A new Idaho relief fund is accepting applications from immigrants and agricultural workers who need financial assistance because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Decades from now observers will reflect on key statistics such as unemployment and the gross domestic product, and note how numerous conditions in 2020 hit unfavorable records. In a year full of extremes this week’s post reviews what we consider to be the most interesting and insightful chart of 2020 – U.S. gasoline consumption.

Nobody can deny that fall is here. Frost and freeze warnings have covered much of the state of Wisconsin at least once. Our growing season is coming to a rapid close.

OPINION  There’s a term swirling around the countryside these days – “Trump money.” It refers to the growing pile of subsidies hitting farm country during this – maybe not so coincidentally – election year. President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Wisconsin announced a new $13 billion federal-aid package that will benefit farmers through another round of Coronavirus Food Assistance Program payments. Coupled with this spring’s $16 billion relief package overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, we’re entering record-breaking territory in farm subsidies.

The 2020 growing season is quickly coming to an end. What a great week it was for chopping corn silage. By the time this article is printed most of the state will have finished corn-silage harvesting.

Well everybody fall is here. The weather is becoming cooler and the days are growing shorter. There have been some chances for frost but I haven’t seen any yet by our place, which is good.

The change of weather this past week was welcome after rain every day the previous week. From Sept. 6 to Sept. 12 we received almost 3 inches of rain. Thankfully it came slowly and allowed the ground to take it in. With cloudy days and cool temperatures, crop maturity has slowed somewhat. But the forecast ahead shows sunny days with daytime temperatures in the mid-70s. It sounds to me like ideal September weather.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison recently selected seven projects for funding through the Dairy Innovation Hub initiative. The one-year grants will fund short-term, high-impact research and outreach projects.

In a profession full of uncertainties there is one thing we can rely on in farming. Farmers will find a way to over-produce any commodity.