Not good for the Sunshine State’s agriculture. Florida’s citrus, vegetable and melon production took the biggest financial loss from Hurricane Ian, according to the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. READ MORE

The 95th annual National FFA Convention & Expo kicks off this week in Indiana — and Illinois has many reasons to be proud. RFD Radio Network’s Jim Taylor spotlights some of Illinois’ finalists. Check out the special coverage here.

The traffic jam on the Mississippi River caused by some of the lowest water levels in a decade will likely continue near term. What does that mean to farmers and others who depend on barges to ship or receive products? READ MORE

A new inland port under development in Cairo will get a financial infusion from the state. The funding will help complete federal environmental requirements and studies for the project. Almost 80% of the nation’s inland barge traffic travels past Cairo and the Ohio and Mississippi rivers convergence. READ MORE

Pumpkins love Illinois’ soil and climate. That’s why it’s the top pumpkin-producing state. But despite the advantages, pumpkin production would be severely limited without effective weed control. With relatively few herbicides registered for use in pumpkin crops, diversified weed management tactics are a must. University of Illinois researchers provide guidance for growers. READ MORE

“Like guests and fish, markets start to stink after moving three days against the trend. Can we still call corn an uptrend in its daily chart? — Darin Newsom, Omaha consultant   “”We’re seeing some harvest pressure related to these farmer sales that have increased. These are still really strong values for this time of year,” said Joe Camp of CommStock Investments. Looking ahead, focus will be on how strong the values will remain as low river levels continue to restrict grain movement. READ AND LISTEN