There was a slight uptick in agricultural producers’ sentiment in October, as the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer index rose four points to a reading of 110. The modest improvement in farmer sentiment resulted from farmers’ improved perspective on current conditions on their farms as well as their expectations for the future.

Consumers generally remain more optimistic about food prices compared to a year ago. However, individuals self-identified as having liberal political beliefs predict lower food inflation than those who identify as being conservative, according to the August 2023 Consumer Food Insights Report.

A team of Purdue University researchers has received a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to improve feed efficiency and consistency on dairy farms by using automated video analytics systems. The grant is among $9.6 million in recent NIFA investments supporting 12 projects in animal innovation systems.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture has awarded Purdue University three grants totaling more than $1.4 million for research on health issues in cattle and swine. The projects are among $13 million in investments that NIFA recently announced for its Animal Nutrition, Growth and Lactation Program.