Pollinators are vital to the agriculture world, but almond researchers have developed a self-fertilizing variety they are calling “Early Bird.”
“The early bird variety is actually double early. It blooms at the same time as sonora, so it’s an early bloomer, but the real value to the grower is that it harvests a week to 10 days before non-perel. In that harvest window, there are no other commercial varieties at this time. In our test plot, we’ve seen that for the last and 3rd and 4th leaf harvests, and in the mother tree that those are were propagated from, we’ve seen that for eight different harvests,” said Chuck Fleck with Fowler Nurseries.
Fleck says another big selling point is the kernel size, which is around 20 percent larger than other varieties.
ASFMRA’s Dennis Reyman joined us to discuss planting progress, crop trends, grain movement, and farmland market activity in Iowa.
April 22, 2026 03:43 PM
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Led by Sen. Rand Paul, lawmakers aim to prevent a November federal hemp ban, advocating for state control as farmers face planting uncertainties.
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After a challenging year, Georgia pecan growers are looking ahead with cautious optimism as costs and global tensions weigh on the future of the crop.
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California rewards low-carbon ethanol, not higher blending volumes.
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Strong corn exports support demand while soybeans lag.
April 22, 2026 08:00 AM
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