, shoppers are feeling sticker shock in the produce aisle. Recent headlines have focused in particular on soaring tomato prices. They spiked by roughly one-fifth from June 2025 to June 2026, according to consumer price data published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: The Conversation

David Ortega, Michigan State University

“Could the Cyclospora Outbreak Affect Grocery Prices?”

By: News Nation – July 17, 2026

“A drop in demand for fresh produce, for example, could lead to localized price declines or discounts for specific products. Because these goods are highly perishable, even modest demand shifts can move prices quickly.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: News Nation

Jaime Luke, Michigan State University

“A Labor Lockout in Rural Colorado Has a Town Asking: How Do We Survive?”

By: The Denver Post – July 19, 2026

“Things like this can cause regional issues, such as producers seeing increased costs and headaches, but for the industry as a whole, it’s not an end-of-the-world scenario,”

(Continued...)
Read more on: The Denver Post

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Members in the News: July 13, 2026

2026-07-13T13:32:39.827-05:00

Zachariah Rutledge, Michigan State University

“Economists on the Labor Trends That Will Define the Future of U.S. Fresh Produce”

By: The Packer – July 6, 2026

“Based on USDA data, the average operating cost for labor is about 38% for fruit and 29% for vegetables.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: The Packer

Alejandro Gutierrez-Li, North Carolina State University

“TPS Decision Could Reshape Ag Labor Market”

By: Politico – June 29, 2026

“The Supreme Court ruling is likely to further stress the labor supply at meatpacking plants across the country. Meatpackers can’t easily access the H-2A visa program for year-round work like meatpacking. “Research has shown that, even in periods of high unemployment, Americans prefer to pass on physically demanding jobs at meatpacking plants.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Politico

David Ortega, Michigan State University

“Did Walmart Roll Back Prices Because of Trump? They Won’t Say”

By: USA Today – July 8, 2026

“The Walmart price reductions looks less like a turning point on food inflation and more like an aggressive summer promotion. Big retailers spotlight 'backyard barbecue' staples like meat, corn, soda, chips because they're highly visible and shape how shoppers feel about prices in general."

(Continued...)
Read more on: USA Today

Shawn Arita, North Dakota State University
Sandro Steinbach, North Dakota State University

“Kansas Farmers Suffer From Tariffs and Closing of Strait of Hormuz, Ag Experts Say”
By: Yahoo! Finance – July 7, 2026
“The Meat Industry’s Tireless Effort to Keep Live Pigs in Coffins”
By: The American Prospect – July 7, 2026

Natalie Loduca, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Scott Swinton, Michigan State University

“How Farmers Respond to Climate-Related Risk”

Bu: Agrinews – July 5, 2026

“Crop yields depend not only on weather conditions, but also on the producer’s management decisions. We wanted to better understand how farmers perceive uncertainty under changing climate conditions.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Agrinews

Christopher Barrett, Cornell University

“Fertilizer Shortage Raises Concerns Across Global Agriculture”

By: Farms.com – July 6, 2026

“Despite these challenges, experts believe consumers are unlikely to experience major increases in food prices. Consumers are going to see higher food prices come September to January, once harvests start coming in, and the few months thereafter. Very little of that is going to be directly attributable to fertilizer."

(Continued...)
Read more on: Farms.com

Bradley Rickard, Cornell University

“A California Farmer Is Giving Away Tons of Nectarines That He's Not Allowed to Sell”

By: Food Manufacturing – July 7, 2026

“Fruit patents are becoming increasingly common. A patent allows a breeder to collect a royalty from the fruit trees it sells, the fruit that the trees produce, or both.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Food Manufacturing

Amelia Finaret, Allegheny College

“5 Grocery Items That Will Cost More This Summer”

By: AARP – July 7, 2026

“Whole wheat bread prices are up 8 percent over last year. Drought conditions in wheat-growing regions of the U.S. have strained supply to the point where America’s wheat production is at its lowest since 1970.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: AARP

Jeffrey Dorfman, North Carolina State University
Ricky Volpe, California Polytechnic State University

“U.S.-Iran Conflict Puts Food Prices at Growing Risk”

By: Kansas City Star – July 10, 2026

Fossil fuels used in farming and distribution account for between 15% and 30% of the cost of produce at the retail level.”

