Ag News
Farmer says volatility in sector is becoming increasingly hard to manage
A Kansas farmer says it’s becoming more difficult to manage risk in 2023. Paul Penner tells Brownfield he’s concerned about the impact that drought in the Eastern Corn Belt is having on commodity markets. “If [Read More…]
AFBF would like an updated H-2A visa program
The American Farm Bureau Federation says Congress needs to overhaul the seasonal H-2A guest worker program to help alleviate a tight labor market. John Walt Boatright, director of government affairs, says the 40-year-old program is [Read More…]
Senate appropriations advance ag budget before break
The Senate Committee on Appropriations unanimously advanced the Fiscal Year 2024 ag budget before leaving Washington D.C. for a two-week recess. Ag Appropriations Ranking Member John Hoeven tells Brownfield the near $26 billion budget invests [Read More…]
Biofuels are an important checkoff investment
Growing demand for clean fuels like biodiesel increases not only the demand for Ohio soybeans, but the value as well. In this Voice of Soy, Scott Fenwick with Clean Fuels Alliance America highlights how Ohio [Read More…]
FarmFirst supports proposed Dairy Margin Coverage changes
A dairy cooperative is supporting proposed changes to the Dairy Margin Coverage program. Jeff Lyon with FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative tells Brownfield the Dairy Farm Resiliency Act would make two major changes. “One has to do [Read More…]
Is your farm secure from digital threats?
The Federal Bureau of Investigation sees a few main threats to agriculture – cyber, counterintelligence, and counter-terrorism. In this Managing for Profit, we’ll hear from the Federal Bureau of Investigation on several national security threats [Read More…]
Welcome rains move across Iowa
Welcome rain fell across a large portion of the Midwest over the weekend. Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig tells Brownfield significant totals are being reported in his state. “It’s huge. Any Monday I get to [Read More…]
Hay supplies and pasture conditions worsen in Missouri
It’s getting drier in Missouri with below normal precipitation and above normal temperatures for this time of the year. USDA says subsoil moisture supplies are now rated 81% short to very short, worse than the [Read More…]
Wisconsin farmer says crops look better than expected
A farmer from a large dairy and crop operation in northeastern Wisconsin says the crops look better than he would expect considering how little rain has fallen. Lee Kinnard Lee Kinnard with Kinnard Farms near [Read More…]
Dry week ends with rain over Northern Iowa
A mostly dry week ended with much needed precipitation across north-central and northeast Iowa. USDA’s latest crop update says there are widespread reports of crop stress because of dry conditions, but farmers were able to [Read More…]
Crop progress quickly advancing in Arkansas
Wheat harvest is moving along in Arkansas. The USDA reports as of Sunday 77% of corn, 77% of cotton, 83% of peanuts, and 66% of soybeans is rated good to excellent. The alfalfa hay crop [Read More…]
Slight week-to-week improvements for Kentucky crops
Crop conditions improved slightly as Kentucky experienced below-normal temperatures and above-normal precipitation. Corn is rated 60% good to excellent with 8% of the crop silking. Soybeans are 93% planted, with 83% emerged, 8% blooming, and [Read More…]
Dry conditions continue to impact Illinois crops
The lack of moisture continues to impact Illinois crops. USDA reporters say much of the state is more than 50% short of average rainfall, and crops are very dry. Only 11% of the state’s topsoil [Read More…]
Tennessee crops improve following widespread rain
Widespread rainfall helped improve soil moisture and revitalized drought-stressed crops. Corn is rated 73% good to excellent with 18% silking. Soybeans are rated 70% good to excellent with 92% planted, 83% of the crop emerged, [Read More…]
Creating international conversation
Missouri soybean growers spent part of June in Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, and Germany. Missouri Soybeans Merchandising Council Chairman, Aaron Porter, says the mission included visits with producers, customers, and policy makers. Porter, who farms [Read More…]
Pesticide labeling bill introduced in House
A U.S. Congressman from South Dakota is sponsoring a bill with U.S. Congressman Jim Costa from California that restricts states from issuing different labeling requirements for pesticides already approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. Dusty [Read More…]
India to remove retaliatory tariffs on some U.S. ag products
India has agreed to drop retaliatory tariffs on certain U.S. ag exports, providing additional market opportunities for American farmers. Dave Salmonsen, senior director of government affairs with the American Farm Bureau Federation, says the agreement [Read More…]
Congressman calls for broken broadband fix
A Wisconsin Congressman is critical of how broadband expansion has failed to progress in rural areas. Third District Republican Derrick Van Orden told a House Ag Committee hearing on closing the digital divide in rural [Read More…]
Cattle, lean hog futures mixed heading into the weekend
At the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, live cattle futures were mixed ahead of the USDA’s Cattle on Feed report, which was out after the close, and feeders were up sharply on the drop in corn. August [Read More…]
Beware of hay scammers
The Missouri Attorney General and the Missouri Department of Agriculture caution farmers and ranchers to be aware of scammers as they purchase hay for livestock. The Attorney General says there have been at least 12 [Read More…]