1. Fracking boom for farmers? — Will farmers in California benefit from the oil boom developing around fracking?

2. Ag Gag Laws Sputtering — Two recent decisions have dealt a serious blow to the ag gag movement.

3. Cliff Young — the farmer who outran the field — 61-year-old Cliff Young — a scrawny farmer who trained in galoshes chasing cows — won the 544-mile Sydney-to-Melbourne Ultra Marathon. Preposterous, outlandish — and all true.

4. Wells Dry, Fertile Plains Turn to Dust — Forty-nine years ago, Ashley Yost’s grandfather struck a well that pumped 1,600 gallons to the surface every minute. Last year, Yost was coaxing just 300 gallons from the earth, and pumping up sand in order to do it. The grit robbed him of $20,000 worth of pumps and any hope of returning to the bumper harvests of years past.

5. 50 Largest Ports in the World — Every day, containers of agriculutre goods and raw materials are hauled on trucks and trains, stacked onto freighters and ferried on ships from port to port across the globe.

6. 8 keys to a wine contract — A wine grape contract - between a buyer (winery) and a grower is a long-term commitment.

7. Farmer goes Rambo with tractor — ‘Livin n lovin' farmer Roger Pion crushed seven police vehicles with his tractor and then led cops on a low speed chase before being apprehended a mile away.

8. GMO food fight coming — Opposition to U.S. agriculture is threatening to become a major battle in discussions starting next month that could sweep away trade barriers between the United States and Europe.

9. 15 must-ask questions before buying farmland — Cash or borrowed money, buying farmland should include a well-researched financial plan.

10. Farmland — the New "Blood Diamonds" in Sierra Leone? — The scale of government land deals is staggering.

Twitter: @CBennett71

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