Agri Marketing stories published are not written nor an endorsement by PRM. Stories are curated for PRM customers to know what is happening in the ag industry.
Federal Funding Bill Collapses, Putting Ag Aid At Risk
by Ryan Hanrahan, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project UPDATE: On Thursday morning, Politico's Meredith Lee Hill and Olivia Beavers reported that "Speaker Mike Johnson and Donald Trump's team are circling a new federal funding stopgap plan that includes disaster aid, pushing off a debt limit fight for two years and [...]
Federal Agencies To Re-Evaluate Its Plan To Destroy Dams In The Northwest
Agri-Pulse reports: Three federal agencies in charge of operating dams along the Columbia and Snake Rivers intend to reevaluate the project's environmental impact after the Biden administration forged new agreements with local tribes frustrated over declining salmon populations. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation and the [...]
Minnesota’s Amy Klobuchar Named Ranking Member Of Senate Ag Committee
Source: National Farmers Union news release WASHINGTON - National Farmers Union (NFU) President Rob Larew today issued the following statement on Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) being named ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee: "Senator Klobuchar has consistently demonstrated a commitment to bipartisanship and championing the needs of agriculture and [...]
Iowa Ag Dept, Iowa Soybean Assn And U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Announce Water Partnership
Source: Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship news release ANKENY, Iowa - Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) has formed a public-private partnership with the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) and United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) [...]
California Declares State Of Emergency Due To H5N1 In Dairy Cattle
Source: State of California news release Sacramento, California - Governor Gavin Newsom today proclaimed a State of Emergency to streamline and expedite the state's response to Avian influenza A (H5N1), commonly known as "Bird Flu." This action comes as cases were detected in dairy cows on farms in Southern California, [...]
GAO Reports Farmers Have Received $161 Billion From USDA In Past Five Years
Agri-Pulse reports: USDA provided $161 billion in financial assistance to farmers between 2019 and 2023 through both farm bill and supplemental assistance programs, according to a new Government Accountability Office report. To view the report click here. The report says one million producers received some form of financial assistance each [...]
Soil And Water Outcomes Fund Receives Support From Chevron Renewable Energy Group
Source: Soil and Water Outcomes Fund news release Ankeny, IA -- The Soil and Water Outcomes Fund, a leading agricultural ecosystem services program, is proud to announce they successfully began a pilot project with Chevron Renewable Energy Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of Chevron Corporation, as part of the larger [...]
Farm Journal Poll Finds Most Ag Economists Think Industry Is In Recession
by Tyne Morgan, Farm Journal A sharp drop in net farm income among row crop farmers has held a hefty grip on the ag economy this year. 2025 isn't forecast to be much better, with margins expected to be in the red again for all major row crops. The high [...]
Iowa Farmland Values Fall, Breaking Five Year Trend
Source: Iowa State University Ames, Iowa -The annual Iowa State University Land Value Survey found that farmland values decreased 3.1%, or $369, to $11,467 per acre. The decrease this year nearly erases the 3.7% increase from last year and ends a five-year trend of increasing prices. The nominal value of [...]
Supplemental Appropriation Act Includes $10 Billion For Agricultural Aid
Source: House Committee on Agriculture WASHINGTON, DC -- Yesterday, following the release of the Further Continuing Appropriations and Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2025, House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson (PA-15) issued the following statement: "The bill released this evening provides much needed relief for [...]
Two Rivers Marketing Celebrates Its 25th Anniversary With New Location And Leadership Updates
An architectural rendering of the new workspace for Two Rivers Marketing, created by Substance Architecture. Source: Two Rivers Marketing news release DES MOINES, Iowa--Two Rivers Marketing (2RM) has called the East Village home since the agency was founded in 2000. The neighborhood looks a lot different than it did in [...]
USDA Reports The Number Of U.S. Farms Decreased 10% From 2012 To 2022
Source: USDA news release In 2022, farms in the United States numbered 1,900,487, down from 2,109,303 in 2012, according to data from the 2022 USDA Census of Agriculture released in February 2024. That represented a 10-percent (208,816 farms) decline from 2012 to 2022. The Census of Agriculture is a complete [...]
Minnesota Rep. Angie Craig To Be Ranking Member Of House’ Ag Committee
Agri-Pulse reports: Minnesota is in position to have new clout on both the House and Senate Agriculture committees. The House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee on Monday recommended Minnesota Rep. Angie Craig to become ranking member of House Ag over incumbent David Scott of Georgia and California Rep. Jim Costa. [...]
USDA Reports Farm Structures, Nearly All Operations Are Family-Owned
By Ryan Hanrahan, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project AgWeb's Margy Eckelkamp reported earlier this week that "family farms still dominate a majority of U.S. farms," having accounted "for about 96% of total farms and 83% of total production in 2023" in the United States. "Released on Dec. 10, (the USDA's [...]
Megatrends Impacting Agriculture Moving Forward
by Dr. Dave Kohl, Professor Emeritus, Virginia Tech University as it appeared in Farm Futures magazine Let's take a longer-term view and discuss some of the megatrends impacting the agriculture industry. The book "Megatrends" was written by John Naisbitt and was required reading in Graduate School at Cornell University. Despite [...]
GOP Leadership Issue Statement On Farm Bill Extension, Turned Down By Democratic Leaders
Source: House Committee on Agriculture news release WASHINGTON, DC -- In response to ongoing negotiations on the farm bill extension and economic aid to our producers, House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson (PA-15) and Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Ranking Member John Boozman (R-AR) issued the [...]
Winners Of Nat’l Corn Growers Yield Contest Named
Source: National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) news release The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is excited to announce the winners of the 2024 Yield Contest. Participants delivered outstanding yields, once again showcasing the ingenuity and resilience that define U.S. agriculture. In its 60th year, the Yield Contest saw nearly 7,800 [...]
Report “Forces That Will Shape The 2025 U.S. Rural Economy”
Source: CoBank news release DENVER --The U.S. continues to benefit from solid economic growth, low unemployment and moderating inflation. From today's vantage point, the U.S. economy seems likely to continue on that trajectory into 2025. However, the outlook for the rural economy is more volatile and uncertain. Rural industries are [...]
USDA Denies Iowa To Prevent Purchase Of Lab-Grown Meat And Eggs With Federal Assistance
Source: National Agricultural Law Center The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently denied a waiver request by the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (Iowa HHS) that would have prevented Iowans from purchasing lab-grown meat and egg products using federal assistance program funds. The waiver request was sought [...]
AgroLiquid Acquires Monty’s Plant Food Company
Source: AgroLiquid news release St. Johns, Mich., -- AgroLiquid, a leader in high-efficiency crop liquid fertilizer solutions, today announced the acquisition of Monty's Plant Food Company, a Louisville-based specialist in soil health and plant nutrition technology. The acquisition, effective January 1, 2025, brings together two family-founded businesses that excel in [...]
Nat’l Corn Growers Assn Respond To Monarch Butterfly Listing
Source: National Corn Growers Association news release The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today proposed listing the Monarch butterfly as a threatened species. The threatened designation proposal for the monarch butterfly reflects the need for strong conservation measures while maintaining regulatory flexibility that balances species protection with existing land uses. [...]
Precision Agriculture Use Increases With Farm Size
Source: USDA news release Over the past 20 years, U.S. farms have substantially increased their adoption of precision agriculture, and numerous precision technologies are now widespread. For instance, guidance autosteering systems on tractors, harvesters, and other equipment were used by 52 percent of midsize farms and 70 percent of large-scale [...]
USDA Releases Report On The Most Popular Eating Times
Source: USDA news release On an average day in 2023, individuals aged 15 and older exhibit two distinct peak time blocks for primary eating and drinking--between noon and 12:59 p.m. and from 6 to 6:59 p.m. About 3 in 10 individuals engaged in primary eating and drinking during each of [...]
Op-Ed: A Future Without Glyphosate And Its Farm Bill Implications
Op-Ed by Col. (retired) Mark Purdy is the executive vice president of agri-food at The Directions Group (formerly Aimpoint), a strategic insights firm. Mark Purdy With Congress back in session, the clock is ticking on critical issues that will shape the future of American agriculture and food security. Discussions about [...]
United Soybean Board Releases Report Showing Its ROI To Growers
Source: United Soybean Board news release ST. LOUIS -- In a challenging economic landscape of low commodity prices and tight margins, the United Soybean Board (USB) continues to deliver economic returns to U.S. soybean farmers through strategic investments. This remains critical to ensure farmers receive measurable value on-farm and through [...]
Farm Bureau’s President Responds To Illinois Farm Bureau’s Expulsion
by C.J. Miller, Hoosier Ag Today radio network Zippy Duvall In the Hoosier State, Indiana Farm Bureau leaders share a great relationship with American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF)--the national organization. However, the same cannot be said for our neighbors in Illinois. "We love Illinois farmers. We want them to be [...]
How The Ukraine War Has Impacted Its Agriculture
By Iuliia Tetteh, Department of Agriculture, Illinois State University and Joana Colussi, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois A thousand days after the full-scale Ukraine-Russia conflict began, the question remains: will Ukraine be able to remain relevant in the global agricultural market? Despite some economic growth in [...]
Grain Elevator Outlook: Strong Dollar, Policy Uncertainty Could Slow Grain Demand
Source: CoBank news release DENVER -- U.S. farmers harvested the second-largest corn and soybean crops on record this fall, improving carries in the futures market and lifting the margin outlook for grain elevators storing corn and soybeans. Prices of both commodities have fallen to four-year lows, sparking strong demand, both [...]
NCBA Relieved By Court Decision To Hault Corporate Transparency Act
Source: National Cattlemen's Beef Association news release WASHINGTON - Today, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) hailed the issuance of a nationwide preliminary injunction blocking the Corporate Transparency Act from being enforced on January 1, 2025. This ruling from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas protects [...]
John Deere Announces Another Layoff At Its Tractor Plant In Iowa
by Kevin Baskins, Des Moines Register The layoffs continue at John Deere as the agricultural and construction equipment giant announced another round Tuesday at its Waterloo Works, the company's largest plant. The company plans to lay off 112 workers effective Jan. 5, according to the state's Worker Adjustment and Retraining [...]
Western Kansas’ 3i Show Has Been Cancelled
Source: Western Kansas Manufacturers Association (WKMA) news release Dodge City, KS -- As most of you know, there have been many changes since we experienced the Covid Pandemic. Those changes include our workforce, the way we purchase items, event attendance and quite possibly how we live our lives in general. [...]
GOP Congressional Leaders Issue Statement On 2024 Farm Sector Income Forecast
Source: House Committee On Agriculture news release WASHINGTON, DC -- Following the release of the USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS) 2024 Farm Sector Income Forecast, House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson (PA-15) and Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Ranking Member John Boozman (R-AR) issued the following [...]
USDA Forecasts Farm Sector Profits To Fall In 2024
Source: USDA news release USDA's Economic Research Service forecasts inflation-adjusted U.S. net cash farm income (NCFI), defined as gross cash income minus cash expenses, to decrease by $5.7 billion (3.5 percent) to $158.8 billion in 2024. This would come after NCFI decreased $58.3 billion (26.2 percent) in 2023 from an [...]
CropLife Magazine Reports The 100 Largest Crop Input Ag Retailers
by Eric Sfiligoj, Editor, CropLife magazine Nutrien Ag Solutions again maintains its position as the country's leading retailer, with more than $1 billion in sales, 45 states served, and 1,500-plus retail outlets. This marks the 41st year Nutrien has appeared in the CropLife 100. There was also significant movement at [...]
Americans Are Eating Butter And Cheese At Record Levels
by Feedstuffs magazine staff Americans are consuming record amounts of dairy products, led by surging demand for butter and cheese, according to newly released U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data. Per capita consumption of dairy products reached 661 pounds per person in 2023, an increase of 7 pounds per person [...]
Tyson Foods To Close Its Kansas Processing Plant
by Ann Hess, Content Director, National Hog Farmer magazine Tyson Foods will shut down its Emporia, Kansas meat processing facility by Feb. 14. According to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) notice posted on Monday, 809 employees will be affected by the closure. The 328,000 square-foot Tyson Fresh [...]
Trump Picks “China Hawk” Jamieson Greer As Trade Rep
By Ryan Hanrahan, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project Politico's Doug Palmer, Betsy Woodruff Swan and Ari Hawkins reported that "President-elect Donald Trump picked Jamieson Greer to be U.S. trade representative, elevating a figure little known outside of Washington to what is expected to be one of the most important posts [...]
EPA Proposes To Revoke All Food Tolerances For Chlorpyrifos Insecticide
Agri-Pulse reports: Conforming with a federal appeals court decision from last year, EPA is proposing to revoke all food tolerances for chlorpyrifos except those associated with its use on 11 food and feed crops. The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals had ruled the agency should have considered not revoking all [...]
University Ag Economists Forecast Land Prices In 2025
By Nick Paulson and Gary Schnitkey, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois and Carl Zulauf, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, Ohio State University Lower returns to rented land and higher interest rates began to signal the potential for downward pressure on farmland values in 2023 [...]
Global Market Insights Forecasts Crop Protection Markets To Grow 4% Each Year To 2032
Source: Global Market Insights news release Selbyville, DE -- The global crop protection chemicals market was valued at approximately $91.4 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.2% between 2024 and 2032. This growth is driven by increasing food demand, the [...]
More About Future Ag Sec’y Brooke Rollins
by Sarah Zimmerman, AgricultureDive.com President-elect Donald Trump named Brooke Rollins to be secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Rollins, a Texas native, is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a conservative think tank launched in 2021 to promote Trump's economic policies. A conservative lawyer, Rollins also [...]
USDA Has Significantly Tightened Its Certification Of “Grown Organic” Process
By Mitch Lies, Farm Progress โWe are now seeing up to 95 percent of NOP (National Organic Program) import certificates that are coming in are validโฆ We really closed the door on illegitimate shipments,โ says Jennifer Tucker, deputy administrator for the USDAโs National Organic Program. Farmers, food processors and importers [...]
Historic $2 Million Carbon Investment Supports 38,000-acre Family Ranch In Montana
5th-generation family ranch, highlighting the expansive terrain with its rolling hills and wide pastures Source: The Climate Trust news release PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Climate Trust, a carbon market nonprofit, announced today that it finalized a $2 million investment alongside Inlandsis Fund, a carbon finance fund, in a pair of [...]
Cattle Feeders Hall Of Fame Announces Its 2025 Inductees
Source: National Cattlemen's Beef Association news release CENTENNIAL, Colo. - Established in 2009, the Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame honors the exceptional visionary men and women who have made lasting contributions to the cattle-feeding industry. 2025 Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame honorees will be recognized during the 16th annual banquet [...]
Here Is Where Thanksgiving Foods Are Produced
by Betty Resnick, Economist, American Farm Bureau Federation Thanksgiving dinner is a special meal cherished by nearly all Americans. Gathering around the table, we give thanks for the abundance of a delicious feast. But, while millions of Americans look forward to their annual Thanksgiving meal, very few know about the [...]
Full Year: John Deere’s Revenues Down 28%, Net Income Down 30%: $7.1 Billion
Source: John Deere news release MOLINE, Illinois -- Deere & Company reported net income of $1.245 billion for the fourth quarter ended October 27, 2024, or $4.55 per share, compared with net income of $2.369 billion, or $8.26 per share, for the quarter ended October 29, 2023. For fiscal-year 2024, [...]
Former White House Aide Brooke Rollins Expected To Be Next Ag Secretary
Getty Images Brooke Rollins AP News reports: WASHINGTON -- President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that he will nominate former White House aide Brooke Rollins to be his agriculture secretary, the last of his picks to lead executive agencies and another choice from within his established circle of advisers and allies. [...]
Farmland: A Legacy And An Asset
By Clayton Becker, President, Farmers National Co., Omaha, NE Farmland as a Legacy I grew up as the fifth generation on a farm in west central Missouri that has been in my family since 1881. While my kids did not grow up on the farm, they love to spend time [...]
Thanksgiving Dinner Costs Are Down Again
By Samantha Ayoub & Bernt Nelson, Economists, American Farm Bureau Federation Americans stocking up for this year's Thanksgiving dinner will see a dip in their grocery bills for the second year in a row. The 39th annual American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Thanksgiving dinner survey finds that the classic feast [...]
Farm Bill Extension Likely As GOP Rejects Sen. Stabenow’s Bill
By Ryan Hanrahan, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project Politico's Meredith Lee Hill and Olivia Beavers reported Tuesday that "House Republicans confirmed during their closed-door conference meeting Tuesday morning that GOP lawmakers are rejecting Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow's last minute farm bill push and will instead plan to pass a [...]
USDA Releases Season Average Price Forecasts Report
Source: USDA news release This page contains data on season average price forecasts. To read entire report, Click Here.
John Deere’s Stock Price On Track For Largest Percent Increase Since 2021
Dow Jones reports: Deere & Company (DE) is currently at $440.65, up $35.69 or 8.81% --Would be highest close since July 25, 2023, when it closed at $446.33 --On pace for largest percent increase since Feb. 19, 2021, when it rose 9.91% --Currently up five of the past six days [...]
CHS Raises Its Bid To Acquire West Central Ag Services To $225 Million
By Brooks Johnson, The Minnesota Star Tribune The board of a western Minnesota cooperative said "CHS is the right fit for us" after weighing a competing offer from North Dakota-based Arthur Cos., but members will still have the final say next week. CHS initially announced a $200 million deal to [...]
Gov. Brandstad Retires As President Of World Food Prize Foundation, Mashal Husain Promoted
Source: World Food Prize Foundation news release Des Moines, IA -- Today, the World Food Prize Foundation announced that Ambassador Terry Branstad will retire as President on January 31, 2025, and Foundation Chief Operating Officer Mashal Husain will become President. In addition, the Foundation will conduct a global search for [...]
USDA Announces $2 Billion For Specialty Crops Sector, Expand Crop Storage For Producers
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON - Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the creation of new programs that will help farmers who grow fruits, vegetables, and nuts overcome market barriers for their products, and help producers access necessary pre-market storage for their crops following severe weather events, including recent hurricanes. [...]
Downturn In Ag Economy Claims Up To 11,400 Iowa Jobs So Far
By Andrew Wheeler, Economist, Iowa Farm Bureau A sharp downturn in the agriculture economy is causing a ripple effect throughout the state resulting in the loss of up to 11,400 jobs and $1.5 billion in value-added economic activity (GDP) and a $100 million loss to the state and local tax [...]
USDA Releases Cost-Of-Production Forecast Report
Source: USDA news release USDA has estimated annual production costs and returns and published accounts for major field crop and livestock enterprises since 1975. Cost and return estimates are reported for the United States and major production regions for corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, grain sorghum, rice, peanuts, oats, barley, milk, [...]
Corteva Announces Breakthrough In Wheat Technology
Source: Corteva news release Indianapolis --- In advance of its Investor Day, Corteva today announced a revolutionary breakthrough in one of the world's most important staple crops - wheat - a first-of-its kind, proprietary non-GMO hybrid technology. While other crops like corn have exponentially benefited from hybrid technology over the [...]
CHS Will Upgrade Its Grain Processing Facility In Kindred, ND
Source: CHS Inc. news release CHS Inc., a leading farmer-owned cooperative and global agribusiness, is announcing plans for a significant expansion and upgrade to its grain terminal in Kindred, North Dakota. The company is seeking to invest in this facility to improve speed and space in a key geography. Ultimately, [...]
Kubota’s All-Terrain KATR Named As CES Innovation Awards 2025 Best Of Innovation
Source: Kubota news release GRAPEVINE, Texas - Kubota North America today announced it has been recognized by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) for its innovation and design excellence earning it a "Best of Innovation" in the CES Innovation Awards 2025 program for the Kubota KATR, a first of its kind, [...]
Bayer, Microsoft Unveils Adapted AI Models For Agriculture
Source: Microscope News Across every industry, AI is creating a fundamental shift in what's possible, enabling new use cases and driving business outcomes. While organizations around the world recognize the value and potential of AI, for AI to be truly effective it must be tailored to specific industry needs. Today, [...]
Nat’l Farmers Union Outlines First-100-Days Priorities In Letter To President-Elect Trump
Source: National Farmers Union news release WASHINGTON - As the transition to the newly elected administration begins, National Farmers Union (NFU), representing family farmers and ranchers across the country, has sent a letter to President-elect Trump urging focus on policy priorities essential to the health and vitality of rural America [...]
$14 Billion In Losses To Ag From Hurricanes, Other Disasters In 2023 And 2024
Agri-Pulse reports: One of the biggest items on lawmakers' to-do list before the end of the year is passing a disaster aid bill. The administrator of USDA's Farm Service Agency, Zach Ducheneaux, tells Agri-Pulse that the department estimates agricultural losses from hurricanes and other disasters in 2023 and 2024 at [...]
Ag Producers Bracing For Potential China Trade War
By Ryan Hanrahan, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project Reuters' Casey Hall, Brenda Goh and Mei Mei Chu reported last week that "U.S. agriculture producers are bracing for the prospect of a fresh trade war under U.S. President-elect Donald Trump again hitting exports of farm goods to China, but they said [...]
USDA Releases Agricultural Projections For The U.S. Farm Sector To 2034 Report
Source: USDA news release These early-release tables contain 10-year projections for the U.S. farm sector and U.S. and global macroeconomic projections To read entire report, Click Here.
CNH Industrial To Close Its Burlington, IA, Plant
by Donnelle Eller, Des Moines Register CNH Industrial, the maker of Case IH and New Holland tractors, combines and backhoes, is considering closing its Burlington plant in mid-2026, potentially leaving about 350 southeast Iowa workers without jobs. Burlington Mayor Jon Billups said he learned Thursday of the possible loss of [...]
U.S. Tractor And Combine Sales Continue Their Slump In October
Agri Marketing magazine reports: According to the Association of Equipment Manufacturer's monthly "Flash Report," total sales of all U.S. tractors during October, 2024 were 21,354, down 14% from 2023. For the month, two-wheel drive smaller tractors (under 40 HP) were down 8% from last year, while 40 & under 100 [...]
McDonald’s And Boar’s Head Sued For Food Contamination
Source: National Agricultural Law Center McDonald's and Boar's Head are now facing suits from individuals who consumed contaminated food products linked to the two companies. First, McDonald's is facing a number of lawsuits filed by consumers who were sickened after consuming food products that may have been contaminated with E. [...]
Congressman From Long Island May Be Next EPA Administrator
Agri-Pulse reports: Lee Zeldin Lee Zeldin, who served as a congressman from Long Island for eight years before leaving to run a tight but unsuccessful race for governor in 2022, is likely to be the next administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. President-elect Trump said Monday Zeldin was his choice [...]
How The Anti-Animal Confinement Proposal Was Crushed In California
Anja Raudabaugh by Anja Raudabaugh is the CEO of Western United Dairies as it appeared in Agri-Pulse. The latest assault on the dairy industry--Measure J in Sonoma County--has been soundly rejected by voters. This measure was a blatant attempt by outside interests to eliminate dairy farming in Sonoma County by [...]
Illinois Farm Bureau May Be Expelled By American Farm Bureau Federation
Holly Spangler, Prairie Farmer Senior Editor When Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB) affiliate Country Financial decided to no longer require nonfarm policy memberships earlier this fall, the decision rippled to the national level and could result in the American Farm Bureau Federation expelling IFB from membership. At a Glance *Illinois Farm [...]
Early Insights Reveal Surge In Mycotoxin Contamination
Source: Alltech news release [LEXINGTON, Ky.] - Preliminary analysis of corn silage samples in the U.S. reveals a high increase in mycotoxin contamination compared to 2023, with all samples containing two or more mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are produced by certain species of molds and are a concern for livestock producers as [...]
Main Source Of U.S. Agricultural Output Growth Is Productivity Improvement
Source: USDA news release From 1948 to 2021, U.S. agricultural output grew at an average annual rate of 1.46 percent. The largest contributor to this growth came from improvement in total factor productivity, which measures changes in the efficiency with which inputs are transformed into outputs. The major drivers of [...]
Farm Journal’s Wiesemeyer On Who The Next Ag Secretary Will Be
By Jim Wiesemeyer, Farm Journal Donald Trump won all battleground states in a virtual red wall. Trump is the first candidate in over a century to reclaim the White House after losing it. Trump, who won election in 2016 as the 45th president, now will be the 47th and just [...]
540,645,430 Acres Covered By Crop Insurance And Counting
Source: National Crop Insurance Services news release Overland Park, KS -- In the formative days of our Republic, Benjamin Franklin wrote, "I have sometimes thought it might be well to establish an office of insurance for farms against the damage that may occur to them from storms, blights, insects, etc." [...]
Estimate Capacity Of Biofuel Plants To Dip From 6 Billion To 5 Billion Gallons Per Year
By Maria Gerveni and Scott Irwin, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois and Todd Hubbs and Steven Ramsey, Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture Renewable diesel production capacity in the U.S. exploded in recent years, increasing over three billion gallons (farmdoc daily, March 8, 2023; March [...]
Ballot Proposal Banning “Factory Farming” Banned In California
by Sarah Zimmerman, Editor, AgriculturalDive.com California voters in the major agricultural region of Sonoma County overwhelmingly voted down a controversial ballot proposal to phase out large farms in a win for the meat industry. The ballot initiative Measure J, which about 85% of the voters opposed, would have banned large [...]
Six Tractors Of The Year Announced At EIMA
Source: BKT news release Bologna, Italy - A new and exciting edition of the Tractor of the Year, the international event celebrating the most innovative and sustainable tractors on the European market, concluded today its 26th edition. It was the fifth consecutive year that BKT consolidated its role as sponsor [...]
VANE Expands Its Ag Insurance Services For Protection From Disruptive Market And Weather Events
Source: VANE sent via AgPR--the news distribution service for agriculture New Prague, MN - VANE, a leading provider of specialty agricultural insurance, is expanding its agricultural risk management portfolio to offer insurance coverage for agricultural financing and lending institutions. VANE's newest insurance offering is designed to protect agricultural banks and [...]
U.S. Sunflower Acreage Falls To New Low Following Expansion Of Other Oilseed Crops
Source: USDA news release In marketing year 2024/25, USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service reported that U.S. farmers planted record-low sunflower acreage, nearly half of what was planted in the previous year. The largest decline in acreage occurred for the type of sunflower that is grown mainly to produce oil and [...]
Pesticide Quality Has Improved Over Time
Source: USDA news release Over time, the quality of agricultural pesticides has improved. Modern pesticides (which include herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides) have higher potency, persistence, toxicity, and absorption rates compared with products available in the past. Researchers with USDA, Economic Research Service (ERS) track the quantities of pesticides used in [...]
Agriculture Made Up 6% Of Total U.S. Import Value
Source: USDA news release The bulk of U.S. imports fall into categories of consumer goods, capital goods, and industrial supplies. However, agricultural products account for an increasing share of total U.S. imports. From fiscal years (FY) 2004 to 2023, the value of U.S. imports of agricultural products rose an average [...]
Valley Center Irrigation Receives “Coolest Thing Made In Nebraska” Award
Source: Valmont Industries news release We are thrilled to announce that the Valley Center Pivot has been recognized as the 2024 "Coolest Thing Made in Nebraska"! This prestigious accolade, hosted by the Nebraska Manufacturing Alliance and supported by the Nebraska Chamber, was revealed at the 2024 Manufacturing Summit held in [...]
Industry Sees Brazil As Global Hub For Clean Jet Fuel
By Ryan Hanrahan, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project Bloomberg's Dayanne Sousa and Clarice Couto reported Thursday that "a global push to decarbonize air travel has groups from Big Oil to sovereign wealth funds betting on Brazil to become a top global center for green jet fuel." "Brazil is becoming a [...]
More About American Industrial Partners Acquisition Of AGCO’s Grain & Protein Unit
Source: American Industrial Partners NEW YORK and DULUTH, Ga. -- American Industrial Partners ("AIP"), an industrials investor, today announced the completion of its acquisition of AGCO Corporation's (NYSE: AGCO) Grain & Protein division, which produces grain storage and seed processing solutions as well as feeding, watering, climate management and control [...]
Ag Leader Unveils Its Next Generation Of InCommand Displays
Source: Ag Leader news release mes, Iowa - Ag Leader Technology has announced the release of the next generation of the industry-leading InCommand displays. The introduction of the InCommand Go 16 and InCommand Go 10 will allow farmers to see more information and enhance the user experience in the cab, [...]
World Food Prize Laureates: The Big Issue Being Overlooked In U.S. Elections
Source: World Food Prize news release Des Moines, IA -- We are struck that the U.S. elections, just one week away, have included almost no discussion of world hunger. The unprecedented progress against world hunger of recent decades has begun to reverse. The number and percentage of the world's people [...]
Properly Cooked Pork Remains Safe Amidst Oregon H5N1 Swine Detection
Source: National Pork Producers Council news release Des Moines, IA -- The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) confirms there is no food safety concerns about the nation's pork supply after the detection of H5N1 influenza in swine on a small backyard farm in Oregon. NPPC continues to work closely with [...]
Bird Flu Has Been Found For The First Time In Pork
By Berkeley Lovelace Jr. and Erika Edwards, NBC news A pig in Oregon has tested positive for the H5N1 bird flu virus, the Agriculture Department said Wednesday. It's the first time the virus has been detected in swine in the United States. Test results are pending for two other pigs [...]
The Andersons Launches New Line Of Fertilizers To Be Applied Aerially
Source: The Andersons news release MAUMEE, OHIO - The Andersons, Inc. (Nasdaq: ANDE) announces the launch of a new line of nutrients for aerial applications, Aero-Blitz and Aero-Mino. These products were designed by a team of precision agriculture experts to be applied at low use rates without sacrificing performance, making [...]
Nationally, About 40% Of Farmers Work At Least 200 Days Off The Farm
Source: USDA news release About 40 percent of U.S. farmers worked 200 or more days off the farm in 2022, according to the 2022 Census of Agriculture. The majority--93.2 percent--of the 3,078 U.S. counties for which data were reported had at least 30 percent of producers working 200 days or [...]
USDA Reports 81% Of Corn Harvested, 89% Of Soybeans
BrownfieldAgNews reports: The U.S. corn and soybean harvests are in the home stretch. That followed another week of generally dry weather in much of the Midwest and Plains and while some areas did receive some rain, overall, it wasn't enough to cause significant delays. The USDA says 81% of U.S. [...]
U.S. Farmers Make History By Funding Their Own Safety Net
Source: National Crop Insurance Services news release Overland Park, KS -- It could be argued that every civilization in the history of mankind has invested in its food production in some way - from ancient Egypt's irrigation projects to Roman laws designed to put productive land into the hands of [...]
Iowa Ag Dept Provides Update On Pure Prairie Poultry’s 1.3 Million Bird Flock
Source: Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship DES MOINES, Iowa - On September 30, Pure Prairie Poultry, Inc. notified the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship that, due to their financial position, they were unable to purchase feed for approximately 1.3 million broiler chickens located at 13 Iowa [...]
Report From USD Analytics Shows Autonomous Tractor Market Up 25% YOY
Source: USD Analytics news release Los Angeles, CA -- The latest study released on the Global Autonomous Tractors Market by USD Analytics Market evaluates market size, trend, and forecast to 2032. The Autonomous Tractors market study covers significant research data and proofs to be a handy resource document for managers, [...]
Farm Prices Received For Pumpkins Vary Widely By State
Source: USDA news release Pumpkins are native to the Americas, and their cultivation has been dated back to 7,000 BCE in what is now Mexico. Today, pumpkins are grown commercially in every U.S. State, with uses ranging from cooking and baking to decorating and carving jack-o'-lanterns. Farm prices received can [...]
The Andersons Signs Long-Term Lease at Port Houston, Makes Investment In Capacity For Soybean Meal Exports
The Andersons port facility in Houston, TX Source: The Andersons news release MAUMEE, Ohio -- The Andersons, Inc. (Nasdaq: ANDE) announced it has signed a long-term lease agreement for its operations at Port Houston and will be expanding the facility to support the export of soybean meal among other bulk [...]
Why Land Values Stay High During The Present Ag Economy
By Paul Schadegg, Sr VP Farm & Ranch Management & Real Estate, Farmers National Co., Omaha, NE Over the past year, the topic of land market resiliency has been discussed at length. Rising interest rates, inflation, and most importantly, grain markets have continued to pressure the overall ag economy, and [...]
Farmers For Soil Health Initiative Seeks To Double Cover Crops By 2030โEnrollment Now Open
Source: United Soybean Board news release ST. LOUIS -- Farmers for Soil Health empowers farmers to lead the charge in sustainability--putting real money directly into their hands to drive change where it matters most: at the farm level. With enrollment now open, the program offers an opportunity for farmers to [...]
USDA Invests $1.5 Billion In 92 Partnership Projects To Advance Conservation And Climate-Smart Agriculture
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced a historic $1.5 billion for 92 partner-driven conservation projects through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), a partner-driven approach to conservation that funds solutions to natural resource challenges on agricultural land. Partners will provide $968 million [...]
John Deere, Al Roker Produce Documentary About Challenges Facing Black Farmland Owners
Source: John Deere news release MOLINE, Illinois - Deere & Company (NYSE:DE) and Al Roker Entertainment today announced the award-winning documentary, Gaining Ground: The Fight for Black Land, will air on VONtv October 24-27. Available free of charge, viewers will have the opportunity to learn about the devastating consequences of [...]
USDA Reports The Large Share Of CRP Are Across The Central Part Of The Country
Source: USDA news release USDA's Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) covered about 22.9 million acres of environmentally sensitive land at the end of fiscal year 2023, with an annual budget of roughly $1.8 billion. This made CRP the largest single USDA conservation program in terms of spending that year. Through CRP, [...]
Agricultural Damage From Hurricane Helene Tops $159 Million
Source: Virginia Tech University news release Blacksburg, VA -- Almost a month after the devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene, Virginia Cooperative Extension agents have placed the total price tag of agricultural damage at over $159.3 million. The final agricultural damage assessment from the Sept. 27 storm was completed by Extension [...]
BASF Announces EPA Approval Of Liberty ULTRA Herbicide
Source: BASF news release RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC - Liberty ULTRA herbicide, powered by Glu-L Technology has received U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registration and is now approved for use, subject to state approvals. Liberty ULTRA herbicide, containing the active ingredient glufosinate-P-ammonium, also referred to as L-glufosinate ammonium, is the [...]
Ten Commodities Accounted For Most Of The Jobs Supported By U.S. Agricultural Exports
Source: USDA news release Labor is essential to the production, processing, marketing, and transportation of products from farm to port. USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS) annually measures this labor using an agricultural trade multiplier that estimates the employment and output effects of trade in farm and food products on the [...]
Certified Angus Beef Records Its The Second-Best Sales Year
In the 2024 fiscal year, 5.96 million head of cattle were certified for the brand. Source: Certified Angus Beef news release In a year marked by shifting marketing dynamics and margin pressure across the supply chain, Certified Angus Beef (CAB) closed its 2024 fiscal year with its second strongest sales [...]
Dr. Dave Kohl: Young Farmers Are Embracing Practices To Get Them Through The Down Economy.
By Dr. Dave Kohl, academic Hall of Famer in the College of Agriculture at Virginia Tech, contributing editor to Farm Futures magazine There is currently a negative sentiment in the agriculture industry. Lower prices, stubborn inflated costs, and very little movement in interest rates can be very draining for both [...]
Farm Equipment Magazine Reports The 10 Largest Machinery Dealers
Source: Farm Equipment magazine Here is the list of the 10 largest ag equipment dealers in the U.S. and Canada. The listing includes: Name, Headquarters, Number of ag locations, Area served, Major equipment lines and 2023 revenues: 1.United Ag & Turf, Waco, TX, 97, John Deere, southwest and New England, [...]
New U.S.-China Trade War Could Cost Farmers Billions
by Ryan Hanrahan, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project United States corn and soybean farmers could lose billions of dollars in annual production value in the event of a potential new tariff-induced US-China trade war, according to a new economic study commissioned by the American Soybean Association and the National Corn [...]
New Holland, Kubota Dealer Empire Tractor To Merge With Champlain Valley Equipment
Farm Equipment magazine reports: New Holland and Kubota dealer Empire Tractor notified customers that it is merging with Vermont-based Champlain Valley Equipment (2006 Farm Equipment Dealership of the Year), effective Nov. 1. Empire Tractor operates 5 stores in New York. "This decision was not made lightly, but after careful thought, [...]
How To Provide Winter Cattle Shelter For Your Herd
Source: BioZyme news release SAINT JOSEPH, Mo. -- Providing adequate winter cattle shelter is essential for herd health and well-being during the coldest months of the year. Yes, cattle are fairly cold tolerant. However, the combination of wind chill and moisture can lead to cold stress, which leads to lowered [...]
Gevo Receives $1.5 Billion Loan Guaranteed To Build Sustainable Aviation Fuel From Ethanol
Source: Gevo news release ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Gevo, Inc. (NASDAQ: GEVO), a leading developer of net-zero hydrocarbon fuels and chemicals, is pleased to announce it received a conditional commitment for a loan guarantee with disbursements totaling $1.46 billion (excluding capitalized interest during construction) from the U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE") [...]
Kubota Unit Land Pride To Stop Production Of Construction Equipment Until Next Year
Farm Equipment magazine reports: In an Oct. 14, 2024, letter to dealers, Kubota unit Land Pride said it would be stopping production at its facilities in Kansas due to "continued inventory growth in Kansas and low order backlog." Production will be paused from Wednesday Nov. 27, 2024 until Monday, Jan. [...]
USDA Makes Indemnity Payments To Producers Impacted By Hurricane Helene
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON, - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced additional assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help producers impacted by Hurricane Helene in the recovery process. USDA is announcing the counties that have triggered for payment under the Hurricane Insurance Protection-Wind Index (HIP-WI) endorsement [...]
Syngenta And Taranis To Drive AI-Powered Agronomy Solutions And Opportunities For Retailers
Source: Syngenta news release GREENSBORO, NC - Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC, a global leader in crop protection, is proud to announce that Syngenta and Taranis, the world's leading AI-powered crop intelligence platform, have entered into a multi-year collaboration to bring Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven agronomic productivity and conservation-focused innovation to agricultural [...]
Analysis Shows Tariff-Induced Trade War Would Hurt U.S. Farmers
Source: National Corn Growers Association news release A new economic study paints a troubling picture of the potential results a renewed U.S.-China trade war could have on hundreds of thousands of farmers and rural communities, showing American-imposed tariffs would come at a steep cost to U.S. producers while benefiting Brazil [...]
