Chinese buyers booked their single biggest purchase of U.S. corn ever, extending their flurry of large purchases of American agricultural goods even as tensions between Washington and Beijing rise. The USDA said on Thursday morning that private exporters reported the sale of 1.937 million tonnes of corn to China for delivery in the 2020/21 marketing year. That topped the previous biggest deal to China of 1.762 million tonnes, reported just two weeks ago. (Reuters)

Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Specialty Growers Association, and University of Illinois Extension are hosting a call to discuss best practices for your Agritourism or Pick Your Own Operation to operate during COVID-19. Dial in on Tuesday, August 4 at 11:30 a.m. CST. Click here to register. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing details for joining the webinar call

The U.S. dairy industry wants the Farmers to Families Food Box Program to continue through the first quarter of the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1, industry officials told reporters late last week after a congressional hearing at which its value was questioned. (The Fence Post

State Conservationist Ivan Dozier announced the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Illinois recently filled a key staff position at their State Office facility in Champaign. The new position, Soil Health Specialist, is one his agency has never had before and is truly the sign of the times for what’s happening in production agriculture. (Canton Daily Ledger)

The Department of Agriculture is kicking off the third round of its Farmers to Families Food Box distribution program in September. It was created to help people facing food insecurity during the economic downturn. (Marketplace)

The U.K. should adopt a farming certification system to safeguard high food standards as it negotiates future trade deals, according to recommendations from a government-commissioned review. (Bloomberg)