Less than two years after being awarded $45.6 million in USDA loans and grants, a northern Iowa chicken processing plant has shut down with state departments of agriculture in Iowa and Minnesota now working with farmers to feed or euthanize 1.6 million broiler chickens.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small Wednesday announced a more than $46 million investment in projects supporting America’s veteran, underserved, and beginning farmers and ranchers to help aspiring producers enter the business and improve their skills and knowledge to sustain their operations for years to come.

Fueled by another outstanding performance from Mexico, August exports of U.S. pork increased year-over-year, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). U.S. beef exports were below year-ago levels in August while lamb exports trended higher, posting the largest volume since January.

A Michigan State University researcher has received a $394,600 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service to develop a solar power-based irrigation technology that improves energy- and water-use efficiency.