Health officials finish euthanizing 400K birds at Indiana farms
Animal health officials responding to a bird flu outbreak in southwest Indiana say crews have finished euthanizing more than 400,000 birds at 10 affected commercial poultry farms.
Agriculture/Farming
Articles
Officials hope rapid action contains Indiana turkey flu outbreak
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has quarantined and destroyed hundreds of thousands of turkeys and chickens in Indiana in an effort to avoid a repeat of last year’s outbreak that cost the industry $3.3 billion.
UPDATE: Bird flu outbreak contained to 10 Indiana farms
Confirmation of new bird flu cases alarmed industry officials after the rapid spread of the H5N2 virus last year led to the deaths of about 48 million turkeys and chickens, and drove egg prices higher. Indiana's poultry industry brings in about $2.5 billion a year.
Farm boom fizzles as crop surplus expands financial strain
While many growers remain profitable, the global commodity slump is increasing pressure on a Midwest economy that was largely shielded from the worst of the financial crisis by high crop prices and land values.
Indiana firm trades in frankincense, myrrh
Northwest Indiana Trading Co., based in LaPorte County, provides exotic resins and other substances to religious practitioners across the globe.
Expert predicts drop in Indiana farmland values
A Purdue economist says values will drop 5 to 12 percent in 2016 after nearly tripling from 2003 to 2014.
Dow’s merger plans with DuPont might hit antitrust roadblock
The proposed merger of Dow Chemical Co. and DuPont Co. would create the world’s largest agricultural-products company. But that’s bad news for farmers, according to some farm groups and antitrust experts.
Purdue ag, research foundation create $2M crop startup fund
Purdue University has created a $2 million fund that will help launch startup companies working to commercialize crop-boosting innovations developed by Purdue researchers.
Dow, DuPont agree to combine in historic merger of equals
Dow and DuPont plan to divide the combined company into three publicly traded businesses, one of which would focus on agricultural products including herbicides and genetically modified seeds—the core business of Dow's Indianapolis-based Dow AgroSciences unit. DuPont also has a large ag unit.
Boost of biofuel levels pleases neither refiners nor growers
The EPA’s rule could revive a congressional debate over the Renewable Fuel Standard and spill over into the presidential campaign, as candidates stump in Iowa and other corn-belt states.
Farm Bureau gets first new leader in 14 years
Vanderburgh County farmer Randy Kron was elected president Tuesday during the state convention of Indiana's largest farm organization.
Egg farms scramble to meet cage-free demand
It’s one of the largest-scale examples of agribusiness adapting to consumers’ growing sensitivities and anxieties over how their food is treated.
Crop prices fall as U.S. boosts soybean, corn outlook
Crop prices dropped after the latest forecasts from the U.S. government showed soybean production will rise to a record and corn output will be more than analysts expected.
Cheap hams could steal the show from turkeys this Thanksgiving
This year’s bird-flu outbreak in the U.S. means turkeys will be more expensive for families sitting down this month for their Thanksgiving meal. But domestic pork supplies are at records, driving down prices.
Federal jury to settle bitter battle between sweeteners
Big Sugar and Big Corn face off in court this week in a bitter, multibillion-dollar battle of sweeteners that boils down to a mix of science, semantics and marketing.
Merger chatter casts cloud over Dow AgroSciences
Talk of synergies and consolidation may warm the hearts of investors, who are eager for Midland, Michigan-based Dow Chemical to boost returns, but they cast uncertainty over some of central Indiana’s best scientific jobs.
Elanco president makes case for juiced-up cows in organic age
Jeff Simmons is on a counteroffensive as, increasingly, the drugs that Elanco makes—including antibiotics and productivity enhancers—have come under attack by food activists.
Dow AgroSciences up for sale or spin-off, again
Dow Chemical is exploring all options for its subsidiary, Indianapolis-based Dow AgroSciences. The company employs 1,500 workers in the Indianapolis area and, as a stand-alone firm, would be the fifth-largest by revenue in Indiana.
Dry fall weather helps Indiana farmers after summer deluges
Indiana farmers had harvested about two-thirds of the state's soybean crop and about half of its corn crop by last week.
Purdue: Indiana grain yields to be better than expected
A Purdue University expert says flooding losses to Indiana's corn and soybean crops will be much lower than expected and concentrated in certain areas.