Ag News
Some Minnesota farmers starting to think about crop failures
A frustratingly small window for fieldwork has some farmers in southern Minnesota preparing for crop failures. Lawrence Sukalski grows corn and soybeans in south-central Minnesota near the Iowa border. He says in four decades of [Read More…]
Planting pace varies widely across Minnesota
In its latest crop progress report, the USDA says corn farmers worked around scattered thunderstorms late last week to bring planting to 40 percent complete. However, Lawrence Sukalski says his farm in Martin County has [Read More…]
Conditions in north-central Iowa look more like early April than mid-May
A north-central Iowa farmer behind on planting says conditions resemble early April rather than mid-May. Wayne Fredericks of Osage is a strip and no-till corn and soybean grower who uses cover crops. He tells Brownfield [Read More…]
Nebraska planting moves ahead
As of Sunday, 72 percent of Nebraska’s corn crop was planted, slight ahead of the five-year average, with 41 percent of soybeans in the ground, also ahead of normal. Winter wheat condition rated 64 percent [Read More…]
Big spread in Iowa’s planting progress
The pace of corn planting in Iowa varies widely, from 91 percent complete in the southeast to 26 percent in north-central Iowa. Overall, the state’s corn crop is 65 percent planted, up from 40 percent [Read More…]
CME milk futures higher, cash dairy mixed Monday
Milk futures were higher and the cash dairy markets were mixed Monday at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Class Three May milk was up $.01 at $15.24 a hundredweight. June was up $.23 to $16.09. July [Read More…]
Missouri A-G leads brief supporting organic rule withdrawal
A friend of the court brief has been filed by 14 state Attorneys General supporting the repeal of the Obama Administrations’ organic livestock and poultry practices rule. Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley says the 2017 [Read More…]
House plans ’18 Farm Bill vote this week
The Farm Bill is a top priority in the U.S. House of Representatives this week. Ag Committee Chairman Michael Conaway worked all weekend trying to round up support from other Republicans. The House Rules Committee [Read More…]
Soybean, wheat export inspections up on week
The USDA reports that as of the week ending May 14th, sorghum export inspections remain ahead of the USDA’s anticipated pace for the 2017/18 marketing year. The current marketing year runs through the end [Read More…]
US, China working together ahead of trade talks
The next round of trade talks with China will continue tomorrow in DC. Tensions have been high since both countries announced tariffs on 50 billion dollars worth of goods, and President Trump proposed an additional [Read More…]
‘Things that can go wrong’ to prevent crop emergence
There are many factors that can keep a crop from breaking ground, including everything from low temperature to disease to herbicide injury. “There can be a lot of different things that can go wrong,” said [Read More…]
Reauthorizing RFA a priority in Minnesota Legislature
Legislation important to the pocketbooks of Minnesota farmers is making progress as the Session winds down. Representative Jeanne Poppe of Austin, DFL lead on the House Ag Finance Committee, says reauthorizing the Rural Finance Authority [Read More…]
Rains not enough to signal germination problems, yet
Some parts of the northern Corn Belt where planting has just begun are experiencing wet, cool conditions. University of Minnesota Extension corn agronomist Jeff Coulter says he’s not overly concerned about seed germination. “It’s colder [Read More…]
Minnesota farmers working between rains to get corn in
Many farmers in the Upper Midwest are working between rains to make up for a lost April. Southeast Minnesota corn and soybean grower Ryan Buck says despite a late start, conditions have rapidly improved. “Maybe [Read More…]
AEM report reflects “cautious optimism”
The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) says there is year over year, month over month growth in some farm equipment sales. AEM’s Curt Blades tells Brownfield growth is seen in sales of large horsepower tractors, [Read More…]
Cattle futures lower on lack of support
At the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, live cattle finished the day higher while feeder cattle closed lower. Contracts traded lower the majority of the session due to lack of support from cash business and weak wholesale [Read More…]
Senate bill to support veteran farmers
The heads of the Senate Ag Committee have introduced bipartisan legislation to increase support for veteran farmers. Chairman Pat Roberts of Kansas and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow of Michigan’s Farmer Veteran Opportunity Act of [Read More…]
POET official reflects on D.C. fly-in
An ethanol industry leader says giving RINs credits to oil refiners exporting biofuels does not comply with the intent of the Renewable Fuels Standard. David Gloer is the general manager of POET biorefining in [Read More…]
Planting on pace in Michigan’s Thumb
The President of the Michigan Corn Growers Association says he plans to wrap up planting Friday in the Thumb. Jason McConnachie grows corn, sugarbeets dry beans and wheat, as well as organic corn and [Read More…]
Trump wants farm bill to contain SNAP work requirements
U.S. Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue says President Trump is taking personal interest in the House Ag Committee’s draft farm bill. The President met with House Ag Chairman Mike Conaway and Senate Ag Chairman Pat [Read More…]