Ag News
Wisconsin awards meat processor grants
Five Wisconsin meat processing businesses have been awarded expansion grants. State ag secretary Randy Romanski tells Brownfield 200-thousand dollars was in the state budget to help local processors meet demand. “And the goal with those [Read More…]
Fair & mild on the Plains; cool & unsettled across much of the Corn Belt
Across the Corn Belt, mild, dry weather temporarily prevails across the upper Midwest, although cool, damp field conditions continue to limit corn and soybean planting. Meanwhile, cool, dreary, rainy weather covers much of the southern [Read More…]
A major weather pattern shift ahead for the Heartland next week
Looking ahead, the 6- to 10-day outlook calls for the likelihood of above-normal temperatures throughout the central and eastern U.S., except along the southern Atlantic Coast, while cooler-than-normal conditions will cover the West. Meanwhile, near- [Read More…]
Agronomist encourages growers to wait for ideal planting conditions
An agronomist encourages growers to wait for better soil conditions despite planting delays. Eric Wilson covers Iowa and parts of Minnesota and South Dakota for Wyffels Hybrids. “The planting concern is the moisture. It looks [Read More…]
Planting delays causing expected yield losses for MO farmer
A southeastern Missouri farmer says he’s never planted this late before. Aaron Porter tells Brownfield he’s running about a month behind… “The calendar doesn’t matter,” Porter said. “It’s the conditions of the field, the temperatures [Read More…]
Farm bill critical to rural development
A rural development director with USDA says the farm bill is essential for supporting and expanding rural communities. Branden Fewins, state director for Michigan, tells Brownfield economic development initiatives in the farm bill along with [Read More…]
Sugarbeet growers want improved loan rates in next farm bill
Sugarbeet growers are asking Congress for the nation’s sugar policy to better reflect today’s costs. Michigan farmer Allyson Maxwell, while testifying before a recent Senate Ag Committee hearing on the farm bill, says the U.S. [Read More…]
Higher pork values provide a boost to hog futures
At the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, live and feeder cattle ended the day lower on technical selling. June live cattle closed $1.05 lower at $133.77 and August live cattle closed $1.05 lower at $136.02. August feeder [Read More…]
What’s “in” the produce section
Spring is in full swing and summer is around the corner, which means there is a lot of in-season produce to reach for at the farmers market and grocery store. Healthy Living: The US Department [Read More…]
Farmers say now is not the time to make large investments in operations
Many farmers are saying now is not a good time to make large investments in their operations. Ag Economist Jim Mintert tells Brownfield the latest Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer is pointing to supply [Read More…]
Waiting for the right conditions
A western Indiana farmer says although he’s anxious to pick up the planting pace, there is still time to get a crop in the ground. Kevin Cox tells Brownfield “we’ve been spoiled. We’ve had a [Read More…]
New initiative to highlight excellence in food production
Photo courtesy UPL UPL has launched a program to recognize the unsung heroes in the ag industry. Growers, crop advisors, food processors, and distributors are just some of the people who play a crucial role [Read More…]
Wisconsin seed breeder expects planters will roll soon
A southern Wisconsin seed breeder says he expects the planting pace to pick up in Wisconsin late this week. Alex Renk with the Renk Seed Company in Sun Prairie tells Brownfield he’s ready when the [Read More…]
Preparing for successful growing seasons
Good record keeping is not only beneficial for farmers during the current growing season, but for the upcoming year as well. In this Managing for Profit, UPL Tech Services Lead Lynn Justesen details all the [Read More…]
More supply chain disruptions to come from Chinese lockdowns
An ag trade expert says supply chain disruptions are far from over as COVID-19 lockdowns continue in China. Gregg Doud, with Aimpoint Research tells Brownfield while backlogs at US ports are clearing up, “We are [Read More…]
South Dakota Congressman critical of understaffed FSA
A Congressman is critical of the USDA for not returning to normal staffing levels at Farm Service Agency offices. Dusty Johnson from South Dakota tells Brownfield that USDA’s COVID guidelines kept FSA staff out of [Read More…]
Ethanol market facing strong headwinds
A University of Missouri ag economist says ethanol has had a strong year so far, but challenges are ahead. Ben Brown with the MU Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute tells Brownfield the first challenge [Read More…]
Soil health research links increased carbon to better drought protection
New research by the Soil Health Institute is working to measure soil organic carbon and its water retention properties to better combat drought. Researchers say new models developed in the study found as much as [Read More…]
RFA: ethanol exports drop during March
U.S. ethanol exports during March were 125.1 million gallons, 13% less than in February. The Renewable Fuels Association says that was the lowest total for the month of March in six years. The top customer [Read More…]
Higher meat prices could stick around this summer
Higher retail meat prices will likely hold steady this summer. Brian Earnest is the lead animal protein analyst with the knowledge exchange division at CoBank. Healthy Living: …