Did you miss some agricultural news this week? Follow along to get up-to-speed. Check out these top headlines in agriculture from around the country.

King corn takes the lead

USDA released the June 30 Acreage and Grain Stocks reports Thursday morning. The agency raised 2022 acreage expectations for corn by 431,000 acres from the March 31 Prospective Plantings report and shaved 2.6 million acres from the estimated soybean acreage. This move puts corn back on top as the crop with the most acreage for 2022. Quarterly grain stocks readings were largely in line with pre-report trade estimates, providing neutral price reactions across the corn, soybean and wheat complexes. – Farm Futures

4th of July cookout gets expensive

Prepare to pay more if you’re hosting the 4th of July cookout this year. The cost of a typical cookout menu jumped 17% compared to last year, according to a new survey. Expect to pay around $7 per person, including cheeseburgers, pork chops, chicken breasts, homemade potato salad, strawberries and ice cream. The sharp increase is the result of ongoing supply chain disruptions, inflation and the war in Ukraine. – Farm Progress

Calling all farm dogs

Enter your furry friend now for the 2023 Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year contest. This is the fifth year of the contest, which celebrates farm dogs and the many ways they support farmers and ranchers in producing nutritious food for families and their pets across America. The grand prize winner will win a year’s worth of Purina dog food and $5,000 in prize money. – American Farm Bureau

Apply for disaster assistance

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the application deadline for disaster relief from 2020 and 2021 is coming up on July 22 at a Minburn, Iowa farm Wednesday. More than $4 billion has already been paid out to producers through the Emergency Relief Program, which allocated $10 billion to help cover losses from natural disasters. A second round will focus on helping producers who were not insured. – Farm Progress

Bill Gates’ controversial farmland purchase

Bill Gates’ firm, Red River Trust, recently purchased $13.5 million worth of land in two North Dakota counties. The purchase of the land had raised legal questions as well as concerns that ultrarich landowners do not share the state’s values. Upon reviewing the case, Republican Attorney General Drew Wrigley issued a letter saying the transaction complied with the state’s archaic anti-corporate farming law. – Associated Press

USDA invests in bio-based products

Earlier this week, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced USDA is accepting applications for a new pilot program created under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to support the development of biobased products that have lower carbon footprints and increase the use of renewable agricultural materials. Ultimately, these products will create new revenue streams for farmers. – Farm Progress

Farm show returns to Iowa

For the first time since 2018, Boone will host the Farm Progress Show Aug. 30 through Sept. 1. Farmers will travel to Boone to see the latest tools and technologies for their operations, but other events are also in the works. For the first time at this site, the farm show will include a concert – at the showsite! Get the details of all the new, exciting things coming to this year’s show. – Farm Progress