Articles by Ed Maixner

Cage-free egg farms expanding but face production hurdles

02/28/17 2:51 PM By Ed Maixner

WASHINGTON, Mar. 1, 2017 - The popularity of eggs from cage-free and organic hens is rising, and America’s laying hens are hard at work meeting the demand.

Farm robotics: Lots of progress but far from the finish line

02/22/17 10:18 AM By Ed Maixner

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22, 2017 - In a display of both pop music talent and robotics advancement, Lady GaGa opened her flashy Super Bowl half-time show last month singing God Bless America while a computer choreographed 300 drones with red, white and blue LED lights in the sky to form a U.S. flag.

California ag looks robust after five-year drought

02/15/17 1:50 PM By Ed Maixner

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15, 2017 - With a heap of snow in the Sierra Nevada and a winter deluge of rain, California agriculture is floating out of its five-year drought rather swimmingly.

Some farmers want big changes in health coverage; some, none at all

02/01/17 11:25 AM By Ed Maixner

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1, 2017 - An update on American farm families and their health insurance is a two-part story.

Moving the ranching mindset: Profit in switch to May/June calving

01/18/17 10:31 AM By Ed Maixner

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18, 2017 - Researchers in North Dakota have come up with data to show what ranchers have been proving to themselves for years: Calving in May can be easier and less expensive, and thus, more profitable, than calving in March and April, when it’s colder and wetter, especially in the country’s colder latitudes.

Oh Deer! Captive operations expand, but challenges remain

01/18/17 10:11 AM By Ed Maixner

So far, farm organizations have watched from the sidelines as captive deer and elk operations expand against mounting challenges by sportsmen, wildlife groups, animal health agencies, conservationists, and others.

Low interest rates, soft commodity markets spell cash rent relief

01/11/17 11:08 AM By Ed Maixner

In the U.S. farmland cash rent arena, landlords may see further erosion on their returns while tenants should expect mostly stable to moderately falling rates. Farmers/operators renting land are, of course, painfully aware of the swift run-up in cropland re

Weather forecasting bill expected to help farmers

12/07/16 12:59 PM By Ed Maixner

Looming among the last-minute business for the adjourning 114th Congress is a bevy of investments and directives in atmospheric and climate science and communications aimed to keep Americans safer, help farmers and ranchers succeed, broaden participation in weather forecasting, and

USDA posts a jam-packed scoresheet on successful research

11/30/16 11:15 AM By Ed Maixner

Does Department of Agriculture research succeed ultimately in helping farmers improve their crops and livestock, fight all manner of plant, animal and food-borne diseases, produce improved products and increase profits?

Speed chokers may be on tap for all big trucks

11/23/16 9:37 AM By Ed Maixner

Electronic governors keeping top speeds at 60, 65 or 68 miles per hour in all heavy trucks and buses? Soon, perhaps The U.S. Department of Transportation is pressing ahead with a long-contemplated requirement for speed limiting gadgets, or chokers, in all new Class

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March 30, 2025

Agri-Pulse Open Mic: Chuck Conner, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives

This week’s Open Mic guest is Chuck Conner, president and CEO of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives. Conner suggests the nation’s farmer owned cooperatives are well stocked as producers prepare for the 2025 growing season. Conner says many co-ops anticipated tariff issues and took early shipment of supplies for this season. A veteran of Capitol Hill policy debates, he acknowledges plenty of uncertainty surrounding the farm bill, tax policy and tariffs. Despite challenges, Conner believes legislators will take action on taxes and hopefully a new set of farm and nutrition programs.

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03.28.2025

Agri-Pulse Newsmakers: March 28, 2025: Castaneda, Kuball on ag labor, trade

President Trump’s planned reciprocal tariffs are expected to go into effect next week. We spoke with Jaime Castaneda from the National Milk Producers Federation and Cassandra Kuball from Torrey Advisory Group about how the proposals could impact agriculture. They also discuss the potential for ag labor reform with Trump's stricter immigration policies.

Plus, Agri-Pulse Editor-in-Chief Philip Brasher provides commentary on the top issues in Washington.

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