University of Minnesota, Duluth
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Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage (PRF) Insurance Expansion and Emerging Limits to Growth
No full textPasture, Rangeland, and Forage (PRF) insurance has become one of the fastest-growing components of the Federal Crop Insurance Program, expanding rapidly as producers seek protection against rainfall-driven forage losses. Unlike traditional crop insurance, PRF relies on a precipitation index rather than measured yields, making it well suited for continuously grazed systems. This brief examines the national expansion of PRF from 2016 through 2025, documenting trends in insured acres, liabilities, and geographic penetration. Enrollment increased from roughly 52 million acres in 2016 to more than 316 million acres by 2025, with insured liabilities rising nearly fivefold. Growth was concentrated in western and plains states where forage-based livestock systems dominate, while participation remains limited in the Midwest, Southeast, and Northeast. Recent slowing in enrollment growth and near-complete penetration in several western states suggest the program may be approaching saturation in its core regions, shifting future growth prospects toward underrepresented areas and producer awareness rather than acreage expansion
Mitigating Structural Inequities in U.S. Agricultural Risk Management
No full textThe USDA has implemented policies to address inequities for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. This research examines agricultural risk inequities and the impact of 2018 Farm Bill programs on crop insurance use among minority and veteran farmers. Results indicate that minority and veteran farmers are disproportionately located in regions of the U.S. with higher risks of drought and excess precipitation. Yet, these producer groups had lower use of crop insurance prior to the implementation of the 2018 Farm Bill. However, the incentive programs created under the 2018 Farm Bill have increased use of federal crop insurance among these vulnerable populations
The Waning Hardwood Supply and the Appalachian Forests
No full textContents: Hardwood Cut Declining (Condition as Shown by Kind of Timber – Condition as Shown by States) --- Conditions in Main Regions of Production (Lake States – Lower Mississippi Valley – Appalachian States) --- How Long Will the Supply Last --- Advancing Prices of Hardwoods --- What Industries Would a Hardwood Shortage Affect (Hardwood Lumber Manufacture – Cooperage – Furniture Making – Musical Instruments – Vehicle Manufacture – Agricultural Implements – Car Building – Railroad Ties – Telephone and Other Poles – House Finishing) --- What States Would Be Most Affected --- Situation Concerns Entire Country --- The Solution --- Appalachians the Key to the Situation
Are the Eco-Schemes a Step Towards a Greener EU Agriculture Policy or Do They Only Add to Its Complexity?
No full textEco-schemes (ESs) have been introduced in 2023 as a new instrument of Pillar 1of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). They are foreseen to take a central position within the Green Architecture (GA) aiming to improve the environmental and climate performance of the CAP. Member States (MSs) are given a great degree of freedom to design and implement the ESs according to their needs. While MSs have to allocate a significant share of their CAP budget to the ESs, participation is voluntary for farmers. Even after the second year of national implementation the question of whether the new ESs contribute to an enhanced environmental sustainability of the CAP remains unanswered
Final Estimates of ARC-CO and PLC Payments for Crop Year 2024
No full textThe goal of this policy brief is to provide estimates of Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Risk (PLC) program payments for all covered commodities for crop year 2024 using final marketing year average prices and county yields
Greenheart
No full textExcerpts: Greenheart (Nectandra rodiœi Schomb.) is a South American and West Indian tree belonging to the laurel family (Lauraceæ), which includes our red bay (Persea borbonia (Linn.) Spreng.) and sassafras (Sassafras sassafras (Linn.) Karst.). Native Indian names for it are bebeeru, bibiru, supeira, and sipiri. Another name sometimes given it is torchwood, due to the fact that the heartwood of older trees, which is full of oil, burns readily. The truly remarkable lasting qualities of mature greenheart wood have given the tree a world-wide reputation. Authentic records show that the best grades surpass iron and steel in durability when placed in water or in contact with the soil. Greenheart is unsurpassed as a construction timber. It finds its chief use in ship and dock building, especially for keelsons, beams, engine bearers, planking, dock gates, lock gates, piers, and piling. All the gates, piers, and jetties of the Liverpool docks and practically all the lock gates of the Bridgewater Canal (England) are of greenheart
German farmers protests in winter 2023/2024 – Revealing underlying reasons
