Transcript
Speaker: Scientists have discovered ag's secret weapon against bird flu. And AI is here to save orange juice, apparently. But it's not all sunshine and rainbows this week. Drought takes a wider grip across Midwest and High Plains, and some are calling this farm economy crisis worse than the 1980s.
Speaker: We've got lab reports, drought updates, and market impacts all lined out for you in this week's Magnetic Ag Ears Edition.
Speaker: I'm Braden. And I'm Savannah. Welcome to Magnetic Ag Ears Edition. Every week we break down the top headlines and trends facing food and agriculture. Fast, fun, and actually useful.
Speaker: Let's get it.
Speaker: What started as a tool to fight a cattle disease might just become one of ag's best defenses against bird flu. Researchers at Purdue University have developed a paper-based test that can detect highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI, quickly, affordably, and without the need for a lab.
Speaker: Just an oral or nasal swab applied to a paper strip. That's it. And Savannah, there's a pretty big kicker here. they don't think it just works on birds. The test is showing promise for cattle, wild birds, rodents, and yes, even humans, which makes it a potential game changer for animal health and way beyond.
Speaker: The story goes deeper. This technology actually began as a way to tackle bovine respiratory disease, or BRD, nastily costly infection that hits the U.S. cattle industry for about $1 billion dollars a year.
Speaker: So back in 2020, Dr. Moat Verma at Purdue University received funding through the Foundation for Food and Ag Research and industry partners to develop a BRD test that was fast, cheap, and farmer-friendly.
Speaker: What they created back then is now laying the foundation for this new, broader HPAI test. This is a textbook example of how good science evolves, starting with one goal, following the data, and you might just solve a bigger problem along the way.
Speaker: And if we're getting real, when HPAI started spreading beyond birds, the ag world needed a better frontline tool, something fast, field ready and scalable. Now, thanks to this research, we could be looking at it right now.
Speaker: Farmers are feeling the heat, literally and figuratively. As we head into the fall, drought is tightening its grip across the large parts of the United States. As of this week, 40 U.S. states are experiencing moderate drought or worse.
Speaker: This includes vast swaths of Midwest and the High Plains. More concerning, the acreage of major crops under drought conditions has jumped sharply, up over 20% in just the last week and more than 60% from this time last month.
Speaker: Farmers are noticing serious crop stress, specifically in soybeans in Missouri and Ohio, and corn maturing way too quickly. Livestock producers are worried about pastures drying up, and farm ponds are running low on existing water.
Speaker: Heat and dry weather are definitely the culprit here. Much of the drought comes from weeks of below-normal rainfall. Parts of southern Illinois and southwest Indiana saw less than 0.1 inches of rain during August and none in September so far.
Speaker: If rain doesn't come soon, the economic ripple effect could be felt well beyond the farm country.
Speaker: Savannah, harvest is here and we have the inside scoop on which three states are leading the way, according to the September 15th update from the National Ag Statistics Service. The race is on with corn harvest as many of the top three corn states have got started.
Speaker: Our top three contenders right now are Texas with 71% harvest, North Carolina with 59% harvest, and Tennessee coming in at 48% harvested. And we can't leave the South out of a rocking start with soybean.
Speaker: Soybean harvest in Louisiana is at 63%, Mississippi is at and Arkansas is Cotton harvest is just getting rolling. In Texas, 21% of cotton is harvested. Arizona and Louisiana are slightly on the board as well. Now, there's not been much action in sorghum harvest just yet.
Speaker: Sorghum harvest in Texas is already at 80%, and in a not-so-close second place, Oklahoma mentioned at just 7%.
Speaker: The U.S. Department of Agriculture is currently considering economic assistance to offset losses mounting from trade disputes, inflation, and oversupply. Why?
Speaker: Farmers have lost billions of dollars in projected soybean sales to China due to stalled trade talks. Ironically, forecast for a bumper corn crop this autumn is contributing to oversupply, putting downward pressure on prices.
Speaker: Margins are tight as fertilizer, seed, and other inputs continue to be expensive. Secretary of Ag Brooke Rollins and state officials are framing this as a farm economy crisis, declaring it possibly the worst since the 1980s.
