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.
The American Coalition for Ethanol reacts as the Farm Bill heads to a full House vote — while ethanol expansion, including year-round E15, is left out — as well as the USDA’s pursuit of global markets for ethanol.
March 06, 2026 01:45 PM
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Big oils-and-fats volumes can support crush demand, but fuel markets can quickly tighten supplies.
March 06, 2026 12:57 PM
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University of Arkansas’ Allen Szalanski discusses a news study on rice stink bugs, what it could mean for farmers, and pest management strategies for the future.
March 05, 2026 03:07 PM
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Farm Bureau Economist Dr. Faith Parum explains the role farm safety net programs play in supporting farm finances as growers head into the 2026 planting season.
March 05, 2026 01:16 PM
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Corn demand is rising thanks to ethanol expansion, yet year-round E15 remains missing from the Farm Bill—leaving farmers questioning the policy gap.
March 05, 2026 12:09 PM
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Bipartisan momentum builds, but final farm policy remains unsettled.
March 05, 2026 10:14 AM
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