USDA Release Crop Harvest Report, 47% Of Corn And 67% Of Soybeans Are In The Bin
BrownfieldAgNews reports: The U.S. corn and soybean harvests made a solid advance last week. That followed another week of generally dry weather in much of the region. The USDA says 47% of U.S. corn was harvested as of Sunday, compared to 39% on average, with 94% of the crop mature, [...]
Virginia Tech Study Shows Ag’s Ability To Meet Food Output Is Slowing
by Cheyenne Kramer, Farm Journal magazine Virginia Tech's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences recently released its 2024 Global Agricultural Productivity (GAP) report, showing global agriculture productivity is falling behind the curve. "Global agricultural productivity growth has slowed from 1.9% annually during 2001-2010 to 0.7% annually during 2013-2022," said Tom [...]
Global Market Insights: Biopesticides Market To Exceed $7.61 Billion By 2032
Source: Global Market Insights news release Sylbville, DE -- In recent years, sustainable agricultural practices have gained significant momentum as global awareness of environmental concerns grows. One such innovation that has risen to prominence is the use of biopesticides. This eco-friendly alternative to traditional chemical pesticides is experiencing tremendous growth, [...]
Solar Projects Are Located Mostly On Agricultural Land
Source: USDA news release More than 70 percent of large-scale, commercial solar development in rural areas occurred on agricultural land, either cropland or pasture-range land. Of the 3,177 solar projects installed between 2012 and 2020, the largest share was on cropland (43 percent). Another 28 percent of solar projects were [...]
Farm Credit System Insurance Corp Unveils New Logo And Expands Its Website Content
Source: Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation news release McLEAN, Va., -- The Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation has revised its primary logo to incorporate the great seal of the United States. The revised logo better reflects FCSIC's role as a U.S. government entity and includes the date (1988) of its [...]
U.S. Sales Of Tractor And Combine Sales Continue Their Slump In September
Agri Marketing magazine reports: According to the Association of Equipment Manufacturer's monthly "Flash Report," total sales of all U.S. tractors during September, 2024 were 16,961, down 19% from 2023. For the month, two-wheel drive smaller tractors (under 40 HP) were down 21% from last year, while 40 & under 100 [...]
Study Explores Stress, Social Support And Mental Health For Men And Women Farmers
Source: University of Illinois news release From left: Josie Rudolphi and Courtney CuthbertsonURBANA, Ill. -- Agriculture is a stressful occupation, and farmers struggle with anxiety and depression at higher levels than the general population. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign examines differences in mental health challenges for [...]
More Hopeful Report For U.S. Ag Economy
Source: CoBank news release Denver, CO -- U.S. farmers are harvesting a record-large soybean crop and the third-largest corn crop on top of large carryover stocks from the previous marketing year. The ample harvests coincide with a host of export headwinds including a strong U.S. dollar, stalled rail shipments into [...]
USDAโs School Lunch Program Served About 241 Billion Lunches From Fiscal Years 1969 Through 2023
Source: USDA news release USDA's National School Lunch Program (NSLP) served 4.7 billion lunches in fiscal year (FY) 2023, and nearly 241 billion lunches since FY 1969. Students are typically eligible for either a free, reduced-price, or full-price lunch through the program depending on their household's income. In many schools, [...]
Reinke Manufacturing Unveils The First Precision Series Of Center Pivot Irrigation Systems
Source: Reinke Manufacturing news release (DESHLER, Neb.) -- Reinke Manufacturing, a global leader in irrigation systems and technology, today unveiled E3, the first precision series of center pivot systems. The patented irrigation system offers unmatched accuracy and performance, providing tremendous value by ensuring consistent and efficient water management and distribution [...]
Weed Science Society Issues Post-Harvest Weed Control Reminders
Source: Weed Science Society of America news release WESTMINSTER, COLORADO -- Fall weed control can pay big dividends as soon as next spring, says Greg Dahl, Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) president. He urges farmers and land managers to check with local weed control experts, Extension specialists and/or WSSA [...]
Nat’l Corn Growers Assn’s President Calls For Action During Meeting At The White House
Source: National Corn Growers Association news release National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) President Kenneth Hartman Jr. today told Biden administration officials that farmers are living through difficult economic times, but the administration and Congress can help by removing barriers so growers can access expanding markets for U.S. corn. Hartman's comments [...]
USDA Releases Commodity Costs And Returns Report
Source: USDA news release USDA has estimated annual production costs and returns and published accounts for major field crop and livestock enterprises since 1975. Cost and return estimates are reported for the United States and major production regions for corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, grain sorghum, rice, peanuts, oats, barley, milk, [...]
30% Of Corn Has Been Harvested, 47% Of Soybeans
BrownfieldAgNews reports: The U.S. corn and soybean harvests continued to advance last week. That followed a generally dry week in much of the Midwest and Plains, with most of those regions expected to stay dry into mid-month. The USDA says 30% of corn is harvested, compared to the five-year average [...]
USDA Makes Up To $7.7 Billion Available For Climate-Smart Ag Land Practices
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON, - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced up to $7.7 billion in assistance for fiscal year 2025 to help agricultural and forestry producers adopt conservation practices on working lands. This includes up to $5.7 billion for climate-smart practices, made possible by the Inflation [...]
Farm Bureau Economist: Farmers Woes With Large Grain Stocks
By Bernt Nelson, Economist, American Farm Bureau Federation Year-over year increases in grain stocks are unwelcome news for corn and soybean farmers, who are poised to harvest record crops in the coming weeks. Commodity markets, though, had a mixed- response to USDA's Sept. 1 grain stocks and inventory estimates, released [...]
New Holland To Showcase Advancements In Precision Technology For Growers At FIRA USA 2024
Source: New Holland news release New Holland, PA -- New Holland, a global leader in agricultural machinery and solutions, is once again partnering with FIRA USA, the premier event for agricultural robotics and automation and meeting place for farmers, industrialists, start-ups, scientists and investors to design the future of agriculture. [...]
2018 Farm Bill Extension Expires – What Does That Mean?
By Ryan Hanarhan, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project "The Farm Bill is kaput," reported Food Safety News' Dan Flynn. "Congress has failed to extend or replace the 2018 Farm Bill by the Sept. 30 deadline, meaning it has expired," Flynn reported. "Officially known as the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, [...]
AGCO’s Unit GSI: Harvest Corn Early To Improve Yield, Profitability
GSI continuous flow dryer Source: AGCO news release ASSUMPTION, Ill. -- With harvest underway, a key consideration is how long to allow corn to dry down in the field. Recent research indicates that harvesting early at a higher moisture content, combined with on-farm grain drying, can help farmers maximize their [...]
USDA: Wheat Production Level Estimated Is Highest In 8 Years
Source: USDA news release U.S. wheat production for the 2024/25 marketing year is estimated at 1.971 billion bushels, up 9 percent year to year and the highest level since 2016/17. This development stands in contrast to a long-term downward trend in U.S. wheat production resulting from declining acreage as more [...]
University Ag Economists Issue 2025 Corn & Soybean Budgets
by Nick Paulson and Gary Schnitkey, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois, Bradley Zwilling, Illinois FBFM Association and Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois and Carl Zulauf, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics,Ohio State University Illinois crop budgets for 2025 are now available [...]
New Nat’l Corn Growers Assn President Lays Out Priorities
BrownfieldAgNews reports: St. Louis -- The new president of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) says farmers are facing many hurdles as his one-year term begins. Kenneth Hartman Jr., a fifth-generation farmer from Waterloo, Illinois, tells Brownfield, "There's higher costs when it comes to fuel labor, you know, across the [...]
USDA Climatologist: Three Things Farmers Need To Know About Evolving Weather Patterns
Source: Pivot Bio news release AMES, Iowa -- Changing precipitation patterns continue to challenge farmers across the Corn Belt, according to Dennis Todey, director of USDA's Midwest Climate Hub. "As the agricultural landscape evolves, it's vital to keep farmers informed with the latest data and insights," said Todey. "Understanding changes [...]
Pioneer Issues Harvest Tips For Maximizing Yield And Quality
Source: Pioneer news release Now that harvest is here, it's important to take steps to help ensure efficiency while maintaining quality. These tips identify common challenges for corn, soybean and sorghum harvest and offer ways to optimize yield potential and reduce potential losses. Check Corn Stalks Corn has been developing [...]
John Deere To Recall 150,000 Tractors For Brake Failures
By Don Nico Forbes, Dow Jones John Deere is recalling more than 150,000 tractors due to reports of brake failures leading to crashes. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said about 147,900 compact utility tractors--models 1023E, 1025R, and 2025R--are being recalled in the U.S., in addition to about 16,800 in [...]
More On BASF Making Its Agricultural Solutions Business An IPO
By Helena Smolak, Dow Jones BASF cut its annual dividend and opened the door to shedding noncore assets, including a potential listing of its agricultural-chemicals business, as part of the German chemicals giant's new strategy. The company aims to boost earnings and cash generation over the next four years through [...]
BASF Is Planning A Partial Listing For Its Agricultural Business
Reuters reports: FRANKFURT - BASF (BASFn.DE), is planning a partial listing of its agricultural business because the stock market is underestimating the unit's earnings prospects within the group, the German chemicals giant's new CEO told staff on Wednesday. Markus Kamieth also said on a global call that BASF would consider [...]
USDA’s Farm Loan Program Changes Now In Effect
Source: USDA news release As of today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) long-awaited updates to the Farm Service Agency's (FSA) Farm Loan Programs are officially in effect. These changes, part of the Enhancing Program Access and Delivery for Farm Loans rule, are designed to increase financial flexibility for agricultural [...]
USDA Releases Graph Showing How U.S. Land Is Being Used
Source: USDA news release The United States has a total land area of 2.26 billion acres. In 2017, the latest year for which complete data are available, about 29 percent was grassland pasture and range, 28 percent was forest-use land, and 17 percent of the land area was cropland. Urban [...]
U Of Illinois Report Shows Nitrogen Fertilizer For Soybeans Offers Limited Yield Benefits
Source: University of Illinois news release URBANA, Ill. -- In a recent study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, researchers tested whether modern high-yielding soybeans benefit from nitrogen fertilizer, with results suggesting additions are largely unnecessary. Soybeans form a natural partnership with bacteria that colonize the plant's roots. In exchange [...]
Trump Threatens Deere With 200% Tariff Over Production Move To Mexico
by Ryan Hanrahan, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project Reuters' Gram Slattery and Kanishka Singh reported that "Donald Trump said on Monday he would slap a 200% tariff on John Deere's imports into the United States if the company moved production to Mexico as planned, comments that hit the agricultural equipment [...]
NEW WEB TOOL LAUNCHES TO COMPARE IOWA COVER CROP INCENTIVE PROGRAMS
Source: Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance news release ANKENY, IA (IAWA) -- Farmers can browse, filter, and compare cover crop incentive programs by using a new, first-of-its-kind website in Iowa, costsharecompare.com, built by the Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance. The goal is to help farmers transition to using cover crops by making [...]
USDA Reports 14% Of Corn, 13% Of Soybeans Have Been Harvested
BrownfieldAgNews reports: The U.S. corn and soybean harvests stayed ahead of average last week. That followed a dry week in much of the region, with this week's delays in some areas showing up in next week's numbers. The USDA says 14% of U.S. corn is harvested, compared to the five-year [...]
Colorado Rancher Tim Canterbury Named New Public Lands Council President
Source: Public Lands Council news release GRAND JUNCTION, CO - The Public Lands Council (PLC) closed out their 56th Annual Meeting by announcing Colorado rancher Tim Canterbury as the new PLC President. Tim owns and operates his family ranch in Howard, Colorado, where his family has been ranching since 1879. [...]
Prevalence Of Household Food Insecurity Increased In 2023
Source: USDA news release In 2023, 13.5 percent of U.S. households (18.0 million households) were food insecure at some time during the year, meaning they had difficulty providing enough food for all their members because of a lack of resources. The prevalence of food insecurity in 2023 was statistically significantly [...]
Husker Harvest Days 2024: Successful Ag Show Continues To Innovate
Source: Farm Progress news release GRAND ISLAND, NEB. --Husker Harvest Days has set a new standard for agricultural events, delivering a comprehensive and interactive experience for farmers and ranchers. Over 27,000 people used the new online registration system for the 2024 show in Grand Island, Nebraska, reflecting the event's significance [...]
John Deere’s See & Spray Customers See 59% Average Herbicide Savings In 2024
Source: John Deere news release OLATHE, Kansas -- John Deere (NYSE: DE) announced its See & Spray technology saved farmers an estimated 8 million gallons of herbicide mix on more than 1 million acres applied during the 2024 growing season, delivering both cost savings and improved sustainability. To put that [...]
USDA Launches Network To Support Financially Distressed Farmers And Ranchers
Source: USDA news release Saratoga Springs, N.Y., -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing the launch of the Distressed Borrowers Assistance Network, an initiative designed to provide personalized support to financially distressed farmers and ranchers across the nation. Through a series of Cooperative Agreements, this national network will [...]
GROWMARK Acquirer’s Stake In Sixth Largest Ethanol Producer Big River Resources
Source: GROWMARK sent via AgPR--the news distribution service for agriculture BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - GROWMARK has made an investment in Big River Resources LLC, an ethanol production company, headquartered in West Burlington, Iowa, effective September 18. GROWMARK CEO Mark Orr says GROWMARK believes ethanol will continue to be a strong driver [...]
Fed Cuts Interest Rates, Could Provide Some Relief For Ag
By Ryan Hanrahan, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project Reuters' Howard Schneider and Ann Saphir reported that "the Federal Reserve cut interest rates by half of a percentage point on Wednesday, kicking off what is expected to be a steady easing of monetary policy with a larger-than-usual reduction in borrowing costs [...]
Loss of U.S. Farmland In The 21st Century
By Carl Zulauf, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, Ohio State University and Gary Schnitkey, Jonathan Coppess and Nick Paulson, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois One of the widely-watched variables tracked by the US Census of Agriculture is land in farms. This article is the [...]
AM Radio Bill For Every Vehicle Moves To House’s Floor
National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) reports: Efforts to keep AM radio in the dashboards of U.S. vehicles have taken a step forward in the House. The House Energy and Commerce Committee voted 45-2 to send the proposed AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act to the full House for a [...]
Seed Sector Reports Breakthroughs In Crop Breeding Will Boost Food Security
Source: International Seed Federation news release Nyon Switzerland -- New plant breeding breakthroughs to accelerate the development of improved crop seeds are likely in the next 10 to 20 years, according to a survey of the global seed sector. More than 90 per cent of seed sector insiders surveyed expected [...]
Environmental Working Groups Sue Tyson Over Deceptive “Net-zero” And “Climate-Smart” Marketing Claims
Source: Environmental Working Group news release WASHINGTON, D.C. - An environmental and consumer organization filed a lawsuit today against Tyson Foods, Inc., the second largest meat company in the U.S. and the world, accusing the company of making "false or misleading" marketing claims targeting D.C. consumers concerned about climate change. [...]
Interest Rate Adjustments Expected At Challenging Time For Ag
BrownfieldAgNews reports: The chief economist at Farmer Mac says there should be immediate relief for production credits when the Federal Reserve lowers interest rates. Jackson Takach says the cost of production credits should decline 1:1. "We see over the course of the next 24 months there's an expectation of almost [...]
Planting Machinery Market To Surpass $34.7 Billion By 2032
Source: Global Market Insights The global planting machinery market is poised for substantial growth, with projections indicating that it will exceed USD 34.7 billion by 2032. This surge is largely driven by technological advancements, the increasing need for sustainable farming practices, and rising global demand for food. As the world [...]
Judge Dismiss Lawsuit Accusing Bayer, BASF And Corteva To Fix Prices
Reuters reports: St. Louis, MO - A U.S. judge has dismissed a lawsuit accusing agriculture giants Bayer, Corteva, Syngenta and others of conspiring with wholesalers and retail outlets to fix prices for seeds and crop protection chemicals, causing farmers to pay higher prices. St. Louis-based U.S. District Judge Sarah Pitlyk [...]
China’s Economic Slowdown To Impact Global Ag Markets
TheDailyScoop reports: China's economic slowdown is leading to a significant impact on global agricultural markets, as the country's grain reserves swell and demand decreases, Bloomberg reports. This is causing concern for farmers worldwide, as China has long been a major customer. The effects are already visible, with declining French barley [...]
John Deere Has Added “Repair-Related” Items To Its Product Manuals
Source: National Agricultural Law Center John Deere has inserted language into 556 of its product manuals recognizing an equipment owner's right to select a mechanic of their choosing to repair their equipment's emissions control device. Last fall, following a warning from the EPA, John Deere recalled and combed through 2,406 [...]
In-Depth Look At How Tariffs Impact U.S. Agricultural Producers
By Sandro Steinbach, Yasin Yildirim and Carlos Zurita, Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics, North Dakota State University Protectionist policies are once again threatening to reshape agricultural trade, as the U.S. administration escalated tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EV) in May 2024, echoing the actions of its predecessor. Presidential hopefuls [...]
Each Presidential Candidate Responses To Issues Impacting Ag Producers
Source: American Farm Bureau Federation news release Washington, DC -- For more than 40 years, Farm Bureau has asked every presidential candidate to provide responses to issues likely to impact and affect farmers and ranchers and rural communities in the next 4 years. Both Vice President Kamala Harris and former [...]
California, Texas & Iowa Lead Nation In Most Farm Operations With Renewable Energy Systems
Source: USDA news release Across the United States, 8 percent of farms and ranches (153,101 out of 1.9 million) had renewable energy systems in 2022, according to data from the 2022 Census of Agriculture. This was an increase from 7 percent of farms and ranches reporting renewables in the 2017 [...]
Gevo Acquires North Dakota’s Red Trail Energy For $210 Million
Source: Gevo news release ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Gevo, Inc. (NASDAQ: GEVO), a leading developer of net-zero hydrocarbon fuels and chemicals, is pleased to announce that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the ethanol production plant and carbon capture and sequestration ("CCS") assets of Red Trail Energy, LLC [...]
USDA Forecasts U.S. Corn Production Down, Soybean And Cotton Production Up
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON - Corn production is down, while soybean and cotton production is up from 2023, according to the Crop Production report issued today by USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Corn production is down 1% from last year, forecast at 15.2 billion bushels; soybean growers are [...]
EPA Responds To Industry Concerns With Risk Assessment Methodologies
Source: Agriculture Retailers Association's news release Toward the end of July, ARA joined an agricultural industry coalition letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) outlining concerns with the agency's process for assessing potential risks that pose to endangered species and their critical habitats. EPA has now responded to the [...]
Soybeans And Wheat Led U.S. Agricultural Exports To Southeast Asia In 2023
Source: USDA news release Southeast Asia is the third largest regional market for U.S. agricultural exports, behind North America and East Asia. In 2023, U.S. agricultural exports to Southeast Asia totaled about $12.9 billion, with soybean products, wheat, cotton, and distillers' grains making up more than half. Soybeans and their [...]
U.S. Tractor And Combine Sales Down 19% Over Prior Year
Agri Marketing magazine reports: According to the Association of Equipment Manufacturer's monthly "Flash Report," total sales of all U.S. tractors during August 2024 were 16,831, down 19% from 2023. For the month, two-wheel drive smaller tractors (under 40 HP) were down 22% from last year, while 40 & under 100 [...]
Top Ag Organizations’ CEO Compensation
Source: Agri Marketing magazine Agri-Pulse has issued its annual listing of the compensation and benefits received by the top officers in the Agricultural, Biofuel and Food Industry trade organizations. The compensation total includes base pay, bonuses, deferred compensation and any additional annual compensation Those of highest interest to agri-marketers include [...]
Deere To Pay SEC $10 Million Settling Its Case Of Bribery From Its Thai Unit
By Sabela Ojea, Dow Jones Agricultural machinery manufacturer Deere & Company has agreed to pay $10 million to the Securities and Exchange Commission to resolve charges from alleged bribes paid by its subsidiary Wirtgen Thailand. From at least late 2017 to 2020, employees of the subsidiary bribed the Thai government [...]
Bunge Launches Exchange Offers To Begin Its Process Of Buying Viterra
by Feed & Grain Times editors Bunge Global SA announced today the commencement of exchange offers and consent solicitations as part of its ongoing acquisition of Viterra Limited. The process, led by Bunge's subsidiary, Bunge Limited Finance Corp. (BLFC), involves exchanging existing Viterra notes for new notes issued by BLFC [...]
Donโt Let Crown Rot Haunt Your Cornfields This Fall
Source: AgriGold news release Ghost plants are popping up in fields around the Midwest, signaling crown rot could cause headaches at harvest. WESTFIELD, Ind. -- Ghost plants have been popping up in fields since August, a spooky sign crown rot could haunt cornfields this fall. These "ghosts" refer to a [...]
Increased Input Quality Has Contributed To Output Growth In U.S. Farm Sector
Source: USDA news release Over time, the inputs used in producing the U.S. farm outputs have shifted from land (categorized as part of capital) and labor toward intermediate inputs, such as fertilizers, pesticides, energy, and purchased services. Meanwhile, the quality of agricultural inputs has improved in all three categories--labor, capital [...]
USDA, Nat’l Farmers Union Sign MOU For County Services To Provide More Service
NFU President Rob Larew Agri-Pulse reports: The National Farmers Union and USDA will work together to improve customer service at Farm Service Agency county offices, according to a Memorandum of Understanding signed Monday. "Demand for FSA program assistance remains high and continues to grow, making it more difficult for existing [...]
United States And Brazil Compete As Top Global Cotton Exporter
Source: USDA news release The United States has been the leading raw cotton exporter to the world virtually every year for more than 100 years. Leading export nation status was relinquished by the United States just a few times over the last century, most recently to Uzbekistan in the 1992/93 [...]
Nat’l Sorghum Producers Launch Webinar “Essentials of Sorghum Crop Insurance”
Source: National Sorghum Producers National Sorghum Producers launched this week an educational webinar series titled "Essentials of Sorghum Crop Insurance, Innovation and Economic Opportunities that Lie Ahead." This series is designed to provide sorghum producers with critical insights into the latest enhancements and opportunities within sorghum crop insurance, climate-smart practices [...]
Trends In Seed Corn Plants Per Acre In The Midwest
by Michael Langemeier, Center for Commercial Agriculture, Purdue University Trends in seed costs are driven by both changes in seed prices and changes in corn plant populations. This article examines trends in corn plant populations in Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana. In addition, this article examines the proportion of seed costs [...]
USDA Forecasts Net Farm Income To Fall Further In 2024
Source: USDA USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS) forecasts inflation-adjusted U.S. net cash farm income (NCFI), defined as gross cash income minus cash expenses, will decrease by $16.3 billion (9.6 percent) to $154.1 billion in 2024. This would come after an NCFI decrease of $52.9 billion (23.7 percent) in 2023 from [...]
Farmers Nat’l Co. On Navigating Uncertainty In Agriculture
By Chanda Scheuring, ASM, West Central Region, Farmers National Company In my decade-plus career at Farmers National Company, I've often said, "If only I had a crystal ball." We are entering a bit of uncertainty in the agriculture industry this fall. Commodity markets have declined while interest rates, real estate [...]
U Of IL And Ohio State Issues Report “Setting 2025 Cash Rents”
By Gary Schnitkey, Nick Paulson, and Jim Baltz, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois and Carl Zulauf, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics. Ohio State University We present information helpful in evaluating cash rent levels for the 2025 production year (see farmdoc daily, July 30, 2024). [...]
New Report Shows Hunger In The U.S. Up 6%
Agri-Pulse reports: Some 13.5% of U.S. households had trouble getting enough food in 2023, up from 12.8% the year before, as food insecurity among Americans continued to rise, USDA reported Wednesday. The food insecurity rate had jumped even more in 2022, rising from 10.2% in 2021. That was the largest [...]
Southwest Airlines Unit SAFFiRE To Build Ethanol Plant In Kansas, Will Manufacture SAS
Kyleen ScottVIPs at the SAFFiRE Renewables Biofuel pilot plant groundbreaking ceremony Aug. 28 in Liberal, Kansas. From left: Kansas Representative Tracy Mann, Kansas Senator Jerry Moran, SAFFiRE CEO Tom Nealon, Conestoga CEO Tom Willis, Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor, Federal Aviation Administration Central Region Deputy Regional Administrator, Debra Sanning, U.S. [...]
Brazil Soy Planting Growth Slowing, Argentina Accelerating
Source: Family Policy News news release Argentina could see the largest expansion of soybean planting in more than a decade in the 2024-25 planting season, while Brazil's soybean plantings are expected to grow at the slowest pace in a decade during the same time frame. Reuters' Maximilian Heath reported that [...]
CropX And CNH Announce Digital Connection For Sustainable Precision Farming
Source: CropX news release SAN FRANCISCO -- CropX Ltd., a global leader in digital agriculture solutions, and CNH Industrial N.V (NYSE: CNH), a leading manufacturer of agricultural machinery and technology, announce a new application programming interface (API) connection between the CropX agronomic farm management system and Case IH and New [...]
USDA Issues Crop Conditions Report: 65% Corn And Soybean Good To Excellent
BrownfieldAgNews reports: U.S. corn and soybean development remains at or ahead of normal. While that follows another week of mixed, but generally favorable, weather in much of the Midwest and Plains, there are some concerns that dry weather in parts of the region could trim yields. The USDA says 90% [...]
Producer Sentiment Falls In August
by James Mintert and Michael Langemeier, Purdue Center for Commercial Agriculture In a sharp turnaround from July, farmer sentiment nose-dived in August. The August Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer fell 13 points vs. July, leaving the index at 100, while the Index of Current Conditions fell 17 points to [...]
Hertz Farm Management’s President On Why Farmland Prices Remain High
by Doug Hensley, President, Hertz Farm Management The farmland market across Iowa (and the Midwest) is resilient. As we've watched the grain markets grind lower almost all year -- to below breakeven levels -- we have not yet seen land prices retreat in a similar way. Certainly, land sales are [...]
Panama Canal Shipping Volume Back To Normal Following Slow Down From Water Shortage
Ship transiting the Panama Canal. Courtesy of Delmy Salin, USDA. By Ryan Hanrahan, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project Bloomberg's Michael D McDonald reported on Tuesday that "the Panama Canal is lifting restrictions that caused a global shipping bottleneck as water levels normalize after a severe drought." "The Panama Canal Authority [...]
Koch Completes Its $3.6 Billion Acquisition Of Iowa Fertilizer Co.
by Donelle Eller, Des Moines Register Koch Inc. says it's completed the controversial $3.6 billion purchase of the Iowa Fertilizer Co., a project in southeast Iowa built with millions of dollars in government incentives. Koch Ag & Energy Solutions, a Koch subsidiary, said Thursday it had bought the plant near [...]
Favorite Finds At The Farm Progress Show
Source: Farm Progress The 2024 Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa, was a hot one, but editors still made their way to every booth, display and exhibit on the grounds. The New Products Team of editors found hundreds of helpful farm products to feature and share over the next few [...]
USDA Updates Its Guidance On Marketing Claims Made By Meat Companies
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today the availability of an updated guideline that makes recommendations to strengthen the documentation that supports animal-raising or environment-related claims on meat or poultry product labeling. Today's action builds on the significant work USDA has already undertaken [...]
Retail Beef Prices Soar to Record Highs, Why Aren’t Cattlemen Expanding?
by Bernt Nelson, Economist, American Farm Bureau Federation USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS) reported record retail beef prices for the month of July, with the all fresh value of beef estimated at $8.15 per pound (Figure 1). This marks the first time in history the national average price for all [...]
USDA Launches Online Debt Consolidation Tool
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON, - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing the launch of the Debt Consolidation Tool, an innovative online tool available through farmers.gov that allows agricultural producers to enter their farm operating debt and evaluate the potential savings that might be provided by obtaining a [...]
U.S. Soybean Export Sales Drop To Historic Low, But A Rebound Could Be Coming
Source: CoBank news release DENVER -- Global demand for U.S. soybeans has fallen sharply as international buyers remain discouraged by a strong dollar, slowing economic growth and uncertainty over the direction of U.S. trade policy in an election year. Export sales of new-crop soybeans are historically low as the U.S. [...]
Ethanol Production, Stocks Down On Week, Up On Year
BrownfieldAgNews reports: U.S. ethanol production dipped last week. The U.S. Energy Information Administration says production averaged 1.071 million barrels a day, down 27,000 on the week, but up 64,000 on the year. That year-to-year increase in production is driven by demand expectations and producer margins. Iowa State University's Center for [...]
USDA Partners With Farmers To Expand Domestic Fertilizer Production
Source: USDA news release BOONE, IA, - At the annual Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that USDA is partnering with American business owners to expand innovative domestic fertilizer production, creating jobs in rural communities and strengthening local economies. The [...]
Updated Guideline To Strengthen Meat And Poultry Label Documentation
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON, - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today the availability of an updated guideline that makes recommendations to strengthen the documentation that supports animal-raising or environment-related claims on meat or poultry product labeling. Today's action builds on the significant work USDA has already undertaken [...]
AGCO Brings Its Fendt 600 Vario Tractor Line To North America
Source: AGCO news release DULUTH, Ga. -- AGCO Corporation (NYSE:AGCO), a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of agricultural machinery and precision ag technology, today introduced its AE50 award-winning Fendt 600 Vario Series tractor to North America. Offering superior maneuverability and a completely new generation of Fendt's innovative [...]
Second Man Indicted In North Carolina Cattle-Theft Case
Source: AGDAILY A federal grand jury in Charlotte, North Carolina, has indicted a 40-year-old man from Muenster, Texas, in a $780,000 livestock theft scheme. He is the second person who has been charged in this case. Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, said that [...]
Meristem Announces Carbon Intensity Calculator
Source: Meristem sent via AgPR--the news distribution service for agriculture COLUMBUS, Ohio - A new no-cost carbon calculator - allowing American farmers to anonymously measure the Carbon Intensity (CI) of their farm operations -- was officially released here today by Meristem Crop Performance. "We want to help American farmers understand [...]
Iowa’s Landus Co-op Introduces Farmer-Focused Health Coverage Option Programs
Source: Landus news release DES MOINES, IA - Landus an Iowa-based agriculture solutions company, today announced new farmer-focused health coverage options through Landus Health and Conduit Health. This unprecedented initiative, powered by Momentum Ag, a Division of Patriot Growth Insurance Services, LLC, will provide comprehensive coverage through a nationwide provider [...]
Soil Intelligence Providers EarthOptics And Pattern Ag To Merge
Source: joint company news release ARLINGTON, VA and EMERYVILLE, CA - EarthOptics and Pattern Ag have merged, creating a category leader in soil digitization to power advanced crop management and climate sustainability. The newly combined soil intelligence company will be the authoritative source of soil insights and the leader in [...]
Map Showing How Cover Crops Are Harvested
Source: USDA news release Researchers with USDA, Economic Research Service (ERS) examined cover crop use by cow-calf operations and found that more than half of producers who planted cover crops reported harvesting at least some of them. Harvesting cover crops on cow-calf operations is more likely in the Mississippi Portal [...]
USDA Reports 65% Of The Corn, 67% Of Soybeans In Good To Excellent Condition
BrownfieldAgNews reports: Late U.S. corn and soybean development remains ahead of average. That followed another week of generally favorable conditions in much of the Midwest and Plains, with some areas expected to see some stress this week from hot, mostly dry conditions, along the potential for severe storms. The USDA [...]
USDA To Begin Testing Beef For Bird Flu
Reuters reports: The U.S. Department of Agriculture said last week it will expand bird-flu testing of beef entering the food supply as part of its response to the ongoing outbreak among dairy cattle, adding that U.S. beef and dairy products remain safe to consume. USDA officials, in a call with [...]
USDA Reports Turkey Producers To Hatch Historically Low Number Of Eggs
Source: USDA news release Inventories of turkey eggs in incubators--an indicator of the number of market birds that will be marketable in about five months--fell to their lowest level since 1988 on June 1, 2024, with 22.8 million eggs. Placements of newly hatched birds (called "poults") in facilities to be [...]
Alamo Group To Close Its Illinois Manufacturing Facility
Source: WCIA TV (Champaign, IL) Alamo Group alerted employees at its RhinoAg facility in Gibson City, Ill., on Aug. 20, that it will consolidate operations with the Bush Hog facility in Selma, Ala., by the end of March 2025, reports WCIA 3 News. Along with the closing, employees will be [...]
USDA Study Shows The Value Of Livestock Grazing
Source: Public Lands Council news release WASHINGTON - A Study from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) has once again confirmed the value of livestock grazing as a tool to protect western rangelands from devastating wildfire. The Public Lands Council (PLC), which represents ranchers who hold federal [...]
2024 Democratic Platform Includes Right To Repair Clause
Source: National Agricultural Law Center In the 2024 Democratic Party Platform highlighted during this week's Democratic National Committee convention, Democrats have focused on right to repair, saying that Democrats will work to provide farmers the ability to repair their agricultural equipment. Over the last few years, various Democrat-led states including [...]
Canadian Railroads Resume Operations As Employees Are Ordered Back To Work
By Josh Fund and Rob Gillies, Associated Press J TORONTO -- The Canadian arbitrator appointed to resolve a messy railroad labor dispute to protect the North American economy has ordered employees at the country's two major railroads back to work so both can resume operating. Saturday's order means Canadian National [...]
Pro Farmer Release Its Final Corn And Soybean Yield Estimates
By AgWeb.com Editors For four days this past week, more than 100 crop scouts sampled 2,000 to 3,000 fields in seven Midwest states as part of the one-of-a-kind Pro Farmer Crop Tour. Building on the boots-on-the-ground data and observations, Pro Farmer considers crop maturity and historical differences in Crop Tour [...]
Pro Farmer Reports The Results Of Its Crop Tour Day 2
By Rhonda Brooks, Farm Journal As Day 2 of the 32nd Pro Farmer Crop Tour wrapped up on Tuesday, Indiana and Nebraska corn and soybean yield estimates were coming in at higher levels than scouts saw in either state a year ago. The results from day 2 were released Tuesday [...]
Ag Retailers Assn Issues Statement On Final EPA Herbicide Strategy
Source: Agricultural Retailers Association news release ARLINGTON, Va. - The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) Senior Vice President of Public Policy & Counsel Richard Gupton released a statement in response to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's final Herbicide Strategy released today. "ARA plans to review the EPA's final Herbicide Strategy issued [...]
EPA Finalizes Strategy To Protect 900 Endangered Species From Herbicides
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency news release WASHINGTON - Yesterday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released its final Herbicide Strategy, an unprecedented step in protecting over 900 federally endangered and threatened (listed) species from the potential impacts of herbicide, which are chemicals used to control weeds. EPA will use the [...]
Illinois Scientists To Revamp Corn Breeding With Focus On Climate Resilience
From left: Chris Mujjabi and Martin Bohn Source: University of Illinois news release URBANA, Ill. -- The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture is investing in University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign research that could expedite the development of climate-resilient corn. The three-year, $720,000 project adds greater detail to the process [...]
Corteva, Workers Settle Chemical Spraying Lawsuit
by Jennifer Bamberg, Investigate Midwest A group of migrant agricultural workers who say they were sprayed with pesticides while working in a central Illinois cornfield in 2019 reached a confidential settlement late last month with Corteva and its Johnston-based subsidiary, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, ending a three-year lawsuit with the seed [...]
Iowa Ag Secretary Naig Announces Another Record Year For Conservation In The State
Source: Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship news release AMES, Iowa - Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, working with Iowa's 100 Soil and Water Conservation Districts and farmers and landowners, again shattered a record for conservation and water [...]
USDA Release Report Showing Cover Crop Adoption By Rental Terms
Source: USDA news release The rates of adoption for cover crops vary across regions and the way land is managed. To illustrate this, researchers with USDA, Economic Research Service (ERS) depicted the geographic variation of survey data collected for corn-growing fields in 2021. Land in the Heartland region had adoption [...]
Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar Receives Nat’l Corn Growers Assn’s President’s Award
Source: National Corn Growers Association news release The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) recognized Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) with its prestigious President's Award today during its summer Corn Congress meeting in Washington, D.C. "Sen. Klobuchar is a tireless advocate for corn growers," said Minnesota farmer and NCGA President Harold Wolle. [...]
New Iowa State Publication Allows Users To Compare Their Use Of Nitrogen With Others
By Cheyenne Kramer, Farm Journal A new publication from Iowa State University researchers shares the average nitrogen use efficiencies (NUE) on a county-by-county basis in Iowa - allowing farmers and agronomists to compare their fields to those surrounding it. A field's NUE - the pounds of nitrogen applied per bushel [...]
Pro Farmer Reports The Results Of Its Crop Tour, Day 1
By Tyne Morgan, Farm Journal The 32nd Pro Farmer Crop Tour kicked off on Monday with nearly 100 scouts in South Dakota and Ohio. The results from day 1 were released Monday night, with South Dakota and Ohio's corn yield estimate coming in lower than what scouts found last year. [...]
Ag Industry Prepares For Canadian Railroad Strike
By Monique Mulima, Bloomberg The two largest Canadian railroad companies are set to shut down operations Thursday if no agreement is reached with their union workers, as industries brace for billions of dollars in losses. Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. issued lockout notices to a [...]
Rebuilding The U.S. Beef Cow Herd Expected To Take Years
Source: CoBank news release DENVER -- The U.S. beef cow inventory has fallen to its lowest level in more than 60 years, as cow-calf operators have faced weather-damaged forage, expensive feed and historically high calf prices. Steadily shrinking beef supplies have disrupted cattle markets in recent years and led to [...]
U.S. Likely Undercounting Bird Flu Cases In Dairy Cattle, 192 Herds To Date
By Ryan Hanrahan, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project Reuters' Leah Douglas and Tom Polansek reported Thursday that "the U.S. bird-flu outbreak in dairy cattle is much larger than official figures suggest due to farmers' reluctance to test their animals and risk the economic consequences of a positive result, according to [...]
Bayer’s Stock Price Surges Upward Following Court’s Ruling
By Louis Goss, Dow Jones Bayer AG shares surged up to 12% Friday on news it had won a key victory in a U.S. court that should limit its liability in relation to a series of lawsuits over claims that the popular weed killer Roundup causes cancer. The Third Circuit, [...]
Fertilizer Prices Continue To Decline, Half What They Were In 2022
by Todd Neeley, DTN DTNThe average price of anhydrous dropped by 4% during the first week of August, leading the prices of all eight fertilizers tracked by DTN downward. LINCOLN, Neb. -- The average retail price of all eight fertilizers tracked by DTN continued to decline during the first week [...]
Meat Institute: Harris Proposal On Price Gouging Misses The Mark
Source: Meat Institute news release WASHINGTON, DC - The Meat Institute issued the following statement from Meat Institute President and CEO, Julie Anna Potts, in response to news reporting of a Harris Campaign proposal to place a federal ban on price gouging:"Consumers have been impacted by high prices due to [...]
