Ag News
Increasing cash flow on the farm
As farmers continue to operate within a tight margin environment, a business consultant with Compeer Financial says there are a few areas worth looking at that could lead to better profits. Matt Lange has put [Read More…]
Wisconsin Congressman wants subsidy changes in farm bill
Wisconsin Congressman Ron Kind of La Crosse tells Brownfield the proposed SNAP program reforms are not the only problem with the House Ag Committee version of the farm bill. Kind says there needs to be [Read More…]
Heavy selling pressures cattle futures
At the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, live and feeder cattle futures closed lower for a second consecutive day pressured by heavy selling. With forecasts for nice weather – strong retail demand is likely but will continue [Read More…]
EU conditional approval to BASF for Bayer businesses
The European Commission reportedly has given conditional approval to BASF’s acquisition of some Bayer businesses. The deal includes Bayer’s vegetable seeds, broad acre seeds and traits business; several non-selective herbicide assets; and, potentially, its global [Read More…]
Not much corn planted in South Dakota
Not much corn planting is done in South Dakota. Doug Noem completed his first 40 acres Monday on his east central South Dakota farm. “We farm about 1,000 acres of corn,” Noem told Brownfield Ag [Read More…]
Tariff extension granted to EU and NAFTA partners
President Trump has extended his May 1st deadline to decide if the European Union, Canada and Mexico will be permanently exempt from steel and aluminum tariffs. The administration will have an additional 30 days to [Read More…]
CME cheese up, other dairy prices mostly down Tuesday
Dairy prices were mostly down except for cheese Tuesday at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Class Three May milk was up $.05 at $15.23 a hundredweight. June was unchanged at $15.69. July was down $.04 to [Read More…]
Minnesota consumers benefit most from B20 mandate
The CEO of the Minnesota Soybean Growers says consumers benefit the most from the B20 mandate. Effective May 1st, every gallon of diesel fuel sold in Minnesota will contain 20 percent biodiesel, as prescribed by [Read More…]
Wisconsin field work underway in south and central parts of the state
Farmers in parts of Wisconsin are getting some field work done, but much of the state is still too cold or wet to make progress. USDA reporters say corn and oats planting has begun in [Read More…]
Record number of veterans applying for farm grants
The Farmer Veteran Coalition has received a record number of grant applicants from veterans starting a farm business. “We had the most number of applications since the program began in 2011. We received over [Read More…]
Grassley decries EPA ‘bailing out billionaires’ with RFS waivers
Ethanol supporters are upset over reports that EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has granted a “hardship waiver” to CVR, an oil refinery owned by billionaire and former Trump adviser Carl Icahn (eye-con). The waiver allows refiners [Read More…]
Illinois farmer in a sweet spot for planting
A Northeastern Illinois farmer tells Brownfield he’s in a sweet spot for planting and has nearly all his corn in the ground, “We were not part of the area that had the late snows like [Read More…]
Ames restaurant wins Iowa’s Best Burger competition
An Ames restaurant is the winner of the 2018 Iowa’s Best Burger competition. The award goes to Café Beaudelaire, a Brazilian-inspired restaurant also known as Café B, located in the heart of Iowa State University’s [Read More…]
Half of Kansas wheat rates poor as tour gets underway
Fifty percent of the Kansas winter wheat crop is rated poor to very poor this week. Gary Millershaski, who farms near the town of Lakin in southwest Kansas, says his dryland wheat looks really tough. [Read More…]
Compare the Dairy Margin Protection Program to the Livestock Gross Margin program
Dairy Margin Protection Program has been improved, and the Livestock Gross Margin-Dairy program has been fully funded, but which program is best for your dairy? Fran Felber from Ag Risk Managers helps answer that. Continue [Read More…]
Cattle showing season underway
It’s only April, but the cattle showing season has already begun. Show Chairman Kevin Jorgensen says the Wisconsin Dairy Showcase is a collective effort between the Red and White, Jersey, and the Wisconsin Holstein Associations. [Read More…]
Small grain planting underway in Minnesota
The USDA indicates planting has begun across Minnesota. The latest crop progress report shows the first acres of wheat, oats, barley, and potatoes are in. Sugar beet planting, at 10 percent complete, is well behind [Read More…]
Ohio corn, soybeans are 1 percent planted
Corn and soybean planting in Ohio is 1 percent complete, well behind the five-year average. Farmers worked in the fields between scattered rain across the state last week. Other crops see continued growth with [Read More…]
FMD vaccine development moves to U.S. mainland
National Pork Producers Council chief veterinarian Liz Wagstrom tells Brownfield a major hurdle has been cleared in the development of a Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccine bank. Last week, USDA authorized the movement of a non-virulent [Read More…]
Planting begins for some Hoosier farmers
Warmer and drier weather has allowed some Hoosier growers to plant corn and soybeans. According to the latest crop report, corn is 8 percent planted and soybeans are 3 percent planted, both behind the last [Read More…]