Did you miss some agricultural news this week? We’ve got you covered. Check out these top headlines in agriculture from around the country.

Second rail union rejects contract

Another union – Brotherhood of Railroad Signalman – voted down a proposed contract with railroad companies on Wednesday, pushing the nation toward a rail strike as soon as next month. A strike could still happen as soon as Nov. 19 unless all 12 rail unions approve their contracts or Congress decides to step in. – Politico

Low waterway levels see no relief

Drought in the Mississippi River region has led to record-low water levels along stretches of the river from Missouri to Mississippi. Water levels are expected to continue to drop in some areas over the next few days and weeks, with no appreciable relief expected in the near future. Barges are struggling to move freight, and farmers are left trying to store their crops, delivering to a rail loading facility or delivering to processors. – Feedstuffs

Drought’s impact on soil test results

Dry soil conditions impact make it hard to accurately measure how much phosphorus and potassium are in a field according to University of Aransas research. In some areas of the country, such as Arkansas, depth is the main factor throwing off soil test results. However, similar studies in the Midwest show soil minerology is affected by the dry soil. – Delta Farm Press

Tyson settles anitrust lawsuit

Tyson Foods will pay $10.5 million to Washington state in a legal settlement over alleged price-fixing. The state’s attorney general alleges that Tyson Foods and 18 other chicken producers drove up chicken prices, causing consumers to overpay by millions since 2008. Tyson admits no wrongdoing but has agreed to cooperate with ongoing litigation against 16 other chicken producers. – Western Farmer-Stockman

U.S. nitrogen exports jump

American exports of nitrogen fertilizers reached a multi-year high this summer after surging natural gas prices in Europe led to reduced production. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Europe began weaning itself off Russian natural gas. U.S. exports are now more than double this time last year. – Reuters

Beyond Meat launches plant-based steak

Beyond Meat, a leader in plant-based protein, announced the launch of Beyond Steak – a product designed to imitate seared steak tips. Beyond Steak contains 21 grams of protein per serving compared to the 33 grams in a 6-ounce portion of true steak tips. Consumers can now purchase Beyond Steak at more than 5,000 Kroger and Walmart stores nationwide.

Farmers converted 1.8 million acres of grasslands

A report shows 1.8 million acres of grasslands were plowed up across the U.S. and Canadian Great Plains in 2020 to plant crops. Wheat was the leading crop to drive grassland loss across the Great Plains. The study is based off USDA’s annual cropland data layer. The rate of grassland conversion in 2020 was up from 2019 but still remained below the five-year average. – WWF