Farmers across Europe have taken to the streets this year, convinced that cheap Ukrainian produce spilling over the border is to blame for their woes. The mass protests have forced EU governments from Warsaw to Paris to make huge concessions to farmers, and have sent Kyiv’s political ties with its Western allies spiraling to their weakest since Russia’s full-scale invasion over two years ago. The main reason why EU farmers can’t sell their own goods this year has nothing to do with Ukraine and its huge agricultural sector. Instead, it is Russia, whose own record farm output — and world-beating exports — have driven crop prices down to the point where farmers everywhere are hurting.

China recently canceled several orders of wheat from various countries, including the U.S. China canceled more than 500,000 metric tons of U.S. soft red winter wheat contracts purchased this year, said Tyllor Ledford, market analyst at U.S. Wheat Associates. China also canceled more than 1 million metric tons of contracts with Australia and 500,000 metric tons of wheat from France. "We are seeing something that no one in the industry wants to see," said Steve Mercer, vice president of communications for U.S. Wheat, the overseas marketing arm for the industry. "It is very disappointing to see China canceling huge volumes of U.S. wheat commercial sales."

Wheat quality improvement is at the heart of the U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) mission to enhance the value of U.S. wheat for overseas customers and profitability for U.S. wheat producers. Improved quality makes U.S. wheat more competitive in global markets and, in turn, increased demand benefits producers at home. USW cooperates with stakeholders across the domestic and international industries to encourage U.S. wheat quality improvement.

Reauthorization of the farm bill remains a top priority this year, the new president of the National Association of Wheat Growers says. "Everybody wants to get this farm bill done, but it's got to be an improvement, it's got to be better," said Keeff Felty, of Altus, Okla. "We don't want to do it just for the sake of saying we got it accomplished. "Maintaining and improving crop insurance is the "cornerstone" of the bill for NAWG, Felty said. The farm bill has been extended for one year, through September.

The $45 million Idaho Career Ready Students grant is helping school districts prepare students for future careers, including agriculture. State legislators approved the one-time funding in July 2023. About 37% of the funds directly support agriculture and FFA-related programs, Debbie Critchfield, superintendent of public instruction for the state Board of Education, told the Capital Press. About $1.8 million remains of the funding, Critchfield said.

The temperatures are warming, and the snow is melting away. It is nearly time for farmers to plant again. While most people are thinking about spring break, farmers across the state are wondering how to make this year’s crop successful. Bryan Searle is the President of the Farm Bureau Federation. He wrote the following in a column titled "Farming is not for the faint of heart." “Idaho farmers are among the best in the world. They know how to raise a crop and they do that very well. That’s something they have control over. But, they also are at the mercy of the many things they do not control. Agriculture is truly a gamble and farmers and ranchers — to a large degree — roll the dice every year."

Even in the best of years, the fall and winter months can be an emotionally challenging time for many people. Feelings of sadness or depression, sometimes referred to as the “winter blues” or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), can increase as the days get shorter and colder. Mental Health America reports, in any given year, about 5% of the U.S. population experiences seasonal depression. SAD is more than just a fleeting feeling of gloom. It’s a type of depression that recurs at the same time each year, typically starting in the late fall and early winter, then subsiding during the spring and summer months.