Much of the reason for the drop in demand has been the increased use of technology in farming, such as hybrid seeds that can turn out larger yields than in years before. Of the area crops that use cropdusting, corn, rice, soybeans and grain sorghum, many do not have as many planted acres as they did five years ago. Seeds now are genetically modified to be more resistant to harsh conditions which gives the farmers greater yields, he said. Though flying about 10 feet off the ground can be...

Among the problems is passing a bill that allows for direct payments to farmers regardless of how much farmers raise or what price the commodity is bringing. Kansas State University farm economist Barry Flinchbaugh said Tuesday that as farmers rake in record high commodity prices this is a tough time to pass a farm bill. Having been involved in every farm bill since 1968, he said, this policy renewal is stalled in the Senate by partisan politics and feuds between commodity groups. Senate...

Sunday, November 18, 2007 By Susan Buchanan The Wall Street Journal Global financial firms are muscling into renewable fuels with commodity funds and underlying indexes - based on bio-energy feed stocks - as crude-oil prices rise and interest in ethanol increases. Sunday, November 18, 2007 By Susan Buchanan The Wall Street Journal Global financial firms are muscling into renewable fuels with commodity funds and underlying indexes - based on bio-energy feed stocks - as crude-oil prices rise...

Early rice variety mitigates 'Monga' THIS year the farmers have completed harvesting of early variety Aman paddy BRRI Dhan-33 in the poverty-stricken five districts of the Rangpur region much ahead of the traditional harvesting period of transplanted Aman as reported recently from Rangpur by BSS. Early rice variety mitigates 'Monga' THIS year the farmers have completed harvesting of early variety Aman paddy BRRI Dhan-33 in the poverty-stricken five districts of the Rangpur region much...

Dongming Mei - a young professor with a growing reputation in nuclear and particle physics - came to USD from the Los Alamos laboratories in New Mexico. He made the move in spite of existing labs and equipment, he said, because those things will come as the DUSEL in the Black Hills develops. The regents and university presidents are engaged in a systemwide push to significantly boost research, which they think will attract public and private grants. And a philosophy that South Dakota...