Truterra Launches Carbon Program For Dairy Producers
Source: Truterra news release Arden Hills, Minn. - Truterra, a leading agricultural sustainability business that works with farmers to help improve the environmental impact of agricultural production while working to create incremental financial benefits for famers, today announced its first-ever programs specifically for dairy producers. The 2024 Truterra dairy soils [...]
9 Months: Deere’s Revenues Down 11%, Net Income Down 25%: $5.9 Billion
Source: John Deere news release MOLINE, Illinois -- Deere & Company reported net income of $1.734 billion for the third quarter ended July 28, 2024, or $6.29 per share, compared with net income of $2.978 billion, or $10.20 per share, for the quarter ended July 30, 2023. For the first [...]
Bayer Wins Appeal In Roundup Lawsuit, May Send The Case To The Supreme Court
By Jonathan Stempel, Reuters Bayer (BAYGn.DE), won a legal victory in its fight to limit liability from claims that its Roundup weed killer causes cancer, as a U.S. appeals court on Thursday said federal law shields the German company from a lawsuit by a Pennsylvania landscaper. The 3rd U.S. Circuit [...]
Agrion Plans To Build 10 New Fertilizer Plants In Brazil
Source: Agrion news release Agrion Fertilizers and the American manager Pegasus Capital Partners sealed an investment agreement that could reach up to R$ 50 million. The resources, from Global Fund for Coral Reefs, will be used to build ten new special fertilizer factories and to develop other products. The main [...]
CLAAS And Its Dealer Butler Machinery Co. Announce Transition Plans In Dakotas
Source: CLAAS news release Omaha, NE; Fargo, ND -- CLAAS and long-time combine dealer, Butler Machinery Company, will be starting another chapter in a professional journey that has lasted more than 25 years. The joint transition plan laid out by the OEM and current dealer features a "long runway" to [...]
Case IH Expands Its Product, Tech Offerings To Enhance Operator Experience And Accuracy
The addition of Soil Command factory-fit on select VT-Flex 435 and Speed-Tiller 475 and release of Case IH Active Implement Guidance kits provide farmers with more data and automation to boost productivity. Source: Case IH news release Racine, WI -- Case IH is announcing new precision tech offerings that not [...]
New Soybean Yield Record Set: 218 Bushels Per Acre
Photo by Farm JournalโYou hope and you can tell a field is going to be special,โ Harrell says. โBut 218? Iโm overwhelmed.โ by Chris Bennett, Farm Journal At a freakish 218.2856 bushels per acre, Alex Harrell fired the soybean shot heard round the farm world. Mind-blowing yield. On Aug. 13, [...]
Prairie Meadow Casino Donates $470,000 Grant To Create Wetlands In Iowa
Source: Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance news release DES MOINES, Iowa -- Prairie Meadows Casino just announced that four Central Iowa wetlands projects will get a $470,000 Legacy Grant to support water quality, habitat, and conservation education. Ducks Unlimited is leading the grant, collaborating with Polk County Public Works, Polk County [...]
California May Cap Credits For Soy Or Canola-Based Renewable Diesel
Agri-Pulse reports: The California Air Resources Board is proposing to cap the amount of renewable diesel made from soybean or canola oil that would qualify for the state's low carbon fuel standard. CARB's proposed amendments to rules for the California LCFS also would require feedstocks such as soybeans to be [...]
“Ag Biologicals: Revisiting Farmer Value, Perception and Potential” Study Results
Source: Stratovation Group sent via AgPR--the news distribution service for agriculture COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Signifying that agricultural biologicals continue to be a rapidly growing platform, row crop farmers report their use of the innovative crop inputs increased by 8 percentage points over the last two years. Broad awareness of biologicals [...]
EPA Senior Advisor Rod Snyder Steps Down
BrownfieldAgNews reports: Rod SnyderThe Senior Advisor for Agriculture to the Administrator of EPA is stepping down. Rod Snyder announced his resignation Monday, telling Agri-Pulse he does not have specific plans for his next career move. House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member David Scott says for nearly two decades, Snyder has kept [...]
AgriGold To Release 21 New Corn Hybrids For 2025 Planting
Source: AgriGold news release AgriGold's A631-08VT2RIB has eye-catching, stay-green qualities late in the season. WESTFIELD, Ind. -- Every product that makes the AgriGold seed bag is backed by rigorous testing, world-class genetics and 'boots on the ground' experience. AgriGold's standards are high and its focus on strategic seed placement and [...]
CHS And Railway Operator Rumo To Build Grain And Fertilizer Terminal In Brazil
CHS is joining Brazilian railway operator Rumo to build and operate a port terminal for grains and fertilizers at the Port of Santos, Brazil. Photo: DP World. Source: CHS news release CHS Inc., the largest farmer-owned cooperative in the United States, has established an agreement with Brazilian railway operator Rumo [...]
Ag Economists Calculate Crop Revenue Insurance Payment Scenarios For Corn And Soybeans
By Nick Paulson, and Gary Schnitkey, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois and Carl Zulauf, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, Ohio State University A recent farmdoc daily article discussed the increasing pessimism surrounding corn and soybean return prospects for the current 2024 crop year (see [...]
Iowa State Fair’s Big Boar Champion Weighs In At 1,420 Pounds
by Mark Magnuson, Iowa Agribusiness radio Network The Big Boar competition is one of the fan favorite livestock events at the Iowa State Fair each year. This year's winner, Finnegan, weighed in at a staggering 1,420 lbs on Monday. Finnegan weighed in as the heaviest of the seven hogs competing. [...]
U.S. Pork Exports Show Continued Growth
Source: Pork Checkoff 2024 pork exports have shown the ongoing strength of U.S. pork in global markets and highlighted areas of continued opportunity for growth. June Highlights: Korea: Exports increased 20% to 17,327 mt, with a 30% increase in value to $64.2 million. U.S. market share in Korea rose from [...]
Farmland Values And Cropland Cash Rents Reach Record Levels Amid Falling Commodity Prices
by Daniel Munch, Economist, American Farm Bureau Federation Agricultural land values increased by $200 an acre over last year, according to USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. The Land Values 2024 Summary report, released on August 2, shows a 5% increase to an average $4,170 per acre. This follows a 6.7%, [...]
Growth Of Products Being Used To Create BioDiesel
Source: USDA news release U.S. Federal and State policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions have encouraged the production of biofuels, which are derived from crops, vegetable oils, and animal fats. One type of biofuel is biomass-based diesel, which includes mainly biodiesel and renewable diesel. With expansion of the Renewable [...]
Farm Bankruptcies Downโฆ For Now Anyway
by Samantha Ayoub, Economics Intern, American Farm Bureau Federation Chapter 12 Bankruptcy provides family farmers with flexibility to carry on normal business operations while making reasonable payments towards their debt load, even when facing the risk and uncertainty of agricultural production. The measure was introduced into law as a temporary [...]
How Much And Where Ag Land Has Been Lost To Development
by Mujahidul Islam, Ani Katchova and Carl Zulauf, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, Ohio State University Conversion of agricultural land to developed land during the 21st Century in eight Midwestern states is examined. This loss of agricultural land to development is a long-standing topic of discussion at the [...]
Soy Checkoff Invests In The Future Of Soybean Meal Exports
Source: United Soybean Board news release St. Louis, MO -- A step toward enhancing infrastructure in the Pacific Northwest is officially underway thanks to a soy checkoff investment from the half-million U.S. soybean farmers. On July 30, 2024, the United Soybean Board (USB), along with the Soy Transportation Coalition, Iowa [...]
Farmer Sentiment Improves Despite Financial Performance Concerns
by James Mintert and Michael Langemeier, Purdue Center for Commercial Agriculture, Purdue University All three broad-based measures of farmer sentiment improved in July. The Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer Index rose 8 points to 113. At the same time, the Index of Current Conditions increased by 10 points to [...]
USDA Reports Wind Energy Development Is Located Mostly On Cropland, Pasture
Source: USDA news release Researchers with USDA, Economic Research Service (ERS) studied the land cover associated with 34,073 wind turbines installed on rural land between 2012 and 2020. Nationwide, they found that around 96 percent of wind turbines were installed on cropland (56 percent) or pasture-rangeland (40 percent). In the [...]
Google’s Antitrust Ruling
By Matthew Barakat and Michael Liedtke, AP WASHINGTON -- A judge on Monday ruled that Google's ubiquitous search engine has been illegally exploiting its dominance to squash competition and stifle innovation in a seismic decision that could shake up the internet and hobble one of the world's best-known companies. The [...]
FFA Membership Tops 1 Million For The First Time, 9% Increase Over Last Year
by Riley Smith, Iowa AgriBusiness Radio Network The National FFA Organization has reached a record-breaking milestone of more than one million members. The current membership number is 1,027,273, up 8.6 percent from last year. National FFA, a nationally recognized school-based student leadership development organization, says states that have shown the [...]
USDA Reports 67% Of Corn, 68% Of Soybeans In Good To Excellent Condition
BrownfieldAgNews reports: The USDA reports another week of modest changes for the national corn and soybean condition ratings. That continues the growing season's story of generally favorable conditions in parts of the region against at least some crop stress in other areas. As of Sunday, 67% of the U.S. corn [...]
Deere’s Reduced Production Now Impacting Its Suppliers
by Kevin Baskins, Des Moines Register Gates Corp. has announced it will be closing its Newton facility in November, laying off 41 workers. The closure was posted on Iowa's Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification, or WARN, site. No reason was given for the closure, but Gates, a manufacturer of power [...]
Farm Journal’s AgriTalk Radio Program Celebrates 30 Years Of Serving Agriculture
Source: Farm Journal news release Lenexa, Kan., - Last week marked three decades on air for "AgriTalk," the nation's first and only radio talk show focused entirely on agriculture and rural America. Debuting Aug. 1, 1994, as a single-hour program, "AgriTalk" is now hosted by Chip Flory and has evolved [...]
Increasing Pessimism About 2024 & 2025 Corn And Soybean Returns
by Gary Schnitkey, Nick Paulson, and Jim Baltz, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois,Bradley Zwilling, Illinois FBFM Association and Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois, Carl Zulauf, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, Ohio State University and Bob Rhea,Illinois FBFM Association Current levels [...]
Where Crop And Livestock Insurance Payouts Per Recipient Were Highest
Source: USDA news release Crop and livestock insurance payouts were substantially higher in the Great Plains and Mountain regions, according to data from the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service's 2022 Census of Agriculture. Over the period from 2017 to 2022, insurance payouts in these regions were mostly driven by losses [...]
U. Of Illinois’ Center For Digital Agriculture Unveils New Partnership Program With Industry
Source: University of Illinois The University of Illinois Center for Digital Agriculture (CDA) has launched a new partnership program for industry members to strengthen their ties to academia, technology, multidisciplinary research and professional development in a joint effort to tackle the globe's most pressing agricultural challenges. The CDA Industry Partner [...]
NOAA Reports “Dead Zone” In The Gulf Has Grown To The Size Of New Jersey
Agri-Pulse reports: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says this year's "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico, which is fed by nutrients that flow done the Mississippi River, is about the size of New Jersey. The 6,705-square mile area of low to no oxygen is the 12th-largest recorded in [...]
Ag Drone Developer Rantizo Connects Its AcreConnect With John Deere’s Operation Center
Source: Rantizo news release IOWA CITY, IA - Rantizo, the largest drone spraying network in the country, announces its proprietary AcreConnect productivity software is now connected with the John Deere Operations Center through the John Deere API services. This connection allows Rantizo to significantly enhance the value of AcreConnect by [...]
CDC Plans $10 Million Spend To Curb Human Bird Flu Infections
By Ryan Hanrahan, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project Reuters' Leah Douglas and Julie Steenhuysen reported Tuesday that "the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday it plans to spend $10 million to curb farm worker bird flu infections, including $5 million for seasonal flu vaccines, as part [...]
USDA Issues $2 Billion To 43,000 Farmers Claiming Discrimination
Agri-Pulse reports: USDA Sec'y Tom VilsackUSDA has issued one-time payments totaling about $2 billion to farmers, ranchers and forest landowners across the country who experienced discrimination in farm loan programs or did not receive equitable access to federal resources before the start of the Biden administration. The funds come from [...]
USDA Releases Food Price Outlook Report
Source: USDA news release The Food Price Outlook provides food price data and forecasts changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Producer Price Index (PPI) for food. To read entire report, Click Here
John Deere Executive Speaks To Staffing Changes, Relocating Cab Production
By Tyne Morgan, U.S. Farm Report John Deere recently laid off a significant number of salaried employees as part of the company's ongoing workforce reductions. The official number of layoffs is still unknown but are part of a broader trend of workforce reductions at John Deere, which have been ongoing [...]
USDA Reports The Majority Of Farms With Beef Cows Have Fewer Than 50 Cows
Source: USDA news release Beef cow-calf farms--operations that raise beef calves at least through weaning--are numerous in the United States, and most are relatively small. Data from USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2022 Census of Agriculture indicated that 55 percent of U.S. farms with beef cows had fewer than 20 [...]
USDA Reports 68% Of Corn And 67% Of Soybeans in Good To Excellent Condition
BrownfieldAgNews reports: There were slight changes to the USDA's national corn and soybean condition ratings over the past week. That followed another mixed week of weather in major U.S. growing areas. As of Sunday, 68% of U.S. corn is called good to excellent, up 1% on the week, with 77% [...]
Pork Industry Exaggerating Impact Of Prop 12
By Wayne Parcelle, former president of the Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS), now president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy as it ran in Agri-Pulse If you listen to the arguments from the National Pork Producers' Council you might think the entire U.S. pig [...]
USDA Announces Changes To Enhanced Coverage Option Crop Insurance Program
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON, - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced changes to the Enhanced Coverage Option (ECO) beginning with the 2025 crop year. USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA) is expanding coverage options to additional crops as well as increasing premium support to make the policy more affordable [...]
Midyear Inflation Below Historical Average For Most Food Categories
Source: USDA news release Retail food prices increased 0.9 percent in the first 6 months of 2024, lower than the midyear rate in 2023 (4.8 percent) and the 20-year average for midyear inflation from 2003 to 2022 (1.9 percent). Prices increased the most for sugar and sweets (2.7 percent) so [...]
EPA Issues Draft Strategy To Protect Species From Insecticides
Agri-Pulse reports: EPA proposed a strategy Thursday to reduce insecticide exposure to hundreds of federally listed endangered species that includes a wide range of mitigation measures addressing spray drift and erosion. The release of the draft comes days after 318 agricultural groups urged the agency to refine the way it [...]
USDA Reports Brazil Is Top Global Competitor For Cotton Exports
Source: USDA news release The United States has been the leading raw cotton exporter to the world virtually every year for more than 100 years. Leading export nation status was relinquished by the United States just a few times over the last century, most recently to Uzbekistan in the 1992/93 [...]
Investment In AgTech Startups Is Increasing
by Kyle Welborn, Managing Director, Yield Lab as it appeared in CropLife magazine Last quarter, our analysis of Crunchbase data shows 190 AgTech startups raised a total of $1.6B. This represents a 15% increase in funding while the number of deals stayed flat from Q1 2024. There were six AgTech [...]
Department Of Defense Backs Off Feeding Lab-Grown Protein
Source: National Cattlemen's Beef Association news release WASHINGTON - Yesterday, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) confirmed that efforts to prevent ultra-processed, lab-grown protein from showing up in the diet of the American armed forces were successful, following news that the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is not pursuing lab-grown [...]
Kynetec Provides Data Insights And A Look At The Future Of Crop Protection Industry
Source: Kynetec news release Kynetec's Dr Nomman Ahmed recently presented "Development Trends and Prospects of the Global Agrochemical Market" at the 2024 China Pesticide Exporting Workshop (CPEW) in Hangzhou, China. Dr Ahmed, Executive Director, Global Practice Advanced Analytics & sigma at Kynetec says "The global crop protection market is dynamic [...]
โHeading Into A Perfect Stormโ: Panel Warns Congress Of Farm Economy Cliff
Source: House Committee on Agriculture WASHINGTON, DC -- Yesterday, a panel of witnesses before the House Committee on Agriculture--including producers, a lender, an input supplier, and Extension economist--warned of the dire outlook facing our agricultural supply chain. Plummeting crop prices, escalating input costs, worsening credit conditions, and sustained natural disasters [...]
USDA Reports Solar Projects Are Located Mostly On Agricultural Land
Source: USDA news release More than 70 percent of large-scale, commercial solar development in rural areas occurred on agricultural land, either cropland or pasture-range land. Of the 3,177 solar projects installed between 2012 and 2020, the largest share was on cropland (43 percent). Another 28 percent of solar projects were [...]
23% Of The State’s Farmland Is Owned By Farmers
By Bradley Zwilling, Illinois FBFM Association and Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois Data from the Illinois Farm Business Farm Management (FBFM) Association provides insights into leasing arrangements in Illinois. Table 1 contains data summarized from Illinois grain farms enrolled in FBFM. These farms receive most of [...]
How Farmers Adjust Input Spending When Commodity Prices Fall
History repeats itself, not least in agricultural cycles. As we enter a lower-margin environment, decisions about input use become more pivotal. Herein lies the value of precedent, specifically the 2012/13 market downturn, for understanding how row crop farmers in the U.S. will react to lower agri commodity prices, and how [...]
Iowa State Releases Carbon Intensity Score Calculator
By Alejandro Plastina, Iowa State University Extension Economist The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 and the USDA Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities provide multiple pathways for farmers and ranchers to expand markets for America's Climate-Smart Commodities, leverage the greenhouse gas (GHG) benefits of Climate-Smart commodity production, and provide direct benefits [...]
Crop Protection Companies Utilize AI To Develop Products For Resistant Weeds
by Patrick Thomas, Wall Street Journal Farmers are aiming to add a high-tech tool in their never-ending battle against weeds: artificial intelligence. Farmers have been losing ground in a decadeslong fight against intruding plants that have developed resistance to many go-to chemical sprays. The world's biggest agriculture companies, including Bayer, [...]
Purdue Announces Its Annual “Sales Management & Leadership” Workshop
Source: Purdue University West Lafayette, IN -- A surprising 30% of ag salespeople report they never receive coaching. Sales coaching is an important aspect of sales management, yet many managers struggle to master effective coaching techniques. While they may excel as a sales rep, transitioning to a management position often [...]
Iowa State Researchers Find Possible Reason Dairy Cattle Are Being Infected With Avian Flu
By Brooklyn Draisey, Iowa Capitol Dispatch As avian influenza is being detected in more and more dairy herds across the U.S., Iowa State University researchers have found a possible "why" connection to the virus being found in raw milk. A study published this month by a team in ISU's College [...]
United Soybean Board Approves $173.8 Million Budget, Announces Its Priorities
United Soybean Board directors held their summer board meeting on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo Joseph L. Murphy/United Soybean Board) Source: United Soybean Board news release Baltimore, Md. -- The 77 farmer-leaders serving on the United Soybean Board approved $173.8 million for the 2025 fiscal year budget. [...]
Domestic Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production Capacity Could Increase By 1400% In 2024
By Ryan Hanrahan, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project Reuters reported Wednesday that "production capacity of sustainable aviation fuel in the United States could jump by 1400% in 2024 if all announced capacity additions come on line, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday." "The EIA anticipates domestic production of [...]
Owner-Operators And Cash-Rent Farmers Lead Cover Crop Adoption
Source: USDA news release Cash-renters and owner-operators adopt cover crops at rates higher than share-renters. Researchers with USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS) explored whether adopting cover crops (a crop grown between two commodity or forage crops but unharvested/terminated with the intention of improving soil health) differed between farmers who owned [...]
Farmland Values Stabilizing In IA, KS, NE, SD, WY
Source: Farm Credit Services of America and Frontier Farm Credit joint news release OMAHA, Neb. - Farmland values have stabilized in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming, the five states served by Farm Credit Services of America (FCSAmerica) and Frontier Farm Credit. As a whole, benchmark values ticked up [...]
Industry Expert Lists Five Reasons Fertilizer Prices Remain High
By Cheyenne Kramer, AgWeb.com If you've noticed an uptick in fertilizer prices, despite being out of the high-demand spring season, you're not alone. According to Josh Linville, vice president of fertilizer at StoneX, prices are currently higher than normal across the board for fertilizers - a trend he attributes to [...]
CLAAS Rolls Out Its LEXION 8900 Combine–It’s Largest In North America
Source: CLAAS news release OMAHA, Neb., - CLAAS unveiled their LEXION 8900 TERRA TRAC for the first time on North American soil today at the Ag in Motion farm show in Saskatchewan, Canada. "More than a machine," the top model in the LEXION lineup offers the most available horsepower in [...]
Conservation Record Broken By Hoosier Farmers For Third Year In A Row
Source: USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service INDIANA -- In a remarkable achievement for sustainable agriculture, the latest results from the Conservation Tillage Transect survey reveal that 1.7 million acres of farmland are now under living cover across all crops in Indiana. This significant milestone underscores the increasing adoption of cover [...]
Following Public Criticism, John Deere Adjusts Its DEI Policy And Activities
Agri-Pulse reports: John Deere says it will no longer "participate in or support external social or cultural awareness parades, festivals or events," reacting to criticism of its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policies. To read about the background on this issue click here. The move closely follows Tractor Supply Company's [...]
European Commission Allows Certain GM Corn Imports For Feed
Source: European Commission news release The European Commission (EC) has authorized two genetically modified (GM) corn crops and renewed the authorization for another for human food and animal feed. The Commission's authorization decisions only allow the GM corn to be imported for use in food and animal feed, but not [...]
Record Import Of Feed Grains Reported For China, Primarily From Brazil
Feed & Grain magazine reports: The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service recently reported that China imported a record 37.8 million tons of major feed grains between October 2023 and May 2024. This nearly doubled the volume from the same period the previous year, driven by significant [...]
Pioneer: Wet Fields Present Phytophthora Root Rot Risk Throughout The Season
Source: Pioneer news release With excessive rain in many areas this year, Phytophthora root rot is a looming threat in soybeans. Wet soil conditions - especially in heavy, poorly drained or compacted soils - promote disease development with the ideal temperature for infection. Additionally, the disease can be worse in [...]
AgriGold Agronomists Explain What Happens In The Corn Field 24 Hours A Day
Corn needs to be able to maximize photosynthesis and minimize dark respiration to maximize yield. Source: AgriGold news release WESTFIELD, Ind. -- Farmers focus on the daytime activities of their crops, but corn plants are still working hard throughout the night. AgriGold Agronomists Kris Young and Emily Prevo say the [...]
WH Group Announces It Plans To Spin Out Its Smithfield Foods Business Unit
Feedstuffs magazine reports: WH Group submitted an application to the U.S. Stock Exchange on Friday regarding the proposed spin-off of the businesses of Smithfield Foods, Inc. operated in the United States and Mexico for separate listing on either the New York Stock Exchange or Nasdaq Stock Market in the United [...]
Ag Groups Warns Department Of Commerce On Herbicide Tariffs
Source: National Corn Growers Association news release The National Corn Growers Association, joined by five other commodity groups, sent a letter to Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo asking her to consider the impacts on farmers as she reviews a petition by the agricultural chemical company Corteva that would place [...]
John Deere Lays Off 345 More Workers From Its Tractor Plant In Iowa
by Kevin Baskins, Des Moines Register John Deere on Thursday confirmed additional layoffs of 345 production workers from its operations in Waterloo, effective Sept. 20. That brings to 894 the total since the beginning of the year at the plant. One of Deere's largest, it currently has about 5,000 total [...]
University Economists Issue Report “Corn and Soybeans Economics: Back To The Old Normal?”
by Gary Schnitkey, and Nick Paulson, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois and Carl Zulauf, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, Ohio State University In recent months, corn and soybean prices have trended lower, leading to questions about longer-run prices. Recent price patterns suggest that 2021 [...]
EPA Raises Aquatic Plants’ Tolerance To Atrazine, Benefits Farmers
Part of the map from EPA depicting watersheds that exceed the updated Concentration Equivalent-Level of Concern. Agri-Pulse reports: EPA has significantly raised the level at which the agency believes atrazine harms aquatic plants, potentially helping some farmers who rely on the weedkiller. EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs on Monday announced [...]
Companies With Ag Operations In The Fortune 500, Those Which Should Be
Source: Agri Marketing magazine 15 companies with a significant presence in agriculture were included in Fortune magazine's 2023 listing of the 500 largest U.S. corporations. Those companies include (2023 $billion revenues...% change...2022 ranking): 43. Archer Daniel Midlands: $94...(7%)...35 64. John Deere: $61...+20%...81 67. Merck: $60...+2%...69 75. Nationwide: $55...+8%...83 85. Tyson [...]
How To Rebuild Soil Integrity Following Catastrophic Flooding
Source: Renovo Seed news release BROOKINGS, SD - Record-breaking rain and floods have devastated fields in areas of Iowa, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Nebraska. Up to 1 million acres of farmland were affected, and farmers and communities have started tackling the aftermath. With many acres completely drowned out and some [...]
Grain Prices Hitting Lowest Levels Since 2020
by Ryan Hanrahan, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project Bloomberg's Gerson Freitas Jr and Tarso Veloso reported Monday that "grain prices have slumped to the lowest level since the pandemic as Tropical Storm Beryl is expected to bring rains to the Midwest, potentially aiding yields at a critical time for crop [...]
House Ag Committee Chair Joins Others Demanding Review Of Agency Regulations In The Wake Of Chevron Doctrine Ruling
Source: House Committee on Agriculture news release WASHINGTON, DC -- House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson (PA-15) joined other Committee Chairs pressing demanding a review of the agency regulations in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo. Read the Committee letters, including [...]
Curious Plot Releases Its “2024 Consumer Curiosity Report”
Source: Curious Plot news release MINNEAPOLIS -- What are the nation's trend-forward foodies seeking most on their dinner plates tonight? Simplicity with a side of affordability. These are among the findings in the "2024 Consumer Curiosity Report," an analysis of consumers nationwide most likely to set the next food trends. [...]
Alphabet (Google’s Parent) Exits Its Ag AI Developer Business Unit Mineral
Mineral Source: blog by Elliott Grant, Mineral Founder/CEO Agriculture is one of humanity's most critical endeavors - feeding us all, employing 800 million people worldwide, and a possible sink for carbon at a huge scale. Thomas Jefferson called it "our wisest pursuit." Modern agricultural practices, however, are contributing to climate [...]
Deere To Build New 1. 2 Million Square Foot Warehouse In NW Indiana
Source: Caldwell Banker news release LOWELL, Ind. - Coldwell Banker Commercial Realty announced the $7 million sale of a 234-acre undeveloped parcel in northwest Lowell, Ind., that will be the future site of a 1.2-million-square-foot John Deere warehouse/distribution facility. Located at 2105 W. 181st Ave. in Lowell, near the Illinois/Indiana [...]
USDA: 68% Of Both Corn And Soybeans Rated Good To Excellent
BrownfieldAgNews reports: The USDA's national corn and soybean condition ratings improved a little over the past week. Development weather remains mostly favorable, but there are some areas of concern, and there could be some impact this week as the remnants of Tropical Storm Beryl make their way inland. As of [...]
Brazil’s Environmental Agency Sues Syngenta
Reporting by Ricardo Brito, writing by Ana Mano Editing by Alistair Bell, David Gregorio and Deepa Babington BRASILIA, (Reuters) - Brazil's environmental agency IBAMA has sued Syngenta alleging the chemicals company caused "environmental damage" by producing and selling pesticides using much higher concentrations of a carcinogen than allowed under law, [...]
Mexico To Drop Its Efforts To Ban Import Of Yellow GM Corn
By Adriana Barrera and Cassandra Garrison, Reuters MEXICO CITY - Mexico's incoming government will discard a core goal of outgoing President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to reduce imports of yellow corn and achieve self-sufficiency in production of the grain, according to the incoming agriculture minister. Julio Berdegue, named to President-elect [...]
Following Its State’s Approval, Carbon Summit Looking To Expand Its Pipeline By 50% In Iowa
by Jared Strong, Iowa Capital Dispatch The company that recently gained approval from state regulators for its carbon dioxide pipeline system in Iowa wants to proceed with expansion requests for that system starting in late August. Summit Carbon Solutions has proposed new public informational meeting dates for 23 counties that [...]
Latest Estimate Reports Flooding In Upper Midwest Impacted 1 Million Acres Of Corn
By Tyne Moran, AgWeb.com Portions of Iowa, South Dakota and Nebraska are grappling with the aftermath of flooding, while continuing to fight a swollen river. The Mississippi River is facing flood threats, too. The high waters and flooding are suffocating fields, causing crop damage to key growing areas across the [...]
Reports On Ag Retailers Adoption And Outlook On Precision Technology
Editor's note by Eric Sfiligoj, CropLife magazine: The CropLife/Purdue Precision Survey is the longest-running continuous study of precision farming adoption, conducted at least every other year since 1996. The 108 agricultural retailer input supplier respondents mostly from the Midwest included cooperatives, independent retailers, and those part of a regional or [...]
Disappointing First Half For Agri Marketing’s Ag Stock Index
Source: Agri Marketing magazine During the first half of 2024, Agri Marketing's Ag Stock Index fell 8%. That compares to the Dow Jones Industrial Index up 4%, S&P 500 up 15% and NASDAQ up 21%. Agri Marketing's Ag Stock Index is composed of a portfolio of 25 publicly traded companies [...]
Climate Change Is Lengthening The Growing Season EPA Reports
Agri-Pulse reports: A new report from EPA says climate change has lengthened the crop growing season across the lower 48 states by an average of more than two weeks since the start of the 20th century. There has been "a particularly large and steady increase ... since the 1970s," the [...]
Where The Crop Acreage Shifts Occurred In Latest USDA Report
By Tyne Morgan, AgWeb.com USDA's June Acreage report released Friday sent chills through the corn market. With planted acres for corn above pre-trade estimates at 91.5 million acres, the combination of more acres and growing stocks sent corn prices tumbling. Here's a quick recap of what USDA had to say [...]
Moderna Receives $176 Million Grant From, HHS To Develop Human Vaccine For Avian Flu
Source: Moderna news release CAMBRIDGE, MA -- Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA) today announced a project award of $176 million through the Rapid Response Partnership Vehicle (RRPV) to accelerate the development of mRNA-based pandemic influenza vaccines. The RRPV is a Consortium funded by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part [...]
IAWA LAUNCHES GUIDE TO COMPARE IOWA COVER CROP PAYMENT PROGRAMS
Source: TheโฏIowa Agriculture Water Allianceโฏnews release ANKENY, IA (IAWA) -- By stacking incentives, some farmers could get paid $100 or more per acre for planting new cover crops and reducing tillage, but it's not always easy to keep track of all the programs out there. A new tool is beginning [...]
John Deere To Layoff 600 Additional Workers
by Ryan Hanrahan, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project Fox Business' Michael Dorgan reported this past Saturday that "John Deere, the world's largest seller of tractors and crop harvesters, has announced another wave of layoffs Friday, telling around 610 production staff at plants in Illinois and Iowa that they will be [...]
The Ethical Slippery Slope Of Generative Images In The Ag Media
by Ryan Jones, Director of Marketing, Precision Risk Management, former journalist and a University of Iowa Journalism School alum. e-mail: [email protected] It should go without question the photos you see in an ag publication are real and accurate, but in 2024, AI has progressed far enough to appear accurate at [...]
NCGA Provides Update On Mexico’s GM Corn Ban
Source: National Corn Growers Association news release Officials from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative hammered arguments made by Mexican representatives this week during oral arguments over Mexico's ban on imports of genetically modified corn used in some food products. The ban was issued in early 2023. USTR filed [...]
Famers’ Sentiment Continues To Decline In Latest Purdue/CME Poll
Source: Purdue University Farmer sentiment drifted lower in June as the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer reading of 105 was 3 points lower than a month earlier. A five-point decline in the Index of Future Expectations to 112 was responsible for the overall sentiment decline, as the June Current [...]
New Study Finds 30 Million Acres Of Cropland Have Been Abandoned Since 1986
Geoff CooperBy Geoff Cooper, CEO, Renewable Fuels Association In early 2022, University of Wisconsin researcher Tyler Lark published a study claiming that U.S. farmers had converted several million acres of pristine grassland and other "seminatural areas" to cropland in response to the Renewable Fuel Standard and growth in ethanol production. [...]
Massive Ransomware Attack Paralyzes Farm Equipment And Auto Dealers
By Joel Reichenberger, Progressive Farmer Senior Editor CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, PA -- Good news came on June 27 to the 21st Century Equipment dealership group, about 10 days after a cyberattack hit it and affected its customers. The 26-dealer chain that sells and services John Deere equipment in eastern Colorado, western [...]
Corn Prices Drop 33 Cents, Major Surprise In USDA Planted Acreage Report
by Ben Potter, Senior Editor, Farm Futures USDA's hotly anticipated June 28 acreage report had analysts holding their breath for a few extra minutes while the agency sorted out some technical difficulties. But when the data finally arrived, it caused some significant commodity price shifts - particularly in corn, with [...]
University Ag Economists Release Updated Corn And Soybean Budgets, Still Showing A Loss
By Nick Paulson, and Gary Schnitkey, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois and Carl Zulauf, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development, Ohio State University We present revisions to the 2024 Crop Budgets for Illinois, highlighting changes from our January release for high-productivity farmland in central Illinois while [...]
Dispute Hearing On GMO Corn Underway
BrownfieldAgNews reports: Legal teams representing the U.S. and Mexico are meeting in Mexico City Wednesday and Thursday to continue the next phase of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement dispute on genetically modified corn. In the hearing, panelists will hear arguments from both sides before reaching a preliminary agreement this fall and Ted [...]
Flood-Impacted Livestock Producers Asked To Report Losses To FSA
BrownfieldAgNews reports: Resources are available for farmers who experience livestock loss due to the flooding situation in the Upper Midwest. Matt Russell, state executive director of the USDA Farm Service Agency in Iowa, says the floodwaters have impacted thousands of acres of cropland. He says livestock producers have also been [...]
USDA: Forecast: 2 In 1,000 Farm Estates Created In 2023 Owed Federal Tax Returns
Source: USDA news release Created in 1916, the Federal estate tax is a tax on the transfer of property to a person's heirs upon death. In 2023, the Federal estate tax exemption amount was $12.92 million per person, and the Federal estate tax rate was 40 percent. By law, the [...]
USDA Proposes New Rule To Clarify Unfair Practices In The Livestock, Meat, And Poultry Industries
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON, - Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced new action to support the Biden-Harris Administration's plan for a fairer, more competitive, and more resilient meat and poultry supply chain. USDA's Fair and Competitive Livestock and Poultry Markets proposed rule would tackle longstanding challenges around interpretations [...]
From Black Sea To U.S. Midwest, Extreme Weather Threatens Crop Output
Source: Reuters Forecast dryness in the Black Sea region's breadbasket is likely to stunt sunflower and corn yields, while heavy rain in the U.S. after near-record temperatures threatens to take a toll on crops, squeezing world supplies and pushing prices higher. "The weather forecast for the Black Sea region is [...]
John Deere Adds 6M Tractor To 2025 Model Year Machines
John Deere says its new 6M tractor is customizable and suitable for many farms and ranches, including dairy and beef operations. Source: TheDailyScoop reports: John Deere is launching a new 6M tractor to add to its Model Year 2025 class of machines, according to the company. With 18 different models, [...]
Corn Belt Growing Season Off To A Different Start
BrownfieldAgNews reports: The growing season is starting off differently across the Corn Belt. Flooding caused by heavy rains across northern Corn Belt states including Iowa, South Dakota and Minnesota in the last week has damaged crops. Minnesota's Deputy Ag Commissioner Andrea Vaubel tells Brownfield state leaders are still trying to [...]
Farmers React To Devastating Weekend Rains
BrownfieldAgNews reports: Farmers in the Upper Midwest are assessing the impact of devastating weekend rains. Angela Guentzel farms near Mankato in south-central Minnesota and says there's been record rainfall this spring. "And (officials) have just declared a state of emergency for flash floodings, and that's just had such a huge [...]
Updated Congressional Budget Office Score Could Affect New Farm Bill
BrownfieldAgNews reports: The Congressional Budget Office has updated its financial estimates for the farm bill over the next decade and University of Missouri's Pat Westhoff says the changes could affect the new legislation. "If we were to see the farm bill debate lapse into 2025, it could become relevant." Westhoff, [...]
Walmart And Agritask To Pilot Crop Monitoring Tools To Check Cherries And Blackberries In U.S. And Mexico
Source: Walmart news release BENTONVILLE, Ark. and TEL AVIV, Israel -- Walmart (NYSE: WMT), the world's leading omnichannel retailer, today announced a strategic partnership with Agritask, a crop supply intelligence company, to pilot a technology solution in collaboration with Walmart Global Tech's Sparkubate program that is geared to enable sourcing [...]
USDA Releases Updated Climate Adaptation And Resilience Plan
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) joined more than 20 federal agencies to release its updated Climate Adaptation Plan and expand the Biden-Harris Administration's efforts to ensure federal operations are increasingly resilient to climate change impacts. The updated adaptation plans advance the Biden-Harris [...]
An Overview Of U.S. Beef Production’s Past And Present
By Tim Petry, Livestock Marketing Economist, Angus Journal The United States is the leading producer of beef in the world and has been for many years. Following the United States, in order, are Brazil, China, Argentina and Australia. The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service publishes a quarterly report titled "Livestock and [...]
Purdue Study Reports Average Starting Salary For Ag Grads Is $53.6K
by Joshua Strine, Doctoral Student, Agricultural Economics, Purdue University Introduction Between 2020 and 2025, an estimated 59,400 annual job openings are expected in the agricultural job sector (Fernandez et al., 2020). To fill these positions, hiring companies must get connected with individuals on the job market. There are many different [...]
John Deere Reveals Its First-Ever Chief Tractor Officer
Rex CurtissSource: John Deere news release MOLINE, Illinois - The search for the ultimate influencer adventure is over. John Deere has officially appointed Rex Curtiss as Chief Tractor Officer - a one-year contract position that will create content for the company's social media channels. As the new face of John [...]
Crop Insurance Agents Help Farmers Thrive
Source: National Crop Insurance Services news release Farming is a challenging profession, not only because there is a lot of risk involved but also because there are big decisions to be made - like what to plant next year and how to protect it. These decisions can be overwhelming, but [...]
