Ag News

Rural electric cooperatives are receiving a second round of funding from the USDA to help upgrade rural energy systems. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says projects will be funded by the Empowering Rural America (New ERA) [Read More…]

There’s some hope among farmers the recent uptick in corn and soybean export sales will improve prices. Bryan Biegler farms in southwest Minnesota. “It’s been nice seeing this little bump coming up here, certainly going [Read More…]

Syngenta and Taranis are partnering to help farmers use artificial intelligence to make agronomic decisions. Syngenta digital ag solutions marketing manager Meade McDonald says the collaboration has the potential to revolutionize farming using the power [Read More…]

Cash dairy prices were mixed Friday on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.  Dry whey remained unchanged at $0.6025, where it’s been for much of the week.  No sales were recorded.  Forty-pound cheese blocks were down $0.02 [Read More…]

A University of Illinois Extension educator says it was a good growing season for the nation’s top pumpkin producing state. Nathan Johanning tells Brownfield… “Both types of pumpkins are very prevalent, although we raise at [Read More…]

A long-term grazing study conducted by the University of Nebraska found no significant signs of compaction when grazing corn residue in the fall or early spring.   Mary Drewnoski is a beef specialist with UNL… [Read More…]

The director of government relations with the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) says upcoming details on the 45Z biofuels tax credit could be crucial for soybean growers. Andrew Larson tells Brownfield… “What those rules say is [Read More…]

Twelve university interns are highlighting the stories of National FFA Convention through an FFA Live show to discover career opportunities in the ag industry. Junior Lilly Pryor is studying agricultural education and agribusiness communications at [Read More…]

Precision agriculture is becoming more important for farmers and ranchers, but is also creating career opportunities for ag students. The National FFA Organization and Microsoft are featuring FarmBeats for Students, a program that helps ag teachers [Read More…]

As northwest Tennessee farmer says he’s looking ahead to the 2025 growing season and margins are a big concern. David Nichols tells Brownfield, “Prices sold off pretty hard and we’re down close to or below [Read More…]

At the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, live and feeder cattle were up watching direct business develop and ahead of Friday’s Cattle on Feed numbers from the USDA. December live cattle closed $1.37 higher at $189.25 and [Read More…]

A farmer in west-central Missouri says it was a faster harvest than usual. “We’ve never had a stoppage during soybean harvest, which I think was the first for my career. Dry was the norm.” Garrett [Read More…]

A farmer in eastern South Dakota says dry conditions are affecting fall fieldwork. Paul Casper from Kingsbury County just wrapped up harvest on Wednesday and tells Brownfield “there’s a lot of fieldwork not done. It [Read More…]

The farmland market has seen some extremes this year in the Upper Midwest. Farm business management instructor Kristina McVicker with South Central College in Mankato, Minnesota calls 2024 “interesting” from an ag land values perspective. [Read More…]

An ag economist says there could be significant shifts in trade policy following the November election. Chad Hart with Iowa State University says both the Republican and Democratic presidential candidates seem to be comfortable with [Read More…]

Soybeans were mostly modestly higher, with nearby months pulled steady to lower late by spread trade. Export sales were up sharply on the week at 79.1 million bushels as China and Mexico led the way, [Read More…]

U.S. poultry production was slightly higher in September. The USDA says 4.361 billion pounds of poultry were certified wholesome last month, less than August, but 1% more than September 2023. That included 3.937 billion pounds [Read More…]

4.451 billion pounds of red meat were produced in the U.S. during September 2024. The USDA says that was 2% more than the September 2023 total, which was hit hard by a combination of slower [Read More…]

Michigan State University is incorporating supply chain resiliency across agricultural and business programs to better prepare future industry leaders.   Ian Olson will lead the effort and serve a co-director of the Center for Regenerative [Read More…]

Delays caused by a train derailment south of the Mexico-U.S. border are nearly over.  Mike Steenhoek with the Soy Transportation Coalition tells Brownfield the location of the derailment nearly a week ago delayed several U.S. [Read More…]