“An FMI-The Food Industry Association briefing that even an immediate resolution to the conflict would not prevent grocery inflation from climbing well above the historical average for the remainder of 2026.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Kansas City Star

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Members in the News: July 6, 2026

2026-07-06T11:20:00.000-05:00

Zachariah Rutledge, Michigan State University
David Ortega, Michigan State University

“Dairy Farm Labor Shortages, Adaptation Strategies and Preferences for Workforce Policy Options”

By: Farms.com – June 30, 2026

“Labor shortages are increasingly prevalent in the agricultural sector. Dairy farms face a unique challenge because production requires a year-round workforce, yet most current American visa programs are primarily designed for producers with seasonal employment needs.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Farms.com

Shawn Arita, North Dakota State University
Ming Wang, North Dakota State University
Joseph Glauber, International Food Policy Research Institute

“How Fertilizer Policies Could Exacerbate Hormuz Price Shocks”

By: Global Agriculture – May 26, 2026

“The closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid the outbreak of the Iran war on February 28, 2026, put roughly one-third of global seaborne fertilizer trade at risk. Suddenly, production across the broader Persian Gulf region had no clear ocean exit.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Global Agriculture

Shawn Arita, North Dakota State University
Nick Paulson, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

“Land Line: Riverview, Lobe Rangers, Fertilizer & War, Climate’s Double Indemnity, Colin Cureton’s Ag Legacy, Grazing & Birds, Roundup’s SCOTUS Support, Farm Bill”

By: Land Stewardship Project – June 26, 2026

“A full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz will eventually cause fertilizer prices to fall, but they will remain above their prewar levels for years to come”

“Actions the Trump administration is considering, such as not renewing a trade deal with Canada, would drastically reduce the supply of some fertilizers.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Land Stewardship Project

Joana Colussi, Purdue University

“‘A Real Farm Crisis’: Illinois Farm Bankruptcies Rise For 3rd Straight Year”

By: WJBC – June 29, 2026

“Overhead costs represent the largest cost component on the U.S. farm, accounting for nearly one-half of total costs during the 2020-24 period. Eighty percent of the farmers in the Midwest, they rent the land.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: WJBC

Tim Delbridge, Oregon State University

“OSU Ag Economist: Early Season Cherry Prices Concerning”

By: Capital Press – June 29, 2026

“The pricing picture for sweet cherries is concerning at this point in the season. We may see prices come back up at the end of the season.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Capital Press

Bradley Lubben, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

“USDA Forecast Shows Rising Costs For Corn, Soybeans, Sorghum and Wheat”

By: Brownfield Ag News – June 29, 2026

“Inflation has been the biggest factor since the COVID-19 pandemic. We have continued to be at the higher levels along with trade and global security shocks that have amped up certain markets. Right now, we’re just dealing with higher production costs.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Brownfield Ag News

Hunter Biram, University of Arkansas

“U.S. Rice Acreage Falls to Lowest Since the 1970s As Cotton Acres Increase”

By: Brownfield Ag News – June 30, 2026

“I’ve had people ask me questions about the sustainability in the long term viability of the rice industry… The ripple effects of the rice production declines are being felt in Arkansas, the largest rice producing state in the country.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Brownfield Ag News

Andrew Muhammad, University of Tennessee

“China Resumes US Soybean Purchases Under Trade Deal With Trump, But Future For Farmers Remains ‘Daunting’”

By: Europe Says – July 3, 2026

“Exports to China from January through March were up 57% compared to last year, USDA data shows. That’s explained by an increase in sales to China during the off-season in response to the trade agreement… But if we look at the accumulated total for the actual marketing year, going back to September, exports to China are still lagging what we did in years past.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Europe Says

Christopher Barrett, Cornell University

“How a Fertilizer Shortage Caused by the Iran War Could Affect U.S. Food Prices”

By: NPR – July 3, 2026

"Consumers are going to see higher food prices come September to January, once harvests start coming in, and the few months thereafter. Very little of that is going to be directly attributable to fertilizer."

