Here’s this week’s top stories from Farm and Dairy
1. Horse owners should watch for eastern tent caterpillars:
If you own horses, mules or donkeys, you should keep them away from trees favored by eastern tent caterpillars. The caterpillars, which typically appear in great numbers after a mild winter, can cause mare reproductive loss syndrome.
2. Boom or bust? Farmland values continue to rise:
Farmland values have increased over the past few years. One question remains: Will prices continue to rise, or will the bubble burst? According to two real estate insiders, there is no fall in sight. Make sure to check out our infographic that details farmland values throughout our coverage area.
3. Top 10 reasons to love the China deal:
Columnist Alan Guebert says there’s dozens of reasons American farmers and ranchers should be excited about the purchase of Smithfield Foods. He gives 10 reasons in this week’s column.
4. Ayers’ Dairy is ‘crazy-involved,’ but cows still No. 1:
Reporter Chris Kick visited Ayars Family Farm in Ohio’s Champaign County, but there’s more to this farm (and family) than meets the eye.
Over the years, the Ayars have leased cattle to farmers in 31 states and bought and sold more than 300 herds of cattle. They’ve also operated a pizza shop, beauty shop, car business and several rentals.
5. Follow up: ‘Hope chicks’ in Kenya, Africa
Last year Will Flannigan shared a story about a Kenyan clergyman and an American businessman coming together to improve the lives of those living in a village in Kenya. The plan was to start a hatchery, which would create jobs and provide chickens and eggs to the community. The duo succeeded and now they’re hoping to start the next step in the process.
