Ag News
Pruitt’s honesty questioned by RFA CEO
Renewable Fuels Association CEO Bob Dinneen suggests EPA administrator Scott Pruitt has been less than truthful about oil refinery hardship waivers. Responding to Pruitt’s comments to farmers on a recent tour of the Midwest about [Read More…]
agronomist: crops look good despite disease pressure
An agronomist with Seed Consultants says farmers should be on the lookout for crop diseases as warm and wet conditions continue in the Midwest. But, Bill McDonald says there are a few steps farmers should [Read More…]
Trade war could usher in global recession
An analyst says a trade war with China could usher in a global recession, setting back commodity prices even more. Global Commodity Analytics president Mike Zuzolo tells Brownfield a lot of negativity has been factored [Read More…]
Indiana Farm Bureau President says trade matters to every farmer
Indiana Farm bureau President Randy Kron says trade continues to be a concern for all U.S. farmers. Randy Kron says retaliatory tariffs aren’t helping farmers who are already facing low commodity prices. “We’ve lost $1+ [Read More…]
Farmers say contracts, not compensation are needed in trade deals
Farmers for Free Trade say now is the time for the Trump administration to sign trade agreements, not explore ways to compensate farmers for lost markets. Angela Marshall Hofmann with Farmers for Free Trade says [Read More…]
McKinney speaks to Farm Bureau members on trade
The USDA Under Secretary for Trade & Foreign Agricultural Affairs says the Trump administration is exploring ways to mitigate farmers’ lost market share caused by trade disputes. USDA Under Secretary Ted McKinney tells Brownfield the [Read More…]
Branstad in China sees great potential for US ag
Former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad has been living in China as the U.S. Ambassador and sees good things ahead for American agriculture if trade disagreements are straightened out. He says it took more than a [Read More…]
USDA takes comments on removing “USA” from foreign grass-fed beef
The USDA is taking comments on a proposal to remove “Product of the USA” from labels of foreign grass-fed beef products if the products have gone through USDA-inspected plants. The American Grassfed Association and the [Read More…]
Renewable Volume Obligation proposal met with scrutiny
Proposed Renewable Volume Obligations announced today by the EPA are being met with scrutiny by most renewable fuels groups. American Coalition for Ethanol CEO Brian Jennings tells Brownfield a 3 percent increase to overall biofuel [Read More…]
Wisconsin farmers haying and spraying
The USDA says most of Wisconsin’s farmers were spraying and haying when weather permitted last week. Some Far southern Wisconsin had rain limit access to fields, and far northern Wisconsin experienced widespread flood damage from [Read More…]
Michigan soybeans 75 percent good to excellent
According to the USDA, barley and dry beans continue to progress. Barley is 89 percent planted and dry beans are 78 percent planted. Oats benefited from rainfall last week and are 90 percent emerged. Corn [Read More…]
Missouri legislature passes bills important to farmers
https://brownfieldagnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/180625_MoSoySpotlight_Wasser.mp3 The Missouri Legislature passed the Missouri Clean Water Law agriculture exemption for stormwater runoff. Tom Steever spoke to Casey Wasser, Policy Director, Missouri Soybean Association, who says it’s important because even though farmers try [Read More…]
Senate farm bill on the floor Tuesday
The Senate farm bill discussion starts Tuesday. Senators passed a cloture vote late Monday, which set the rules for debate and opens the door for possible amendments. The Senate farm bill is labeled as HR-2, [Read More…]
Illinois soybeans blooming earlier than last year
Nearly 100% of soybeans have emerged in Illinois and 23 percent are blooming, compared to just 6 percent last year. Soybean condition is nearly 80-percent good to excellent, as of Sunday. Corn is rated 83 [Read More…]
Heat and high humidity across the Heartland
A slow-moving disturbance currently crossing the nation’s mid-section will drift eastward, reaching the Northeast by Thursday. Locally heavy rainfall associated with that disturbance could reach 1 to 3 inches or more in the Midwestern and [Read More…]
National FFA announces Blue Room
FFA members attending the National FFA Convention this year will be able to experience the Blue Room, a 17,000-square-foot interactive exhibit that will showcase agriculture and innovation. National FFA CEO Mark Poeschl says the Blue [Read More…]
South Dakota corn 70 percent good to excellent
South Dakota topsoil moisture is 86 percent adequate to surplus, according to the USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service. Corn is 70 percent good to excellent. Soybeans are 65 percent good to excellent and two percent [Read More…]
Missouri wheat harvest jumps
Corn development is ahead of last year in Missouri. As of Sunday, 11 percent was silking. Corn condition is mostly good or fair…five percent is excellent. Missouri soybean emergence is 93% with blooming at four-percent, [Read More…]
Survey of rural bank CEOs reflects some concerns
Increased farm loan rejection rates are being reported by more Midwestern banks. And almost two-thirds say they’ve increased their collateral requirements on farm loans in reaction to weak farm income. Creighton economist Dr. Ernie Goss, [Read More…]
Ag Economy: record high, Farm GDP: record low
The agricultural economy is contributing more to U.S. Gross Domestic Product than ever recorded, but farm gate contributions have bottomed out. American Farm Bureau Federation’s John Newton tells Brownfield farm GPD is less than one [Read More…]