Did you miss some agricultural news this week? No need to worry. Here’s a roundup of the top headlines in agriculture from around the country.

IRA: Impact on farm conservation programs

President Biden signed into law on Aug. 16 the Inflation Reduction Act, which will deliver $19.5 billion in new conservation funding to support climate-smart agriculture. With approximately $20 billion of the $40 billion designated for rural America through the IRA, the new funding will support conservation programs that are currently oversubscribed. Learn more about what the act means for agriculture. – Farm Progress

Researchers warn of SCN resistance

Planting a soybean cyst nematode-resistant variety is a soybean grower’s first line of defense, but Iowa State University nematologist Greg Tylka says that in many fields, SCN has become “resistant to the resistance.” The problem with resistant varieties is that the majority available to growers come from the same source of PI 88788 resistance. Crop rotation can reduce nematode numbers significantly, but it doesn’t fix the problem. Learn more about challenges of SCN resistance. – Missouri Ruralist

FFA membership reaches all-time high

Earlier this week, the National FFA Organization announced a record-high student membership number of 850,823, an increase of 15% from last year. In addition, chapter numbers increased by 178, resulting in 8,995 chapters in the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The top five student membership states are Texas, California, Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee. – National FFA

U.S. to buy Ukraine grain

The U.S. Agency for International Development is spending more than $68 million to purchase and ship Ukrainian grain. The funds are being provided to the World Food Program to purchase, ship and store up to 150,000 metric tons of wheat. The wheat will be used to help feed people in countries facing severe hunger and malnutrition. – Wall Street Journal

Bayer launches sustainable agriculture hub

Bayer AG launched a digital farming platform on Monday to help U.S. growers implement environmentally friendly practices and connect them with companies seeking more sustainable food, feed and biofuel ingredients. The ForGround platform will tap weather, soil, seed and farming practice data to make recommendations to boost soil health, cut emissions and reduce water use and chemical applications. – Reuters

Case Construction creates dozer, loader combo

The new Minotaur DL550 machine from Case Construction is breaking new ground. This single machine is both a dozer and a compact track loader, offering a range of options for users to maximize productivity. The machine can be outfitted with rubber or metal tracks and can work with hundreds of loader attachments. – Farm Progress

Big ram, big boar, and super bull winners

State fairs are a time to celebrate the great accomplishments of 4-H and FFA members, and it’s where many traditions are created and memories are made. One tradition at the Iowa state fair is crowing the big ram, big boar, and super bull winners on the first day of the fair. Check out these giant animals, and how their owners help them grow so big. Spoiler alert – the answer involves donuts! – Des Moines Register