(Continued...)
Read more on: NPR

Jaime Luke, Michigan State University

“Why Beef Prices Keep Climbing”

By: Marketplace – June 22, 2026

“The USDA predicts beef prices will go up another 10% in 2026 — much faster than the rate of inflation. High demand and low supply makes for a perfect storm. Right now we have a historically low number of beef cows in the country.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Marketplace

Bingyan Dai, Cornell University

“East Coast Broccoli Lowers Costs and Risks From California Drought”

By: Morning Ag Clips – July 1, 2026

“We do think our model can be generalized to other crops, which face similar issues and increasing challenges from drought and water scarcity when production is concentrated in one state… Demand for fresh fruits and vegetables, and especially broccoli, most of which is grown in California, has been growing nationally while water scarcity in the West has also increased.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Morning Ag Clips

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Members in the News: June 29, 2026

2026-06-29T09:37:00.000-05:00

Brian Roe, The Ohio State University

“How to Arrange the Refrigerator to Avoid Food Waste”

By: Laodong – June 20, 2026

“That the ability to see food plays an important role in reducing waste. When food is placed in transparent boxes and scientifically arranged, users tend to use them before they expire.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Laodong

Glynn Tonsor, Kansas State University

“Beef Is Becoming a Luxury as Prices Stay at Record Highs. They Likely Won’t Come Down Until 2028, Says Farm Bureau”

By: DNYUZ – June 20, 2026

“But the largest contributor to high prices is ever-increasing demand from American consumers. Meat is having a moment… Growing beef demand is part of a larger protein-frenzy in the U.S. in recent years as Americans turn to high-protein foods in an attempt to improve their health. New federal dietary guidelines recommend “prioritizing protein” and include it in every meal.

(Continued...)
Read more on: DNYUZ

Marshall Martin, Purdue University

“Koesters’ Impact Felt Beyond the Farm”

By: Farmprogress – June 24, 2026

“Dale and Lisa Koester are progressive farmers; key leaders locally, statewide, and nationally; and devoted Boilermakers through their numerous contributions to and recognition by the Purdue University College of Agriculture,” added Marshall Martin, professor emeritus of agricultural economics.

(Continued...)
Read more on: Farmprogress

Zach Rutledge, Michigan State University
Junjian Zhu, Michigan State University

“Michigan State Extension: AEWR Flexibility Saved Growers $33 Million”

By: Fruit Grower News – June 23, 2026

“Michigan agriculture is entering a transition period following the Department of Labor’s (DOL) October 2025 Interim Final Rule revising the methodology for calculating H-2A Adverse Effect Wage Rates (AEWRs), writes Zachariah Rutledge and Junjian Zhu with MSU Extension.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Fruit Grower News

David Ortega, Michigan State University

“Cottage Cheese is In, Chips Are Out — And Ozempic is Just One Reason”

By: The Washington Post – June 22, 2026

“It’s really a reconfiguration of consumption… I think the cleanest generational [comparisons] are the postwar convenience-food boom and the low-fat era of the ’80s-’90s. Both restructured [consumer packaged goods] for a decade-plus.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: The Washington Post

Amitrajeet Batabyal, Rochester Institute of Technology

“Did British Rule Leave Indian Women Better Off in the Long Run?”

