Ag News

Pig farmers getting beat up on trade
The president of the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) says pig farmers are getting beat up as the Trump Administration ushers in a new trade environment. Ohio hog farmer Jim Heimerl says he considered using [Read More…]

Pig farmers a casualty of trade disputes
The president of the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) says pig farmers are getting beat up as the Trump Administration ushers in a new trade environment. Ohio hog farmer Jim Heimerl says he considered using [Read More…]

Warm weather favors crop growth, development
Across the Corn Belt, cool weather covers the Great Lakes region. Meanwhile, a cold front crossing the upper Midwest is producing locally heavy showers and thunderstorms. On June 3, soybean emergence ranged from 26 to [Read More…]

Heat on the Plains; scattered storms across the Heartland
Hot weather across the nation’s mid-section will continue to expand and intensify across the western and central U.S. During the next few days, temperatures will routinely exceed 100° across the southern half of the [Read More…]

An opportune time to sell farmland
Farmers National Company is reporting an uptick in landowners considering selling, and part of that is seasonal. But as we hear from a sales manager for Farmers National, there are a number of other factors [Read More…]

Wisconsin Governor Walker orders dairy task force
Wisconsin’s Governor Scott Walker directed State Ag Secretary Sheila Harsdorf and University of Wisconsin System President Ray Cross to create Dairy Task Force 2.0 to come up with recommendations to maintain a viable and profitable [Read More…]

Grassley & Ernst: President Trump rejects Ethanol blending deal
Both of Iowa’s U.S. Senators are applauding President Donald Trump’s apparent rejection of proposed changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard. Both Chuck Grassley and Joni Earnst posted Twitter messages Tuesday evening expressing their pleasure with [Read More…]

Northey: MPP enrollment tops 20 thousand & checks are processing now
USDA Undersecretary Bill Northey says the Dairy Margin Protection Program has generated thousands of new participants. “We had over twenty-thousand producers that had signed up for the Margin Protection Program, which is about five-thousand of [Read More…]

Mexican tariffs pressure lean hog futures
At the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, cattle futures rebounded on short covering in light activity. Surging live cattle futures also drug feeder contracts higher. June live cattle closed $2.47 higher at $107.20 and August contracts closed [Read More…]

Volatility tied to trade creates marketing challenges for pig farmers
A southern Minnesota pig farmer calls this an extremely difficult time for pork producers like her. Wanda Patsche with C-W Pork in Welcome says recent volatility tied to trade disputes creates marketing challenges. “We’re probably [Read More…]

International group tours IL pork operations ahead of WPX
A group of 40 international pork producers is touring segments of the Illinois pork supply chain with hopes of sparking ideas to improve their home operations. Bobby Dowson with the Illinois Department of Agriculture says [Read More…]

CME cash dairy lower, milk futures sharply lower Tuesday
Cash dairy markets were lower and milk futures sharply lower as prices fell for a fourth straight trading session at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Tuesday. Class Three June milk was down $.12 to $15.26. July [Read More…]

Corn, wheat buy back part of losses
Soybeans were mixed, with nearby contracts steady to weak and deferred months firm, adjusting old crop/new crop spreads. Planting and emergence are ahead of average, with 75% of the crop in good to excellent condition, [Read More…]

Weather extremes even out 1st crop alfalfa
An extension crops educator says back-to-back months of weather extremes have resulted in an alfalfa crop that’s right on schedule. Randy Pepin with the University of Minnesota tells Brownfield had a “normal” May followed a [Read More…]

Pork producers could be in a world of hurt
Mexico has announced an immediate 10 percent tariff on unprocessed pork in retaliation to the Trump administration’s steel and aluminum tariffs. “This is, I would say, the most significant blow so far.” Joe Schuele with [Read More…]

Emergence problems in south-central Minnesota soybean fields
A south-central Minnesota farmer is seeing emergence problems in some of his soybean fields. A.J. Krusemark of Trimont says abundant moisture caused planting delays and put crop development about two weeks behind last year. “The [Read More…]

Trade retaliation could cost pig farmers $25 per-head
Ag economist Chris Hurt says trade retaliation by China and Mexico could cost pork producers more than $25 dollars per-head by the end of this year. “There’s a lot of pork out there. Pork production [Read More…]

Trending: Organic beverages
Consumers are buying more organic foods but organic beverages are really catching on. Laura Batcha with the Organic Trade Association says one of the fastest growing segments of organic are beverage products as companies get [Read More…]

Grassley says ‘RINs for exports’ would undermine RFS
A final proposal on RFS revisions could be released by the White House this week—possibly as early as today. A provision to make ethanol exports eligible for RINs—Renewable Identification Numbers—is expected to be part of [Read More…]

NCGA fights to protect ethanol as it promotes new uses for corn
CEO Chris Novak tells Brownfield NCGA and other groups filed their petition this week with the EPA to force it to make up for lost biofuels volumes because of inappropriate waivers given to refiners, “We fully [Read More…]