Ag News

A university farm policy specialist says the House defeat of the farm bill may have residual effects on getting farm legislation passed.  The future of farm policy depends on lawmakers working together, said Jonathan Coppess, [Read More…]

The National Farmers Union (NFU) is turning up the heat on Scott Pruitt to institute a waiver for summertime sales of E15. NFU biofuels advisor Anne Steckel says the EPA administrator has authority to lift [Read More…]

  U.S. poultry production during April 2018 was 8% above April 2017 at 3.992 billion pounds. The USDA says the preliminary live weight of all poultry also increased 8% to 5.270 billion pounds, average live [Read More…]

A west-central Minnesota crop farmer says weed control has been hit and miss this spring. Kirby Hettver of De Graff tells Brownfield cold, wet conditions delayed planting and forced him to change up his weed [Read More…]

Legislation aimed at improving soil health and water quality has been introduced in the Senate. Minnesota Democratic Senator Tina Smith says the Strengthening Our Investment in Land (SOIL) Stewardship Act would help farmers both create [Read More…]

Trade officials from the three NAFTA countries continue efforts to hammer out a new deal. Disagreements between the U.S. and Mexico over auto manufacturing remain a hold-up, although Mexico has expressed a willingness to move [Read More…]

Northeast Nebraska farmer Greg Anderson and northcentral Iowa farmer Chris Edgington are only 270 miles apart, as the crow flies. But they’ve experienced vastly different planting seasons in 2018. Anderson farms near Newman Grove, Nebraska. [Read More…]

Despite the slow start to spring, the majority of the Corn Belt has been able to catch up in terms of planting progress.  But, in some areas, they are still playing catch-up. In this Managing [Read More…]

State agriculture departments in Illinois and Missouri are promoting seedstock cattle to a group of foreign buyers this week. The trade mission has brought Mexican buyers to Missouri and Illinois cattle operations. Bobby Dowson with the [Read More…]

Class III milk futures at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange closed mixed Thursday supported slightly by strong international markets and export demand. The USDA reports bi-weekly whole and skim milk powder, cheddar cheese and butter prices [Read More…]

Average prices for corn and soybeans are higher than in recent years, resulting in a brighter crop revenue picture for 2018. “USDA is being a bit more optimistic about our prices,” Gary Schnitkey, a farm [Read More…]

  Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures were lower on profit taking, the recent mixed boxed beef trend, and traders waiting for the week’s widespread direct cash business. June was down $1.05 at $104.40 and [Read More…]

Soybeans were modestly lower on profit taking and technical selling, unable to follow through on the early advances. The trade continues to monitor ongoing talks with China, including the lack of an application of Beijing’s [Read More…]

  The USDA says pork production during April 2018 was a new monthly high at 2.142 billion pounds, up 8% from April 2017. New monthly highs have been set several times in recent months because [Read More…]

Millenniels have a comfort zone for cooking beef:  ground beef and steak. But there’s a trend toward home cooking and younger people are turning more to beef roasts for dinner. Continue reading Millenniels venture out [Read More…]

  The USDA reports combined old and new crop soybean and soybean meal exports for the week ending May 17th were towards the low end of pre-report estimates, while corn and wheat were near the [Read More…]

  A national survey of beekeepers found colony losses increased by 10 percent from last October through this April to the highest level since 2010. Julie Shapiro with the Honey Bee Health Coalition tells Brownfield colony [Read More…]

Farmers from 40 countries are in Illinois to learn more about biotechnology and how to communicate what they want and need. Sarah Evanega directs Cornell University’s Alliance for Science which is teaching the Global Farmer [Read More…]

Another White House meeting is planned today on proposed changes to the Renewable Fuels Standard and expanding access to E15 fuel year-round. The head of Growth Energy says she’s pleased the USDA is taking up [Read More…]

Jeff Jorgenson farms in the southwestern corner of Iowa, near the town of Sidney.  Jorgenson has been growing cover crops for five years and is one of a growing number of Midwestern farmers who are [Read More…]