By: Basis Point Insight – June 25, 2026

“The question posed in the title of this essay has generated substantial academic research and public debate. Into this discussion comes a thought-provoking new paper by Bharti Nandwani and Punarjit Roychowdhury, which investigates the long-term relationship between British colonial rule and women’s empowerment in India.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Basis Point Insight

Richard Volpe, California Polytechnic State University

“Farm Bureau: July Fourth Cookouts Are Cheapest in 10 Years After Inflation”

By: Washington Times – June 26, 2026

“If we were to deflate by wages, we would see that the cost of the cookout has increased somewhat, almost certainly driven by the recent strong inflation we have seen for meats and vegetables.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Washington Times

Maria Kalaitzandonakes, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

“Americans Demand Clear Ultra-Processed Food Definitions”

By: National Hog Farmer – June 24, 2026

“Ultimately, policy movement depends on public buy-in. We wanted to understand what policies the public might support and why,”

(Continued...)
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Scott Irwin, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

“Bioeconomy Bill Seen As Opportunity to Expand Ag Demand”

By: Browfield Ag News – June 25, 2026

“The legislation could help boost demand for commodities… We’re in the midst of a downturn on the crop sector that has definitely squeezed margins and incomes,” Irwin said. “It’s required the federal government to step in to prevent really widespread financial problems.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Browfield Ag News

Jennifer Ifft, Kansas State University
Delide Joseph, Kansas State University

“Soil Health Practices May Go Hand-in-Hand With Farm Profitability”

By: Farms.com – June 25, 2026

"We found that farms with higher soil health scores tended to be more profitable. The key takeaway is that practices need to make sense for your area and your operation."

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Read more on: Farms.com

Joana Colussi, Purdue University

“Uncertainty Around Brazil’s Production Forecast For 2027”

By: KMA Land – June 26, 2026

“Brazil’s corn and soybean crops could have a major impact on global grain markets. Joanna Colussi, a research assistant professor of agricultural economics at Purdue University, identified fertilizer as the root of the problem.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: KMA Land

Brenna Ellison, Purdue University

“The Hidden Costs of Data Centers: New Study Reveals Why Rural America Is Pushing Back”

By: Hoosier Ag Today – June 27, 2026

“Artificial Intelligence has the potential to reshape our economy and workforce,” the authors note in the study. “Data centers serve as the physical infrastructure for AI, but they come with notable costs and unknowns.”

(Continued...)
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Members in the News: June 22, 2026

2026-06-22T15:39:48.014-05:00

Amitrajeet Batabyal, Rochester Institute of Technology

“What Did The Green Revolution in India Do To Farm Size-Productivity Relationship?”

By: Basis Point Insight – June 17, 2026

“A dominant finding in development economics has been the inverse farm size-productivity relationship. Observed across multiple continents, this pattern shows that smaller farms tend to produce more output per hectare than larger farms. This counterintuitive finding (since larger farms should benefit from economies of scale) has been a central puzzle in agricultural development.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Basis Point Insight

Zachariah Rutledge, Michigan State University
Junjian Zhu, Michigan State University

“Michigan’s H-2A Wage Offers in First Half of Fiscal Year 2026”

By: Morning Ag Clips – June 17, 2026

“The DOL’s new H-2A wage methodology was developed in response to the discontinuation of the USDA Farm Labor Survey (FLS), which had long served as the primary source for determining AEWRs. The revised approach aims to establish more consistent, occupation- and skill-specific wage rates across states by relying on an alternative federal wage data source. By aligning wages with the skills and occupations required in agricultural production, the rule is designed to help employers maintain access to a stable workforce and help American consumers maintain access to an affordable food source.”

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David Ortega, Michigan State University

“'Buckle Up': Inflation Pain Could Linger Even After the Iran War Ends, Economists Say”
By: ABC News – June 18, 2026
“Higher Prices For Gas, Groceries and Flights Will Likely Outlast the Iran War”
By: The Associated Press - June 16, 2026
“No Fat to Trim: Texas Beef Industry Profits Eaten Away By New Threat — The Screwworm”
By: The Texas Tribune - June 16, 2026
“As Hormuz Crisis Eases, Gas Prices May Drop; Other Costs Like Groceries and Home Goods Could Stay High For a While”
By: CNBC – June 6, 2026
“The Infuriating Rise of the $8 Ice Cream Cone”
By: Bloomberg – June 15, 2026

