AgTEC in California and USDA & NASA Team Up
From the Western Ag Network, I’m Bob Larson with your Agribusiness Update.
**A program launched two years ago in California aims to teach farmworkers new skills.
The Agricultural Technology and Education Collaborative, or AgTEC, program is offered at six colleges in the Central Valley.
So far, the program has seen more than 800 enrolled students and about 150 graduates across the participating colleges.
The program aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in agriculture’s evolving technologies and needs.
**The USDA and NASA are teaming up to improve agricultural data for farmers.
Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins and NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman established cooperation on satellite observations, geospatial analysis, and statistical methods.
The partnership will support USDA’s efforts to modernize its data systems, including improving estimates of crop acreage and yields.
Officials say combining NASA’s Earth observation technology with USDA’s ag expertise could also improve understanding of crop conditions and natural hazards.
**The number of cattle in U.S. feedlots edged lower from a year ago, while placements fell to a record September low, according to the latest USDA Cattle on Feed Report.
Cattle on feed totaled 11.37 million head on October first, down slightly from a year earlier but up from September.
September placements plunged 12 percent from last year to 1.78 million head, the lowest September since USDA began tracking in 1996.
