Did you miss some news this week? We’ve got you covered. Here’s a collection of the top headlines in agriculture.

HPAI spread continues

In March, the USDA and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration confirmed cases of highly pathogenic avian flu in dairy cattle in Texas, Kansas, Idaho and Michigan. In April, additional cases have been detected in dairy cattle in New Mexico and Ohio. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a person in Texas tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza on Monday after exposure to dairy cattle presumed to be infected with HPAI. – Farm Progress

Bridge collapse impacts agriculture

Early Tuesday morning, a container ship plowed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. The Port of Baltimore is the closest in proximity to the Midwest and is the largest U.S. port by volume for handling farm and construction machinery. As the port remains closed, concerns rise over fertilizer. Shipments of fertilizer bound for Baltimore are being diverted, which could raise prices. – American Agriculturist

Is a sharp drop in feedlot numbers on the horizon?

Since May, there has been no discernible pattern in month-to-month cattle placements into feedlots. However, based on previous cattle cycles, it seems that the industry is set up for a sharp drop in cattle placements soon. Economist Scott Brown says more records are likely to be set for cattle prices in the next couple of years. – Missouri Ruralist

Cal-Maine idles plant after bird flu outbreak

Cal-Maine Foods Inc., the biggest egg producer in the U.S., has culled roughly 3.6% of its flock after birds at a Texas facility tested positive for avian flu. Nearly 1.6 million laying hens and 337,000 pullets were destroyed and production at the Parmer County plant has temporarily ceased, the company said in a statement. – Bloomberg

Agco finalizes major tech deal with Trimble

Agco Corporation and Trimble have closed their joint venture transaction. The deal, PTx Trimble, combines Trimble’s precision agriculture business and Agco’s JCA Technologies, a developer of software used to automate and control farm equipment. As part of the joint venture, Agco has acquired an 85% stake in PTx Trimble, while Trimble will hold a 15% stake. – Agriculture Dive

How much farmland does Bill Gates own?

There is a lot of talk in farm circles and rural coffee shops these days about foreign ownership of U.S. farmland. Even domestically, it is interesting to look at the largest landowners in the U.S. and how that land was acquired. In the latest episode of FP Next, Sarah McNaughton and Curt Arens talk about land ownership issues and what they are seeing in their own backyards. – Farm Progress

Interest hopes prop up farmer sentiment

The Ag Economy Barometer increased three points from February to a reading of 114 as farmers show hope for the future. The Index of Current Conditions at 101 was 2 points below a month earlier while the Index of Future Expectations reached 120, 5 points higher than in February. The split between the current and future indices was driven primarily by farmers’ perception that their financial condition has deteriorated over the last year while they expect their financial situation to improve modestly in the next 12 months. – Purdue University-CME Group