Shawn Arita, North Dakota State University

“War Hangs Over US Farmers as Fertilizer Prices Rise”
By: GV Wire – June 16, 2026
“Mosaic Loses $258 Million on Sulfur Shortage From Iran War”
By: Briefs Media – June 16, 2026
“The ‘Beans, Beef and Boeing’ Show Sputters Back to Reality”
By: AGRINews – June 19, 2026

Francis Tsiboe, North Dakota State University

“Prevented Planting Rule Narrows Farm Risk Management Options”
By: RFD TV – June 15, 2026
“The Expanding Access to Risk Protection (EARP) Rule Reduces Farmer Flexibility in Production Risk Management by Eliminating Prevented Planting Buy-up Coverage”
By: Southern AG Today – June 11, 2026

Carlos Zurita, North Dakota State University

“NDSU Highlights Trade Opportunities for North Dakota”

By: North Dakota State Ag Connection – June 17, 2026

“Trade agreements today are no longer just about tariffs. They increasingly shape how businesses navigate standards, investment decisions, supply chains, and long-term market access.”

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Bernhard Dalheimer, Purdue University

“Ag Economist Predicts Effect of Iran War in the Grocery Store”

By: Lancaster Farming – June 15, 2026

“Right now, the pain is mostly at the producer side and not so much at the consumer side. The U.S. and Iran reached a tentative deal Monday to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, pending a signing ceremony in Switzerland on Friday, but it’s uncertain whether the agreement will hold after several starts and stops during the course of the war. If the strait were to reopen quickly, American consumers likely wouldn’t see much downstream effect on their grocery bills.”

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Andrew Muhammad, University of Tennessee
Charles Martinez, University of Tennessee

“Soaring US Beef Prices Likely To Rise Further Thanks To Trade Tensions And Disease Outbreaks”

By: The Conversation – June 17, 2026

“It’s summer grilling season, but for many Americans, surging prices mean beef is no longer what’s for dinner. The cost of beef, having spiked since early 2025, is coming under even more pressure. The most recent is the screwworm outbreak that hit cattle in Mexico and has now spread to the United States, where the cattle herd has already fallen to levels not seen since the 1950s, due in part to drought.”

(Continued...)
Read more on: The Conversation

Andrew Muhammad, University of Tennessee

“Tennessee Soybean Farmers Get Morale Boost From Better Prices, But Future Remains ‘Daunting’”

By: Times Free Press – June 17, 2026

“Export sales to China from January through March are up 49% compared to last year. That's explained by an increase in sales to China during the off-season in response to the trade agreement.”

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Read more on: Times Free Press

Craig Carpenter, Michigan State University

“A Trump Administration Policy Could force thousands of retailers to stop Accepting SNAP Benefits”

By: WPR – June 5, 2026

“The new rule is meant to ensure SNAP shoppers have access to healthy foods at their preferred store. But in reality, many small retailers, like convenience stores and dollar stores, will struggle to meet the new standards and maintain their ability to accept SNAP dollars.”

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Andrew Stevens, University of Wisconsin-Madison

“New USDA Rule Could Impact How Grocers Accept SNAP Benefits”

By: WKOW – June 10, 2026

“The long-term impact of the rule remains uncertain. The big open question is how challenging will it be for these retailers to satisfy the requirements of the new regulation, and is that cost going to be significant.”

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Read more on: WKOW

Kashi Kafle, Texas A&M University

“Commercialisation Alone Will Not Transform Agriculture: The Participation of Smallholder Families is Important”

By: The Himalayan – June 9, 2026

“The future of Nepal's agriculture does not lie in choosing between subsistence farming and large agribusiness. It lies in helping millions of smallholders become productive market participants while maintaining resilience, food security, and rural livelihoods. Commercialisation should be a tool for empowering smallholders, not a pathway for replacing them.”