No full textBackground: During the winter of 2023/24, farmers across Europe initiated protests. In Germany, these demonstrations were characterised by substantial turnouts, frequently occurring concurrently in multiple cities, and the undertaking of contentious actions such as the dumping of manure on public thoroughfares, the obstruction of motorways by tractor convoys. Objective: As the protests unfolded, it became evident from both media coverage and statements made by farmers themselves that the issues of the abolition of subsidies for agricultural diesel and vehicle tax exemptions merely served as catalysts for more profound underlying causes. However, a comprehensive analysis of the farmers' motivations has been limited thus far. This is crucial for understanding and addressing farmers' dissatisfaction, as adjustments made in response to the protests may not fully address the underlying causes, leaving these unresolved. This paper aims to address this gap by examining the causes of the protests in winter 2023/24 and the background of the perceived dissatisfaction in German agriculture. Method: We conducted 35 qualitative interviews with farmers in ten German regions between the end of February and May 2024. In order to ensure a comprehensive representation of the diversity amongst farmers, a wide range of farm types were included in the study. The data was analysed according to the thematic analysis approach. Results & Discussion: A recurrent theme in the interviews was the identification of three main underlying motives for the participation in the protests. These were as follows: a perceived loss of identity as well as discrepancy between self-perception and social attribution; a recognised lack of trust in the activities of the farmers by society and of farmers in political actions; and a perceived overbearing bureaucracy. The identified main motive of farmers’ protest seems to be interrelated, so that addressing one aspect can have impacts on the other both motives
Woody Biomass for Bioenergy and Biofuels in the United States — A Briefing Paper
No full textWoody biomass can be used for the generation of heat, electricity, and biofuels. In many cases, the technology for converting woody biomass into energy has been established for decades, but because the price of woody biomass energy has not been competitive with traditional fossil fuels, bioenergy production from woody biomass has not been widely adopted. However, current projections of future energy use and renewable energy and climate change legislation under consideration suggest increased use of both forest and agriculture biomass energy in the coming decades. This report provides a summary of some of the existing knowledge and literature related to the production of woody biomass from bioenergy with a particular focus on the economic perspective. The most commonly discussed woody biomass feedstocks are described along with results of existing economic modeling studies related to the provision of biomass from short-rotation woody crops, harvest residues, and hazardous-fuel reduction efforts. Additionally, the existing social science literature is used to highlight some challenges to widespread production of biomass energy
Lessons from Asia and Africa
No full textAgri-food systems across Asia and Africa, where over 2.5 billion people depend on agriculture for livelihoods and food security, are at risk due to current and projected climate change. For example, in Africa, maize and wheat yields have already declined by 5.8% and 2.3%, respectively, due to increased drought frequency and warming trends (IPCC, 2022a). Across both continents and more so in Africa than Asia, rain-fed agriculture accounts for over 90% of staple crop production, making it acutely vulnerable to erratic rainfall and temperature extremes (IPCC,2022a; IPCC, 2022b). In Asia, monsoon variability, glacier retreat affecting all perennial rivers, sealevel rise, and extreme heat threaten food production in densely populated river basins and deltas, such as the Ganges, Mekong, and Indus (IPCC, 2022b). Fisheries and aquaculture, which provide more than 20% of animal protein in many Asian countries, are also increasingly disrupted by warming and ocean acidification (IPCC, 2022c).Without adequate adaptation, cereal yields could decline by 10–30% by 2050 across both regions, and suitable areas for rain-fed crops, such as maize, could shrink by up to 40% in parts of SubSaharan Africa under 1.5°C warming (IPCC, 2022a). While relatively under-researched, yields of non-cereal crops, as well as the nutritional content of all major food groups also decline at higher levels of global warming. These disruptions deepen food insecurity, affecting a disproportionate share of the 783 million people globally who are already undernourished, and exacerbating inequality for smallholders, women, and youth. A range of solutions exists, encompassing adaptation and mitigation and their various co-benefits with nutrition and related SDGs and CGIAR and partners are working to scale these solutions. Climate-smart agriculture, including drought- and heat-tolerant crops, efficient irrigation, and agroecological practices, offers immediate adaptation benefits while leveraging digital tools such as AI-powered climate services, decision-support platforms, and mobile-based advisory systems, which helps small holder producers be better prepared for climate-induced hazards like floods and droughts improved forages, green ammonia, and site-specific nutrient management are interventions that simultaneously boost productivity and reduce emissions. Scaling these solutions requires targeted adaptation finance, inclusive governance, and enabling policy frameworks and calls for a just transition in agri-food systems in Asia and Africa