Speaker: At a conference of the National Association of State Departments of Ag in Rogers, Arkansas, Rollins said, quote, We are working with our colleagues in Congress and closely monitoring markets daily to evaluate the amount of additional assistance that might be needed this fall, end quote.
Speaker: We've said it before and we'll say it again. Farmers of soybeans, corn, and other commodity crops are most exposed, facing weak export demands and high production. Additionally, supply chain and biofuel sectors could feel spillover, especially if trade and ethanol policies are part of the relief decision.
Speaker: The question now isn't if there will be assistance, but how big it will be and how fast it can really help. Braden, Orange Juice is in trouble, and AI stepping in to save the day.
Speaker: That's right, Savannah. Coca-Cola, the company behind Minute Maid, just joined forces with Massachusetts Institute of Technology, better known as MIT, OpenAI, and a global lineup of tech giants to launch a campaign called Save the Orange.
Speaker: And no, this isn't about boosting sales. It's about stopping citrus greening, a disease that has crushed Florida's orange groves, hit Brazil hard, and threatens to wipe out orange production worldwide within the next 25 years.
Speaker: Florida used to be a citrus powerhouse. Now the state's orange output is down 90% since 2005.
Speaker: And not to mention Brazil's citrus belt, nearly half has been infected in 2024. So this new AI-powered initiative is focused on early detection, better disease management, and smarter treatment plans.
Speaker: They're hoping to bring together researchers, growers, and tech wizards to fight a plant disease that is costing billions. And we have to be real. Coca-Cola has some skin in this game.
Speaker: They're one of the biggest juice players on the planet. So saving the orange is more than just a feel-good PR move for the environment. It's about future-proofing their own supply chain. But this isn't their first AI rodeo either.
Speaker: Coca-Cola's already used AI to co-create new drinks and boost marketing. But this time, is at the center of innovation. So what you're telling me, Savannah, is that tech is meeting the trees.
Speaker: Juice is meeting machine learning. So let's hope that the algorithms can outsmart the bugs. And I hate to be the dent bee downer, but if this don't happen, we're going to need to find a new breakfast beverage.
Speaker: Sounds like it's apple juice for everyone.
Speaker: Now we're tuning in for your weekly market pulse. We've got the highs and lows impacting your bottom line. Pulled September 12th from AgWeb. October live cattle are up 4 234.6. Feeder cattle in October are to And october lane hoggs up point four two ninety seven fifty two and that december corn is down six to four dollars and twenty three cents And to round it out with soybeans, November is down $3 to $10.42.
Speaker: What do you get when you mix country music, food security, and a stage in a soybean field? The real thing that we should all be talking about, Brayden, is Luke Bryan's farm tour.
Speaker: Rolling on to year 10 and bringing more than just guitars and good vibes. So all of this started as a way to give back to rural America and has grown into a full blown partnership with bear and feeding America that to date has donated 10 million meals to communities across the country.
Speaker: And they're just getting started this year. Bear pledged to donate up to 1 million more meals just from fans sharing with the hashtag here's to the farmers social engagement for a cause sign me up.
Speaker: And the concerts get to happen on actual farms. Klondike Farms in Wisconsin and Van Gilder Family Farm in Michigan are bringing live music right to the real back roads.
Speaker: Add in food drop-off stations, giveaways, and of course VIP ticket upgrades for fans who bring non-perishables. It's not just fun, it's Impact with boots on, as Luke Bryan would say.
Speaker: Brayden, for Luke Bryan, this is more of a personal story. He grew up on his dad's peanut mill. He lived the early mornings in unpredictable seasons. That farm kid work ethic still drives everything he does from songwriting to giving back meals.
Speaker: The farm tour is about celebrating rural roots and showing up for communities that feed the world. It's also a reminder that ag and advocacy can really easily go hand in hand.
Speaker: Music gets the spotlight most of the time, but this time, farmers, families, and fans are the real headliners. Savannah, I really wonder what it would take to get my family's farm on the list.
Speaker: Yeah, well, while you look into that, I'm going to pour myself a glass of orange juice while I can still have it and call it a day. Thanks for tuning in to another episode of Magnetic Ag Ears Edition.
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Speaker: Thanks for listening to Magnetic Ag, Ears Edition.
