Ag News

Brownfield Anchor/Reporter Amie Simpson will be on the ground for the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Ag Conference in Chicago, IL on Tuesday, November 27. Continue reading Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Ag Conference at [Read More…]

Wet growing conditions and the long and drawn out harvest in several parts of the Corn Belt has created an environment where ear molds can flourish. In this Managing for Profit, Beck’s agronomist Steve Gauck [Read More…]

Frank Chen, a journalist with the Asia Times, was one of 12 international journalists who participated in last week’s Canada Ag Innovations Tour. Chen is a native of China who now lives in Hong Kong. In an interview with Brownfield, Chen [Read More…]

Across the Corn Belt, snow remains on the ground—following Thursday’s storm—from the middle Mississippi Valley into the Ohio Valley and the lower Great Lakes region, further delaying late-season soft red winter wheat planting efforts. Meanwhile [Read More…]

When it comes to the U.S. corn industry – corn leaders say it’s about this, “Our #1, #2 and #3 goals are demand, demand and demand,” says Jon Doggett, National Corn Growers’ Chief Executive Officer, [Read More…]

Should Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D, CA) be elected Speaker of the House again?  I’ve been asked this question a dozen times in the last few days, with the question almost always followed by the asker’s [Read More…]

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada and China are in talks to deepen bilateral trade and work toward an “eventual” free trade agreement. Trudeau spoke with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at the third annual [Read More…]

China’s largest pork producing province has officially reported its first outbreak of African Swine Fever.  Ten of 16 pigs diagnosed with the virus died at a farm in the Sichuan province. To date, 18 of [Read More…]

The USDA Under Secretary for Trade says the Philippines and Thailand present similar opportunities for U.S. ag exports. “Each country is seeing a pretty rapidly growing disposable income.  Their gross domestic product is rising in [Read More…]

The USDA says corn and soybean export sales for the week ending November 8th were within pre-report expectations, while wheat sales were below analysts’ estimates. Physical shipments of corn remain ahead of what’s needed weekly [Read More…]

The president of the American Soybean Association says it’s been a rough year for soybean growers, “Losing your number one customer has been tough this year. We look forward to all the new trade partners, [Read More…]

The 2018 growing season featured everything from severe drought to significant flooding. That all happened within the Illinois and Missouri geography in which Abigail Peterson serves as a field manager for the Soil Health Partnership. [Read More…]

An ag lending expert says farmers can’t borrow their way out of a tough farm economy.  Curt Covington, executive vice-president, chief credit officer with FarmerMac says there’s an old saying – “farmers borrow money during [Read More…]

Many farmers across southern Minnesota will lament the 2018 growing season. Wyffels Hybrids marketing manager Mitch Heisler tells Brownfield it’s been a very challenging year. “We kind of went straight from winter to summer it [Read More…]

The Federal Reserve says farmland values in the Midwest during the third quarter have remained stable. Senior business economist David Oppedahl in the Chicago District tells Brownfield credit concerns among lenders are growing.  “With the current [Read More…]

Pork producers and industry officials from Iowa are on a trade mission in southeast Asia, visiting Japan and now South Korea. Pat McGonegle, CEO of the Iowa Pork Producers Association, says both countries view U.S. pork as [Read More…]

At the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, cattle futures closed higher ahead of widespread direct cash business and stronger wholesale values at midday.  December live cattle closed $.55 higher at $115.15 and February live cattle closed $.50 [Read More…]

The director of the Swine Health Information Center says block chain is coming to a pork producer near you. Dr. Paul Sundberg tells Brownfield with several livestock disease threats swirling around the world, traceability has [Read More…]

A Farm Bureau official is skeptical of reports saying Mike Conaway remains at odds with the other three principle leaders as farm bill negotiations continue. Andrew Walmsley tells Brownfield he believes the Texas Congressman is [Read More…]

A lobbyist for the dairy industry says he hopes the 2018 Farm Bill is passed by the first week of December. “My personal hope is that they’re able to resolve it before government funding runs [Read More…]