EU Adopts “Nature Restoration Plan” Despite Ag Opposition
By Ryan Hanrahan, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project The Associated Press' Samuel Petrequin reported that "European Union countries on Monday gave final approval to a major and long-awaited plan to better protect nature in the 27-nation bloc, a divisive issue after months of protests by farmers who argued that EU [...]
Indigo Agโs Carbon Program To Deliver Record Carbon Credits To Microsoft
Source: Indigo Ag news release Boston, MA - Indigo Ag today announced that Microsoft has agreed to purchase 40,000 agricultural soil-based carbon credits from the company's third carbon crop, issued in February, representing the largest number of credits ever delivered by Indigo Ag to an individual buyer. These credits are [...]
U Of Illinois And Ohio State Ag Economists Forecast Nitrogen Fertilizer Prices
By Nick Paulson, and Gary Schnitkey, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois and Carl Zulauf, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics Ohio State University After record farm incomes in 2021 and 2022, commodity prices have declined while input costs have remained elevated resulting in a margin [...]
USDA Lowers Its Crop Condition Ratings, 72% Of Corn, 70% Of Soybeans Are Good To Excellent
By Cheyenne Kramer, AgWeb.com As this season's corn and soybeans emerge, they're being met with a wide variety of extreme weather events. And according to this week's USDA report, the conditions of both crops are trending down. The amount of corn currently in good or excellent condition is 72% (down [...]
LG Seeds: How Corn Growers Can Avoid Greensnap
Source: LG Seeds news release The maturity of a hybrid and its underlying genetics are major determinants of whether a hybrid snaps.WESTFIELD, Ind. - Picture this: Your corn crop looks beautiful. You've had the perfect mix of sunshine and rain, and pollination is right around the corner. Then bam. A [...]
“GroundBreaking: A Story Of Innovation” Documentary Released
Source: United Soybean Board news release ST LOUIS -- A new documentary showcases the innovative power of soybeans and U.S. soybean farmers' dedication to producing a crop that is revolutionizing various industries. GroundBreaking: A Story of Innovation premieres on A&E on Saturday, June 22 at 1 p.m. EDT. With an [...]
Biofuels Groups Respond To Brazil Upholding 18% Tariff On U.S. Ethanol
Source: Renewable Fuels Association news release Washington -- On Thursday, June 13, the Foreign Trade Chamber at Brazil's Ministry of the Economy (CAMEX) upheld an 18 percent tariff on U.S. ethanol. With support from the Brazil Association of Fuel Importers (ABICOM), the U.S. ethanol industry and the U.S. government previously [...]
Highlights Of The Upcoming Farm Progress Show
Source: Farm Progress news release BOONE, IOWA -- Farm Progress is pleased to announce the upcoming Farm Progress Show, a leading national outdoor farming event, scheduled for Aug. 27-29, 2024, in Boone, Iowa. This year's show introduces a new, more efficient northern traffic route for attendees and offers advanced ticket [...]
USDA Is Seeking Nominations For Farmers And Ranchers To Serve On County Committees
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON, - Nominations are now being accepted for farmers and ranchers to serve on local U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees. These committees make important decisions about how federal farm programs are administered locally. All nomination forms for the 2024 election [...]
USDA Releases Wheat Outlook Report
Source: USDA news release The June 2024 Wheat Outlook analyzes the 2023/24 and 2024/25 WASDE as well as supply and demand changes linked to new data from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census and USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. To read entire report, Click Here
How The Composition Of Banks Participating In Ag Lending Has Changed
By Gerald Mashange, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois According to data from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, unrealized losses on available-for-sale and held-to-maturity securities increased by $39 billion to $517 billion in the first quarter of 2024, primarily driven by higher mortgage rates impacting the fair [...]
Number Of Dairy Herds Detected With Avian Flu Reaches 100 In 12 States
Agri-Pulse reports: Iowa reported infection in another dairy herd in Sioux County Saturday, and Colorado's county of infected herds grew by six last week. Seven herds in that state are under quarantine. The number of herds that have been infected is now more than 100 in 12 states. By the [...]
Sales Of Tractors And Combines In The U.S. Continue To Slump
Agri Marketing magazine reports: According to the Association of Equipment Manufacturer's monthly "Flash Report," total sales of all U.S. tractors during May 2024 were 24,026, down 12% from 2023. For the month, two-wheel drive smaller tractors (under 40 HP) were down 13% from last year, while 40 & under 100 [...]
Judge Blocks USDA’s Disaster Program Giving Special Funding To Minority Farmers
Agriculture Dive reports: A federal judge in Texas has temporarily blocked an Agriculture Department disaster relief program from giving preferential funding to women and minority farmers, siding with a group of plaintiffs who claim the program illegally discriminates against white, male farmers. In an order filed June 7, Judge Matthew [...]
China Bans Import Of Meat From High Volume Port Of Oakland
by Sarah Zimmerman, Editor, Agriculture Dive China has banned meat exports from a West Coast cold storage facility near the Port of Oakland after traces of the feed additive ractopamine were found in beef shipments, creating disruption at an important trade gateway to Asia. The country suspended exports out of [...]
Virginia Tech Researchers Study Herbicide Spray Applications Using Drones
Source: Virginia Tech University news release Researchers will focus on corn and soybean systems to evaluate the efficiency of blanket applications of two herbicides. Photo courtesy of Sam Dean Photography.To bring drone spray technology to farmers' fields, Virginia Tech researchers are looking to standardize unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for herbicide [...]
American Agri-Women Celebrates Successful 2024 Fly-In
Source: American Agri-Women sent via AgPR--the news distribution service for agriculture WASHINGTON, D.C. - The 2024 American Agri-Women (AAW) Fly-In, a groundbreaking event that brought together women from across the agricultural and natural resource industries, took place this past week in the nation's capital. The AAW Fly-In was opened to [...]
Wisconsin Now Require Negative H5N1 For Dairy Cows To Be Shown
BrownfieldAgNews reports: Wisconsin will require proof of a negative H5N1 test for lactating dairy cattle going to fairs and exhibitions. The new order was issued Tuesday and takes effect June 19th, which is the opening date for the first fair of the season at Elroy. State Veterinarian Darlene Konkle says [...]
House Ag Committee Chair Thompson Applauds Senate GOP’s Farm Bill Framework
Source: House Committee on Agriculture news release WASHINGTON, DC -- Following the release of U.S. Senate Republican's farm bill framework, Chairman Glenn 'GT' Thompson (PA-15) issued the following statement: "Ranking Member Boozman and Senate Agriculture Republicans have put forward a slate of thoughtful proposals that must be addressed in the [...]
Veterinarian Warn Of Pandemic As Avian Flu Jumps To More Species
Agri-Pulse reports: The dairy industry needs to put aside "cultural and operational differences" and begin broadly testing cows and workers for highly pathogenic avian influenza, three veterinarians say in an opinion piece in Scientific American that warns of devastating consequences without quick action. "Turkey and egg-laying farms are in peril, [...]
Here’s The Latest On Pending Canadian Border Agents’ Strike
Agri-Pulse reports: More than 9,000 Canada Border Services Agency workers have paused any strike action until Friday to allow continued negotiations with the Canadian government. If bargaining fails, the Public Service Alliance of Canada union will set a new strike deadline after two years without a contract. The government says [...]
USDA Updates Crop Conditions Report, 95% Of Corn, 87% Of Soybeans Are Planted
BrownfieldAgNews reports: The USDA's national corn condition rating dipped a little bit. That followed another mixed week of weather in many key U.S. growing areas. The USDA says that as of Sunday, 74% of the crop is rated good to excellent, 1% less than last week, but still higher than [...]
Farm Implement Tire Maker Bridgestone-Firestone To Lay Off Workers
Des Moines Register reports: Bridgestone-Firestone announced June 6 it would be cutting jobs at its Des Moines, Iowa, plant, reports the Des Moines Register. According to the report, most of the company's tractor tires are made at that plant. This is the first layoff at the plant since 1990. According [...]
More On The Layoffs At John Deere
by Matthew J. Grassi, AgWeb.com Farm Journal has learned via public records from the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) that nearly 60 salaried Intelligent Solutions Group (ISG) employees based out of the Urbandale, Iowa, office will be laid off in the first week of August. John Deere reported [...]
Illinois Passes Legislation Placing Moratorium On Carbon Pipelines For Two Years
Grist reports: The Midwest's largest potential reservoir to store carbon is buried deep under the farmland of Illinois, and the state's lawmakers just hit the brakes on any plans for a carbon capture and storage boom there. A controversial technology where carbon dioxide is captured and then stored deep underground, [...]
Vermeer’s Self-Propelled Baler Wins “Coolest Thing Made In Iowa” Contest
Vermeer Corporation team members pose with their Coolest Thing Made in Iowa trophy during the Iowa Association of Business & Industry (ABI) annual conference in Davenport. Front row, from left, are: Vermeer team members: Kent Thompson, R&D senior engineering manager; Stan Fynaardt, assembler III; Terry Patterson, assembler II; and Mindi [...]
Last Minute Change, Little Or No Ethanol Will Qualify For Sustainable Aviation Fuel Subsidies
by Leah Douglas and Jarrett Renshaw, Reuters Little to no ethanol will qualify for U.S. sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) subsidies under a new pilot program by President Joe Biden's administration, which toughened climate requirements at the last minute, according to a Reuters review of government data and people familiar with [...]
Dairy Cattle Reported Dying As A Result Of the Avian Flu
By Ryan Hanrahan, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project Reuters' Leah Douglas and Tom Polansek reported Thursday that "dairy cows infected with avian flu in five U.S. states have died or been slaughtered by farmers because they did not recover, state officials and academics told Reuters." "Reports of the deaths suggest [...]
Flood Related Soybean Losses Estimated At 2.71 MMT In Brazil
Map of floodwater in southern Brazil. Courtesy of NASA. By Ryan Hanrahan, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project Reuters' Andre Romani and Leticia Fucuchima reported Tuesday that "soybean losses related to recent floods in Brazil's southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul were estimated at 2.71 million metric tons, crop agency [...]
AGI To Standardize Its Grain Bin Standards, Results In Closure Of Its Nebraska Plant
Source: Ag Growth International news release Winnipeg, MB, Ag Growth International (TSX: AFN) ("AGI" or the "Company") announced, today, that it is standardizing its North American galvanized steel bins to 4.00-inch wide corrugation to align with category growth and customer demand. This standardized bin format strengthens AGI's storage catalog in [...]
Kansas State University Veterinarians On How Viruses Move Across Species
by Lisa Moser, Kansas State Research & Extension Anyone who remembers the COVID-19 pandemic may have a heightened sense of concern with news stories announcing traces of the influenza virus have been appearing in unexpected places. In a recent Cattle Chat podcast, Kansas State University veterinarians share their educational insight [...]
Indigo Ag Announces Major Updates To Its Carbon Progrm
Source: Indigo news release Boston, MA - Indigo Ag today announced major updates to its carbon program which will maximize financial returns for farmers and agribusiness partners, simplify the participation process, and open doors to new sustainability markets stretching from carbon and Scope 3 programs to realizing the value of [...]
WSSA: Bayer’s New Mode Of Action Diflufenican Is Effective For Herbicide Resistance
Source: Weed Science Society of America news release WESTMINSTER, COLORADO -- Diflufenican, a new mode of action herbicide for preemergence use in corn, demonstrates effectiveness as an integrated weed management strategy for multiple-herbicide resistant (MHR) waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus) control. That's the conclusion from a recently published research article in the [...]
An Overview On How Sustainable Aviation Fuel Will Impact Agriculture And The Grain Industry
by Steven Kilger, Feed & Grain magazine Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) credits are designed to encourage the adoption of cleaner fuel alternatives in the aviation industry, with direct implications for agricultural practices. By incentivizing the production and use of SAF, these credits can influence the cultivation of crops used in [...]
Corn Condition Off To Best Start Since 2021
by Ryan Hanrahan, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project Progressive Farmer's Anthony Greder reported Monday that "the condition of the U.S. corn crop is starting off significantly better this year than it did last year, USDA NASS reported in its weekly Crop Progress on Monday." "In its first condition rating of [...]
Farm Equipment Releases 2024 Update Of Its “Farm Equipment Dealer 100” List
Farm Equipment magazine reports: The editors of Farm Equipment, with the support of dealership software provider VitalEdge Technologies, have updated the 2024 version of an online resource of the farm equipment industry's largest dealers. Known as the Farm Equipment Dealer 100โข, the content is an interactive digital representation of the [...]
Court Reduces Fine From $2.25 Billion To $350 In Roundup Lawsuit, Bayer To Appeal
By Ben Glickman, Dow Jones A court has reduced the amount Bayer-owned Monsanto must pay in a recent case linked to Roundup by about 82%, or nearly $1.9 billion, easing the latest cost in the company's drawn-out legal battle related to the weedkiller. Monsanto will now be required to pay [...]
Purdue’s Ag Economy Barometer Reports Farmers’ Sentiment Recovers in May
Source: Purdue University Farmer sentiment recovered somewhat in May following a sharp drop-off in April. The May reading of the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer came in at 108, up 9 points compared to April. Both of the barometer's sub-indices rose as well, with the biggest improvement coming from [...]
BASF, Bayer, Syngenta Seek EPA Approval For Their Dicamba Herbicides
Agri-Pulse reports: BASF is seeking EPA approval of its dicamba herbicide product, Engenia, for use in soybean and cotton, according to a Federal Register notice published today. The agency is accepting comments on the proposed label for 30 days. Bayer already has submitted a proposed label for XtendiMax, its dicamba [...]
USDA Issues Crop Progress Report: 91% Of Corn Is Planted, 78% Of Soybeans
BrownfieldAgNews reports: U.S. corn and soybean planting advanced last week, despite more rain delays in parts of the Midwest and Plains. That's expected to continue during the early part of this week. The USDA says 91% of U.S. corn is planted, compared to 95% a year ago and the five-year [...]
John Deere Announces Additional Layoffs
by Kate Kealey, Des Moines Register Net sales for the company's production and precision agriculture segment have dropped by more than $6 billion. This is a 16% drop compared to last year's second quarter, according to the Des Moines Register. Farm income is also to drop by 25% in comparison [...]
USDA Reports Florida’s Citrus Production Is At Record Lows
Source: USDA news release Florida's citrus industry has long been susceptible to freezes, hurricanes, and disease. A series of devastating freezes in the 1970s and 1980s caused production to shift to more southern regions of the State. Then after near-record output in the 2003/04 season, subsequent events decreased Florida's orange [...]
China Begins Purchasing Food Products Produced With Sustainable Practices
By Mei Mei Chu, Reuters BEIJING -- China's flagship food group COFCO International landed its first cargo of deforestation-free soybeans for domestic use on Friday, marking what industry players say is a milestone for a country that has prioritised price over sustainability in its farm imports. China is a top [...]
International Grains Council Reports Drop In Global Grain Production
Feed & Grain reports: The International Grains Council (IGC) released its Grain Market Report on May 23, 2024, highlighting key changes in global grain production and trade forecasts. The report shows a reduction in the forecast for world total grains production (wheat and coarse grains) for 2023/24, now at 2,297 [...]
Syngenta’s CEO Concerned About U.S. And China’s Tension, Impacts On Agriclture
Anthony Collins, SyngentaChief Executive Jeff Rowe says that the information Syngenta collects from U.S. farmers is handled responsibly. ANTHONY COLLINS/SYNGENTA by Patrick Thomas, Wall Street Journal PRINCETON, Ill.--For years, Syngenta Group has been considered a critical partner to thousands of American farmers. Its new chief executive is trying to ward [...]
Purdue Research Shows Which Tasks Farmers Want Help
Downeyby Dr. Scott Downey, Director and Professor, Purdue University; Masie Keshavarz, Research Project Manager, Purdue University Agribusiness professionals offer a lot of value-added services and information to producers. Sometimes, I think suppliers are even taken for granted or don't receive the revenue or margins they earn through these activities. As [...]
U.S., EU Are Taking Steps To Manufacture Bird Flu Vaccinations
National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) reports: The United States and European Union are taking steps to acquire or manufacture H5N1 bird flu vaccines. Reports say the vaccines would protect at-risk poultry and dairy workers, veterinarians, and lab technicians. Experts say this could curb a pandemic threat. U.S. officials are [...]
U.S. Trade Deficit Doubles, Soybean Exports To China Down 23%, Corn Down 67%
Agri-Pulse reports: The U.S. ag trade deficit continues to grow. USDA is now projecting it will reach $32 billion for fiscal 2024, up from $16.7 billion in FY23. USDA's latest quarterly outlook raised the estimate for U.S. ag imports to $202.5 billion, while the forecast for exports was unchanged at [...]
Biden Administration Unveils Carbon Offset Guidelines
By Ryan Hanrahan, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project Bloomberg's Jennifer A. Dlouhy and Natasha White reported Tuesday that "the Biden administration unveiled a framework for using carbon offsets to drive climate progress, with principles it says are meant to help ensure the trading regimes deliver real emissions reductions -- not [...]
USDA Seeks Third Parties To Create Verifier Program For Climate Smart Practices
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking information from the public on protocols that may be considered for inclusion in a new Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program, the main program of the Growing Climate Solutions Act. The input is [...]
USDA And FarmRaise Launch Additional Online Disaster Assistance Decision Tool For Farmers
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON, - The U.S. Department of Agriculture, in partnership with FarmRaise, today launched a new, online Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP) Decision Tool. The USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) tool is designed to assist agricultural producers who have been impacted [...]
Iowa Ag Sec’y Naig, ISU’s Jason Henderson Named Chair And Vice Chair Of Water Alliance Advisory Council
Source: Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance's Advisory Council news release Mike NaigANKENY, IA (IAWA) -- Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig and Dr. Jason Henderson of Iowa State University Extension & Outreach have been named to leadership roles on the Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance's Advisory Council. Sec. Naig and Dr. Henderson [...]
Renewable Diesel Production Surpasses Biodiesel
Source: USDA news release The U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard, a program that originated in the mid-2000s, mandates that a specific volume of certain biofuels be used each year in transportation fuel. One category of biofuels included in this mandate is biomass-based diesel. For many years, this portion of the biofuels [...]
Nat’l Milk Producers Federation Lauds FDA’s Approval Of Elanco’s Bovaer
Source: National Milk Producers Federation news release "FDA approval of Elanco's Bovaer is another important step on U.S. dairy's journey toward a net-zero future, one in which dairy farmers have already made great progress. Bovaer and other new technologies that reduce enteric emissions will help U.S. farmers be rewarded for [...]
USDA Issues Crop Progress Report: 83% Of The Corn Has Been Planted, 68% Of The Soybeans
BrownfieldAgNews reports: U.S. corn and soybean planting both remain ahead of average. That's despite last week's heavy rainfall in some areas, including flooding, severe storms, and the loss of human life, with most forecasts showing a good near-term planting window for much of the region this week. The USDA says [...]
Optimism Fades That EU Will Reform Its Current Near-Ban On Gene-Edited Crops
by Henry Miller, Robert Wager, Genetic Literacy Project The genetic modification, or genetic engineering (GE), of plants and animals by selection and breeding has been practiced by humans for more than 10,000 years. It's called agriculture. During the last half-century, newer, molecular GE techniques have been used to modify plants, [...]
USDA Announces Investments In Domestic Fertilizer Projects
Source: USDA news release CASCO, Wis - U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA is investing in domestic fertilizer projects to strengthen competition for U.S. farmers, ranchers and agricultural producers. This funding advances President Biden's Investing in America agenda to grow the nation's economy from [...]
Ohalo Announces The Discover Of Entirely New Plant Breeding Technology, Boost Yields 50-100%
Source: Ohalo Genetics, Inc. news release Aptos, CA - Ohalo announced today the discovery of Boosted Breeding, an entirely new plant breeding technology that will revolutionize agriculture and sustainably improve crop productivity. Much like hybrid plant breeding systems discovered in the early twentieth century, Boosted Breeding introduces an unprecedented leap [...]
House Ag Committee Votes To Approve Farm Bill 33-21, Includes Four Democrats
Agri-Pulse reports: Republicans pushed their $1.5 trillion farm bill through the House Agriculture Committee early Friday with the help of four critical Democratic votes, giving the massive legislation some momentum as it heads to an uncertain future in the full House. The four Democrats who supported the bill were Don [...]
Iowa State Release Cash Rental Rates For 2024, Steady With 2023
by Alejandro Plastina and Ann M. Johanns, Iowa State University Extension service The cash rental rate information presented in this publication is from a survey of farmers, landowners, agricultural lenders, and professional farm managers. They supplied information based on their best judgments about typical cash rental rates for high, medium, [...]
LG Seeds Agronomist: Farmers On High Alert For Insects After Mild Winter
Source: LG Seeds news release Make sure to scout fields often for threats like this true armyworm found in a rye cover crop. WESTFIELD, Ind. - "With weather patterns we've never seen before, it's hard to predict what insect pressures we'll face," says LG Seeds Agronomist Alex Cox. The elements [...]
John Deere Announces Layoffs At Its Tractor Manufacturing Plant
by Kevin Baskins, Des Moines Register The John Deere plant in Waterloo is laying off 192 workers effective June 22. The company posted the notice on Iowa's Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification, or WARN, website. The latest announcement follows layoffs of 308 in Waterloo announced in late March as well [...]
Ag Sec’y Vilsack Sharply Criticizes House’ Farm Bill
Philip Brasher, Agri-PulseAgri-Pulse reports: Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack sharply criticized House Republicans' proposed farm bill on Wednesday, saying they are relying on "budget gimmicks" to fund legislation that overpromises and won't deliver for producers. Talking to reporters a day ahead of the scheduled House Agriculture Committee debate on Chairman Glenn [...]
Pioneer Agronomist: Patience And Purpose During Planting And Scouting
Source: Pioneer news release Below-average temperatures were observed in parts of the Midwest, northern Plains and the Northeast during April. Couple this with a wet May and planting is behind in 2024. As of May 12, the USDA reports that corn planting is at 49%, about 10% behind the same [...]
Volume Of Ag Exports By Type of Commodity
Source: USDA news release Export markets are an important sales outlet for U.S. food and agricultural production. Since 2008, an average of 20 percent of the value of all U.S. agricultural output has been shipped to destinations in other countries. The export market is a growing one for U.S. non-manufactured [...]
USDA Awards $300 Million To Diversify Export Markets For U.S. Agriculture
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is allocating $300 million to 66 U.S. organizations, under the new Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP), to build demand for American food and farm exports in high-potential markets around the globe. Secretary [...]
USDA Issues Planted Acreage Report: 70% Of Corn, 52% Of Soybeans Are In The Ground
BrownfieldAgNews reports: U.S. corn and soybean planting continues to make mixed progress. That's due to the widespread rainfall in parts of the Midwest and Plains last week with more in the forecast this week. The USDA says 70% of U.S. corn is planted, compared to 76% a year ago and [...]
Brazil Floods Likely To Affect Future Crop Seasons
Porto Alegreโs flooded downtown area on May 8, 2024. Courtesy of NASA By Ryan Hanrahan, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project Bloomberg's Clarice Couto reported Wednesday that "catastrophic floods in Brazil will have long-lasting impacts for agriculture, with soaked soils making it harder for farmers to plant crops including rice and [...]
Farm Futures Releases “Best Places To Farm” Report With Interactive Map
by Bryce Knorr, Contributing market analyst, Farm Futures magazine Editor's note: Farm Futures' exclusive Best Places to Farm report ranks the financial performance of 3,056 counties. By analyzing proprietary data and the recently released results from USDA's 2022 Census of Agriculture, Farm Futures averaged weighted ranks of the ratios on [...]
Farm Bill Draft Released By House Republicans
Feedstuffs magazine reports: On Friday, House Agriculture Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson released the full text of his farm bill proposal. The Ag committee will consider the legislation, formally known as the "Food, Farm and National Security Act of 2024", during a May 23 markup session. If it clears the committee, [...]
Farm Bill Lobbying Exceeds $500 Million, Major Players Listed
By Ryan Hanrahan, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project The Hill's Saul Elbein reported Monday that "pharmaceutical, manufacturing and big agriculture interests have spent more than $400 million lobbying Congress on a new farm bill, a new report has found." "That's more than four times the amount of money spent by [...]
Dotdash Meredith Announces Partnership With OpenAI, Bringing Trusted Content to ChatGPT
Source: Dotdash Meredith news release NEW YORK -- Dotdash Meredith (DDM), America's largest digital and print publisher, today announced a strategic partnership and licensing agreement with OpenAI that will enhance ChatGPT with DDM's trusted content, including time-tested recipes, expert health and financial information, leading style and entertainment content, and rigorous [...]
NAMA And Ag Media Council Announce Webinar Unveiling Results Of Farmers Media Usage Study
Source: NAMA and SIIA Presenter: Jill Fick, Sr. Project Director, Readex ResearchDo you know where your customers spend their most time on media? What types of channels they turn to make buying decisions? How their media habits have changed over the past two years? Join us for an exclusive look [...]
Op-Ed: Bidenโs Endangered Species Regs Are Wreaking Havoc In The West
by Senators Cynthia Lummis, Dan Sullivan and Pete Ricketts as it appeared on Agri-Pulse Last year, the Biden administration began the process of unrolling Trump-era Endangered Species Act reforms and using the law as a Trojan horse for its restrictive policies that drastically limit landowners and erode our way of [...]
New Data Shows 89% Of Cage-Free Egg Commitments Are Fulfilled By Food Corporations
Source: Open Wing Alliance news release NEW YORK -- The Open Wing Alliance (OWA), a global coalition of 95 animal protection organizations in 75 countries across six continents, today released a new report revealing that 89% of all corporate cage-free commitments with deadlines of 2023 or earlier have been fulfilled. [...]
Kinze Offers Maintenance Tips For Storing The Planter
Source: Kinze Manufacturing news release WILLIAMSBURG, Iowa - Once spring planting has been completed and the planter has been put away in the shop or machine shed, it may be tempting to let it sit there until next season since there's other work to be done. Planter experts, however, say [...]
USDA Issues Planting Progress Report: 49% Of Corn Is In The Ground, 35% Of Soybeans
BrownfieldAgNews reports: Another week of wet weather in some key growing areas has pushed back corn and soybean planting. Further delays are expected in parts of the Midwest and Plains this week. The USDA says 49% of U.S. corn is planted, compared to 60% a year ago and the five-year [...]
China Approves GM Wheat Crops
By Ryan Hanrahan, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project Reuters' Mei Mei Chu reported Wednesday that "China has approved the safety of gene-edited wheat for the first time as Beijing cautiously moves forward with commercial growing of genetically modified food crops." "The approval for the gene-edited disease-resistant wheat is seen as [...]
Majority Of Farmers In Purdue Poll Report Receiving $1,000+ Per Acre From Solar Lease
by Tyne Morgan, Farm Journal The push to add solar energy is gaining traction across the U.S., and it's coming with sticker shock on just how much solar companies are willing to pay farmers to lease their ground. A survey of farmers shows the majority of farmers are being offered [...]
Use Of Crop Based Biofuels For Sustainable Aviation Fuel To Be Prohibited In The EU
BrownfieldAgNews reports: The European Union is attempting to ban crop-based biofuels as a feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel. Renewable Fuels Association CEO Geoff Cooper tells Brownfield the EU recently adopted a regulation with the goal of rapidly expanding the use of SAF in the European market. "On its face you'd [...]
Sale Of Cultured Meat Banned In Alabama, Second State To Do So
Feedstuffs magazine reports: Alabama has become the second state in the nation to ban the sale of cultured meat. On Tuesday, Governor Kay Ivey signed SB23 into law, making the manufacture, sale or distribution of food products produced from cultured animal cells a Class C misdemeanor as of Oct. 1. [...]
Treasury Inspector General Reports $252 Million Of Fraudulent Biofuel Tax Credits Taken
by Ryan Hanrahan, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project DTN/Progressive Farmer's Todd Neeley reported last week "a new audit of biofuel tax credits called for the IRS to use more of its enforcement tools after $30.3 million in credits were improperly granted in 2022, according to an April 2024 report from [...]
House Ag Committee Chair Thompson Releases Additional 2024 Farm Bill Details, Issues Open Letter
Source: House Committee on Agriculture news release WASHINGTON, DC -- House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson (PA-15) today released additional details on the bipartisan policies and priorities included in the 2024 Farm Bill, accompanied by an open letter to colleagues and stakeholders. To view the 2024 Farm Bill [...]
Farmer Sentiment Declines To Lowest Level Since June 2022
by James Mintert and Michael Langemeier, Purdue Center for Commercial Agriculture Farmer sentiment plunged in April as the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer fell 15 points below a month earlier to a reading of 99. The barometer's sub-indices both declined from a month earlier, with the Current Condition Index [...]
Pioneer Agronomist On Evaluating Corn Emergence During Early Scouting
Source: Pioneer news release As growers are in fields this spring, evaluating corn stands early is crucial for making replant decisions. When assessing corn stands, several representative areas should be evaluated in each field. Documenting areas with emergence problems via GPS and photos tagged with geographical coordinates can be useful [...]
USDA Reports 36% Of Corn Is Planted, 25% Of Soybeans
BrownfieldAgNews reports: U.S. corn planting has fallen behind average. That followed heavy rain last week in parts of the Midwest and Plains with the potential for more this week, in addition to a chance of severe storms. The USDA says 36% of U.S. corn is planted, compared to 42% a [...]
Construction Begins On USDA’s $106 Million Precision Ag Research Center Located On U Of Nebraska Campus
Source: University of Nebraska-Lincoln news release Construction of the National Center for Resilient and Regenerative Precision Agriculture at Nebraska Innovation Campus launched with a ceremonial turning of dirt on May 6. The state-of-the-art research center is a partnership between the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service, University of Nebraska-Lincoln [...]
Commerce Dept To Raise Tariffs On Phosphorous Fertilizers, Corn Growers Object
Source: National Corn Growers Association news release Leaders at the National Corn Growers Association said today that they are worried about the availability and price of inputs after the Commerce Department announced plans to raise tariffs on phosphorous fertilizers imported from Morocco from 2.12% to 14.21%. Commerce's actions come after [...]
Bayer Issues Open Letter On Glyphosate: American Agriculture Is At Risk
Source: Bayer news release For over 160 years, Bayer has stood at the forefront of health and safety while producing some of America's most trusted and iconic brands. One such product is the herbicide glyphosate which, sold to farmers as Roundup, is one of the most important inventions in agriculture [...]
While China’s Import Of Soybeans Continue To Surge, U.S.’ Share Shrinks
By Naveen Thukral and Mei Mei Chu, Reuters SINGAPORE/BEIJING - U.S. soybean exports to China, which have been declining for several years as Brazil builds its dominance in the world's biggest oilseed market, face a further threat in 2024 as bumper supply from Argentina heightens competition. The U.S. made up [...]
USDA Celebrates 105,919-Acre Expansion Of The San Gabriel Mountains National Monument
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON -- Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will join President Biden as he signs a proclamation expanding the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. The designation further conserves and protects an area that provides drinking water to millions of people, and encompasses a rich cultural history, striking [...]
Farmers And Firefighters Eliminate Forever Chemicals By Using SoyFoam
SoyFoam TF 1122 seamlessly integrates with current foam nozzles, inductors and pump pressures, requiring no adjustments to a fire department's existing standard operating procedures. SoyFoam is a wetting/smothering agent capable of extinguishing Class A (ordinary combustibles) and Class B (flammable liquids) fires. Source: United Soybean Board news release ST LOUIS [...]
Washington State Court Reverses Verdict Against Bayer, Share Price Up 5%
by Helena Smolak, Dow Jones Bayer shares surged after a Washington appeal court reversed a $185 million verdict in favor of its Monsanto unit in a lawsuit related to alleged chemical contamination at a school in the state.
House Ag Committee Releases Farm Bill Summary
BrownfieldAgNews reports: The House Ag Committee has released a summary of the new farm bill that includes new investments for agriculture. The framework indicates a boost in base acres for the Ag Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs and a reference price increase. Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson tells Brownfield [...]
Biden Administration Releases Biofuels’ SAF Tax Credit Rules
by Ryan Hanrahan, farm policy news editor, Farm Policy News Reuters reported Tuesday evening that "President Joe Biden's administration on Tuesday released guidance on its sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) subsidy program that allows corn-based ethanol to qualify for the program if it is sourced from farms using climate-friendly growing techniques." [...]
Ag Analyst Reports The 2023 Corn Crop Was Most Expensive Planted Ever
BrownfieldAgNews reports: An economic analysis of the 2023 corn crop shows it wasn't budget friendly for farmers. Brad Zwilling, vice president of data analysis with Illinois Farm Business Farm Management (FBFM), tells Brownfield, "When we look at costs to produce corn in 2023, when we compare it to '22, they [...]
Farm Journal’s Ag Economists’ Monitor Reports Further Consolidation A Concern
By Tyne Morgan, AgWeb.com Farmers across the U.S. push forward to plant, and there's an immense amount of pressure riding on this year's crop production picture. With a margin squeeze setting in across farms, economists think it could accelerate consolidation in the row-crop industry. The April Ag Economists' Monthly Monitor, [...]
Farmers Report Their Attitude Of Five Ag Technology Initiatives In Farm Journal Survey
By Matthew Grassi, AgWeb.com As part of its Smart Farming Week Takeover back in March, Farm Journal surveyed the most technology forward farmers in its subscriber community, gathering responses from a large sample of row crop farmers and livestock producers. The ag media company - recently named one of Fast [...]
U.S. To Test Ground Beef In Bird-Flu Outbreak States
Reuters reports: The U.S. government said on Monday it is collecting samples of ground beef at retail stores in states with outbreaks of bird flu in dairy cows for testing but remains confident the meat supply is safe. Federal officials are seeking to verify the safety of milk and meat [...]
H5N1 Mandatory Testing For Interstate Movement Of Dairy Cattle In Effect
TheDailyScoop.com reports: Effective today, the USDA-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) federal order requires mandatory testing for the interstate movement of dairy cattle. The following information and direction are from the HPAI Detections in Livestock Page: Prior to interstate movement, dairy cattle are required to receive a negative test [...]
USDA Reports 27% Of Corn Is Planted, 18% Of Soybeans, Both Ahead Of 5-Year Average
BrownfieldAgNews reports: The U.S. corn and soybean planting paces remain ahead of average. That was despite heavy rainfall and severe storms in parts of the Midwest and Plains late last week and early this week, with more rain in the forecast for parts of the region midweek, but that increased [...]
NAAA Urges Drone Operators To Give Right-Of-Way To Low-Altitude Ag Aircraft
Source: National Agricultural Aviation Association news release ALEXANDRIA, VA - As the U.S. agriculture industry enters the upcoming growing season, the National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA) is asking all uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) operators (or drones) to be mindful of low-altitude crewed (or manned) agricultural aircraft operations. Agricultural aviators treat [...]
USDA’s APHIS To Require Electronic Tags In Certain Cattle And Bison
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON, - Today, by amending and strengthening its animal disease traceability regulations for certain cattle and bison, the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is putting in place the technology, tools, and processes to help quickly pinpoint and respond [...]
John Deere Defuses Myths About Electric Vehicles
Source: blog by John Deere Why are we introducing battery electric vehicles (BEVs) to some product lines? Because industries we support, like high value crop farming (things like nuts and fruits), as well as customers working in turf care and construction, need it. There are a lot of myths and [...]
Nutrien To Sell Its Argentina, Chile And Uruguay Retail Operations, Concentrate On Brazil
AgNews reports: Nutrien Ltd, the world's largest maker of fertilisers, said it is seeking to sell its retail operations in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay in order to focus on Brazil and other global markets. The Canadian company is prioritising key markets in a bid to boost returns for investors, a [...]
Here’s How AI in Ag Will Change Farming Operations
WALEED AHMED/GETTY IMAGESMachine learning and foundational modeling are the driving force behind increasingly automated farm machines and the systems that manage your farmโs data. by Andy Castillo, Farm Progress Modern tractors may look like those from two decades ago, but inside, new models have gone through a revolution because of [...]
Farmers Nat’l Co. Reports Demand, Prices For Farmland Remain Strong Despite Weakened Farm Economy
By Troy Swee, Ass't VP, Farmers National Co. There is a renewed sense of optimism across the country as farmers begin pulling their planting equipment out of the sheds and prepare for spring planting. Commodity prices have been range bound for the past several months; however, farmers are the eternal [...]
EPA To Enforce Its Rule Barring Sales Of Dicamba Products From Bayer, BASF And Syngenta
Source: Agribusiness Association of Iowa On February 14, 2024, EPA issued its Existing Stocks Order for Dicamba Products Previously Registered for Over-the-Top Use on Dicamba-Tolerant Cotton and Soybean. EPA issued the existing stocks order following the February 6, 2024, order and judgement by the District of Arizona vacating the registrations [...]
Missouri House Passes Legislation Shielding Bayer From Glyphosate Lawsuits
By David A. Lieb, AP JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The manufacturer of a popular weedkiller won support Wednesday from the Missouri House for a proposal that could shield it from costly lawsuits alleging it failed to warn customers its product could cause cancer. The House vote marked an important but [...]
Best Of NAMA Winners Announced, John Deere Is The Grand Champion
Source: Agri Marketing magazine Last night, the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) named the National winners of its "Best of NAMA" contest at its awards ceremony held last evening at the Sheraton Crown Center hotel in Kansas City. The Best of NAMA awards program honors the best work in agricultural communications. [...]
USDA Reports Crop Insurance Payments By Farm Type And Size
Source: USDA news release About 13 percent of U.S. farms participated in Federal crop insurance programs in 2022, with the highest share of participants coming from small family farms. The four types of small family farms (retirement, off-farm occupation, low sales, and moderate sales) accounted for 54 percent of the [...]
USDA Requires Mandatory Testing For Interstate Movement Of Dairy Cattle
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON - To further protect the U.S. livestock industry from the threat posed by highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza, USDA is sharing a number of actions that we are taking with our federal partners to help us get ahead of this disease and limit its spread. [...]
Vegetable Canning Sector Faces Import, Tariff Challenges
BrownfieldAgNews reports: The president of the Midwest Food Products Association says the U.S. has become a net importer of food, and it's hurting processors and farmers. Jason Culotta tells Brownfield the recent announcements of ConAgra's Bird's Eye frozen foods plant in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin and the Del Monte canning plant [...]
USDA To Invest $238 Million In Clean Energy, Domestic Biofuels For Farms And Small Businesses
Source: USDA news release Erie, PA - In honor of Earth Day 2024, Agriculture Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is funding more than 700 clean energy projects to lower energy bills, expand access to domestic biofuels and create jobs and new market [...]
