Heartwater, which attacks blood vessels in the brain, is the No. 1 foreign animal disease worry for state and national cattle-producer associations. Jumping into a new agricultural enterprise can be risky, but Georgia specialists have designed a comprehensive canola check program to introduce growers to this alternative crop. The future is now. Potato futures have not been traded in the United States since the mid-1970s, but Idaho economists believed a futures contract could be a useful risk management tool for potato producers and contractors. Thanks to their efforts, a New York commodity exchange launched a potato futures market in 1996.
Machinery overshadows all other farm costs except land.
Choosing the right farm machinery, which can have a dramatic impact on profits, has been made easier by a new computerized Farm Machinery and Selection Program developed by Illinois Extension specialists. New jobs total 235. After identifying a previously unknown source of infection for this disease, researchers have developed new integrated pest management programs that use fewer fungicide applications. New Cornell disease forecast models are now being used worldwide to manage powdery mildew. Their services included advice on everything from crop planning, livestock feeding and water conservation to obtaining emergency loans and coping with family stress.