farming

How The Senate Farm Bill Would Change Subsidies

Tamara Keith — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 14:01:03 +0000

The Senate voted Monday to approve its version of the farm bill, a massive spending measure that covers everything from food stamps to crop insurance and sets the nation's farm policy for the next five years.

The centerpiece of that policy is an expanded crop insurance program, designed to protect farmers from losses, that some say amounts to a highly subsidized gift to agribusiness. That debate is set to continue as the House plans to take up its version of the bill this month.

For farmer Scott Neufeld, crop insurance is an integral part of his family's business.

Local Writer Shares 'Passions of the Black Patch'

Kate Lochte — Fri, 03 May 2013 21:22:55 +0000

Kate Lochte speaks with western Kentucky native and author Bobbie Smith Bryant on Sounds Good. Bryant was born in the Black Patch of Calloway County and shares her family's heritage in a new book titled, "Passions of the Black Patch: Cooking and Quilting in Western Kentucky." Black Patch is the region in western Kentucky and northwestern Tennessee where a specific type of tobacco, which has distinctly dark leaves, is grown.

Learn more at bobbiesmithbryant.com.

Kentucky Beekeepers Studying Hive Loss

Stu Johnson (KPR) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 16:24:16 +0000

Beekeepers from across the Commonwealth are still looking for some way to stop the loss of their hives. The Kentucky State Beekeepers Association stages its spring meeting in Richmond this weekend. The nation’s agriculture industry is coping with a massive die-off of the essential insect. Besides honey production, bees are essential to the pollination of some crops. Currently, association Vice President Jim Coss says they’re scrutinizing farm chemicals.

The Morning Cram [seed wars edition]

Whitney Jones — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 14:55:00 +0000

From NPR: An Indiana farmer looking for cheap soybean seeds for a second, smaller harvest has been taken to the Supreme Court by the largest seed company, Monsanto. 75-year-old Vernon Hugh Bowman signed a contract with the seed giant to not save and replant any of his harvest.

Monsanto wants to be his sole provider, but their seeds are “Roundup Ready” and more expensive, especially for a small second planting. Bowman bought a motley of seeds from his neighbors for his second harvest thinking Monsanto wouldn’t care. Boy, was he wrong.

Farmers Use Radishes to Enrich Soil

Whitney Jones — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 17:30:00 +0000

Many of farmer Jim Kelly’s fields in Murray are bright green with winter wheat even after several frosts. But tromp around some of his other crop fields and you’ll find the withering leaves of radishes. And he’s just going to keep letting them rot.

"These things are in the process of dying. See, some of them already have," he said.

Kelly’s crop usually consists of tobacco, wheat, soybeans, corn and hay. But this year he’s adding radishes to his rotation in his soybean fields as a cover crop. The pale yellow vegetable looks a lot like a carrot and digs down breaking up the soil. Kelly won’t harvest the radishes. They grow until the first hard freeze then begin to die.

Snowfall Not Expected to Fix Drought Damage

Whitney Jones and The Associated Press — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 13:54:00 +0000

Although western Kentucky has already seen its first snow storm of the season, experts say much more will have to fall to ease farmers’ pain from the past summer’s drought. The Dec. 26 snow storm dropped up to 7 inches of snow in Kentucky and up to a foot in some places in Illinois. But climatologists say it would take at least 8 feet of snow to return the soil to its pre-drought condition in time for spring planting. The average snowfall for Paducah is 10 inches, so the large amount of snowfall isn’t likely to happen.

US Ag Secretary Visits Tennessee

Whitney Jones and The Associated Press — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 12:04:28 +0000

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack makes a Tennessee visit today to discuss the importance of passing comprehensive food, farm and jobs legislation. He will also talk about revitalizing small rural businesses and communities. Vilsack's stops include Cedar Hill and Clarksville. Officials say Tennessee farm income rose from $447 million in 2010 to almost $800 dollars in 2011.

Fall Armyworms Invade Yards, Pastures

Whitney Jones — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 15:50:02 +0000

Thanks to this summer's historic drought fall armyworms have invaded and are destroying yards and pastures in McCracken County.

Midwest Grape Crop Looks Good Amid Drought

The Associated Press — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 14:47:03 +0000

While the US drought has been rough on our region’s corn and soybean crops, grape growers in the Four Rivers say their harvest will make up in quality what it lacks in quantity. Winemakers throughout the area report their vineyards have proven resilient to the recent heat and dryness.

Paul, Comer to Rally for Industrial Hemp

Kenny Colston (KPR) — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 18:30:57 +0000

U.S. Senator Rand Paul and Agriculture Commissioner James Comer will hold a news conference on Thursday morning at the Kentucky State Fair to rally for industrial hemp.