Avian Flu Virus Found In Some Store’s Milk, FDA Says Dairy Is Safe
Agri-Pulse reports: FDA is reiterating that the milk supply is safe because of pasteurization and the diversion or destruction of milk from sick cows, despite finding viral fragments in some pasteurized milk. In an update Tuesday, FDA said the presence of the H5N1 virus has been detected in milk from [...]
Animal Ag Alliance Reports Animal Rights Extremists Take Aim At The Pork Community
TheScoop.com reports: The pork community is in the crosshairs right now for the animal rights extremist community, says Hannah Thompson-Weeman, president and CEO of the Animal Agriculture Alliance. "They're feeling buoyed by Proposition 12 being upheld last year," Thompson-Weeman says. "And that's led to a wave of similar legislation in [...]
Avian Flu Virus Detected In Raw Milk From Infected Dairy Cows
by Henry Miller, Kathleen Hefferon, Genetic Literacy Project It was three months ago when we wrote about the surge of the H5N1 bird flu strain that had by then already killed tens of millions of birds in various parts of the U.S. and land and marine animals in other countries. [...]
Three Cargill Innovations Win the Prestigious 2024 Edison Awards
Source: Cargill news release WAYZATA , Minn. --(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Edison Awards, named after the American inventor Thomas Alva Edison, recognize some of the most innovative products and business leaders in the world. For the second consecutive year, Cargill is honored to win three 2024 Edison Awards for innovations in Smart [...]
Investment In Conservation Practices Over The Years
Source: USDA news release USDA, Economic Research Service (ERS) forecasts direct Federal payments for conservation programs for 2024 to increase by 10 percent, more than $363 million in inflation-adjusted terms, to $4 billion. This increase primarily is due to expected payments from the Inflation Reduction Act used to support various [...]
Summit Carbon Solutions Sued By Pipe Provider Welspun Tubular
Agri-Pulse reports: Steel pipe manufacturer Welspun Tubular LLC is suing carbon pipeline company Summit Carbon Solutions for $15 million for allegedly breaching a purchase agreement for $182.5 million worth of pipe. The company, a subsidiary of an Indian manufacturing firm, last week filed a lawsuit in Delaware State Court alleging [...]
USDA Reports 12% Of Corn Is Planted, 8% Of Soybeans
BrownfieldAgNews reports: Farmers made corn and soybean planting progress over the past week, despite cooler, wetter weather in some key growing areas. The USDA says 12% of corn has been planted as of Sunday, compared to 12% a year ago and the five-year average of 10%, with 3% emerged, compared [...]
EPA Issues Emergency Fuel Waiver For E-15 Salesโฏ
Source: EPA news release LENEXA, KAN. - Today, April 19, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is issuing an emergency fuel waiver to allow E15 gasoline -- gasoline blended with 15% ethanol -- to be sold during the summer driving season.โฏ This action will provide communities with relief at the pump [...]
University Ag Economists: Farmland Shifts To The Tropics Are A Strategic Challenge For US Crops
By Carl Zulauf, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, Ohio State University and Gary Schnitkey, Joana Colussi and Nick Paulson, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois Brazil's past expansion and potential to further expand cropland has received considerable attention in the US (see farmdoc daily, April [...]
Consumer Reports Fruits And Vegetables Have Unhealthy Doses Of Pesticides
By Catherine Roberts, Consumer Reports magazine When it comes to healthy eating, fruits and vegetables reign supreme. But along with all their vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients can come something else: an unhealthy dose of dangerous pesticides. Though using chemicals to control bugs, fungi, and weeds helps farmers grow the [...]
Today Is Earth Day, Here Are The Planned Activities
Source: Council for Agricultural & Science Technology (CAST) Earth Day, observed on April 22, is an annual celebration that encourages us to reflect on the health and well-being of our planet. This event began in 1970 and has continued to inspire people to think sustainably for over fifty years. Earth [...]
25 States Sue EPA Over Its Vehicle Emissions Mandate
By Clark Mindock, Reuters Republican attorneys general from 25 states on Thursday sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to block rules intended to reduce planet-warming emissions from cars and light trucks and encourage electric vehicle manufacturing, arguing the agency exceeded its legal authority. The lawsuit challenging the regulations for passenger [...]
Univ Of Wisconsin Releases New Tool Comparing Corn Hybrid’s Nutrition Value Of Silage
Source: Rock River Labs news release Watertown, Wis. - The new corn silage hybrid evaluation index, MILK2024, is now available - 18 years after its predecessor. Also known to many as the 'milk per ton' model (milk/ton), this tool from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Luiz Ferraretto lab in the Animal [...]
USDA, USAID To Deploy $1 Billion For Emergency Food Assistance
WASHINGTON, - The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Agency for International Development will deploy $1 billion in Commodity Credit Corporation funding to purchase U.S.-grown commodities to provide emergency food assistance to people in need throughout the world, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and USAID Administrator Samantha Power announced today. [...]
BLM Rule Threatens Multiple Use Management Of Public Lands
WASHINGTON, - Today, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) and Public Lands Council (PLC) expressed serious concerns about the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) final "Conservation and Landscape Health" rule that reimagines the agency's requirements to manage lands for multiple uses, including livestock grazing. "The BLM has a statutory responsibility [...]
Precision Spraying Technology Developer Greeneye Technology Raises $20M To Scale Its U.S. Operation
Source: Greeneye Technology news release Greeneye Technology, the pioneer of AI-enabled precision spraying technology that is proven to reduce herbicide use in farming by an average of 88%, today announces the completion of a $20M funding round led by Israeli investment company Deep Insight. The round is supported by existing [...]
Data On Farmland Operating Agreements By Major Crop
Source: USDA news release The proportion of farmland managed under a lease agreement and land that is managed by owner-operators varies across crops, according to data collected from Agricultural Resource Management Surveys (ARMS). Owner-operators farmed close to half of U.S. corn, soybean, and barley acres but roughly a third of [...]
High Horsepower Tractor Imports And Exports Being Impacted By Baltimore Port Closure
Farm Equipment magazine reports: The Port of Baltimore is a key hub for ag equipment imports and exports in the U.S., and its closure could have a notable impact on importing high horsepower tractors specifically. A cargo ship collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, collapsing and [...]
AGCO Says Fully Automated Farming Operations Will Be Available By 2030
by Richard Bishop, Contributor to Forbes magazine AGCO Corporation and Trimble recently announced the completion of their joint venture (JV) transaction. Known as PTx Trimble, the JV combines Trimble's precision agriculture business and AGCO's JCA Technologies to form a new company that they say will better serve farmers with factory [...]
USDA, FarmRaise Partner To Offer Ag Producers Financial Resource Tools
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON, - The U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) today unveiled a new, online Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) Decision Tool and farm loan resources available to agricultural producers and cooperators who help producers access USDA disaster assistance, farm loans and other federal farm programs. The new LIP [...]
RFD-TV Announces The Premiere Of Season Two Of RanchHer
Source: FarmHer news release Nashville, TN - RFD-TV, the leading network for rural America, is thrilled to unveil the highly anticipated premiere of new episodes for its acclaimed series, RanchHER. Following the triumphant return of FarmHER, RanchHER premieres on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at 9:00 PM ET. This captivating show [...]
Year Round E15 Act Introduced In U.S. House
BrownfieldAgNews reports: A bill has been introduced in the U.S. House that would allow E15 to be sold during the 2024 summer driving season. Congressman Zach Nunn says the Year-Round E15 Act wouldn't have been necessary if the U.S. EPA would have enacted year-round sales beginning this year. "This year, [...]
The Soil & Water Outcomes Fund And John Deere Launch Seamless Integration Of Field Data
Source: Soil & Water Outcomes Fund news release Moline, IL and Ankeny, IA -- The Soil and Water Outcomes Fund (SWOF) and John Deere are proud to announce a new collaboration, bringing an integrated digital experience to farmers participating in SWOF's leading agricultural ecosystem services program. This digital integration with [...]
House Ag Committee Chair Thompson Calls Current Farm Bill Is The Right Policy At The Right Time
Source: House Committee on Agriculture Republicans news release Before Memorial Day, the House Committee on Agriculture will consider a farm bill that responds to a variety of crisis points, constituent priorities, needs of rural communities, and the demands of the current economy, both domestically and abroad. Within this bill--an opportunity [...]
Ukraine Walks Away From New Black Sea Grain Deal
By Ryan Hanrahan, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project Reuters' Guy Faulconbridge and Tuvan Gumrukcu reported Monday that "Russia and Ukraine negotiated for two months with Turkey on a deal to ensure the safety of shipping in the Black Sea and reached agreement on a text that was to be announced [...]
Inaugural Report Showing Ransomware Trends In Food And Agriculture Industry Released
Source: Food and Agriculture - Information Sharing and Analysis Center news release WASHINGTON -- The Food and Agriculture - Information Sharing and Analysis Center (Food and Ag-ISAC) today released the findings of its first annual report of ransomware incidents in the Food and Agriculture sector. The ISAC's report, "Farm-To-Table Ransomware [...]
Court Rules In Favor Of Farmers Edge In Patent Suit Brought By AGI SureTrack
Source: Farmers Edge news release WINNIPEG, Manitoba--Farmers Edge Inc. ("Farmers Edge" or the "Company"), a pure-play digital agriculture company, is pleased to announce that the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska has ruled in favour of Farmers Edge in a patent infringement suit brought by AGI SureTrack, [...]
USDA Issues Crop Progress Report: 6% Of Corn, 3% Of Soybeans Have Been Planted
BrownfieldAgNews reports: U.S. farmers were generally able to make solid planting progress last week, but there were delays in some areas and dry weather in the Plains is having some impact on winter wheat. The USDA says 6% of U.S. corn is planted as of Sunday, compared to 3% a [...]
Map Showing Food Price Increase By Metro Area In 2023
Source: USDA news release Retail food price inflation varies by locality. In 2023, food-at-home (grocery) prices rose the fastest in Houston, TX, by 7.8 percent, followed by Boston, MA, at 7.0 percent. In contrast, food-at-home prices declined by 1.3 percent in 2023 in Anchorage, AK, and rose by the lowest [...]
Farmers File Suit Against USDA, Challenge Constitutionality Of Payments Based On Race And Sex
Source: Southeastern Legal Foundation AMARILLO, TX -- On behalf of Texas farmers, Southeastern Legal Foundation (SLF), together with Mountain States Legal Foundation (MSLF), filed a motion for preliminary injunction in federal court to stop the Biden Administration Department of Agriculture (USDA) from unconstitutionally and unlawfully funneling disaster and pandemic relief [...]
Veterinarian Assn Gives New Name For Disease Found In Cattle From Bird Flu
By Krissa Welshans, Livestock Editor, Feedstuffs After collaborating with veterinarians, allied organizations, state and federal agencies, diagnostic laboratories and animal health officials on the 2024 emerging disease event affecting dairy cattle, the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) will reference the newly emerging cattle disease that has stemmed from highly [...]
Are We Facing An ‘Insect Apocalypse’ Caused By ‘Intensive, Industrial’ Farming?
By Jon Entine, Genetic Literacy Project The media call it the "Insect Apocalypse". In the past few years, the phrase has become an accepted truth of the journalism literati, and usually associated with such apocalyptic terms as "ecosystem collapse" and "food crisis". The culprit: modern agriculture, which is often linked [...]
USDA Releases Data On Use Of Genetically Engineered Crops By Farmers
Source: USDA news release Genetically engineered (GE) seeds were commercially introduced in the United States for major field crops in 1996, with adoption rates increasing rapidly in the years that followed. The two main GE trait types are herbicide-tolerant (HT) and insect-resistant (Bt). These traits can be added individually to [...]
Farmland Renters And Owner-Operators Use Similar Levels Of Tillage Intensity
Source: USDA news release USDA, Economic Research Service (ERS) researchers investigated whether tillage practices were different between farmers who were renters or farmers who owned the land. Farming systems that decrease soil disturbance and preserve more crop residue than conventional tillage may improve the soil, but these practices have upfront [...]
Republicans Propose Crop Insurance Subsidy Boost
by Ryan Hanrahan, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project Successful Farming's Chuck Abbott reported Wednesday that "Republicans on the Senate Agriculture Committee proposed a $4 billion injection into the crop insurance program so that the government would pay a larger share of the premiums on policies offering the highest levels of [...]
EPA Finalizes National Drinking Water Standard To Protect 100M People From PFAS Pollution
Source: USDA news release LENEXA, KAN.- Today, the Biden-Harris Administration issued the first-ever national, legally enforceable drinking water standard to protect communities from exposure to harmful per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as 'forever chemicals.' Exposure to PFAS has been linked to deadly cancers, impacts to the liver and heart, [...]
Brazil Could Boost Its Crop Acres By 35% With New Land Management Practices
By Joana Colussi, Nick Paulson, Gary Schnitkey and Jim Baltz, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois and Carl Zulauf, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, Ohio State University The role of land in increasing food production has accounted for over 50% of the increase in crop [...]
South Dakota Dairy Worker Is Second Human Infected With Avian Flu
by Rachel Schutte, Content Producer, Feedstuffs The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports a person in Texas tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, after exposure to dairy cattle presumed to be infected with HPAI. The National Veterinary Service Lab confirmed the H5N1 strain [...]
Best Agricultural Universities In The World Announced, See Where Yours Ranks
Source: Agri Marketing magazine QS, in partnership with Elsevier, has released its ninth annual ranking of the world's best Agricultural Universities in 2023. To learn more about the study and its methodology click here. The best 10 globally and best 23 in North America include: (Indicated behind each is their [...]
Nat’l Corn Growers Assn’s VP Travels To Washington To Push For Crop Insurance Improvements
Kenneth Hartman Jr.Source: National Corn Growers Association news release National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) First Vice President Kenneth Hartman Jr. joined a press conference on Capitol Hill today to offer corn growers' support of legislation to make crop insurance more affordable for producers through the farm bill. The press conference [...]
Legislation Strengthening Iowa’s Farmland Purchases By Foreigners Signed Into Law
Source: Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship DES MOINES, Iowa - Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig released the following statement today after Gov. Kim Reynolds signed Senate File 2204, legislation strengthening Iowa's Foreign Ownership of Farmland law: "Keeping Iowa's precious and productive farmland in the hands of Americans [...]
Bayer Is Planning To Launch New Active Ingredient In Its Roundup Herbicide
AgNews reports: Bayer has plans to introduce a substitute for glyphosate - the active ingredient in Roundup weedkiller - within four years, The Peninsular quoted the company's chief executive as telling local media. โณWe are testing this new substance on real plants. It's the first ... innovation in this area [...]
USDA Issues Planting Progress Report: 3% Of Corn Is In, 13% Of Sorghum
BrownfieldAgNews reports: Early U.S. corn planting continues to inch forward. The USDA says that as of Sunday, 3% of corn is planted, matching a year ago and slightly ahead of the five-year average. 56% of the U.S. winter wheat crop is rated good to excellent, unchanged on the week and [...]
Ranchers Slam Regressive Endangered Species Act Rulemakings
Source: NCBA and PLC joint news release WASHINGTON - Today, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) and the Public Lands Council (PLC) condemned the Biden Administration's three finalized Endangered Species Act (ESA) rulemakings that significantly expand federal overreach and roll back reforms that previously provided some relief to farmers and [...]
March Sets Record As Earth’s 10th Consecutive Hottest Month
by Suman Naishdham, Associated Press WASHINGTON -- For the 10th consecutive month, Earth in March set a new monthly record for global heat -- with both air temperatures and the world's oceans hitting an all-time high for the month, the European Union climate agency Copernicus said. March 2024 averaged 14.14 [...]
AGCO Launches PTx, A Precision Ag Portfolio To Accelerate Technology Transformation
Source: AGCO news release DULUTH, Ga.-- AGCO Corporation (NYSE: AGCO), a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of agricultural machinery and precision ag technology, today announced the launch of PTx, a new brand representing its precision ag portfolio. PTx combines precision ag technologies from the cornerstones of AGCO's [...]
USDA Releases Report Tracking Fertilizer’s Share Of Corn Production Costs
Source: USDA news release Fertilizer is one of several inputs corn growers buy in the months before April and May, when most U.S. corn acres are planted. Historically, fertilizer is typically the largest variable expense associated with corn production. Every May, USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS) reports production costs, including [...]
Cargill Recognized On Fortune’ Americaโs Most Innovative Companies 2024 List
Source: Cargill news release Wayzata, MNโฏ- Cargill has been recognized on the Fortune list of America's Most Innovative Companies 2024. This marks the second consecutive year Cargill has been honored among the 200 companies listed as "transforming industries from the inside out." According to Fortune, "Innovation can spark in a [...]
USDA Announces $1.5 Billion Available For Partner-Driven Conservation Solution Programs
Source: USDA news release The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is accepting project proposals now through July 2, 2024, that will help farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners adopt and expand conservation strategies to enhance natural resources while tackling the climate crisis. These projects in turn can save farmers money, create [...]
$1.5 Billion Fine Is Reduced To $550 Million In Missouri Glyphosate Lawsuit
Agri-Pulse reports: A state judge in Missouri has agreed to reduce punitive damages awards to three plaintiffs who sued over Roundup exposure from $1.5 billion to about $550 million, Bloomberg reported Friday, adding that Bayer plans to appeal the verdict because it believes the judge did not "apply the law [...]
Republican Study Committee Budget Targets SNAP, Crop Insurance, Conservation And Other
By Ryan Hanrahan, University of Illinois FarmDoc project A proposed 2025 budget from the Republican Study Committee -- the largest conservative caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives -- would cap crop insurance subsidies a single farmer may receive to $40,000, provide PLC and ARC payments only to farms with [...]
USDA Makes $1.5 Billion Available To Help Farmers Advance Conservation And Climate-Smart Agriculture
Source: USDA news release MANKATO, Minn., - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the availability of an historic $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2024 to invest in partner-driven conservation and climate solutions through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) as part of President Biden's Investing in America agenda. The U.S. [...]
U.S. Drought Area Smallest Since 2020
by Ryan Hanrahan, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported Tuesday that "after a wet winter and early spring across much of the country, drought across the continuous United States had decreased to around 18% by the end of March, down from 20% at the [...]
Bird Flu Found In Ohio Dairy Herd, Some Good News On Human Infection
Agri-Pulse reports: Another dairy herd has been infected with bird flu, this time in Ohio. The Ohio Agriculture Department says the farm received cows March 8 from a Texas operation that turned out to be infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza. USDA has also confirmed infections in herds in Kansas, [...]
Farm Journal Issues “Smart Farming Intelligence” Report
Source: Farm Journal news release Lenexa, Kan., - At the start of every growing season, U.S. producers are asked to produce more with less amid a mounting array of challenges. At the same time, they receive increased input from consumers and a value chain that is less connected to agriculture [...]
Cal-Maine Foods Reports Positive Test Result For Avian Influenza At Its Texas Facility
Source: Cal-Maine Foods news release RIDGELAND, Miss. -- Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ: CALM) ("Cal-Maine Foods" or "Company") today reported that one of the Company's facilities located in Parmer County, Texas, tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza ("HPAI"), resulting in depopulation of approximately 1.6 million laying hens and 337,000 pullets, [...]
Farmer Sentiment Improves As Interest Rate Expectations Shift
Source: Purdue University U.S. farmers' perspective on the future improved in March helping to push the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer up 3 points from February to a reading of 114. The Index of Current Conditions at 101 was 2 points below a month earlier while the Index of [...]
Stats Canada Releases 2024 Planted Acres Forecast
Source: Canada Association of Agri-Retailers Canadian farmers are tweaking their 2024 crop plans, increasing some plantings like wheat and corn, while reducing others like canola and soybeans. This year, Canadian farmers are adjusting their sights and seed plans, signalling a mixed bag of increases and decreases across principal field crops [...]
Avian Flu Found Found In Michigan And Idaho Dairy Cattle
by Krissa Welshans, Livestock Editor, Feedstuffs Just days after the virus was confirmed in dairy cows in Texas and Kansas, the Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) and the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD) announced highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in dairy cattle operations, marking the first [...]
Avian Flu Infects Man Dairy Worker In Texas
by Rachel Schutte, Content Producer, Feedstuffs The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports a person in Texas tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, after exposure to dairy cattle presumed to be infected with HPAI. The National Veterinary Service Lab confirmed the H5N1 strain [...]
Breakthrough Research: Scientists Develop Cow Who Produces Human Insulin In Her Milk
By Hannah Spangler, FarmWeekNow.com A brown bovine from southern Brazil has made history as the first transgenic cow capable of producing human insulin in her milk. The advancement, led by researchers from the University of Illinois and the Universidade de Sรฃo Paulo in Brazil, could eventually eliminate drug scarcity and [...]
Who Is A “Foreign Person” In The Eyes Of USDA?
By Todd Janzen, Janzen Ag Law Midwestern politicians are drumming up support for increased oversight of foreign ownership of US agricultural farmland. At the state and federal level, there are bills seeking to reduce or increase reporting obligations for foreign ownership of farmland. Arkansas even went so far as to [...]
Purdue Launches Modeling Tool For Ag Retailers To Use, Increase Their Sales
Source: Purdue University The center's research team, in partnership with The Nature Conservancy, has developed a business modeling tool to assist agricultural retailers in better understanding the prospective impact of conservation products and services on their business. Using a technique that forecasts financial profitability over a decade, businesses can visualize [...]
Ag Robotic Market Forecast To Grow From $63 Billion To $218 Billion By 2030
Source: GlobalData news release The global agriculture sector faces various challenges, including the impacts of climate change and labor shortages. Robotics can help agriculture companies tackle these challenges by automating machines and supporting vertical farming. Against this backdrop, the robotics industry is set to grow at a compound annual growth [...]
12% Of U.S. Households Are Food Insecure, Yet 40% Of Food Is Discarded
Source: AgriNovus Indiana AgriNovus Indiana, an initiative to grow the state's agbioscience economy, released new secondary research today identifying the need for market-driven technologies that ensure increased and equitable food distribution to eliminate hunger. The study was conducted by Purdue University student, Tushar Sonvani, to inform the scope of the [...]
Farmers’ Adoption Of New Technology Is The Dominate Factor In Increasing Agriculture’s Productivity
Source: USDA news release Technological developments in agriculture have enabled continued output growth without requiring much additional inputs. Innovations in animal and crop genetics, chemicals, equipment, and farm organization have made it possible for total agricultural output to nearly triple between 1948 and 2021. During that period, the amount of [...]
Tobacco Farms Have All But Disappeared From The U.S.
by Will Snell, University of Kentucky The southern region in the United States has been well known for several unique crops, including cotton, rice, peanuts, and tobacco. However, the latest Census data reveal that farms growing tobacco are disappearing from the landscape of southern agriculture. Tobacco has had a storied [...]
USDA Approves Bayer’s New Corn Cultivar Which Is Resistant To Five Herbicides
Source: National Agricultural Law Center USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), has issued a proposed rule to approve a corn cultivar developed by Bayer that is resistant to five herbicides, including dicamba. In a draft environmental impact statement, APHIS addressed the off-target dicamba damage that has been associated [...]
Four States Have Bills Limiting Plaintiffs’ Claims Against Pesticide Manufacturers
Source: National Agricultural Law Center At least four states have introduced bills that would limit the ability of plaintiffs to bring claims that pesticide manufacturers failed to warn them about potential health risks of using pesticide products if the pesticide has a federally approved label that is consistent with either [...]
AgCareers.Com Release Results Of Workforce Needs And Gaps Survey
Source: AgCareers.com news release Ames, IA - U.S. employers report challenges in finding suitable job candidates with work-ready skills to fill open roles in the agri-food industry. AgCareers.com surveyed these employers to gain deeper insights into the skills they seek and identify the most significant skills gaps in the workforce. [...]
Ag Economists Release Report Showing Crop Yield Growth By Global Regions
By Carl Zulauf, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, Ohio State University and Joana Colussi, Nick Paulson, and Gary Schnitkey, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois Yield growth is critical to increasing crop output in the United States. US harvested land has been stable during the [...]
Baltimore Port Is An Ag Shipping Powerhouse, Including Farm Machinery
JIM WATSON/GETTY IMAGESThe steel frame of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Md., sits on top of the container ship Dali after the bridge collapsed due to the ship striking a pillar. by Chris Torres, Editor, American Agriculturalist magazine The tragedy surrounding the collapse of the Francis Scott Key [...]
John Deere To Layoff 300 Workers At Its Waterloo Tractor Manufacturing Plant
Source: KWWL TV, Waterloo, Iowa WATERLOO, Iowa -- John Deere will be laying off more than 300 employees in Waterloo in late April, according to the Iowa Workforce Development WARN website. John Deere issued a statement to KWWL saying, "John Deere informed members of the workforce at its Waterloo Operations [...]
LEMKEN And KRONE Announce “Combined Powers” Project To Develope Autonomous Solutions
Source: LEMKEN and KRONE news release With their joint "Combined Powers" project, KRONE and LEMKEN are endeavouring to advance and bring into focus not only the development of autonomous process units, but also the associated work processes by carrying out additional practical deployments at home and abroad. The findings and [...]
Farm Journal Editors List Seven Technology Trends To Know About
by the Farm Journal editors These smart farming trends and example products highlight greater efficiency, maximum yields and environmental stewardship. 1. Selective Spraying Now, multiple selective spraying systems are available as factory installations and aftermarket options from different manufacturers. 2. Data Analytics You can't manage what you don't measure, and [...]
Bird Flu Detected In Texas, Kansas And New Mexico Dairy Cattle
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as state veterinary and public health officials, are investigating an illness among primarily older dairy cows in Texas, Kansas, and New Mexico that [...]
EU To Place Tariffs On Imports Of Russian And Belarus Grain
By Kim Mackrael and Laurence Norman, Wall Street Journal BRUSSELS--In a big shift, the European Union is planning to impose tariffs on Russian grain, part of an effort to curb Moscow's export revenue and appease European farmers who are angry about imports of cheaper agricultural products. The plan--the bloc's first [...]
Anheuser-Busch Is First To Adopt American Farmland Trust’s “U.S. Farmed” Certification
Source: American Farmland Trust news release St. Louis, MO - Today, American Farmland Trust (AFT), a national nonprofit that helps to keep American farmers on their land, launched a new U.S. Farmed certification and packaging seal for products that derive at least 95 percent of their agricultural ingredients from farms [...]
Pork Prices Up 20 to 40% In California Following Implementation Of Prop 12
National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) reports: What happened: After being in effect a little more than six months, California's Proposition 12, requiring pork sold in the state to be from hogs born to sows raised in housing that meets specific space standards, already has raised pork prices for California consumers [...]
Farm Futures Survey Reports Farmers Will Plant 2.3 Million Fewer Corn Acres, 2.4 Million Soybean Acres
by Jacqueline Holland, Grain market analyst, Farm Futures magazine U.S. farmers might plant less corn than last year, but it will likely still be larger than what previous USDA forecasts have indicated, according to new survey data from the March 2024 Farm Futures grower survey. In fact, total corn and [...]
Illinois Soybean Assn Opens New Soy Innovation Center
CHICAGO, ILL. - The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) announced the opening of its Soy Innovation Center aimed to support and catalyze the State of Illinois' goal to be a national leader in sustainable technology and innovation. The launch of ISA's new Soy Innovation Center will enhance the state's green reputation [...]
Fast Company: How Farm Journal is Sowing The Regenerative Ag Movement
by Clint Rainey, Fast Company magazine America's largest ag publication says that "one of the more intractable challenges of our time" is convincing farmers to adopt regenerative agriculture, a lesson it attests to firsthand. Billions have now been invested to achieve that goal in America, yet just 5% of U.S. [...]
American Bankers Assn: Farm Bank Lending Increased To $110 Billion In 2023
Source: American Bankers Association news release WASHINGTON -- Amid elevated production costs, commodity price volatility and a return to pre-pandemic levels of direct government payments, agricultural loan demand increased in 2023 and agricultural lending by U.S. farm banks grew 6.7% to $110.0 billion, according the American Bankers Association's annual Farm [...]
John Deere, Kinze And Ag Leader Announce Collaboration
Farm Equipment magazine reports: John Deere, Kinze Manufacturing, and Ag Leader Technology today announced a collaboration agreement that will make it easier for farmers to integrate each company's equipment and technology solutions into their farming operation. The collaboration enables farmers to combine the equipment and digital solutions offered by John [...]
UPL Announces Winners Of Its “Radical Natural Plant Protection Challenge”
Source: UPL news release LONDON, - UPL Corporation Ltd. (UPL Corp), a global provider of holistic and sustainable agricultural solutions, and Radicle Growth, a company-building platform investing in early-stage agriculture and food technologies, are delighted to announce SOLASTA Bio as the winner of 'the Radicle Natural Plant Protection (NPP) Challenge [...]
Corteva Launches Investment And Partnership Platform Corteva Catalyst
Source: PRNewswire news release INDIANAPOLIS, /PRNewswire/ -- Corteva, Inc. (NYSE: CTVA) today announced the launch of Corteva Catalyst, a new investment and partnership platform focused on accessing and bringing to market agricultural innovations that advance the company's R&D priorities and drive value creation. Corteva Catalyst will partner with entrepreneurs and [...]
USDA: U.S. Ag Import Values Outpace Export Values In 2023
Source: USDA news release The U.S. agricultural trade balance measures the difference between the values of exported farm goods and those imports from other countries. For nearly 60 years, U.S. agricultural trade maintained a surplus, but in fiscal year (FY) 2019, the balance shifted to a deficit, where it has [...]
Top 5 Challenges Impacting Global Logistics
by Ann Reus, Feed & Grain magazine The top factors affecting global logistics right now are hedging ocean rates, environmental and geopolitical challenges, U.S. port infrastructure, railroads and technology, according to Caitlin Murphy, CEO of Global Gateway Logistics. Murphy spoke March 13 at the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) Purchasing [...]
Crop Insurance And CRP In The Farm Bill
BrownfieldAgNews reports: A leader with USDA says there has been some bipartisan support for crop insurance in farm bill discussions. Robert Bonnie, Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation, says the crop insurance title could be strengthened to help producers facing extreme drought and higher risks of flooding. "We're always [...]
FarmHER And RanchHER To Empower Women In Agriculture During Nat’l Ag Week
Source: FarmHER and RanchHER news release NASHVILLE, TN - In observance of the 51st National Agriculture Week, two of Rural Media Group's highly acclaimed series, FarmHER and RanchHER, are proud to amplify the voices and stories of women in agriculture. National Agriculture Week serves as a reminder of the critical [...]
Four Trends Driving Agriculture Forward
BERKELEY, Calif. -- Pivot Bio, a leading sustainable agriculture company, will send the company's CEO, CFO, Chief Innovation Officer and Chief Business Development Officer to San Francisco this week to meet with partners at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit, where leaders from across the industry will come together to explore [...]
Today Is National Ag Day! Events To Be Held Across The Country
BrownfieldAgNews reports: Many in the ag industry are highlighting the role agriculture plays in protecting the land, water, and air. Jenni Badding, National Ag Day Chair for the Agriculture Council of America, says 'Growing a Climate for Tomorrow' is the theme for this year's National Ag Day events and farmers [...]
Farmers National Co: High Quality, High Producing Land Remains In High Demand
By Tom Schutter, AFM, Area Sales Manager - Central Region, Farmers National Company The first quarter of 2024 saw a decline in the volume of land sales through Farmers National Company. While such a drop tends to be typical for this time of year, values have struggled to maintain the [...]
SpaceX And Oracle Partner To Bring IA To Farmers
by Jyoti Mann, Business Insider reports: Elon Musk's SpaceX is teaming up with Larry Ellison's Oracle to help farms plan and predict their agricultural output using an AI tool. Larry Ellison said on Oracle's earnings call on Monday that it's collaborating with Musk and SpaceX to create the AI-powered mapping [...]
Bayer Pilots Unique Generative AI Tool For Agriculture
Source: Bayer news release SAN FRANCISCO -- Bayer today announced the pilot of an expert GenAI system to benefit farmers and up-level agronomists in their daily work. The company has been using proprietary agronomic data to train a large language model (LLM) with years of internal data, insights from thousands [...]
U Of Illinois Study Reports Consumers Across Political Spectrum Share Food Pricing Frustrations
Maria Kalaitzandonakes, along with agricultural and consumer economics colleagues, examined consumer perceptions of high food prices. Source: University of Illinois URBANA, Ill. -- In his State of the Union address last week, President Biden touched on a topic close to the hearts of U.S. consumers: food prices. In this election [...]
U.S. Dominance In Corn Exports On The Wane Due To Brazilian Competition
By Joana Colussi, Nick Paulson, and Joe Janzen, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois and Carl Zulauf, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, Ohio State University The historical supremacy of the United States in corn exports is shrinking because of heightened competition in the global market. [...]
JBS And Tyson To Pay $127 Million To Settle โWage-Fixingโ Lawsuit
Source: MSN.com JBS and Tyson have agreed to pay a combined $127m to settle a US lawsuit that accused the meat giants of conspiring to keep workers' wages low. Under the terms of the agreement, JBS will pay $55m and Tyson $72.3m in compensation. The lawsuit, heard in Colorado, accused [...]
Key Crop Protection Trends For 2024 Season
By Michele Katsaris, AgriBusiness Global AgriBusiness Global recently caught up with Jacqui Fatka, Lead Industry Analyst for CoBank's Knowledge Exchange Division. Fatka provided insights into key trends and challenges shaping the global ag input landscape, from the decrease in fertilizer prices to planting numbers rebalancing in South America, as well [...]
Farmers Receive 24 Cents For Food Prepared At Home, Only 3 Cents From Food-Away-From-Home
Source: USDA news release In 2022, farm establishments received 24.1 cents for each dollar spent on food at home and 3.6 cents for each dollar spent on food away from home. These amounts, called farm shares, highlight the different paths that food takes from farms to consumers' points of purchase. [...]
AgriGold Agronomist Provides A Deeper Understanding Of How And When Hybrids Build Yield
Hybrids build yields in different ways; understanding those differences can help farmers maximize their potential. Source: AgriGold news release WESTFIELD, Ind. - AgriGold Agronomist Sam McCord's multiyear kernel count study started as an attempt to get a better handle on how many kernels it takes to make a bushel and [...]
Biodiesel Manufacturers Continue To Lose Money, More Plant Closures In The Future?
Agri-Pulse reports: A new analysis of profits in the biodiesel industry underscores the volatility and tough times the industry is facing as it competes with renewable diesel for the biofuel market. Biodiesel production finances have whipsawed between losses and profits since 2021, with plants losing 59 cents per gallon during [...]
John Deere Announces Layoffs At Its Ankeny, Iowa Plant
WeAreIowa.com reports: ANKENY, Iowa -- Approximately 150 John Deere Des Moines Works employees will be laid off in the coming months, a spokesperson for the company confirmed with Local 5 on Monday. John Deere leadership told its workforce at the Ankeny-based factory that 150 production employees will be placed on [...]
Tyson Foods To Close Its Pork Processing Plant In Perry, Iowa
Yahoo Finance reports: More than 1,000 workers at another Tyson Food plant are out of work after the company announced it is permanently closing one of its Iowa facilities. The move comes after the Arkansas-based company closed two chicken plants and announced job cuts last year and said four other [...]
California E85 Sales Set New Record In 2023
Source: Growth Energy news release SACRAMENTO, CALIF.--Growth Energy, the nation's largest biofuel trade association, welcomed the release of new data from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) showing that sales of E85 set a new record in the state in 2023. "Californians used more E85 than ever last year, a [...]
Chart Showing How Weather Influences Fluctuations In Beef Cattle Herd Size
Source: USDA news release Beef cattle operations that rely on precipitation to grow forage to feed their herds are particularly vulnerable to drought. When drought conditions diminish forage production and availability, beef cattle producers often must buy supplemental feed and forage or reduce their herd size. Periods of more intense [...]
USDA Finalizes Voluntary โProduct Of USAโ Label Claim To Enhance Consumer Protection
Source: USDA news release Phoenix, Ariz - Today, at the National Farmers Union Annual Convention, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the finalization of a rule to align the voluntary "Product of USA" label claim with consumer understanding of what the claim means. Secretary Vilsack also announced [...]
Satellite Imagery And Remote Sensing Poised To Transform Crop Insurance
By Rachel Hor, IBM Technology Executive In the ever-evolving landscape of agriculture, where challenges like erratic weather patterns and market volatility persist, the rising cost of crop insurance has emerged as a formidable burden for farmers worldwide. As we navigate the complexities of a changing climate and the financial strains [...]
Demographics On Number Of Farms Lost And Gained
Source: USDA news release In 2022, farms in the United States numbered 1,900,487, down from 2,109,303 in 2012, according to data from the 2022 USDA Census of Agriculture released in February 2024. That represented a 10-percent (208,816 farms) decline from 2012 to 2022. The Census of Agriculture is a complete [...]
Six Major Issues Grain Industry Will Have To Contend With This Year
by Lisa Cleaver, Feed & Grain magazine The North American grain industry had slow growth and export challenges throughout 2023. Looking ahead into 2024, emerging risks could depress profit margins and challenge traditional business models. After enjoying high profits for several years, it seems the ag industry may have to [...]
USDA Release Chart Showing Migration To Urban And Rural Areas Pre- And Post-Pandemic
Source: USDA news release Both rural (nonmetro) and urban (metro) populations grew because of increased migration over the last few years; however, the sources of the increased migration are different. In 2020-21 and 2021-22, rural areas experienced an increase in population because more people moved from urban to rural areas [...]
USDA To Assist Farmers, Ranchers And Communities Affected By Catastrophic Texas, Oklahoma Wildfires
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has directed the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to aid recovery efforts for farmers, ranchers and residents affected by recent wildfires in the Texas panhandle and western Oklahoma. To date, around 1.3 million acres have burned across both states. USDA [...]
U Of Illinois Releases Updated To Tool To Calculate Crop Insurance Options
by Bruce Sherrick, Gary Schnitkey, and Nick Paulson, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois The 2024 price discovery period used to determine projected prices and volatility factors for Federally-sponsored corn and soybean crop insurance products is completed for areas with a March 15th sales closing date (SCD). [...]
China Develops Higher Yielding Wheat Via Gene Editing
World-Grain.com reports: BEIJING, CHINA -- Chinese scientists have developed higher yielding wheat for bread production, according to a research paper published in the latest issue of Plant Biotechnology Journal. Using CRISPR-CAS9 genome editing and by identifying molecular mechanisms that affect grain development, researchers from several institutions in China boosted the [...]
Considerations When Hiring A Professional Farm Manager
by Kevin Brooks, Extension educator, farm business management and marketing, Illinois Extension Managing a farm is a big job. Know what questions to ask when considering hiring a professional farm manager. URBANA, Ill. -- Managing a farm is a big job. From determining cash rent to planning the next planting [...]
