News

There is a new nation-wide project called “Probing Our Country’s Soil Health”. It is being funded by the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). A major goal of the project is to build a national soil health database and new and improved tools for benchmarking and interpreting soil health metrics. The anonymous data will be used to expand a new and exciting tool called the Soil Health Assessment Protocol and Evaluation (or SHAPE). This tool helps provide better references for farmers seeking to understand and build soil health. Idaho growers are encouraged to join this important initiative to help shape the future of soil health practices across the nation.

Despite a 10% decline in global wheat trade in 2024–25, Sub-Saharan Africa saw a 7% increase in imports, reaching 30 million tonnes—a significant rise from 22 million tonnes a decade ago. This growth is driven by population expansion, economic development, and affordable grain prices. Key importing countries include Nigeria, Kenya, Sudan, South Africa, Ethiopia, and Tanzania. While the EU and Russia supply most of the region’s wheat, Canada and the U.S. are expanding their presence, especially as demand grows for higher-quality wheat.

Renewed conflict in the Middle East has disrupted global fertilizer markets, with Iran shutting down seven urea and ammonia plants after Israeli missile strikes and attacks on gas infrastructure. Iran, a top global urea exporter, halted production alongside Egypt, which lost access to Israeli natural gas. While U.S. farmers are currently shielded from immediate price impacts, prolonged disruptions could lead to significant complications later. Analysts say peace in the Middle East and progress in Ukraine could help stabilize global fertilizer markets.

Stripe rust season is mostly over for winter wheat and poses low risk to spring wheat due to continued dry weather, according to USDA plant pathologist Xianming Chen. Fungicide is only recommended for susceptible spring wheat varieties in irrigated or moist areas. Commercial fields saw reduced rust levels due to fungicide use and resistant varieties. Chen also warned of global concerns: new stripe rust strains virulent to the resistance gene Yr15 have emerged in Europe, causing crop damage. Although the U.S. hasn't seen these virulent strains, ongoing monitoring is essential.