Need a quick catch up on the news? Here are seven agricultural stories you might have missed this week.

1. USDA on Friday released its first crop report of the season, raising this fall’s expected U.S. corn harvest to a record 15.15 billion bushels and the soybean harvest to 4.06 billion. – Farm Futures

2. Managing cover crops isn’t easy, but proponents say they boost soil health and reduce runoff. The challenge is to convince farmers to add the unproven crop to their rotation, especially with low crop prices. – MPR

The role of women in ag is changing, priorities for pollinators and cover crops.

3. New research published in PeerJ identifies threats and opportunities for pollinators. Six priorities were identified, including corporate control of agriculture, increased diversity of managed pollinator species and reductions in chemical use in non-agricultural settings. – phys.org

4. The European Commission, the EU regulatory arm, announced Thursday that it will take an in-depth look at the proposed Dow and DuPont merger of equals. – Farm Futures

5. Men are still more likely to return to the family farm, but the role of women is changing. Women are increasingly taking on leadership roles on the farm. Extension is reaching out to these women farm leaders with new programming. – NPR

6. Elanco and other animal pharmaceutical companies are increasingly focusing on vaccines in favor of antibiotics. – Farm Futures

7. Senate Ag Committee chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, is reported to be advising Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s campaign on agricultural issues. – McclatchyDC

And your bonus:

Mary Celeste Beall, the widow of Sam Beall, is running Blackberry Farm in Tennessee after her husband’s death. Blackberry Farm is a leader in local Southern cooking and luxury agricultural vacations. – The New York Times