Did you miss some news this week? Read on – we’ve made it easy to catch up! Here’s a collection of the top headlines in agriculture.

Taylor confirmed for USDA post

After a long wait, the Senate voted to confirm Alexis Taylor as Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs at USDA. She will now help craft the agency’s trade policy and work to promote market access and opportunities for American agricultural interests. Various segments of agriculture issued statements applauding the move. – Farm Progress

U.S. farmland prices soar

This comes as no surprise to anyone who has tuned in to a land auction during 2022 – buying a plot of land in rural America has never been so expensive, despite interest rate hikes. Farmland prices in the Midwest jumped 20% just in the third quarter from a year earlier – marking the eleventh consecutive quarter of gains, the longest streak since 2014. – Bloomberg

Treasure those holiday baked goods

As you gather around the table to enjoy family and delicious food, savor the sweet treats. The cost for five baking staples – flour, sugar, milk, butter, and eggs – was 22% higher in 2022 compared to 2021. Egg prices saw an impressive 60% hike while milk was on the lower end of those five ingredients at 16%. – USDA-ERS

Michigan grain fire under investigation

A fire broke out at the Andersons Inc. grain facility in Saginaw County, Michigan on Sunday. Hundreds of firefighters from 29 different departments worked overnight to knock down flames from the grain silo. No one was hurt, and the cause of the blaze is under investigation. – WNEM 5

Prep cattle for cold snap

Temperatures were pretty nice for most of December, but this Christmas cold snap is a cause of concern for cattle since they lose their acclimation to cold after a series of nice days. Along with the increase in maintenance energy requirements during cold weather, decreased intake puts them in even more of an energy deficiency. Oklahoma State University shares cold-weather recommendations like providing extra hay and feeding near windbreaks and water sources. – BEEF

U.S. challenges Canada’s dairy quotas

Officials plan to initiate more dispute settlement consultations with Canada regarding its tariff-rate quota allocation measures. They contend those measures apply different criteria for calculating the market share for different applicant segments, which is a clear a violation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, officials say. – Farm Progress

Reindeer fun facts

Did you know that both male and female reindeer grow antlers? How about that even their nose and the bottom of their hooves are covered in hair? The hair keeps their hooves insulated from snow and also provides traction – a tool many of us could use as this winter weather sweeps across most of the country!

The winter weather may keep us closer to home this holiday season, but luckily Santa’s reindeer won’t be affected by poor road conditions. Track Santa’s flight around the world here, and have a safe and happy holiday season!