Evening Report | Fifteen Pounds per Person

Prop 12 pops up again...

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Check our advice monitor on ProFarmer.com for updates to our marketing plan.

Private exporters reported the following daily sales activity:

  • 100,000 metric tons of corn for delivery to Colombia during the 2025/2026 marketing year
  • 140,000 metric tons of corn for delivery to South Korea during the 2025/2026 marketing year
  • 136,000 metric tons of corn for delivery to unknown destinations during the 2025/2026 marketing year
  • 100,000 metric tons of hard red winter wheat for delivery to Nigeria during the 2025/2026 marketing year

California’s Proposition 12 is still in the news. The house ag committee recently had a hearing and “…we are extremely grateful to Chairman Thompson for putting a spotlight on this issue,” said National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) Senior Director of Congressional Relations Matt Grill.

Speaking with AgriTalk Radio, Grill said the NPPC is working to get out in front of upcoming Farm Bill legislation, which could codify the response to Prop 12. A Supreme Court decision two years ago upheld Proposition 12, but the Court passed the measure back to Congress for the final word. Congress does have the authority to regulate commerce, and the Supreme Court affirmed and leaned-in to that authority with that ruling.

“Whether you are compliant or not, we cannot have a 50-state patchwork.” Washington D.C. is currently not taking on many stand-alone bills and Grill says “you’re better off hitching to a larger bill. What better vehicle to address this issue than a New Farm Bill?”
The deeper issue is whether one state should be able to dictate how business is done in another state or on a national level. “Investments are not secure if another state can change the rules on you,” Grill remarked.

Grill expressed hopes of some progress on a new Farm Bill later this year.“We’re still waiting on Farm Bill 2.0 but the Chairman [Thompson] has said he is committed to this issue on Prop 12. Hopefully we see some action in the fall.”

New World Screwworm resources… The Screwworm Coalition of Texas, a coalition of 13 Texas landowner, livestock, equine, and wildlife groups, launched a new website to deliver reliable information about the New World screwworm. The new online resource offers the public and media easy access to factual information and serves as a platform to dispel rumors and correct misinformation. More information is available at screwwormtx.org, including the newest updates, resources, and educational materials on the New World screwworm.

Remote ranching is a new and growing trend in rural America. Dr. Maria Silveira, director of research at the Noble Research Institute explained, “Virtual fencing is one of the tools that you can use to manipulate your cow herd from your computer. …it allows you to graze where and when you want to and reduces labor costs.”

Dr. Silveira said a system like this may most likely benefit producers who want to try or currently use rotational grazing systems. Each animal is fitted with a battery operated, GPS collar and in testing, most animals reportedly get the hang of it in about 4-5 days. “You determine the area where you want the animals to graze. If they approach the area, they’ll have a sound cue. So, you tell them you’re not supposed to be there,” she reports.

Your LandOwner Newsletter is available… In this month’s Edition we begin with Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS) who, as Chair of the MAHA Caucus laid out his plan for a healthier America suggesting soil health has a role to play. Fertilizer prices firmed with diesel following its seasonal price path, right on schedule. Mike Walsten examines Texas and Missouri land values in a deep dive that includes foreign ownership of U.S. farmland. All that and, as always, recent land sales of note…

U.S. Forests in Focus… (Washington, D.C., July 31, 2025) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today announced the U.S. Forest Service is investing $106 million to support state and landowner efforts to conserve private working forestlands across the country. Funded through the Forest Legacy Program, these projects will protect forests vital to the economic and social fabric of local communities – ensuring they remain productive, working forests for Americans and tourists to use and enjoy.

“Just like our farms and ranches, working forests are part of the backbone of rural America – providing jobs, timber, clean water, and places for families to hunt, fish, camp, hike and make lifelong memories,” said Secretary Brooke Rollins.

To date, the Forest Legacy Program has conserved more than 3.1 million acres of forestland nationwide. To learn more or to view the full list of 2025 projects, visit the Forest Legacy Program webpage. -source: USDA press release

America’s favorite melon… According to USDA, in 2024, watermelon ranked third in U.S. fresh fruit per capita availability--behind only bananas and apples. At nearly 15 pounds available per person, watermelon’s availability is double the share of every other melon variety combined.

Watermelon’s popularity is supported by strong domestic production, spanning more than 100,000 acres across the country. In 2024, the United States produced 3.7 billion pounds of watermelons, with Florida leading the Nation and accounting for almost one-quarter (912 million pounds) of total U.S. output. Georgia, California, and Texas collectively harvested an additional 45 percent of production last year.

According to mayoclinichealthsystem.org, one cup of watermelon contains:

  • 46 calories
  • 12 grams of carbohydrates
  • 865 international units (IU) of vitamin A — (equates to .26 milligrams)
  • 12 milligrams of vitamin C
  • 170 milligrams of potassium
  • 0.1 milligrams of vitamin B6
  • Zero fat, cholesterol or sodium

Editor’s note: 15 pounds of watermelon per person… I’d better get busy and catch up!