Although a drought can adversely affect any state, it has a profound impact on Alabama because agriculture is one of our most important industries. Officials believe there is still enough time left to rescue peanut and cotton crops, but the south Alabama corn crop is expected to sustain major losses. While Alabama s farmers are known for their hard work and resilience, there is no doubt that low yields and lost crops mean economic hard times for our agricultural community. However, there...

Wolford says growers in the FSA s local region estimate that they ve already lost between 35 percent to 90 percent of crops for 2007 from the drought. Wolford said financial losses to area growers from the cold snap and freeze that struck over Easter weekend, April 7-9, are estimated at more than $20 million. The accompanying one-two punch of the drought will add another devastating financial hit to farmers that could negatively impact area agriculture for years to come, Wolford said....

Ultimately, the OptiGro system provides a reasonably priced way for farmers to adopt precision farming without having to purchase a lot of extra equipment. It is targeted at growers and those who advise growers. The division provides information services to various market segments, such as ag chemical and fertilizer dealers. A grower can now use digital photography - strapped to an airplane - to get fast field information, using the OptiGro system. Research in seven states over the past...

By Field Maloney Posted Friday, March 17, 2006, at 1:34 PM ET A scene from Whole Foods groceryIt's hard to find fault with Whole Foods, the haute-crunchy supermarket chain that has made a fortune by transforming grocery shopping into a bright and shiny, progressive experience. By Field Maloney Posted Friday, March 17, 2006, at 1:34 PM ET A scene from Whole Foods groceryIt's hard to find fault with Whole Foods, the haute-crunchy supermarket chain that has made a fortune by transforming...

An Analysis of Market Supply and Demand for Soft Commodities Search Results for Google. The Soft Commodities Advisory evaluates news and its implications for cocoa, coffee, cotton, orange juice, and sugar prices. The report contains information, commentary, ongoing analysis of market supply and demand, and a medium-term price outlook, as well as a discussion of the political, meteorological, economic, and financial market factors that have an impact on individual soft commodities prices...

Not only will this impact the honey industry, it also has the potential to impact our fruit growers who need bees for pollination. Crops that depend upon or benefit from honey bee pollination include alfalfa, almonds, apples, avocados, blueberries, cantaloupes, carrots, cherries, citrus, cotton, cranberries, kiwis, plums, pumpkins, seed crops, soybeans, squash, sunflowers and watermelons. Our nation's beekeepers provide essential pollination services for over 90 different food, seed and...