Modest Improvement In Farmer Sentiment, Yet Financial Concerns Loom
Source: Purdue University The Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer rose modestly in February posting a reading of 111, 5 points higher than a month earlier. The modest rise in the barometer was attributable to producers expressing somewhat more optimism about the future as the Future Expectations Index rose 7 [...]
Spring Crop Insurance Projected Prices Fall
By Ryan Hanrahan, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project Progressive Farmer's Katie Micik Dehlinger reported Thursday that "the corn projected price for 2024 revenue protection policies is 27% lower than last year at $4.66 per bushel, while the soybean projected price is 16% lower at $11.55. Projected prices for spring wheat [...]
University Ag Economists Release Podcast “Making Your 2024 Crop Insurance Decision”
Source: Purdue University This episode of the Purdue Commercial AgCast is a great opportunity for producers to review their crop insurance choices for the upcoming season. Purdue University Center for Commercial Agriculture's ag economists Michael Langemeier and James Mintert and Brad Lubben, policy specialist and extension associate professor from the [...]
Iowa Appraiser Reports Increasing Number Of “No Sales” In Farmland Auctions
By Jim Rothermich, Iowa Appraisal When looking at the auction results on the following pages, what sticks out to me the most is the number of "No Sales" at auction, which has increased significantly. There are nine "No Sales" this month. Looking back on February 2023, there were two. This [...]
Severe Weather Caused Over $21 Billion In Crop Losses In 2023
Weather-associated production risk and crop losses are a part of life for farmers and ranchers. Through heavy rain, hail, snow, winds and drought, farming families prepare land, plant and harvest knowing their livelihoods are reliant on local weather conditions. In 2023, 28 weather disasters, each with damages exceeding $1 billion, [...]
Down Utility Pole May Be Cause Of Texas Wildfire
DEVASTATION: Smoke billows over a road during the Smokehouse Creek fire in the Texas panhandle on February 27. by Brian K. Sullivan, Joe Carroll and Julie Fine, Bloomberg Texas emergency crews are battling the worst wildfire in state history amid forecasts for several more days of dry, windy weather that [...]
John Deere Announces Four Major Product Launches
Source: John Deere news release Moline, Illinois - Today, John Deere (NYSE: DE) continued its legacy of delivering high-quality, customer-focused solutions with one of its largest product launches in the company's 187-year history. At the Commodity Classic tradeshow in Houston, Texas, John Deere unveiled new cutting-edge equipment solutions for Model [...]
Two Tracks Of Farmland In Northwest Iowa Sold For Near-Record Prices
Iowa Agribusiness Network reports: Not one but two tracts of farmland in Sioux County, Iowa, sold for a near-record $29,600 per acre in a public auction this week. In November 2022, a sale of 73.19 acres in the same county sold for the current state record of $30,000 per acre. [...]
France Bans Plant Protein Products From Using Meat Labels
Reuters reports: PARIS, - France on Tuesday issued a ban on using terms like steak and ham for plant protein products, a second attempt by the government to regulate meat alternatives as it tries to assuage livestock producers who have been at the heart of farmer protests. A growing market [...]
Mississippi Grain Elevator Owners Pleads Guilty Of Fraud, Sentenced To 30 Years In Prison
Feed & Grain magazine reports: John R. Coleman, 47, of Greenwood, Mississippi, pled guilty to wire fraud in a case involving altered financial statements and deception towards farmers. The hearing, presided over by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Mills in Oxford, revealed Coleman's fraudulent activities as an owner and operator [...]
More On The Texas Wildfire, May Have Killed Tens Of Thousands Cattle
Agri-Pulse reports: USDA and state officials are assessing the damages from wildfires that have ravaged portions of the Texas panhandle. Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller told Agri-Pulse Wednesday the wildfires had potentially wiped out "tens of thousands" of cattle, although it's too early to determine the extent of the damage. [...]
USDA Releases Report Tracking Number of Farms In The U.S.
Source: USDA news release The number of farms in the United States has fallen below 2 million for the first time since before the Civil War, according to the recently released 2022 Census of Agriculture. In 2022, there were 1,900,487 farms in the country, a 7-percent decline from the level [...]
To Boost Its Sales Of Precision Equipment, Deere Introduces “Solutions-As-A-Service” Program
by Sarah Zimmerman, Agriculture Dive Deere is offering farmers more financing options for the company's precision agriculture technology as lower equipment demand weighs on profits. The world's largest seller of agriculture equipment launched a Solutions-as-a-Service approach for some of its technology offerings, executives said on an earnings call Thursday. The [...]
Food & Drug Administration Issues New Guidance On Biotech Derived Crops
Agri-Pulse reports: FDA has developed new recommendations for biotech companies and plant breeders who want to bring new gene-edited crop traits to market. FDA's 22-page guidance lays out two processes, one more streamlined than the other. To view the report click here For crops that pose no food safety questions, [...]
EPA Delays Release Of Herbicide Strategy As Ag Groups Express Concern
Source: National Sorghum Growers The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it would be delaying the release of the Agency's new Herbicide Strategy by three months to August 30. In a note to stakeholders, EPA stated that the extension was needed to consider public comments and other input EPA continues [...]
Percent Of Income Spent On Food Rises To 30 Year High
By Jesse Newman and Heather Haddon, Wall Street Journal The last time Americans spent this much of their money on food, George H.W. Bush was in office, "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" was in theaters and C+C Music Factory was rocking the Billboard charts. Eating continues to cost more, even as [...]
How The Growing Of Technology Impacts Farmland Values
By Cole Nickerson, Area Sales Manager, Farmers National Company I often wonder what my grandpa would say if he could come back and see how farming has evolved from his days on an open cab 4020 John Deere. We live in an era of seemingly endless data, precision farming and [...]
Michigan State Agronomist Releases Updated Bt Trait Table
(Photo Illustration: Darrell Smith and Lori Hays)Corn growers can use this free tool to understand which hybrids have which traits, as well as evaluate insect problems and herbicide needs in-season. by Rhonda Brooks, Farm Journal Thanks to the ongoing work and diligence by Chris DiFonzo, PhD, Michigan State University, corn [...]
Brazil Soybean Exports Are Now Double That Of The U.S.’
By Joana Colussi, Gary Schnitkey, Joe Janzen, and Nick Paulson, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois Brazil's 2023 soybean exports reached a record of 3,744 million bushels, up 29% from the previous year as Brazilian production hit a new record. Meanwhile, the United States' shipments declined 14% [...]
Iowa’s Senate Passes Legislation Impacting Foreign Ownership Of Farmland
Source: Iowa Dept of Ag & Land Stewardship news release DES MOINES, Iowa - Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig released the following statement today following Iowa Senate passage of the legislation that strengthens Iowa's foreign ownership of farmland law: "Iowa's prohibition on the foreign ownership of agricultural land will [...]
Life Cycle Assessment Shows U.S. Soyโs Carbon Footprint Has Considerably Decreased
Steve Reinhard, USB Chair, evaluates his cover crops, a practice that has contributed to a decrease in his carbon footprint. Source: United Soybean Board news release ST. LOUIS -- A newly released Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) found the U.S. soybean industry's global warming potential (GWP) profile decreased considerably in 2021 [...]
Ag Sec’y Vilsack Expects E15 To Become Available Year Around By 2025
BrownfieldAgNews reports: USDA Sec'y Tom Vilsack speaking at the Nat'l Ethanol Conference being held in San Diego this weekAg Secretary Tom Vilsack says he's confident year-round E15 is coming in 2025 and waivers should be granted to allow E15 for the upcoming summer driving season. Vilsack told reporters it will [...]
Ethanol Industry Generated $54 Billion In GDP, Supported 400,000 Jobs In 2023
Source: Renewable Fuels Association news release As inflationary pressures eased and demand boomed for low-carbon ethanol and its co-products, the ethanol industry's contribution to the U.S. economy remained strong in 2023, according to an annual economic impact analysis conducted for the Renewable Fuels Association by ABF Economics. In 2023, more [...]
Gov’t Accountability Office Releases Report Showing Adoption Of Precision Farming Practices
Source: Government Accountability Office news release Precision farming uses technologies such as GPS or automation to make farms more efficient. For example, farmers can use auto-steering equipment to precisely plant a field, and activity monitors can help dairy farmers collect data about their cows' health. In this Technology Assessment, we [...]
A Trillion Cicadas To Emerge In The Midwest And South, Will They Impact Crops?
by Dave Price, American Farmland Owner e-newsletter "Parts of Wisconsin will be a lot louder this summer." "Illinois to see uptick in cicadas in 2024." "Cicadas set to emerge in Alabama following historic emergence." Those news headlines sound interesting, huh? Perhaps, but likely not enough to make you lose sleep. [...]
Farm Loan Interest Rate Trends By Major Ag Lenders
by Noah Miller, Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; Jennifer Ifft, Department of Agricultural Economics, Kansas State University, and Gerald Mashange, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois After many years of low to moderate interest rates, producers and lenders today are voicing concern about sustained higher [...]
So. Dakota’s Christiansen Land & Cattle Co. Named The 2024 Top Producer Of The Year
by Michelle Rook, Farm Journal At Christiansen Land and Cattle, they're committed to excellence and continuous improvement, a mindset that started when Christine Hamilton's family homesteaded in South Dakota in 1891. "We're always looking for opportunities to grow," says Christine, co-owner, Christiansen Land and Cattle, Ltd. (CLC). "However, we can [...]
USDA Forecasts Fewer Planted Acres In 2024
by Ryan Hanrahan, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project The United States Department of Agriculture reported Thursday that "initial expectations for 2024 planted area are for a decline in total planted area of corn, wheat, and soybeans relative to the previous year. Combined acreage for the three crops is projected at [...]
USDA Reports Pork Exports Projected To Surge, Surpass Broiler Chicken Exports
Source: USDA news release The volume of U.S. meat exports in major categories is projected to grow through 2033, according to USDA long-term projection data. Rising incomes abroad and a moderately declining real exchange rate of the U.S. dollar against the currencies of major agricultural trade partners lend support to [...]
New Census Of Agriculture Shows Alarming Loss Of Family Farms
Source: American Farm Bureau Federation news release WASHINGTON, - New agriculture census data released by USDA today is cause for concern as the number of farms operating in the United States and the number of farm acres have both fallen significantly. The 2022 Census of Agriculture reports 141,733 fewer farms [...]
Farm Journal Foundation Issues Its 2023 Impact Report
by Tricia Beal, CEO, Farm Journal Foundation We are pleased to share our 2023 Impact Report, which highlights Farm Journal Foundation's successes and milestones for the year. 2023 represented a truly breakout year for the Foundation, with many of our programs coming into their own. We also kicked off new [...]
EPA Allows Farmers To Use Existing Dicamba Stocks
Source: EPA news release In light of the February 6, 2024, ruling by the U.S. District Court of Arizona vacating the 2020 registrations for over-the-top (OTT) dicamba products, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is providing the following update. On February 14, 2024, EPA issued an Existing Stocks Order for [...]
Technology, Not Increased Inputs Is Driving Ag Productivity Growth: Report
Source: USDA news release Technological developments in agriculture have enabled continued output growth without requiring much additional inputs. Innovations in animal and crop genetics, chemicals, equipment, and farm organization have made it possible for total agricultural output to nearly triple between 1948 and 2021. During that period, the amount of [...]
Ag Sec’y Vilsack Comments On Falling Ag Economy
Feed & Grain reports: The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Economic Research Service has released its annual Farm Sector Income Forecast report for 2024, leading to a statement from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. The report forecasts a decrease in farm cash receipts by $21.2 billion (4.2 percent) from 2023, totaling [...]
EU Scraps Plan To Reduce Use Of Pesticides By Half
BBC reports: The head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has announced plans to scrap a proposal halving pesticide use across the EU. The move is an apparent concession to farmers who have been protesting in many EU countries against regulations including the planned reduction in pesticide use. [...]
A Deeper Look At Why Pork Producers Are Losing So Much Money
by Patrick Thomas, Wall Street Journal The American pork industry has a problem: It makes more tenderloin, ham, sausage and bacon than anybody wants to eat. From giant processors to the farmers who supply them, they are in a predicament largely of their own making. They made production so efficient [...]
Soybean Prices Suffer Eight Straight Weeks Of Decline, Here’s Why
by Ryan Hanrahan, University Of Illinois' FarmDoc project Bloomberg's Gerson Freitas Jr reported that last week, "soybeans capped an eighth straight week of losses, the longest stretch of declines since 2006, on an outlook for record global stockpiles and sluggish appetite for US exports." "The losing streak underscores how soybean [...]
An Update Short-Stature Corn, Including Farmers’ Comments
By Rhonda Brooks, Farm Journal The massive derecho that swept across parts of five Midwest states in August 2020 spawned 125 mph-plus straight-line winds, torrential rain and large hail. In the process, the storm damaged millions of crop acres, including 550,000 acres of Iowa corn USDA deemed were not harvestable. [...]
NCGA: Climate, Conflict And Currency Impact Cost Competitiveness For U.S. Corn Exports
Source: National Corn Growers Association news release A combination of climate, conflict, and currency values are factors in cost competitiveness that impacts transits and overall U.S. corn exports. Climate conditions brought widespread drought to the United States Corn Belt in 2023. Dry conditions in the Mississippi River basin led to [...]
2023 Marks Record-Breaking Year In Pork Exports
Source: National Pork Board Pork exports surged significantly in Dec. 2023, contributing to a record-breaking year. With a 10% increase from the previous year, reaching 268,399 metric tons (mt), it marked the largest volume since May 2021 and the eighth largest on record. Mexico produced record-breaking figures in both volume [...]
Weed Science Society: Climate Change To Bring Invasive Weeds
Source: Weed Science Society news release Westminster, CO -- Climate change may soon shift where invasive plant species establish new outbreaks and hotspots, and the mid-Atlantic and northeastern U.S. states are among those likely to be negatively impacted without early detection and a rapid response management plan. That's one conclusion [...]
McDonaldโs Achieves Goal Of Sourcing 100% Cage-Free Eggs, Credits Cargill
Source: McDonald's news release Exciting news for breakfast fans: We're proud to announce that McDonald's has met its goal of sourcing 100% cage-free eggs in the U.S. by 2025, two years ahead of our original timeline. We continue to prioritize the health and welfare of the animals in our supply [...]
Farm Profits Forecast To Fall In 2024 From Record High In 2022
Source: USDA news release USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS) forecasts that U.S. net cash farm income (NCFI), defined as gross cash income minus cash expenses, will decrease by $42.2 billion (25.8 percent) to $121.7 billion in 2024 in inflation-adjusted dollars. This is after NCFI decreased in 2023 by a forecast [...]
โFour Cornersโ Of Agriculture Support Crop Insurance
Source: National Crop Insurance Services news release Leadership from the Senate and House Agriculture Committees delivered a clear message to the crop insurance industry convention yesterday: Crop insurance has bicameral and bipartisan support from the "Four Corners" of agriculture. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Ranking Member John [...]
USDA To Issue $306 Million In Additional ERP Payments
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON, - The U. S Department of Agriculture (USDA) is issuing final Emergency Relief Program (ERP) payments totaling approximately $306 million to eligible commodity and specialty crop producers who incurred losses due to natural disasters in 2020 and 2021. USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) will begin [...]
Case IH Launches World’s Largest Combine
Source: Case IH news release Each year farmers are challenged to accomplish more within tighter windows. In order to get the most out of every engine hour, Case IH is launching the AF11 combine, an industry-leading powerhouse purposefully redesigned from the ground up to maximize time in the field. The [...]
Producers Sentiment Falls With Crop Prices
Source: Purdue University Farmer sentiment took a downturn at the start of 2024 as the January Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer Index fell to a reading of 106, 8 points below a month earlier. Compared to year-end, producers had a more negative outlook of their farms' current situation along [...]
The Passing Of Bill Northey
Source: The Agribusiness Association of Iowa staff and Board of Directors It is with great sadness that the Agribusiness Association of Iowa (AAI) shares the news of the passing of CEO Bill Northey. The state of Iowa, and all of agriculture, has lost a great leader who has left his [...]
Mexico Continues Buying U.S. Corn Despite Dispute
By Ryan Hanrahan, farm policy news editor and social media director for the University of Illinois' farmdoc project. Reuters' Karen Braun reported last week that "the United States has been losing corn export business to Brazil as the South American country continues expanding its output, though top customer Mexico has [...]
Here Are The Five Largest Landowners In The U.S.
Source: Business Insider. Who is America's largest landowner? This question is the quest of the Land Report 100 Research Team all year long. In 2024, America's largest landowner is Red Emmerson. Red and his family own just over 2.4 million acres in California, Oregon, and Washington through their timber-products company, [...]
U.S. Soy Exports Add $39.8 Billion To U.S. Economy In 22/23
Source: United Soybean Board news release ST. LOUIS -- U.S. Soy complex exports (whole soybean, soybean meal and soybean oil) added $39.8 billion[1] to the U.S. economy in marketing year (MY) 22/23 on a volume of 67.6 million metric tons (MMT). The shining star: U.S. soybean meal exports broke records [...]
USDA Releases Data On States Receiving The Most USDA Program Payments
By Jonathan Coppess, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois February finds farm bill reauthorization frozen in the uncertainty of extended continuing resolutions and ongoing dysfunction in Congress (Hill and Downs, January 22, 2024; Downs and Brown, January 29, 2024; Abbott, January 28, 2024; Baethge, January 18, 2024; [...]
CattleFax Forecasts Continued Producer Profitability With Herd Expansion On The Horizon
Source: National Cattlemen's Beef Association ORLANDO, Fla. -The popular CattleFax Outlook Seminar, held as part of the 2024 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show in Orlando, Florida, shared expert market and weather analysis today. The smallest beef cow inventory in the last 50 years, coupled with historically strong demand, [...]
House Approves Tax Relief For Farmers
Source: American Farm Bureau Federation news release WASHINGTON - American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented on the passage last night of the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act in the House of Representatives by a vote of 357 to 70. "Farm Bureau applauds the passage of [...]
Op-Ed: Weaving Conservation Into Crop Insurance Is Critical For Farmers’ Success
By Jon Daggett, former CEO of Nat'l Corn Growers Assn Jon DoggettAs a ranch kid from Montana, I experienced the hard work that goes into feeding America and the world. In the years since, I've spent a career in the agriculture industry, pushing for policies to help farmers and ranchers [...]
Results From Farm Journal’s Polling Of Ag Economists Released, Turn Downward
By Tyne Morgan, Farm Journal Agricultural economists' views on the ag economy took a dive in the first Ag Economists' Monthly Monitor of 2024. Lower commodity prices, along with the outlook for higher costs, continue to weigh on the agriculture industry. However, ag economists think relatively strong balance sheets and [...]
Nat’l Corn Growers Assn Announces Its “Fields Of Corn” Photo Contest Winners
Source: National Corn Growers Association news release The National Corn Growers Association's (NCGA) new Fields-of-Corn.com photo contest site attracted new participants as well as seasoned contest alumni, resulting in a record-breaking number of entrants and high-quality photo submissions. Our 2023 grand prize winner, for Ready! is no stranger to the [...]
Corteva, John Deere Announce Data Sharing Partnership
Source: Oklahoma Farm Report radio network For years, farmers have had to navigate a complex landscape of digital tools to harness the power of their on-farm data. Corteva Agriscience (NYSE: CTVA) and John Deere (NYSE: DE) today announced a partnership to make it easier for farmers to access Corteva's industry-leading [...]
USDA Announces Investments To Strengthen U.S. Specialty Crops Sector
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON - Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced two U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) investments designed to support the U.S. specialty crops industry. The launch of the Assisting Specialty Crop Exports (ASCE) initiative will provide $65 million for projects that will help the specialty crop sector [...]
LG Seeds: Corn Hybrids Show Surprising Resilience In Western Corn Belt
Source: LGSeeds news release LG Seeds agronomist Mark Grundmayer encourages farmers to plan for a successful crop season, even in the face of adverse weather conditions. WESTFIELD, Ind. - LG Seeds successfully completed a series of experimental corn test plots in a wide geographical area of the Western Corn Belt, [...]
Bayer’s Share Price Falls In Wake Of Pennsylvania Jury’s Ruling In Roundup Lawsuit
By Louis Goss, Dow Jones Shares in Bayer fell 5% on Monday after a Philadelphia jury told the German pharmaceutical company to pay $2.25 billion to a man who says he developed cancer due to using its Roundup branded weedkiller. A jury at Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas awarded John [...]
Here’s What Good Beef Bulls Are Bringing These Days
Source: Oklahoma Farm radio network Mark Johnson, Oklahoma State University Extension Beef Cattle Breeding Specialist, offers herd health advice as part of the weekly series known as the "Cow Calf Corner," published electronically by Dr. Peel, Mark Johnson, and Paul Beck. Today, Johnson talks about the value of a good [...]
Purdue’s Dr. Allen Gray Forecasts How Tech Will Enable Agrifood Trends
By Dr. Allan Gray, Professor, Land O'Lakes Chair in Food and Agribusiness, and Executive Director, Purdue University The numerous articles recently published about the future of the food and agriculture industry in 2024 are overwhelming. To set my perspective apart, I've chosen to focus on how digital technologies will enable [...]
Farm Futures Survey Of Ag Producers Shows Little Shift In 2024 Crop Acres
By Jacqueline Holland, Farm Futures magazine Corn and soybean acreage will shift across the U.S. in the spring of 2024, but perhaps not by as much as what market prices are currently forecasting. The Farm Futures January 2024 grower survey, conducted via email Dec. 18, 2023 through Jan. 2, 2024, [...]
Kinze Introduces New 5670 Planters
Source: Kinze Manufacturing news release WILLIAMSBURG, Iowa -- For the 2025 planting season, Kinze Manufacturing is introducing the new 5670 pivot fold, split row model planters. Utilizing the latest and best in technology and performance-boosting features, the 5670 delivers enhanced productivity, increased operator convenience and efficient serviceability. The versatile 5670 [...]
U Of Illinois Animal Scientists Are Developing New Breed Of Cattle To Produce 20x More Milk
Source: FarmWeekNow.com University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) animal sciences researchers are ready to bring cattle embryos to Tanzania after five generations of crosses resulted in cattle capable of producing 20 times the milk of indigenous breeds. The research, published in Animal Frontiers, combines the [...]
Dairy Foods Assn Reports $7 Billion Is Being Invested In Processing Plants
BrownfieldAgNews reports: The head of the International Dairy Foods Association estimates more than $7 billion in processing expansions are currently underway across the U.S. During Monday's Dairy Forum 2024, President and CEO Michael Dykes said nearly three-fourths of dairy CEOs in their annual survey say they plan to increase investments [...]
Farmers’ Protest Against Increasing Government Regulations Spreading Throughout Europe
French farmers block roads, bridges as protests sweep country by Ryan Hanrahan, farm policy news editor and social media director for University of Illinois' farmdoc project Just a few weeks after farmer protests against government regulations and taxes began in Germany, protests are now "spreading across Europe, with workers from [...]
Agri-Pulse To Host “How the EU Exports Its Crop Protection Policies To The Developing World” Webinar
Source: Agri-Pulse There are hundreds of different crops grown around the world and just as many diverse production systems. Despite these differences, one thing remains true across the globe: pests and diseases will likely impact a farmer's ability to grow food, feed their families, and generate income from exports. In [...]
Int’l Trad Commission Upholds Tariffs On Moroccan And Russian Fertilizer
BrownfieldAgNews reports: The International Trade Commission is upholding its decision that U.S fertilizer companies were harmed by Moroccan and Russian imports, and current tariffs will remain in place. Nancy Martinez, Director of Public Policy, Trade, and Biotechnology with the National Corn Growers Association, tells Brownfield fertilizer represents up to 40 [...]
Alltech’s 2023 U.S. Harvest Analysis Reveals Variable Mycotoxin Risk
Source: Alltech news release [LEXINGTON, Ky.] -- This year, U.S. farmers and producers have experienced droughts, high rainfall, and other weather events affecting the corn harvest, making it more critical than ever to analyze mycotoxin risks across the nation. The Alltech 2023 U.S. Harvest Analysis has collected and assessed almost [...]
Ag Sec’y Vilsack Announces $157 Million In Grants To Support Renewable Energy And Fertilizer Production
BrownfieldAgNews reports: Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack is announcing new investments to support renewable energy production and domestic fertilizer expansion. During Monday's American Farm Bureau Federation Convention, Vilsack said $157 million will support 675 Rural Energy for America Program projects in 42 states. "It's going to help lower costs for farmers [...]
Roundup Of The Federal Reserve Banks’s January Ag Economy Observations
By Ryan Hanrahan, farm policy news editor and social media director for the University of Illinois' farmdoc project. The Federal Reserve Board on Wednesday released its January 2024 Beige Book update, a summary of commentary on current economic conditions by Federal Reserve District. While the report covers generalized "regional economic [...]
Ethanol Market Forecast To Grow 63% To $153 Billion In 10 Years
Source: DataHorizzon Research news release Fort Collins, Colorado -- The Ethanol Market size was valued at USD 94.2 Billion in 2022 and is anticipated to reach USD 153.5 Billion by 2032 with a CAGR of 5.1%. Ethanol is a versatile biofuel that has emerged as a crucial factor for transitioning [...]
More On Deere’s Partnership With SpaceX And What It Means To The Ag Industry
By Matt Hopkins, Senior Online Editor, Meister Media Worldwide Last week, John Deere announced a strategic partnership with SpaceX to expand rural connectivity to farmers through satellite communications. The deal will have far-reaching implications for farmers around the world. Ultimately, Deere would connect its equipment to SpaceX's satellite technology, allowing [...]
Illinois Tops U.S. Soybean Production In 2023
Source: Illinois Soybean Association news release BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Illinois farmers once again led the nation in total soybean production for the 2023 growing season. The National Agricultural Statistics Service of the United States Department of Agriculture estimates Illinois soybean farmers raised 648.9 million bushels on 10.3 million acres. Compared [...]
Syngenta And Enko Accelerate The Discovery Of Innovative Crop Protection Solutions
Source: Enko news release Basel / Switzerland, and Mystic, Conn./USA, - Syngenta Crop Protection, a global leader in agricultural innovation, and crop health company Enko announced today the discovery of novel chemistry to control fungal disease in crops, using a platform that reduces the time required for R&D discovery. The [...]
Non-Real Estate Farm Loan Volume Down 15% From Prior Year
by Nate Kauffman and Ty Kreitman, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City New non-real estate farm lending activity at commercial banks continued to decline in the fourth quarter. According to the Survey of Terms of Lending to Farmers, the volume of new non-real estate farm loans was about 15% less [...]
Farm Equipment Editors Launch ‘Used Equipment University’ Video Series
Source: Farm Equipment news release BROOKFIELD, Wis. -- The editors of Farm Equipment, with the support of Tractor Zoom, are excited to announce a new quick-hitting video series. The Farm Equipment 'Used Equipment University' video series consists of 1-on-1 conversations with progressive ag equipment dealers about their used equipment best [...]
United Soybean Board Releases 2023 Sustainability Overview Report
Source: United Soybean Board news release ST. LOUIS - What's the power of one unassuming soybean? When it's sustainably grown by U.S. Soy farmers and adopted by their growing roster of public and private partners, that single bean can simultaneously advance food security, renewable energy and environmental stewardship through an [...]
Corteva To Release 40 New 2024 Brevant Brand Corn Hybrids
Source: Corteva Agriscience news release INDIANAPOLIS, -- The 2024 class of Brevant brand corn features 40 new products with industry-leading genetics and traits. Farmers will have expanded access for the upcoming growing season to the latest corn innovations, including Brevant brand Vorceed Enlist corn and Brevant brand PowerCore Enlist corn. [...]
Critics Say Koch’s Purchase Of Iowa Fertilizer Plant Would Diminish Competition
POLITICO reports: In mid-December, OCI Global announced it was selling its subsidiary Iowa Fertilizer Co. for $3.6 billion to Koch Industries, one of the nation's top fertilizer producers. The Iowa Fertilizer plant has received millions in state and local taxpayer-funded subsidies and tax abatements, the Des Moines Register reported. Now, [...]
Deere Announces Partnership With SpaceX To Expand Connectivity To Farmers
Source: John Deere news release MOLINE, Illinois -- Deere & Company (NYSE: DE) announced it has entered into an agreement with SpaceX to provide cutting-edge satellite communications (SATCOM) service to farmers. Utilizing the industry-leading Starlink network, this solution will allow farmers facing rural connectivity challenges to fully leverage precision agriculture [...]
John Deere Announces Four Major Advancements At CES
Source: Precision Farming Dealer magazine John Deere was at Consumer Electronics Show (CES) held last week in Las Vegas, NV, and had several precision tech solutions on display. Analysts at J.P. Morgan, in a Jan. 11. note to investors, gave their takeaways from their experience at the booth, including the [...]
Pioneer Agronomists Reviews Impacts Of El Niรฑo On Crop Production
Source: Pioneer news release The El Niรฑo Southern Oscillation (ENSO), or simply El Niรฑo, is a natural cycle involving interactions between the ocean and the atmosphere that affects atmospheric circulation and weather patterns globally. El Niรฑo typically reaches its peak during the late fall or early winter months, and while [...]
USDA Helps Producers Prepare For And Recover From Severe Winter Weather
Source: USDA news release Winter storms create significant challenges and often result in catastrophic loss for agricultural producers, especially for those raising livestock, row crops and vulnerable crops like citrus. Despite every attempt to mitigate risk, your operation may suffer losses. As you prepare for the potential impacts of upcoming [...]
Here’s How And Why Dairy Producers Are Increasing Milk’s Butterfat
By Kirk Maltais, Wall Street Journal Americans are eating more cheese and butter. That has dairy farmers scrambling to get their cows to produce fattier milk. The efforts include using different cow breeds and feed mixes, and making sure animals are comfortable and don't get too hot. The result is [...]
Kubota Unveils Fully Electric Multi-Purpose Tractor
Source: Kubota news release From CES 2024, the biggest tech event in the world, Kubota North America Corporation (KNA) unveiled its 2030 vision and holistic approach to innovation and technology integration, built on more than 130 years of providing customer solutions to societal issues in the areas of food production, [...]
USDA Reports Record Corn Crop in 2023–15.3 Billion Bushels
Source: DTN OMAHA -- USDA on Friday released its January Crop Production, World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) Dec. 1 Grain Stocks and Winter Wheat Seedings reports. USDA pegged final national average corn yield at a record 177.3 bushels per acre (bpa), well above the range of pre-report expectations. [...]
Farmers Report Their Corn Yields Are Higher Than USDA’s Forecast In Farm Futures Survey
by Jacqueline Holland, Farm Futures magazine The January 2024 Farm Futures grower survey found 2023 corn yields performed better than previous USDA forecasts would suggest, which could have bearish implications for corn prices if USDA's corn yield estimates follow a similar trend in Friday's report series. The survey, conducted between [...]
250,265 Tractors Were Sold In The U.S. In 2023, 7,369 Combines
Agri Marketing magazine reports: According to the Association of Equipment Manufacturer's monthly "Flash Report," total sales of all tractors during 2023 were 250,265, down 8% from 2022. The sale of all tractors during December, 2023, in the U.S. were down 5% from the same month last year. In December, a [...]
New Farmers National Co. Report Reveals “Resilient” Ag Land Market
Source: Farmers National Company news release Despite increasing pressure from declining commodity markets, rising interest rates and inflation, the land market seems to be moving into 2024 maintaining the value increases it has built during the past three years. The sharp increase in land values from a year ago that [...]
Indigo Ag Receives $270 Million Investment, Adds To Its Board Of Directors
Source: Indigo Ag news release Indigo recently closed a financing round at nearly $270 million. As announced in September 2023, Indigo's funding round included existing investors, led by Flagship Pioneering, and new investors, including the State of Michigan Retirement System, one of the largest pension funds in the U.S. and [...]
Agri-Pulse Survey Reports Farmers’ Support For Candidates, Say Country Going In Wrong Direction
Agri-Pulse reports: Farmers and ranchers believe the nation is on the wrong track, and a strong plurality support electing Donald Trump to another term as president, according to a poll commissioned by AgriPulse of producers across the country. Some 39% of the 605 farmers surveyed by the Stratovation Group said [...]
Rob-See-Co Announces Inaugural Forage Summits
Source: Rob-See-Co news release ELKHORN, Neb. (January 9, 2024) - Rob-See-Co, an independent seed company located in Elkhorn, Neb. is thrilled to announce the launch of the inaugural Forage Summits scheduled to take place from January 15th to February 29th, 2024. These comprehensive summits are open to everyone who values [...]
U Of Illinois Ag Economists’ Revised Crop Budgets Show Farmers Will Lose Money
by Nick Paulson and Gary Schnitkey, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois Illinois crop budgets for 2024 have been revised from their initial release in August (farmdoc daily, August 29, 2023). The main revision in the budgets is a reduction in the corn and soybean prices assumed [...]
Group Of Missouri Poultry Producers File Tyson Over Closure Of Plant
NewsNation TV reports: Stoddard County, Mo. - A group of poultry farmers has filed a lawsuit against Tyson Foods, just months after the company shut down a processing plant in southern Missouri. The lawsuit claims there was false representation and a breach of contract on behalf of Tyson Foods prior [...]
Science Magazine Provides Update On Short-Stature Corn
by Erik Stokstad, Science magazine On 10 August 2020, a record-breaking windstorm raced across Iowa, the big buckle of the U.S. Corn Belt. Gusts up to 225 kilometers per hour flattened fields and buildings, with losses totaling an estimated $12 billion across several states. "It was devastating," says Kelly Gillespie, [...]
U.S. Grains Council Launches Website Highlighting Corn, Sorghum, Barley Sustainability Efforts
Source: U.S. Grains Council news release The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) has released four new web pages focused on the organization's sustainability efforts. The web pages provide information and resources on the practices and technologies that contribute to the sustainability of U.S. farms and agribusinesses. The pages showcase the Council's [...]
Minnesota Dairy Producer Sued By State For Exploiting Its Workers
CBS News reports: ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Attorney General's office says a rural Minnesota dairy operation exploited workers by allegedly withholding their pay and providing substandard and unsanitary on-site housing. Attorney General Keith Ellison announced the lawsuit Monday against Paynesville-based Evergreen Acres Dairy. He says EAD employs hundreds [...]
Ag Economists Compare Cost Of Corn Production In The U.S. And Brazil
By Joana Colussi, Nick Paulson, and Gary Schnitkey, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois and Carl Zulauf, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, Ohio State University The direct costs associated with corn production in Mato Grosso have increased since 2016, consistent with the direct costs of [...]
Sen. Pat Roberts: Looming Security Risk Threatens American Agriculture
by Pat Roberts, former U.S. Senator from Kansas and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry as it appeared in Agri-Pulse Across America, and especially here in the heartland, we have a rich history of family farming and hard work. We understand the vital role that farmers [...]
USDA’s Risk Management Agency Is Investing $3 Million To Provide Training To Underserved Producers
Source: USDA news release The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) today announced up to $3 million is available for cooperative agreements to educate underserved, small-scale, and organic producers on farm risk management and climate-smart farm practices. The funding from RMA through its Risk Management Education (RME) [...]
Ag Economist: Record Pigs Per Litter Again Offsets Cuts To Farrowings
By Jason Franken, School of Agriculture, Western Illinois University The USDA's December Hogs and Pigs report places the December 1 inventory of all hogs and pigs at 74.97 million head, up 0.88% from last quarter and 0.02% from last year, compared to an average trade expectation of 0.6% lower (ranging [...]
Hertz Farm Management’s Ryan Kay Named Farm Manager Of The Year 2023
Hertz Farm Management's Ryan Kay Named Farm Manager of the Year 2023 Ryan Kay(Mt. Vernon, IA) - Hertz Farm Management is proud to announce that Farm Manager, Ryan Kay, AFM, received the Professional Farm Manager of the Year Award from the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers (ASFMRA). [...]
Missouri Bans Sale Of Some Farmland To Foreign Purchases
BrownfieldAgNews reports: Missouri Governor Mike Parson has signed an executive order to ban China and other foreign adversaries from owning farmland in the state within 10 miles of critical military facilities. Parson says this is a placeholder in case the state legislature can't agree on updated foreign ag land policies [...]
Dairy Farmers Of America Purchases First Verified Carbon Credits In Livestock Marketplace
Source: Dairy Farmers of America news release KANSAS CITY AND INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Athian (athian.ai) announced today the first sale of verified carbon credits in the groundbreaking livestock carbon insetting marketplace to Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), the largest U.S. milk marketing cooperative. Texas dairy farmer Jasper DeVos utilized Athian's [...]
Cover Crop Program Available In Indiana, Will Reduce Crop Insurance Premium
Source: USDA news release INDIANAPOLIS --The Indiana State Department of Agriculture, The Nature Conservancy and the United State Department of Agriculture's Risk Management Agency have joined forces to implement the Cover Crop Premium Discount Program for the fourth year in a row. This program will reward farmers who plant cover [...]
China Initiates Policy To Reduce Soybeans In Feed Rations
by Jackie Linden, Feed & Grain In connection with a recently launched national policy to reduce the use of soybean meal in livestock and poultry feeds, Chinese sources are already reporting progress. For the January-to-November period, uptake of the ingredient for feed was 11% lower than in the same period [...]
Genetically Engineered Crops Dominate U.S. Soybean, Cotton And Corn Acres
Source: USDA news release Genetically engineered (GE) seeds were commercially introduced in the United States for major field crops in 1996, with adoption rates increasing rapidly in the years that followed. The two main GE trait types are herbicide-tolerant (HT) and insect-resistant (Bt). These traits can be added individually to [...]
California’s Prop 12 Goes Into Affect Today, State Releases List Of Producers Who Qualify
Agri-Pulse reports: Proposition 12, the California law that prohibits the sale of whole pork in the state that comes from the offspring of sows raised in gestation crates, is ready to be implemented. After delays due to court challenges and the need to wait for a ruling from the Supreme [...]
U.S. Farmer Sentiment Stable As Inflation Expectations Subside
by James Mintert and Michael Langemeier, Purdue Center for Commercial Agriculture U.S. farmers' sentiment changed very little in December compared to the preceding month. The Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer recorded a reading of 114, just one point lower than a month earlier. Both sub-indices of the barometer, the [...]
USDA Release Report Showing Avain Flu’s Impact On Egg Production And Prices
Source: USDA news release Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI)--a disease infecting birds and poultry--struck egg-laying hens throughout 2022. As a result of recurrent outbreaks, U.S. egg inventories were 29 percent lower in the final week of December 2022 than at the beginning of the year. By the end of December, [...]