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Read more on: The Himalayan

Ariel Ortiz-Bobea, Cornell University

“Got Milk? Climate Change May Be Hurting Both the Quality and Quantity of America’s Supply”

By: Europe Says – June 18, 2026

“The heat-induced dilution of these valuable milk components is happening a bit under the radar. When you account for the deterioration in milk composition, the economic loss ends up being of the same order of magnitude as the yield effect, so it just basically doubles the damage.”

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Read more on: Europe Says

Aaron Smith, University of California, Berkeley

“Disbelief as California Drivers Can’t Buy Cheaper Gas Blend That State Legalized Last Year”

By: New York Times - June 19, 2026

“Expected savings may be overstated. In an analysis for the Energy Institute at Haas, Smith said that E15 has sold for about 25 cents less per gallon than standard gas in other states but argued the discount may partly reflect weaker consumer demand rather than lower production costs.

(Continued...)
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Members in the News: June 15, 2026

2026-06-15T14:12:18.043-05:00

Richard Volpe, California Polytechnic State University

“Yahoo Finance Live: Daily Market Coverage”

By: Yahoo! Finance – June 9, 2026

“Speaks at 1:30:00”

(Continued...)
Read more on: Yahoo! Finance

Glynn Tonsor, Kansas State University

“Deadly Screwworm Pest Spreads in US With Three New Cases”

By: The Straits Times – June 9, 2026

“The detection of screwworm is probably going to further delay any efforts to expand the US herd. Tonsor said he was “pretty vocal” late in 2025 that more ranchers would start the process of expansion this summer, but increased dryness and now screwworm are creating more uncertainty.”

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Read more on: The Straits Times

Dustin Pendell, Kansas State University
William Secor, University of Georgia

“Beef Consumers Don’t Need to Worry About the Screwworm Infections in Cattle, Experts Say”

By: WEIS Radio – June 11, 2026

“Americans can continue to feel confident about consuming beef safely. The current drought conditions in the U.S. is making it difficult to expand herds because there isn’t enough grass available to feed on, hay and other supplemental feeds increase costs even more…. Cattle prices are going to continue to be high for quite a while because of these issues.”

“In addition, geopolitical issues, such as the war in Iran, are causing fertilizer and fuel costs to increase.”

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Read more on: WEIS Radio

Chen-Ti Chen, The Ohio State University

“Birds of a Feather: The Economic Value of Birds in Agriculture is Coming Back into Focus”

By: Fresh Plaza – Jun 11, 2026

“Bird‑watching has never been a bigger pastime, with millions of Americans traveling, dining and staying in local lodging to see migrating and nesting birds. Nearly 100 million Americans went birding in 2022, spending about $108 billion on trips and equipment according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. That’s about six times more than the total revenue generated by the NFL in the same year.”

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Kenneth Foster, Purdue University
Ricky Volpe, California Polytechnic State University

“Farmers Were Already Hurting. The Iran War Made It Worse”

By: Notus – June 11, 2026

“Many of the food price increases consumers are experiencing right now have primary explanations that predate the conflict entirely.”

“Higher energy costs and higher fertilizer prices have already impacted the planting and the early stage of the growing process for all these commodities.”

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Read more on: Notus

Brenna Ellison, Purdue University

“New Study Reveals Which Ultra-Processed Food Regulations Americans Actually Support”

By: PSY Post – June 11, 2026

“There is a lot of attention on ultra-processed foods (UPFs), particularly with the momentum of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative. Given this, we thought it was important to understand the public’s perspective on different ways that UPFs could be regulated.”

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Read more on: PSY Post

Trey Malone, Purdue University

“From Data to Decisions: AI’s Growing Role in Agriculture”

By: Hoosier Ag Today – June 12, 2026

“So, you have a really good undergraduate intern in your pocket now, and you never trust the final product of the undergraduate intern. What you do trust is the beginning stages of the project to the undergraduate intern, and then you polish it from there. And so, I think that’s for anybody in ag and food right now, it’s thinking about what I would have hired an intern to do before and how can I use this to make this a larger task?”

(Continued...)
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