Jury Decides In Favor Of Bayer In California Roundup Lawsuit
By Brendan Pierson, Reuters Bayer has won a trial in a lawsuit brought by a California man who said he developed cancer from exposure to its Roundup weedkiller, ending what had been a five-trial losing streak for the company in trials over similar claims. The verdict was handed down on [...]
USDA: Consumersโ Food Spending Hit Record High In 2022
Source: USDA news release Real, or inflation-adjusted, annual food spending in the United States increased steadily from 1997 to 2022, except in 2008 and 2009 during the Great Recession and in 2020 during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Food spending includes food at home (FAH), described as food intended for off-premises [...]
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Italy Bans The Sale Of Cultivated Meat
Source: Northern Ag Report radio network The Italian government has just done something many American farmers and ranchers probably wish their government would do. Italy banned cultivated meat, the kind grown in laboratory bioreactors from stem cells. Under a law enacted last month, cultivated meat cannot be produced or marketed [...]
Nat’l Corn Growers Assn Comments On Positive Water Quality Report
Source: National Corn Growers Association news release The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) applauds the sustained reductions in nutrient losses reaching the Gulf of Mexico and the resulting reductions in the average size of the hypoxic zone, as recently documented in the 2023 Report to Congress by the Hypoxia Task [...]
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USDA Reports 11.2% Of People Are Food Insecure, Release Map Showing Where They Are
Source: USDA news release Food-insecure households sometimes have difficulty providing enough food for all their members because they lack resources. USDA, Economic Research Service (ERS) monitors the extent of food insecurity in U.S. households at the national and State levels through an annual U.S. Census Bureau survey. State-level estimates are [...]
Washington State Jury Orders Bayer Pay To $857 Million In PCB Lawsuit
by Mauro Orru, Dow Jones A jury in Washington state ordered Bayer's Monsanto to pay $857 million to former students and parent volunteers of a school who claimed that exposure to some chemicals developed by the company made them sick, Bloomberg reports, citing court documents. The jury on Monday found [...]
EPA Restores Chlorpyrifos Use On Crops
Source: EPA news release In light of the November 2, 2023, Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals' decision to vacate the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) 2021 final rule effectively prohibiting the use of the pesticide chlorpyrifos on food or feed crops, EPA is issuing an update on its intended next [...]
USDA Reports Ukraineโs Wheat And Corn Exports Are Recovering
Source: USDA news release Ukraine's corn and wheat exports have almost returned to seasonal-average levels since summer 2022, when Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, and the United Nations signed the Black Sea Grain Initiative to reopen Black Sea routes. Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 led to elevated security risks and [...]
Cattle Feeding Ponzi Scheme Found In Texas–Agridime
BrownfieldAgNews reports: The Securities and Exchange Commission has frozen the assets of Texas-based Agridime LLC, a cattle company that purportedly specializes in meat sales and supply chain management. Agridime is owned by Jed Wood, 62, of Fort Worth, Texas, and Josh Link, 30, of Gilbert, Arizona. Both are named as [...]
2024 World Ag Expo Top-10 New Product Winners Announced
Source: World Ag Expo sent via AgPR--the news distribution service for agriculture TULARE, Calif. (AgPR) - Results are in for the World Ag Expo 2024 Top-10 New Products Competition. The winners will be showcased February 13-15, 2024 during the World Ag Expo in Tulare, California. The impressive field of new [...]
2023 National Sorghum Yield Contest Winners Announced
Source: National Sorghum Producers National Sorghum Producers is pleased to announce the winners of the 2023 National Sorghum Yield Contest. " The winners of the 2023 sorghum yield contest are extended warm congratulations by National Sorghum Producers," NSP Board of Directors Chairman Craig Meeker said. "Despite a demanding season with [...]
John Deere To Open $36 Million Development Center In Brazil
Ag Equipment Intelligence reports: John Deere announced its first Brazilian Technology Development Center, its first development and test center "for tropical agriculture" in the world. The company will invest $36.5 million (180 million BRL) and the goal is to create and validate new products for grain, cane and special crops [...]
Update On The Conditions In Agriculture And The Farm Credit System
Source: Farm Credit Administration McLEAN, Va., Dec. 14, 2023 -- At its monthly meeting today, the Farm Credit Administration board received a quarterly report (PDF) on economic issues affecting agriculture, together with an update on the financial condition and performance of the Farm Credit System (System) as of Sept. 30. [...]
Survey By AgFunder Reports AgriFood Investors’ Outlook
By Louisa Burwood-Taylor, AgFunder News The market correction for startup valuations in agrifoodtech, which is taking place across tech industries too, will continue into 2024, according to all but one agrifoodtech venture capital investor surveyed by AgFunderNews. And 30% of the 28 eading agrifoodtech investors who responded believe the worst [...]
Short-Stature Corn May Lower Cost Of Crop Insurance
by Mark Dorenkamp, Brownfield Ag News Crop insurance should be a consideration for farmers growing short-stature corn in the future. Compeer Financial director of insurance strategies Cole Patrick says policies might be more affordable since shorter corn is less susceptible to wind damage. "I would say the wind rates essentially [...]
2023 National Corn Yield Contest Winners Announced, Virginian Has Record 624 Bu/A
Source: National Corn Growers Association news release The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is excited to announce the winners of the 2023 National Corn Yield Contest. This group of farmers put up some impressive yields and proved, once again, the ingenuity and resiliency of the U.S. farmer. In its 59th [...]
USDA Accepting Requests For The Discrimination Financial Assistance Program
Source: USDA news release Farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners who experienced discrimination in USDA farm lending programs prior to January 2021 may be eligible for the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program. This program is an important step in delivering on USDA's commitment of providing financial assistance to those who have faced [...]
RaboResearch Forecasts Tighter Margins For Field Crops In 2024
Source: Rabobank news release Global farmers faced rising production costs due to disruptions in molecule production during Covid-19 lockdowns and increased crop protection costs. The war in Ukraine further spiked fertilizer prices to record highs. While operating margins slightly decreased, favorable commodity prices buffered the impact in 2022. Rabobank estimates [...]
Farm Groups Warn Against Impacts Of China’s PNTR Repeal
Source: Farmers For Free Trade news release (Washington, D.C.) - A coalition of major agricultural organizations representing farmers across America sent a letter today to the U.S. Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party asking them to consider the negative impacts to farmers as they consider recommending that Congress repeal [...]
Iowa State Releases Its Annual Land Value Study, Prices Up 3.7%
Source: Iowa State University Ames, Iowa - Iowa's farmland values rose again, albeit at a slower pace than the last two years. The annual Iowa State University Land Value Survey found that farmland values increased 3.7% or $424, to $11,835 per acre. The modest increase this year follows a 17% [...]
First Crispr Gene-Edited Drug Approved By FDA
by Joseph Walker, Wall Street Journal The gene-editing revolution is jumping from the lab to the marketplace. The U.S. has approved the world's first medicine employing Crispr technology, a Nobel Prize-winning discovery that promised a powerful new tool for modifying genes to treat disease and improve crop production. The new [...]
USDA Issues 30 Year Food Production Forecasts
Source: USDA news release As the world's population increases, the global agriculture system will be expected to provide more food. To better understand how the world agriculture system may grow in response by 2050, researchers at USDA, Economic Research Service (ERS) created a range of scenarios based on population growth. [...]
Syngenta Scientist Presents Avenues To Reshape Agriculture’s Environmental Sustainability
For the first time, the transformation of global food systems will top the COP agenda. Petra Laux outlines three promising avenues to reshape agriculture into a powerful lever for achieving environmental sustainability. Provided by: Syngenta By Dr. Petra Laux, Head of Business Sustainability for Syngenta Crop Protection as it appeared [...]
USDA Releases Map Showing Areas Approved For Its Broadband Connection Program
Source: USDA news release The ReConnect Program is USDA's largest effort aimed at filling gaps in high-speed internet in unserved and underserved rural areas. The program was created on a pilot basis in 2018 and appropriated more than $5 billion between fiscal years 2018 and 2023. Its grants and loans [...]
Farmer Sentiment Improves, Producers Report Stronger Financial Conditions
by James Mintert and Michael Langemeier, Purdue Center for Commercial Agriculture For the second month in a row, farmer sentiment improved as the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer climbed five points to reach an index value of 115 which left the index 12 percent higher than a year earlier. [...]
USDA, U Of Illinois Researchers Release Paper “Glyphosate’s Declining Weed Control Over 25 Years”
Unchecked use of glyphosate alone led to substantial and rapid loss of efficacy against the weeds it was designed to kill, according to a new USDA-ARS and ACES analysis Source: University of Illinois URBANA, Ill. -- It has been a quarter century since corn and soybeans were engineered to withstand [...]
USDA Releases Farm Household Income and Characteristics Report
Source: USDA news release This data product presents the latest household income forecast and financial and socioeconomic indicators for principal operators of U.S. family farms. The November 30, 2023 forecast is available. To read entire report, Click Here
Reports & Data Forecasts Agricultural Drones Market To Reach $14.6 Billion By 2028
Source: Reports And Data news release Market Summary: The global agriculture drones market size is expected to reach USD 14.61 billion in 2028 and register a revenue CAGR of 34.5% over the forecast period, according to a latest report by Reports and Data. Increasing need to enhance crop health monitoring [...]
Ag Economists Report Explosive Growth Of South American Grain And Oilseed Growth
By Carl Zulauf, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, Ohio State University and Joana Colussi, Gary Schnitkey, and Nick Paulson, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois Grain and oilseed use and production in South America (SA) since 1980 are examined. While yields have grown faster than [...]
USDA: Farm Sector Profits Forecast To Fall In 2023 From Record Highs In 2022
Source: USDA news release The USDA, Economic Research Service (ERS) forecasts inflation-adjusted U.S. net cash farm income (NCFI) to decrease by $49.2 billion (23.8 percent) from 2022 to $157.9 billion in 2023. Similarly, U.S. net farm income (NFI) is forecast to fall by $37.9 billion (20.0 percent) from 2022 to [...]
Tyson Foods Debuts Highly Automated $300M Poultry Plant In Virginia
Source: Tyson Foods news release DANVILLE, Va. - Tyson Foods has officially opened a new $300 million fully-cooked food production facility in Danville, Virginia, delivering on its strategy of accelerating long-term growth, operating as efficiently as possible and investing in its poultry business. It is one of the company's most-automated [...]
Comparing Direct Costs Of Soybean Production In The U,S, And Brazil
By Joana Colussi, Nick Paulson, Gary Schnitkey, and Jim Baltz, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois and Carl Zulauf, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, Ohio State University The direct costs of soybean production in the Brazilian State of Mato Grosso have increased at a similar [...]
Oklahoma State Ag Economist Forecasts 2024 Cow Herd Numbers Could Be Lowest Since 1961
Source: Oklahoma Farm Report radio network In January of 2023, the beef cow herd number issued by the USDA was at 28.9 million head. This number is a 4 percent drop compared to January of 2022. Looking back to 2019, the beef cow herd number was at 31.8 million head. [...]
Avian Influenza Found In Commercial Ohio Flock, 1.3 Birds Destroyed
BrownfieldAgNews reports: The Ohio Department of Agriculture has reported its first case of highly pathogenic avian influenza since January. More than 1.3 million birds will be depopulated at a commercial layer flock in Union County to contain the spread of the virus. Research Analyst Lance Zimmerman with Rabo AgriFinance tells [...]
Iowa State Extension Specialists On How To Grow And Sell Carbon Credits
by Alejandro Plastina, extension economist and Oranuch Wongpiyabovorn, postdoctoral research associateCenter for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD), Iowa State University Alejandro PlastinaA growing number of private initiatives are offering producers compensation for the generation of agriculture carbon credits as well as other ecosystem services such as improvements in water quality. [...]
U Of Illinois Researchers: Recycled Phosphorus Fertilizer Reduces Nutrient Leaching, Maintains Yield
Source: University of Illinois news release URBANA, Ill. -- A promising new form of ammonium phosphate fertilizer has been field-tested by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers. The fertilizer, struvite, offers a triple win for sustainability and crop production, as it recycles nutrients from wastewater streams, reduces leaching of phosphorus and [...]
Jury Rules Egg Producers Conspired To Fix Prices
By Isabella Volmert, Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS -- An Illinois jury ruled this week that several major egg producers conspired to limit the U.S.'s supply of eggs in order to raise prices in a case stemming from a federal lawsuit originally filed 12 years ago. Several large food manufacturing companies including [...]
The Global Precision Farming Market Is Estimated To Be Valued At $20.36 Billion By 2032
Source: Fact.MR A recently revamped Fact.MR report states that the global precision farming market is poised to register an impressive 13% CAGR from 2022 to 2032, reaching US$ 20.36 Bn by the end of the aforementioned assessment period. Farmers are transitioning from traditional farming practices to precision farming due to [...]
Farm Journal Survey Shows Ag Economists Turn Positive, Cite Better Yields
By Tyne Morgan, Farm Journal After two months of a waning outlook on the ag economy, economists' views took a turn in the November Ag Economists' Monthly Monitor, a survey of nearly 70 ag economists from across the country. "The biggest takeaway I see out of the Monthly Monitor this [...]
Soybean, Rice Export Sales Hit Marketing Year Highs
BrownfieldAgNews reports: U.S. soybean export sales surged to a marketing year high during the week ending November 9th. The USDA says soybean sales were nearly 4 million tons, led by strong demand from China as Beijing tries to shore up supplies in the face of planting delays and probable replanting [...]
South Dakota Representative Dusty Johnson Receives Farm Bureau’s Golden Plow
Source: American Farm Bureau Federation news release SIOUX FALLS, South Dakota, - The American Farm Bureau Federation and South Dakota Farm Bureau today presented Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) with AFBF's Golden Plow award. The Golden Plow is the highest honor the organization gives to sitting members of Congress. "Congressman Johnson [...]
Farmers National Co: Now Is The Time To Capitalize On Lower Input Costs
By Tim Johnson, Area VP/West Central Region, Farmers National Company Crop input prices have started to pull back from historically high levels. For producers now is a great time to start planning for crop year 2024 and take advantage of those lower costs that will benefit them later. Some fertilizer [...]
Cost Of Thanksgiving Dinner Down Slightly From Record High In 2022
Source: American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) news release WASHINGTON - Gathering around the table for a Thanksgiving dinner won't take as much of a toll on your pocketbook this year compared to 2022, but the meal still reflects historically high costs. The American Farm Bureau Federation's 38th annual survey provides [...]
Ethanol Production Up As Stocks Tighten
BrownfieldAgNews reports: U.S. ethanol production was up slightly last week as stocks stayed nearly unchanged. The U.S. Energy Information Administration says production averaged 1.047 million barrels a day, up 5,000 from the previous week, which was delayed by EIA systems upgrades, and 36,000 more than a year ago. Iowa State [...]
Jury Rules In Favor Of Deere In Kinze And Ag Leader Patent Infringement Lawsuit
Farm Equipment magazine reports: An Iowa jury returned a verdict on Oct. 30 that found Kinze and Ag Leader had infringed on several John Deere patents regarding True Speed/SureSpeed technology. The jury sided with Deere on 4 claims of patent infringement but found that Deere did not prove the infringements [...]
USDA: Farm Share Of U.S. Food Dollar Dipped Below 15 Cents In 2022
Source: USDA news release U.S. farm establishments received 14.9 cents per dollar spent on domestically produced food in 2022 as compensation for farm commodity production. This portion, called the farm share, is a decrease of 0.3 cents from a revised 15.2 cents in 2021. The farm share covers operating expenses [...]
Almond, Hazelnut And Walnut Prices Fall To Lowest Levels In Decades
Source: USDA In 2022, tree nut prices fell to their lowest levels in at least two decades. Prices after adjusting for inflation, called real prices, were $1.10 per pound for almonds, $0.51 for hazelnuts, and $0.25 for walnuts. The last time real almond and hazelnut prices were this low was [...]
How El Nino Affects Crop Prices
The Scoop reports: A rebound in South American crops has been anticipated by traders for a long time. The focus for months has been the "big" crop coming in the southern hemisphere and the competition U.S. soybean farmers could suffer. Recent WASDE reports had assumed another record Brazilian soybean crop [...]
U.S. Department Of Justice Files Lawsuit Against Poultry Producer Koch Foods
Source: U.S. Department of Justice news release The Justice Department filed a civil lawsuit under the Sherman Act and Packers and Stockyards Act today against Koch Foods Incorporated (Koch), the fifth largest poultry processor in the United States. The complaint alleges that Koch anticompetitively and unfairly required chicken farmers, or [...]
USDA Surprises Market By Raising Its Yield Forecasts
By Tyne Morgan, AgWeb.com In a surprise move for so late in the season, USDA raised its corn yield forecast by nearly 2 bu. per acre in the November Crop Production Report. With a larger crop currently being harvested across the U.S., it means estimated corn ending stocks is getting [...]
World Population Passes 8 Billion Mark, Median Age Is 32
by Mead Gruver, Associated Press The human species has topped 8 billion, with longer lifespans offsetting fewer births, but world population growth continues a long-term trend of slowing down, the U.S. Census Bureau said Thursday. The bureau estimates the global population exceeded the threshold Sept. 26, a precise date the [...]
House, Senate Ag Committees Reach Agreement On Farm Bill Extension
Source: House Agricultural Republicans news release WASHINGTON, DC -- The four leaders of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees released the following statement on a Farm Bill extension: "As negotiations on funding the government progress, we were able to come together to avoid a lapse in funding for critical agricultural [...]
USDA Prices For Genetically Modified Seeds Have Risen Much Faster Than Non-GM Seeds
Source: USDA news release Prices farmers paid for crop seed increased significantly faster than the prices farmers received for crop commodities between 1990 and 2020. During that period the average price farmers paid for all seed rose by 270 percent, while the crop commodity price index rose 56 percent. For [...]
Court Prohibits California’s Prop 65 Which Required Glyphosate Warning
Source: National Association of Wheat Growers news release Washington, D.C. - The National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) is thrilled to see the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit permanent injunction that prohibits California's Proposition 65 warning requirement related to glyphosate. Today the Ninth Circuit Court of [...]
Nutrien Study Finds Perception Gaps Between Farmers And Consumers
Source: Nutrien news release SASKATOON, Saskatchewan -- Nutrien Ltd. (TSX and NYSE: NTR) today released Bridging the Agricultural Perception Divide: A Study by Nutrien. This research details and quantifies the perception gaps between farmers and consumers in North America on issues such as sustainability, technology, and land usage; it also [...]
U Of Illinois Researchers: Single Gene Controls Waterhemp’s Resistance To Soil-Applied Herbicides
Source: University of Illinois news release URBANA, Ill. -- Waterhemp, the aggressive weed threatening Corn Belt crop production, is throwing curveballs once again, according to researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The weed has famously developed resistance to not one or two, but seven herbicide sites-of-action classes, nearly exhausting [...]
Farm Journal Releases New Report On Farmers’ On-Line Buying Activities
By Margy Eckelkamp, Farm Journal For the past six years, Farm Journal has conducted an e-mail survey to gauge farmer use of online crop input purchasing tools. This year's survey was conducted in September and asked farmers if they bought any of their crop inputs online. This data is unique [...]
Extreme Weather Is Battering China’s Grain Production
by Keith Good, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project Bloomberg writer Hallie Gu reported yesterday that, "Cold snaps are hitting China's northeastern region, disrupting harvesting of grains from corn to rice and bolstering prices. "Extreme weather patterns from heavy rains to scorching temperatures have battered various agricultural producing regions in China [...]
CoBank: Shifting Consumer Demand For Dairy Foods Fuels Butterfat Boom
Source: CoBank news release DENVER --The long-term demand trends for dairy products indicate butter, cheese and other full-fat dairy foods will continue to grow in sales and volume for the foreseeable future. U.S. consumers have shifted away from margarine and reduced fat dairy foods over the last decade as nutritional [...]
Auditor’s Office Finds North Dakota Soybean Council Misused Grant Funds
Source: Office of the State Auditor of North Dakota An audit of the North Dakota Soybean Council, a state agency created to promote, market, and research soybeans, has found that grant funds allocated by the Council were used to pay a Legislative Educator for testifying in favor of two bills. [...]
Farmers Turning To Retrofitting Machinery Rather Than Buying New
Installing new technology into existing equipment is a task that Brian Scott has performed himself. By Bob Tita, Photographs by Kaiti Sullivan for the Wall Street Journal Farmer Nick Welker's tractors steer themselves nearly as effectively as the latest Teslas. They were built in the 1970s. Welker has spent years [...]
China Soybean Imports Could Set Record In 2023
U.S. Agricultural Trade Data Update. USDA- Economic Research Service (October 10, 2023). By Keith Good, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project Reuters writers Mei Mei Chu and Naveen Thukral reported today that, "China's soybean imports are likely to stay high through the fourth quarter, taking 2023 purchases to an all-time record, [...]
Foreign Investment In U.S. Ag Land โ The Latest Numbers
by Daniel Munch, Economist, American Farm Bureau Federation Foreign investment in U.S. agricultural land is a hot topic, largely spurred by media reports raising concerns about bad actors from adversarial nations purchasing land for potentially hostile purposes. Several questions arise when considering this issue. First and foremost, how much agricultural [...]
Dept Of Commerce Significantly Lowers Duties On Phosphate Fertilizers
Source: National Corn Growers Association news release The U.S. Department of Commerce today announced it was lowering duties placed on phosphate fertilizers imported from Morocco from 19.97% to 2.12%. The decision comes after the agency conducted an administrative review of the duties, which is performed annually by retroactively examining the [...]
Bayer Loses Third Glyphosate Lawsuit In A Row
By Patricia Weiss and Svea Herbst-Bayliss, Reuters Bayer (BAYGn.DE) investor Union Investment called on Wednesday for the German company to reconsider its litigation strategy for glyphosate and a key U.S. trial lawyer signaled interest in re-starting settlement talks for thousands of Roundup weedkiller cases. The two spoke out after Bayer [...]
China Wheat Imports Could Set Record This Year
by Keith Good, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project Reuters writers Naveen Thukral and Dominique Patton reported yesterday that, "China is set to import record volumes of wheat this year, trading sources say, with rain damage to its crop and worries over dry weather in exporting nations fuelling Beijing's appetite to [...]
Farm Equipment Dealers Report Their Customers’ Interest In Autonomous Retrofit Kits
Farm Equipment magazine reports: Autonomous farm equipment has generated a lot of buzz lately, and the latest text poll from Farm Equipment suggests customers are interested in retrofit kits. Just over 53% of responding dealers said their customers are interested in buying retrofit kits that would allow their existing diesel [...]
USDA Releases Map Showing Percent Of Food Insecure By State
Source: USDA news release Food-insecure households sometimes have difficulty providing enough food for all their members because they lack resources. USDA, Economic Research Service (ERS) monitors the extent of food insecurity in U.S. households at the national and State levels through an annual U.S. Census Bureau survey. State-level estimates are [...]
USDA To Provide More Than $3 Billion To Crop Producers Impacted By 2022 Natural Disasters
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON, - The U. S Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide more than $3 billion to commodity and specialty crop producers impacted by natural disaster events in 2022. Eligible impacted producers can apply for financial assistance through the Emergency Relief Program (ERP) 2022. The program will [...]
Organic Produce Sales And Volume Up 2%
Source: Organic Produce Network news release Monterey, CA -- For the second quarter in a row, organic fresh produce grew slightly in year-over-year sales and volume in the third quarter of 2023, according to the Q3 2023 Organic Produce Performance Report issued by Organic Produce Network and Category Partners. Overall, [...]
John Deere Foundation Announces $19 Million In Grants To Eliminate Hunger
Source: Deere & Co. news release MOLINE, IL -- Today, the John Deere Foundation announced a series of grants totaling $19 million aimed at eliminating hunger by increasing access to food, uplifting resource-constrained farmers, and supporting global food systems. Awarded to World Food Program USA, One Acre Fund, and The [...]
USDA Publishes New Standards For Organic Livestock And Poultry Production
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON, - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today previewed the Organic Livestock and Poultry Standards (OLPS) final rule. This new rule establishes clear, strong and consistent standards for organic livestock and poultry production, levels the playing field for organic livestock farmers, ranchers and businesses and promotes fairer, [...]
Rabobank: Global Fertilizer Market Set To Recover
Source: Rabobank news release According to a recent report by Rabobank, the outlook for the global fertilizer market is positive in the coming years, with some challenges and potential risks to be monitored. The global fertilizer market is recovering, with an estimated increase in usage of around 3% in 2023 [...]
Wheat Groups Welcome New Funding For Food Assistance And Export Market Development
Source: joint U.S. Wheat Associates & National Association of Wheat Growers news release ARLINGTON, Virginia -- U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) and the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) are pleased that U.S. wheat growers now have the opportunity to increase global food assistance and expand export market access under new [...]
USDA Reports 59% Of Corn, 76% Of Soybeans Have Been Harvested
BrownfieldAgNews reports: The 2023 U.S. corn and soybean harvests remain ahead of average following another week with generally friendly weather for activity. Most forecasts do have the potential for delays this week, including the chance of the first major snow storm of the year in parts of the northern U.S. [...]
Nat’l Wheat Foundation Announces Yield Contest Winners, Highest Is 212 Bu/A
Source: National Wheat Foundation news release Washington, D.C. - The National Wheat Yield Contest is thrilled to announce the achievements of its 24 national winners, hailing from 12 different states, who have achieved an average yield of 144 bushels per acre across all categories. See the national winners here and [...]
Navigator CO2 Cancels Its Pipeline Project
by Jared Strong Iowa Capitol Dispatch One of three carbon dioxide pipeline companies that have sought to build in Iowa announced on Friday that it's canceling its proposal amid the "unpredictable nature of the regulatory and government processes" of Iowa and South Dakota. Navigator CO2 had proposed to build a [...]
AgBiome To Layoff All Of its Employees
Source: Channel 11 TV RALEIGH, N.C. -- An agriculture development company located in Research Triangle Park announced plans to potentially layoff all of its 100+ employees. AgBiome is a company founded with the goal of replacing petrochemical-based ingredients used in agriculture production with naturally-derived replacements that create even better results. [...]
KC Fed Reports Size Of Farm Loans Is Shrinking
by: Nate Kauffman, Sr/VP/Economist and Ty Kreitman, Ass't Economist, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City Farm lending activity at commercial banks slowed further in the third quarter alongside a drop in operating loan volumes. The number of new non-real estate farm loans was flat compared with a year ago while [...]
Study Reports Farmers’ Viewpoints On Precision Technology And Profitability
By Addison Dehaven , Research Communications Coordinator, South Dakota State University Since the late 1980s, precision agriculture has become increasingly prevalent on farms across the United States, particularly in America's heartland, where adoption of these practices and technologies is more widespread. Past research has proven these practices and technologies help [...]
Farmers Say Crop Insurance Is A Need, Not A Want
Source: National Crop Insurance Services news release Not too far from Capitol Hill in Onancock, Virginia, Lynn Gayle farms soybeans, wheat, and corn. Lynn is acutely aware of the precarious nature of farming and the risk presented by Mother Nature "We're one storm event or one drought away from a [...]
New Price-Fixing Lawsuit Filed Against Big 4 Beef Packers
by Greg Henderson, Drover's America's Big 4 packing companies are the target of new price-fixing allegations from a group of small food distributors. Those distributors filed suit Oct. 9 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, accusing the packers fixed prices for years. The plaintiffs allege [...]
Brazil Expected To Expand Soybean Acreage And Reduce Corn Acreage
by Joana Colussi, Nick Paulson, Gary Schnitkey and Jim Baltz, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics,University of Illinois Farmers in Brazil are expected to plant more soybeans and less corn in the 2023-2024 crop season, according to the National Supply Company (Conab), the country's food supply and statistics agency. The [...]
Oklahoma State Ag Economist Predicts Good Cattle Prices To Last For Years To Come
by Heather Smith Thomas, American Angus Association Derrell Peel, Extension livestock marketing specialist at Oklahoma State University, says the increase in cattle prices this year actually started last year, as cattle numbers dropped. The midyear 2023 cattle inventory report showed the national cow herd is still getting smaller, he says. [...]
China Approves โDozensโ Of Genetically Modified Corn, Soybean Varieties
by Keith Good, University of Illinois' FarmDoc program Bloomberg writer Hallie Gu reported yesterday that, "China has approved dozens of genetically modified corn and soybean seed varieties for planting, in a breakthrough move that could eventually boost production and reduce dependence on foreign supplies. "The country is the world's top [...]
Winner Named In 2023 Iowa’s Best Pork Tenderloin Contest
by Andy Peterson, Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network A successful hunt for the best tenderloin in the State of Iowa. Cliffs Place in Manning is where you'll find it, congratulations to owners Jim and Jon Waterbury as the winners of the 2023 Iowa's Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin contest. It's a prestigious [...]
Crop Protection Market To Be $132.4 Billion By 2032
Source: Global Market Insights, Inc The global agricultural landscape is on the brink of a transformative shift, with the Crop Protection Chemicals Market poised to witness extraordinary growth, projected to exceed a staggering $132.4 billion by the year 2032. This unprecedented surge can be attributed to a confluence of factors [...]
Great Plains Mfg. Opens Hay And Forage Facility In Abilene, KS
Farm Equipment magazine reports: Great Plains Manufacturing partnered with European sister company Kverneland and Kubota Tractor Corp. to hold a grand opening for its new hay and forage assembly location on Sept. 27. The facility, which is located north of the current Great Plains Manufacturing location in Abilene, KS, will [...]
USDA Reports Global Food Security Improves In 2023
Source: USDA news release USDA's International Food Security Assessment (IFSA) model estimates how food prices and incomes affect food demand and access in 83 low- and middle-income countries. Food security is then evaluated by estimating the share of a country's population that is unable to access sufficient calories to sustain [...]
Farm Organization Leaders Air Their Major Farm Bill Concerns
BrownfieldAgNews reports: There's concern among farmers a new farm bill is far from completion. Jeff Jorgenson, a cow/calf producer who grows corn and soybeans in southwest Iowa, tells Brownfield there are a lot of headwinds. "The shell game as I call it, just moving money from here to there. The [...]
USDA Lowers Its September Corn, Soybean Production Forecast
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON, - Corn and soybean production is down from September 2023, according to the Crop Production report issued today by USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Corn production is down 10% from last year, forecast at 15.1 billion bushels; soybean growers are expected to decrease their [...]
House Nominates Scalise For Speaker, The Farm Bill Needs An Extension
Source: The Daily Scoop news release On Wednesday afternoon, House Republicans nominated Steve Scalise to be the next speaker by a vote of 113 to 99 - a week after the unprecedented ousting of Kevin McCarthy. Scalise, the second-ranking House Republican, defeated a challenge from GOP Rep. Jim Jordan of [...]
Corteva Breaks Ground For New $30 Million Distribution Facility In Indiana
Representatives from Corteva Agriscience and Scannell Properties, as well as officials from the City of Anderson, break ground Tuesday at the site of the new $30 million, 300,000 square foot facility that will be occupied and operated by Corteva next year. by C.J. Miller, Hoosier Ag Today radio network Corteva [...]
Scientists Use CRISPR Gene Editing To Combat Bird Flu
by Keith Good, University of Illinois FarmDoc project Emily Anthes reported on the front page of today's New York Times that, "Scientists have used the gene-editing technology known as CRISPR to create chickens that have some resistance to avian influenza, according to a new study that was published in the [...]
Ag Lawyer: Five Questions To Ask Before Signing A Soil Carbon Contract
By Todd Janzen, Janzen Ag Law There has been a lot of talk about soil carbon farming in the last few years. The USDA describes "soil carbon farming" as "the use of specific on-farm practices designed to take carbon out of the air and store it in soils and plant [...]
USDA Reports 43% Of Corn Has Been Harvested, 23% Of The Soybeans
BrownfieldAgNews reports: The U.S. soybean harvest made a big jump over the past week. That followed generally favorable harvest weather in much of the Midwest and Plains, but some areas are expected to see rain delays later this week. The USDA says that as of Sunday, 43% of U.S. soybeans [...]
USDA Releases Adoption Of Genetically Engineered Crops In The U.S. Report
Source: USDA news release Data cover genetically engineered (GE) varieties of corn, upland cotton, and soybeans for 2000-23, for the U.S. and States. Data include the extent of adoption of herbicide-tolerant (HT), insect-resistant (Bt), and both traits ("stacked") GE crops. A summary reviews recent trends in GE adoption. To continue [...]
Israeli Conflict Creates Slight Increase For Commodities, Inputs
BrownfieldAgNews reports: War has broken out between Israel and a Palestine nationalist organization in the Middle East, and that's having some impact on commodity and input prices for U.S. farmers. Market analyst Jeff Peterson with Heartland Farm Partners says the conflict has pushed some commodity prices higher. "The market was [...]
Tyson, Smithfield Plant Closings Warn Of Further Pork And Poultry Producer Consolidation
by Tyne Morgan, Farm Journal Talk to any farmer who used to raise pigs, and they'll more than likely tell you it all changed in 1998. That's the year that draws memories of agony and financial pain for many. Hog margins bled red, and it spurred mass consolidation. The reality [...]
Farm Journal’s Ag Economist Monitor: The One Thing That Could Break The Farm Economy
by Tyne Morgan, Farm Journal Ag economists' view on the ag economy is starting to erode. The September Ag Economists' Monthly Monitor shows lower commodity prices, concerns about demand and a negative outlook for China's economy are all contributing to the changing views, even as the cattle herd and U.S. [...]
Virginia Tech Study Reports Ag’s Productivity Isn’t Growing Fast Enough
Hoosier Ag Today radio network reports: The Global Agricultural Productivity (GAP) Report, which was just released by Virginia Tech's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), says the world's agricultural productivity isn't growing fast enough to be able to feed an estimated global population of nearly 10 billion people by [...]
Study Reports Farmworkers Make Substantially Less Than All Workers
By Daniel Costa, Economic Policy Institute In 2022, the average earnings of all nonsupervisory farmworkers (i.e., combined field and livestock workers) was $16.62 per hour. This is just half (52%) of the average hourly wage for all workers in the United States in 2022, which stands at $32.00 per hour [...]
USDA Expands Specialty, Organic Crop Insurance Options
Source: USDA news release Tropical Storm Option covers damage caused by strong weather systems not categorized as hurricanes. Both a wind and precipitation trigger must occur for an indemnity to be paid. This new option helped many producers recover after Hurricane Idalia this year. About 60% of eligible policies elected [...]
USDA Announces $27.6 Million To Support Underserved And Veteran Farmers & Ranchers
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON, - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced $27.6 million in grants to provide training, outreach and technical assistance to underserved and veteran farmers, ranchers, and foresters to help them own and operate successful farms, ranches, and forest lands. Funding is made through USDA's [...]
USDA Details 2022 Disaster Relief For Livestock Producers
BrownfieldAgNews reports: The U.S. Department of Agriculture has released more details on the livestock portion of a disaster relief program for farmers and ranchers who had losses from natural disasters last year. The 2022 Emergency Livestock Relief Program will be provided to producers who lost grazing acres in drought or [...]
Dairy Checkoffโs Pizza Partnerships Engage In Cheese-Growth Efforts
Source: Dairy Management Inc. news release ROSEMONT, IL - A new dairy checkoff growth program with pizza partners is expected to drive an additional 12-plus million pounds of cheese use. The bulk of the cheese will be used internationally through an effort with a major quick-serve restaurant pizza chain and [...]
Purdue Scientist Receives $1.1 Million Grant To Fund Research On Molecular Response Of Plants To Environmental Stress
Yuan-Chi Chien, a PhD candidate in botany and plant pathology at Purdue University, at work in the laboratory. (Purdue Agricultural Communications photo/Tom Campbell) Source: Purdue University news release WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The National Science Foundation has awarded a $1.1 million grant to Purdue University's Gyeong Mee Yoon to research [...]
In Historic First U Of Nebraska Scientists Map The Complete Corn Genome
Feed & Grain Times reports: In a groundbreaking achievement, scientists, led by University of Nebraska-Lincoln researcher James Schnable, have successfully mapped the complete genome of corn. This milestone development promises to revolutionize the future of agriculture, offering invaluable insights into crop health, resilience, and productivity. Published recently in the prestigious [...]
Farmer Sentiment Falls 9 Points On Weakening Crop Prices And High Production Costs
Source: Purdue University Agricultural producers' sentiment declined for the second month in a row during September as the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer fell 9 points to a reading of 106. Producers expressed concern about both their current situation as well as future prospects for their farms. The Current [...]
USDA Offers New Crop Insurance Program For Producers Using Controlled Environments
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON, - Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing a new crop insurance program designed for agricultural producers who use controlled environments in their operations. The new Controlled Environment program from USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA) is specifically for plants grown in fully enclosed [...]
USDA Restricts Imports Of Poultry Products From France, Other EU Nations
Feedstuffs magazine reports: The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced it has placed restrictions on the importation of poultry from France, as well as live ducks, duck eggs, and unmitigated/untreated duck products from the APHIS-recognized European Poultry Trade Region (EPTR, excluding Great Britain) as well as Iceland, [...]
USDA Reports 23% Of Corn And Soybeans Have Been Harvested
BrownfieldAgNews reports: This year's U.S. corn and soybean harvests are nearly a quarter complete. That followed a generally good week for weather for harvest activity, with possible delays later this week from an expected cooler, wetter weather pattern in parts of the Midwest and Plains. The USDA says 23% of [...]
Jet Fuel Represents Huge Opportunity For Ethanol And Corn Producers
Bloomberg reports: For US corn farmers, the rise of Sustainable Aviation Fuel is their best hope of staving off an existential threat. With battery-powered cars poised to slash gasoline demand by 2040, corn-ethanol makers need to find new markets, and fast. After all, roughly 40% of the country's output of [...]
Crop Consultant Warns Plants, Not People, May Fall Prey To The Next Global Pandemic
by Steve Cubbage, AgWeb.com We are in the COVID-19 decade. The social, economic and cultural effects of the pandemic will no doubt cast a long, dark shadow into our future. Nothing could be worse than what we just lived through during the past three years, right? You do know that [...]
USDA Makes Available $3 Billion For Climate-Smart Practices On Agricultural Landsโฏ
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON, September 28, 2023 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is making more than $3 billion in funding available for agricultural producers and forest landowners nationwide to participate in voluntary conservation programs and adopt climate-smart practices in fiscal year 2024 as part of President Biden's [...]
USDA To Begin Issuing $1.75 Billion To Ag Producers Through Critical Emergency Relief Programs
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON, - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that it will begin issuing more than $1.75 billion in emergency relief payments to eligible farmers and livestock producers. These much-needed payments are helping farming and ranching operations recover following natural disasters in 2020, 2021 and [...]
130 Ag And Forestry Groups Voice Opposition To Spartz Anti-Checkoff Amendment
Source: National Cattlemen's Beef Association news release WASHINGTON - In a letter sent today to Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) alongside 129 leading state and national livestock, crop, and forestry organizations voiced its opposition to [...]
Pioneer Agronomist On How To Set Winter Wheat Up For Success
Source: Pioneer news release Winter wheat, unlike its more temperate cousins, is typically planted in September and October. It then goes into dormancy over the winter months and begins growing again in the spring. With winter wheat experiencing many different growing conditions, it is important to select the proper variety, [...]
USDA Reports 15% Of Corn, 12% Of Soybeans Have Been Harvested
BrownfieldAgNews reports: The U.S. corn and soybeans harvests advanced about as expected last week. Some harvest delays are likely during the early part of this week, but most of the Midwest and Plains should be able to make another round of solid progress. The USDA says that as of Sunday, [...]
New Record Price For Farmland Set, $34,800 For 115 Acres In Missouri
By Tyne Morgan, AgWeb.com Move over Iowa, there's a new record farmland sale on the books. A piece of Missouri farmland underwent rapid-fire bidding, which racked the final price tag up to $34,800 per acre. The recent sale now beats out the previous record of $30,000 per acre in Iowa. [...]
Nat’l Corn Growers Assn’s President Reflects On His Term In Office
By Tom Haag. President, National Corn Growers Association Tom HaagIn a few short days, my year as President of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) will come to an end. Those 365 days sure went by quickly. As I look forward to transitioning the leadership of this organization to another [...]
National Poll Shows Americans Want A Domestic Food Supply
Source: Farm Policy Facts news release American farm families feed, fuel, and clothe America. A new survey from the American Sugar Alliance shows that American voters recognize the importance of agriculture and want Congress to prioritize American farmers in the next Farm Bill, provide them with a strong and reliable [...]
USDA Reports Record Interest In Its Conservation And Clean Energy Programs
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON, DC, - On the heels of the first anniversary of President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has seen record interest in the conservation and clean energy programs that received funding from the law. As a key part of President Biden's [...]
Argentine Seed Company Agrality Acquires Nebraska Irrigated Seeds
Source: Verant Partners news release Nebraska, - Agrality, a fast-growing global company specializing in seed industry solutions, is pleased to announce its recent acquisition of Nebraska Irrigated Seeds, located in Fremont, Nebraska. This investment includes four key sites which integrate an office, two ear-corn receiving, drying, and shelling facilities, along [...]
Farm Bureau ; Make Dairy Pricing Allowances Reform A Must
Source: American Farm Bureau Feceration news release WASHINGTON, - American Farm Bureau Federation economist Danny Munch presented testimony today on behalf of AFBF and its membership at the ongoing Federal Milk Marketing Order Pricing Formula hearing. This is the third time an AFBF representative has testified at the hearing. AFBF [...]
Avian Flu Returns To Canadian Poultry Flock, First Outbreak Since May
By Roy Graber, Feed & Grain Times Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has returned to Canada, with the country's first detection of HPAI in a commercial poultry flock since May. According to a report from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) the presence of HPAI was confirmed in a [...]
CoBank: Russian Wheat Exports Remain Biggest Risk To U.S. Wheat Elevators
Source: CoBank news release DENVER --A modest rebound in U.S. wheat production and supplies is improving the outlook for profitability among grain elevators that store wheat. Futures market carries have improved for all three major classes of wheat and the buy basis is widening following a bigger harvest. The larger [...]
FarmHer and RanchHer Returning to RFD-TV In 2024
Source: RFD-TV and FarmHer news release Kirbe Schnoor (l) and Janie JohnsonFort Worth, Texas --- RFD-TV, in partnership with FarmHer, Inc., is proud to announce the selection of Kirbe Schnoor and Janie Johnson as its new television hosts for FarmHer and RanchHer, two shows returning to primetime on Rural America's [...]
Class Action Suit Over Lely Robotic Milkers Settled For $122 Million
Source: Stueve Siegel Hanson LLP KANSAS CITY, Mo., /PRNewswire/ -- Following last year's $55M settlement with DeLaval Holding AB, DeLaval International AB, DeLaval Inc., and West Agro, Inc. Stueve Siegel Hanson LLP, Cullenberg & Tensen PLLC, and Perrone Law PLLC have achieved another historic settlement against a manufacturer of allegedly [...]
EPA Resolves Litigation To Protect Endangered Species And Ensure Pesticides That Remain Available
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7 news release LENEXA, KAN. - The U.S. Department of Justice, on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), resolved longstanding litigation covering over 1,000 pesticide products, allowing EPA to fulfill its obligations to protect endangered species while conducting reviews and approvals of [...]
U.S. Hard Red Winter Wheat Exports Are Lowest Since Records Started In 1973/74
By Keith Good, University of Illinois' FarmDoc program In its monthly Wheat Outlook report yesterday, the USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS) indicated that, "U.S. Hard Red Winter (HRW) exports are forecast down 10 million bushels this month to 155 million bushels, the lowest since records started in 1973/74. HRW supplies [...]
Ag Economists Issue Report Tracking Fertilizer Prices, Their Impact On Ag Producers
by Nick Paulson, Gary Schnitkey, Joana Colussi and Jim BaltzDepartment of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois and Carl Zulauf, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, Ohio State University The prices of fertilizer products reached record highs in nominal terms in 2022. However, the price spikes in the [...]
Soil Health Institute and Cargill Partner To Advance Water Stewardship Through Improved Soil Health
Source: Cargill news release Morrisville, North Carolina - The Soil Health Institute (SHI) and Cargill are coming together to advance implementation of regenerative agriculture practices through the promotion of water stewardship within agricultural supply chains. This 3-year, $3 million partnership will equip farmers, conservation planners, and sustainability experts across North [...]
Rob-See-Co Launches Forage Division
Source: Rob-See-Co news release ELKHORN, Neb. - Rob-See-Co, an independent seed company located in Elkhorn, Neb. proudly announces the establishment of its new forage division and the introduction of an advanced evaluation system, designed to amplify the value delivered to Every Farm, Every Crop, Every Acre. The new division will [...]
In New Survey Farmers Show High Interest In Harvest Autonomy
Source: Raven news release As the demand for agricultural output continues to rise, farmers in the U.S. and Canada are embracing autonomous technology to optimize their operations and boost productivity. A survey1 conducted by Raven and Forward Group in May 2022 revealed that 65% of the 225 harvest cart operators [...]
U.S. Corn, Soybean Conditions: โHovering At Their Lowest Levels In A Decadeโ
by Keith Good, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project DTN Managing Editor Anthony Greder reported yesterday that, "The 2023 U.S. corn harvest is slightly outpacing the five-year average so far as the crop continues to reach maturity ahead of normal, USDA NASS stated in its weekly Crop Progress report on Monday. [...]
Iowa Governor Issues Harvest Proclamation, No Permits Required For Ag Supplies
Source: Agribusiness Association of Iowa news release Governor Kim Reynolds signed a proclamation relating to the weight limits and transportation of grain, animal feedstocks, fertilizer, and manure. The proclamation is effective immediately and continues through October 11, 2023. The proclamation allows vehicles transporting corn, soybeans, hay, straw, silage, stover, fertilizer [...]
Beef Promotion Committee Approves $38 Million For 2024 Checkoff Plan Of Work
Source: Beef Board news release DENVER, Colo. - The Cattlemen's Beef Board (CBB) will invest approximately $38 million into programs of beef promotion, research, consumer information, industry information, foreign marketing, and producer communications during fiscal 2024, subject to USDA approval. In action at the end of its September 6-7 meeting [...]
USDA Reports The Distribution Of Irrigated Acreage Has Shifted Eastward
Source: USDA news release Regional distribution of U.S. irrigated acreage changed significantly from 1949 to 2017. Trends in irrigated cropping patterns, technological advances, water availability, and changing growing-season weather drove this evolution. The arid Mountain and Pacific regions consistently irrigated the most farmland until 2007, when irrigated acreage in the [...]
Global Food Prices Decline In August- Lowest In Two Years
by Keith Good, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project Bloomberg writer Agnieszka de Sousa reported today that, "Global food prices resumed declines to the lowest in more than two years amid ample supplies of cooking oils and dairy, even as worries persist over flows of key staples from some regions. "An [...]
Briggs & Stratton To Discontinue Its Simplicity And Snapper Tractor Lines
By Ben Thorpe, Rural Lifestyle Dealer magazine In an internal dealer memo seen by Rural Lifestyle Dealer, Briggs & Stratton stated that effective immediately, it will no longer offer Simplicity and Snapper tractors in North America "due to the considerable year-over-year market decline for the tractor segment." In addition to [...]
Industry Experts Comment On Glyphosate Oversupply And Outlook For The Product
By Daniel Jacobs, AgriBusiness Global Glufosinate, one of the most widely used herbicides on the planet, is under assault from several directions. Oversupply, regulation bans, global geopolitical conflicts, and resistance concerns all play in the pesticide's current struggles. "It would appear that both glufosinate and glyphosate are currently in an [...]
Agri-Pulse Reports Top Ag Organizationsโ CEO Compensation
Source: Agri Marketing magazine Agri-Pulse has issued its annual listing of the compensation and benefits received by the top officers in the Agricultural, Biofuel and Food Industry trade organizations. Those of highest interest to agri-marketers include (prior year): Ag Retailers Assn: Daren Coppock...$424K/2021...$408K/2020 American Seed Trade Assn: Andy LaVigne...$1,071K/2022...$1,035/2020 American [...]
Certified Angus Beef Launches Direct-To-Consumer Program
Source: Certified Angus Beef news release Could your freezer beef carry the Certified Angus Beef (CAB) brand logo? Perhaps. With the launch of a new program, Angus farmers and ranchers have the option to market their beef directly to consumers as CAB product. Ranch to Table, a direct partnership program [...]
KC Fed Reports Farm Debt Is Growing, Loan Performance Remains Strong
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City Farm debt continued to increase alongside faster growth in farm production loans. Even as debt balances continued to grow, farm loan performance remained strong and delinquency rates edged lower for the third consecutive year. The net interest margin and return on assets at [...]
Livestock Marketing Assn Concerned About Increasing Herd Liquidations, Announces New Program For Producers
Source: Livestock Marketing Association news release OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS -- Livestock Marketing Association members have a front-row seat to a disturbing trend: the continued loss of livestock producers across the U.S. They see this as a critical threat, not only to the livestock industry, but to the nation's food supply. [...]
Consumers’ Purchase Of Plant-Based Protein Foods Jumps Back To Pre-Pandemic Level
Agri-Pulse reports: Plant-based protein sales in the U.S. foodservice sector have nearly rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, according to a new report from the Good Food Institute. Sales at food service establishments reached 60 million pounds, or $304 million, last year. That compares to 61 million pounds in 2019, with sales [...]
Why Agriculture Has Become A Target For Cyber Criminals And What Can Be Done
by Jane Marsh, Editor-in-Chief at Environment.co. as it appeared in Global AgTech Agriculture has seen an increase in online threats. Here's why the sector has become a target, the attacks it faces and five ways it can stay safe from malicious actors. Why Has the Agriculture Sector Become a Target?Agriculture [...]
Purdue/CME Survey Finds Farmer Sentiment Dips Amid Weaker View Of Current Conditions
by James Mintert and Michael Langemeier, Purdue Center for Commercial Agriculture U.S. farmers' sentiment weakened in August compared to July as the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer dipped 8 points to a reading of 115. This month's decline was fueled by producers' weaker perception of current conditions both on [...]
Putin Announces Grain Export In Black Sea Region Won’t Be Restored
Associated Press reports: Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday that the grain deal that allowed Ukraine to export grain safely through the Black Sea won't be restored until the West meets its obligations to facilitate Russian agricultural exports. Putin made the statement after talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, [...]
USDA To Make Available $266 Million To Help Farmers And Ranchers Lower Energy Costs
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON, - U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA is awarding $266 million in loans and grants to agriculture producers and rural small businesses to make investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements that will lower their energy costs, generate [...]
U Of Illinois, Purdue Ag Economists Issue Updated Crop Budgets
By Gary Schnitkey, Nick Paulson, and Jim Baltz, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois and Carl Zulauf, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, Ohio State University Corn and soybean budgets for 2024 are now available here on the farmodc website. Overall, projections are for lower costs [...]
Russia Considering Uniting Its Fertilizer Industry Into One Export Trading Company
Bloomberg reports: Moscow is assessing the possibility of establishing a unified trading company for fertilizer exports, Bloomberg reported on Monday citing sources close to the discussions. According to the report, the proposed move will unite Russian fertilizer exporters under one entity, which would give the country more sway in global [...]
American Soybean Assn Expresses Concerns With EPAโs “Confusing & Harmful” Final WOTUS Rule
Source: American Soybean Association news release Washington, D.C. -- The American Soybean Association released a statement today in response to the Environmental Protection Agency's announcement of its final Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule: "When EPA and the Army Corps announced they planned to tweak the flawed WOTUS regulations on [...]
To Conform With Supreme Court’s Decision, EPA And Army Amend โWaters Of The United Statesโ Rule
Source EPA, Region 7 news release LENEXA, KAN. - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of the Army (the agencies) announced a final rule amending the 2023 definition of "waters of the United States" to conform with the recent Supreme Court decision in Sackett v. [...]
USDA Releases Food Price Outlook Report
Source: USDA news release The Food Price Outlook provides food price data and forecasts changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Producer Price Index (PPI) for food. To continue reading report, Click Here
Two Hurricanes Head To Florida
Agri-Pulse reports: The southern U.S. is in the path of two major storms this week. The National Weather Service is warning of severe impacts from Tropical Storm Idalia as it approaches Florida from the southwest, while Hurricane Franklin approaches the state from the east. "Idalia is forecast to become a [...]
Pro Farmer Crop Estimates Below USDA Expectations
Source: Farm Journal news release Cedar Falls, Iowa -- Pro Farmer, a division of Farm Journal, shared its much-anticipated production estimates today for the 2023 U.S. corn and soybean crops after analyzing information from the 31st annual Pro Farmer Crop Tour and other sources. The estimates are informed by Crop [...]
Cargill To Purchase Three Soybean Plants In Brazil, Boost Its Biodiesel Output
Reuters reports: SAO PAULO, Brazil -U.S. grain trader Cargill will seek antitrust approval in Brazil for a binding offer to acquire three soy crushing plants in a bid to boost biodiesel production and expand operations in the world's biggest soy producer. In a statement on Monday, Cargill said the deal [...]
Senate Leader Says Farm Bill Will Be Late, Expects Extension Of Current Bill
By Ellyn Ferguson, Roll Call Congress will still deliver a farm bill but it won't be in September, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell told the Kentucky Farm Bureau on Thursday, voicing what was already looking inevitable as Congress runs out of legislative days left before the Sept. 30 expiration of [...]
Total Acre Georgia Grower Sets New Soybean Yield World Record
Source: Total Acre sent via AgPR--the news distribution service for agriculture SMITHVILLE, Ga. (AgPR) - In a classic case of the student surpassing the teacher, Total Acre grower Alex Harrell of Smithville, Ga. has bested the current soybean yield record holder, Randy Dowdy. Harrell has established a new world soybean [...]
Pro Farmer Crop Tour Finds Corn Yields Lagging In Iowa And Minnesota
by Jenna Hoffman, AgWeb.com The Pro Farmer Crop Tour commenced on Thursday, with scouts rallying in Rochester, Minn., to share images of fields they ranked as some of the worst they'd seen all week. Here's what scouts found on their final stretch of the tour. Eastern leg: Iowa City, Iowa [...]
USDA Scientists Believe They’ve Found A cure Of Citrus Greening
Source: USDA news release Leaves with symptoms of citrus greening disease.Scientists with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) may have found a potential remedy for the untreatable disease that has devastated the American citrus industry since it arrived in Florida in 1998. Huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening, is a [...]
Op-ed By Iowa Congressman Feenstra: Crop Insurance Is Most Vital Farm Safety Net
Source: blog by Congressman Randy Feenstra, (IA-4th district) as it ran on Agri-Pulse.com Crop insurance remains the most vital tool in the farm safety net toolkit. From droughts and derechos to economic hardship and unstable commodity prices, crop insurance is a lifeline for our producers and their families. Serving on [...]
Potato Exports Break Record For Value And Volume
Source: Potatoes USA news release DENVER - U.S. potato exports reached record value and volume in the 12-month period from July 2022 - June 2023. Export values increased 19.05% to $2.2 billion, and export volume increased 3.85% to 3.3 million metric tons (fresh weight equivalent). U.S. potato export values increased [...]
Missouri Supreme Court Ruling Has Major Impact On Roundup Lawsuit
Source: Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner scored another major victory this past week in its defense of Monsanto in ongoing litigation brought by users of the company's Roundup herbicide, as the Missouri Supreme Court rejected an attempt by plaintiffs to force a trial to be held in [...]
Bushel Secures $26 Million To Accelerate Digitization In Agriculture
Source: Bushel news release FARGO, N.D. - Bushel, the leading digital platform connecting farmers and agribusinesses, successfully closed an oversubscribed $26 million funding round led by The Banc Funds Company with further support from new and existing investors. In addition to The Banc Funds Company, other investors in this round [...]
Why Farmers Take So Long To Buy Into Something New
by Jan Johnson, CEO & Founder, Millennium Research There is an old saying: "Are you willing to bet the farm on that?" Today, the answer is "no." And a longer answer is, "If I wait, I might lose a bit, but I will not lose everything."Farmers' skepticism has generally paid [...]
U.S. Wheat Exports Projected at 52-Year Low
Source: USDA news release The August 2023 Wheat Outlook analyzes the 2022/23 and 2023/24 WASDE as well as supply and demand changes linked to new data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census and USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. U.S. all-wheat exports are lowered 25 million bushels to 700 million [...]
Massey Ferguson Introduces 1 Series Round Baler
Source: AGCO news release 1 Series round baler specially designed for North American dry hay and stover. At a Glance: The Massey Ferguson 1 Series Round Baler The Massey Ferguson 1 Series Round Baler debuted on August 18, 2023. The new baler leverages 75 years of Hesston tradition and hay [...]
Annual Pro Farmer Crop Tour Kicks Off, Will Assess Drought Impact And Crop Health
Source: Farm Journal news release Cedar Falls, Iowa, -Scouts will fan out across the Midwest this week to measure this year's corn and soybean yield potential during the 31st annual Pro Farmer Crop Tour. The tour runs Aug. 21-24, covering seven states and capturing the attention of the agriculture industry [...]
Private-Sector Delivery Crop Insurance Protects Farmers, Watch New Video From NCIS
Source: National Crop Insurance Services The Federal crop insurance program is built on a unique public-private partnership. Under this successful model, farmers purchase a personalized crop insurance policy from any one of the private insurance companies - known as Approved Insurance Providers, or AIPs - authorized to sell and service [...]
USDA Release Report Showing Adoption Of Variable Rate Technology By Crop
Source: USDA news release Farmers use variable rate technologies (VRT) to control the amount of farm inputs--such as seed, fertilizer, and chemicals--applied as farm machinery moves across a field. With more precise control of inputs, farmers can make more efficient applications that might lower production costs or reduce environmental impacts. [...]
USDA Reports Cattle Placements Into Feedlots Down 8%
BrownfieldAgNews reports: Placements of cattle into U.S. feedlots fell 8% from July 2022 to July 2023. The USDA says the monthly placements total was 1.618 million head, with that year-to-year decline tied to lower feed prices, better pasture conditions, and generally tighter numbers after aggressive marketings earlier in this year. [...]
Federal Reserve Bank Of Kansas City Reports Farmland Values Stay Resilient As Ag Economy Moderates
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City Strength in farm real estate values persisted in the second quarter despite some moderation in the farm economy and higher interest rates. Growth in farmland values eased from the surge of recent years, but remained strong through the first half of 2022. Broad [...]
John Deere Issues Year End Outlook
Source: Deere & Co. news release Net income attributable to Deere & Company for fiscal 2023 is forecast to be in a range of $9.75 billion to $10.00 billion. "Deere is well on the way to another year of exceptional achievement due in large part to positive fundamentals in the [...]
USDA Reports Smaller Cow-Calf Operations Still Outnumber Large Operations, Herd Sizes Have Increased
Source: USDA news release In the United States, most cow-calf operations are relatively small and have fewer than 50 cows though a few very large operations (with more than 1,000 cows) can be found. On cow-calf farms, calves are birthed, raised, and weaned on site. While some calves remain on [...]
USDA Forecasts Wheat Exports To At Record Low Levels
by Keith Good, University of Illinois FarmDoc project In its monthly Wheat Outlook report earlier this week, the USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS) indicated that, "U.S. all-wheat exports are lowered 25 million bushels to 700 million bushels, the lowest since 1971/72. "Despite an increase in Hard Red Winter (HRW) production, [...]
RaboResearch: Grain Demand Booms In Eastern Sub-Saharan Africa
Source: Rabobank news release Growing population drives grain consumption ESSA comprises 22 different economies with a current population of 520 million, which is projected to reach 705 million by 2035. This will increase the demand for white corn, the main staple food in the region. However, other grains are also [...]
Fertilizer Prices Continue Decline And May Impact Farmers’ Nitrogen Decisions
By Nick Paulson, Gary Schnitkey, Joana Colussi, and Jim Baltz, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois and Carl Zulauf, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, Ohio State University Fertilizer prices have continued their more than year-long decline through the first two weeks of August 2023. On [...]
Ketchum Release Results From Its Survey Of Gen Z’s Food Selections
Source: Ketchum news release NEW YORK --Gen Z has been deemed the foodie generation, but recent research from Ketchum reveals a darker side to their relationship with food. Sixty-one percent of Gen Z has felt pressure on them since childhood to eat a certain way to communicate their identity and [...]
USDA Reports Prices For Genetically Modified Seeds Have Risen Much Faster than Non-GM Seeds
Source: USDA news release Prices farmers paid for crop seed increased significantly faster than the prices farmers received for crop commodities between 1990 and 2020. During that period the average price farmers paid for all seed rose by 270 percent, while the crop commodity price index rose 56 percent. For [...]
Pioneer Agronomist: Heat Stress And Drought Can Impact Yield
Source: Pioneer news release During the dog days of summer, when corn is pollinating and temperatures exceed 90 degrees, heat stress can impact yield potential. Heat, combined with dry conditions during this critical time, can cause plant stress during pollination and reduce the number of kernels a plant can set. [...]
Farmers For Soil Health Launches Cover Crop Planting Incentive Plan
Source: National Corn Growers Association news release Farmers in 20 states can now enroll in cost-share programs through Farmers for Soil Health. This corn, pork and soy commodity initiative, in partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and USDA's Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities, establishes financial and technical assistance for [...]
USDA Reports 59% Of Corn And Soybeans Are In Good To Excellent Condition
BrownfieldAgNews reports: The USDA's national corn and soybean condition ratings rose over the past week. That followed another week of generally beneficial conditions in much of the Midwest ahead of what could be a warmer, drier pattern to end August and start September. As of Sunday, 59% of U.S. corn [...]
CoBank: Plant-Based Meat Alternatives Struggle To Maintain Early Momentum
Source: CoBank news release DENVER --U.S. consumers remain interested in plant-based meat alternatives, but higher prices have led many prospective return consumers to taper off their purchases. The price of plant-based meats is often several dollars a pound higher than for equivalent meat and poultry products. Beyond cost, lingering negative [...]
Milk Margins Hit Lowest Level Since 2019 Dairy Margin Coverage Authorization
by Daniel Munch, Economist, American Farm Bureau Federation reports: For the month of June, the Farm Service Agency reported a $3.65 per hundredweight milk margin above feed costs, the smallest margin since the Dairy Margin Coverage program was authorized in the 2018 farm bill. High 2022 milk prices dropped precipitously [...]
USDA Reports Sources Of Water For Irrigated Crops
Source: USDA news release Irrigation water delivery organizations are entities such as irrigation districts and ditch companies that supply farmers, ranchers, and other users with water. These organizations draw water from several different sources. Water from Federal water projects and direct diversions from surface water bodies make up the majority [...]
U.S. July Tractor Sales Down 9% For The Year, Combine Sales Up 41%
Agri Marketing magazine reports: According to the Association of Equipment Manufacturer's monthly "Flash Report," the sale of all tractors during July 2023, in the U.S. were down 5% from the same month last year. In July, a total of 21,550 tractors were sold which compares to 22,383 sold in 2022. [...]
Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank Reports Ag Credit Conditions Moderate
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City Agricultural credit conditions in the Tenth District moderated in the second quarter and farmland values continued to increase. Following multiple years of considerable improvement, farm income softened, and borrower liquidity retracted somewhat alongside continued cost pressures and lower prices for most agricultural commodities [...]
Smithfield To Close 35 Pork Production Facilities In Missouri
Feedstuffs magazine reports: Smithfield Foods will be closing 35 farms in northern Missouri in October. According to the Missouri Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act notice, the firm plans to lay off 92 salaried and hourly employees in Putnam and Mercer counties effective Oct. 8. Murphy Brown, LLC, a division [...]
USDA, CTIC, ASTA Release Results Of Cover Crops Survey
Source: USDA, CTIC, ASTA joint news release Washington, DC -- A new national cover crop survey report released today challenges assumptions on the role of incentive payments in cover crop adoption. Incentives play a key role in getting some farmers started on cover crops--49% of the cover crop users participating [...]
Bayer Considering Structural Changes
by Olaf Ridder and Cecilia Butini, Dow Jones Bayer's will unveil plans and financial targets for the company in early 2024, the company's new Chief Executive Bill Anderson said during a post-results conference call, adding that a strategic review currently taking place at the company isn't excluding any possible scenarios [...]
More On Tyson Closing Chicken Facilities In Indiana, Missouri And Arkansas
By Patrick Thomas, Wall Street Journal Tyson Foods TSN -5.02%decrease; red down pointing triangle is closing more processing plants as the biggest U.S. meat company seeks to turn around its chicken business. Tyson said Monday it plans to close chicken plants in Corydon, Ind.; Dexter, Mo.; Noel, Mo.; and North [...]
USDA Reports More Than Half Of Cropland Uses Seed Varieties With At Least One Genetically Modified Trait
Source: USDA news release Genetically modified (GM) varieties of corn, soybeans, and cotton were introduced in the United States in 1996, and they became the dominant seed choice among farmers within a few years. Later, GM varieties were widely adopted for canola and sugar beets. By 2020 (the most recent [...]
North Dakota Denies Siting Permit For Summit Carbon Pipeline Project
Source: North Dakota Public Service Commission BISMARCK, ND - The North Dakota Public Service Commission (PSC or Commission) today denied a siting permit for the Midwest Carbon Express CO2 Pipeline Project. SCS Carbon Transport LLC (Summit Carbon Solutions referred to as "Summit") filed an application in Oct. 2022 to construct [...]
Univ Of Florida To Build $20 Million Center For Artificial Intelligence In Agriculture
Source: Fagen Wasanni Technologies The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is preparing to construct a new Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence in Wimauma, a rural area in Hillsborough County. The project, which is estimated to cost around $20 million, aims to enhance the use of artificial [...]
Nat’l Pork Producers Council Estimates Cost Of Building Prop 12 Compliant Housing Is $4,000 Per Sow
by Ann Reus, Feed & Grain California's Proposition 12 will have significant implications and create challenges and uncertainty for the U.S. pork industry and beyond, according to a report from the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC). To read the in-depth report click here. In its report, NPPC said that, based [...]
Support for Crop Insurance Key Theme In Farm Bill Listening Session At FarmFest
Source: National Crop Insurance Services news release Between scoops of corn ice cream and live music, farmers and policymakers gathered yesterday at Minnesota Farmfest to discuss the issues that matter most to rural America. The Listening Session held by the House Agriculture Committee presented an opportunity for farmers, lenders, and [...]
Some Large Pork Producers Oppose Congress’ Efforts To Overturn California’s Prop 12
Reuters reports: Some big U.S. pork producers that have spent money to comply with a California law requiring more living space for certain farm animals are lukewarm about legislation proposed in the U.S. Congress that would overturn the state law. The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), the pork industry trade [...]
As Prop 12 Kicks In, Pork Belly Prices Soar
By Kirk Maltais, Wall Street Journal Bacon prices could soon start heating up. Wholesale prices for pork belly--the cut of meat used to make bacon--have surged this summer, nearly tripling since the start of June after hitting a multiyear low in May. Pork-belly prices were at $2.15 a pound on [...]
DTN Launches EcoField Data To Help Connect Farmers And Agribusinesses In Sustainable Farming
Source: DTN news release MINNEAPOLIS - DTN, continues to deliver market-leading data and intelligence to the agriculture sector with the introduction of EcoField data specifically engineered to support the rapidly growing sustainable agriculture space. Agribusinesses and grain traders can tap into EcoField data to help support and expand sustainable farming [...]
Fertilizer Prices Continue Year-Long Decline From 2022 Peak
By Nick Paulson, Carl Zulauf, Gary Schnitkey and Jim Baltz, University of Illinois In today's farmdoc daily article, we look at how prices for major fertilizer products have trended consistently downward over the past year after peaking at historic highs in 2022. Demand destruction from high prices and market adjustments [...]
New Research From Proagrica Shows The Need To Future-Proof The Ag Supply Chain Through Integrated Digitization
Source: Progarica news release Proagrica, a global provider of agronomic and business data solutions, today releases an independently commissioned white paper titled, 'Digital Integration. A Fundamentally Powerful Next Step to Agriculture Supply Chain Optimization'. The findings outline the impact that global trends and challenges have had on the rapidly evolving [...]
Purdue/CME Survey Reports 25% Of Farmers Expecting Higher Cash Rents
Source: Purdue University This month's survey also included a question targeted toward corn and soybean producers regarding their expectations for farmland cash rental rates in 2024. Twenty-five percent of the corn/soybean producers in this month's survey said they expect 2024 cash rental rates in their area to rise above 2023's [...]
USDA Releases Structure, Management Practices, And Production Costs Of U.S. Beef Cow-Calf Farms Report
Source: USDA news release Given the diversity of cow-calf operations' size, location, and involvement in various stages of production, this report examines how cow-calf farms compare in terms of adopting advanced technologies, management practices, and production systems. To read entire report, Click Here
USDA Reports 55% Of Corn, 54% Of Soybeans In Good To Excellent Condition
BrownfieldAgNews reports: U.S. corn and soybean condition ratings dipped a little over the past week. That followed high temperatures and mixed rainfall in parts of the Midwest and Plains, while conditions for this week are expected to generally be less threatening. The USDA says 55% of U.S. corn is in [...]
Russia’s Pull Out Of Grain Export Agreement Creates Tension With China And Turkey
By Jared Malsin and Alistair MacDonald, Wall Street Journal ISTANBUL--Russia's decision to pull out of a deal allowing Ukrainian grain to be exported globally is a high-stakes gamble by President Vladimir Putin that risks diplomatic tensions with two of his country's most influential partners, China and Turkey. Russia's move to [...]
Sales Of Meat Alternatives Continue To Decline
By Elaine Watson, AgFunder News US retail sales of plant-based meat alternatives have continued to decline, falling 12.6% to $106.8 million in the five weeks ending July 2, 2023, with units down 19.8% year-over-year, according to new data from Circana (formerly IRI).* For the year to July 2, 2023, sales [...]
Purdue, CropLife Unveil Results Of Study On Ag Retailers’ Use Of Precision Technology
By Bruce Erickson and James Lowenberg-DeBoer, Purdue University| The 2023 Precision Agriculture Dealership Survey shows continued growth in technology to streamline and increase the efficiency of operations, such as in sprayer boom section/nozzle control, turn compensation, and in fleet management and telemetry. These are possible reactions to input costs and [...]
Putin Tells African Leaders Russia Will Ship Them Free Grain
PHOTO: MIKHAIL TERESCHENKO/TASS/EPA/SHUTTERSTOCKRussian President Vladimir Putin posed for a group photo with African heads of state and other delegates at the Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Friday. By Ann M. Simmons, Wall Street Journal Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged to ship food and provide more security assistance to [...]
USDA Issues Report Showing The World’s Largest Meat Importers
Source: USDA news release China has been the world's largest meat importer since 2019. Despite recent reductions in imported meat volumes, the country remains in the top spot. In 2022, China imported 43 percent more than the second largest meat-importing country, Japan. Issues such as disease, tougher laws addressing environmental [...]
USDA Introduces Geospatial Data Product To Show Crop Rotation Patterns
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Agriculture unveiled a geospatial product called Crop Sequence Boundaries (CSB) that offers public access to national-scale visual crop rotation data for the first time. The new tool was developed by USDA's (NASS) and Economic Research Service (ERS), two of the [...]
Price Fixing Lawsuit Filed Against Major Turkey Processors
by Krissa Welshans Feedstuffs Carina Ventures, a subsidiary of litigation funder Burford Capital, recently filed a lawsuit, alleging major U.S. turkey companies conspired to fix prices. According to Reuters, Sysco was, up until a few weeks ago, a plaintiff in antitrust cases against pork, beef, and chicken producers. Since then, [...]
Paulsen On Why Farmers Should Say Yes To Media Training
Source: blog by Paulsen Nearly every agriculture commodity group offers its farmers and livestock producers an opportunity to participate in media training. The session is usually positioned as a resource so you can more effectively "share your agriculture story" with consumers. As a farmer, what should you expect from your [...]
U Of Illinois Researcher Reports Soil Microbes Help Plants Cope With Drought, But Not How Scientists Thought
Source: University of Illinois news release URBANA, Ill. -- There's a complex world beneath our feet, teeming with diverse and interdependent life. Plants call out with chemical signals in times of stress, summoning microbes that can unlock bound nutrients and find water in soil pores too small for the finest [...]
Ag Groups Reject Rep. Victoria Spartz’s (R-IN) Anti-Checkoff Amendment
Source: National Cattlemen's Beef Association news release WASHINGTON - Today, the producer-led organizations representing several of Indiana's top commodities announced their joint opposition to an amendment introduced by Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-IN) that attacks commodity checkoff programs. The amendment was introduced to the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, [...]
USDA Reports 57% Of Corn, 54% Of Soybeans In Good To Excellent Condition
BrownfieldAgNews reports: The USDA's good to excellent rating for corn held steady last week while soybean conditions declined slightly. Weather in the Midwest and Plains was mixed last week but could be stressful in most of the region this week with both crops in key development stages. As of Sunday, [...]
USDA Reports 8% Of Farmland Receives Manure As Fertilizer, Breaks Sources
Source: USDA news release In 2020, manure was applied to about 8 percent of the 240.9 million acres planted to 7 major U.S. field crops. Most manure applied to U.S. cropland (78 percent) comes from animals raised on the same operation, while 14 percent is purchased and 8 percent is [...]
EPA Issues Set Of Practices To Mitigate Herbicides’ Impact On Endangered Species
Agri-Pulse reports: Pesticide manufacturers and a leading environmental group reacted positively to EPA's latest effort to address its endangered species problem, a proposed strategy released Monday that tries to come up with a set of common conservation practices that can be used to mitigate the impacts of herbicides. "We appreciate [...]
China’s Next Anti-Corruption Campaign Targeted At Its Seed Industry
China must develop independence and strength in seed technology, President Xi Jinping said while visiting a seed laboratory in Hainan province. By Chun Han Wong, Wall Street Journal For one of his newest anticorruption campaigns, Chinese leader Xi Jinping is ordering his enforcers to dig up dirt. This time, he [...]
USDA Reports Cattle Inventory Down Another 3%, Lowest In A Decade
BrownfieldAgNews reports: The U.S. cattle industry is showing further signs of contraction. The USDA says the total number of cattle and calves in the U.S. on July 1st was 95.9 million head, 3% below a year ago, the lowest inventory in about a decade and a bigger than anticipated decrease. [...]
Survey Finds Ag Economists More Favorable Longer-Term
by Tyne Morgan, Farm Journal The July Ag Economists' Monthly Monitor shows weather extremes and wild swings in the commodity markets are the two biggest factors impacting short-term outlooks, but the economists surveyed expressed a more favorable view longer-term. The latest survey also shows the biggest wildcard for agriculture over [...]
Whatโs Causing The Midwestern Drought?
by Anthony Lupo, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Missouri This summer, global temperatures soared on July 4, reflecting one of the hottest days recorded on Earth, according to climate data from the U.S. National Centers for Environmental Prediction. Average global temperatures were approximately 63 degrees Fahrenheit -- one of [...]
Dairy Farmers Top $1 Billion In Losses From The 2018 Farm Bill Change
Source: American Dairy Coalition news release Green Bay, WI - While the dairy industry awaits Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack's decision on petitions for a national Federal Milk Marketing Order hearing, and its scope, dairy farmers continue to lose money as a result of the 2018 farm bill change to how [...]
In Wake Of Canceled Export Agreement, U.S. To Provide $250 Million To Ukrainian Farmers
Feedstuffs magazine reports: U.S. Agency for International Development administrator Samantha Power announced the United States will provide an additional $250 million in aid to Ukrainian agriculture producers. The money will be distributed through AGRI-Ukraine, an initiative started last year to support Ukrainian agriculture exports and combat global food security issues [...]
The Main Reason Russia Canceled Ukraine Export Agreement
By Anna Hirtenstein and Yusuf Khan, Wall Street Journal Russia's withdrawal from a deal that had kept Ukrainian grain flowing to world markets has sent prices soaring in recent days. A main beneficiary of the surge: Russia itself. Wheat futures in Chicago have climbed 12% this week so far, rising [...]
U.S. Reclaims Status As One Of Japanโs Top Beef Suppliers After 2004 Import Embargo
Source: USDA news release The United States has long been a top supplier of beef to Japan. U.S. market share collapsed in 2004 after a single case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly referred to as "mad cow disease," was detected in a cow shipped from Canada to the United [...]
USDA Invests $7.4 Million In 25 Urban Agriculture And Innovative Production Efforts
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON, - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $7.4 million in 25 selected grants that support urban agriculture and innovative production. Selected grant recipients, including community gardens and nonprofit farms, will increase food production and access in economically distressed communities, provide job training and [...]
Phoenix Sets U.S. Record Of Having Longest Streak Of Temperatures Above 110 Degrees
AP reports: PHOENIX -- The extreme heat scorching Phoenix set a new record Tuesday, the 19th consecutive day temperatures hit at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 Celsius) in a summer of suffering echoing around much of the globe. As human-caused climate change and a newly formed El Nino are combining [...]
John Deere Acquires Precision Spraying Equipment Developer Smart Apply
Source: John Deere news release MOLINE, Illinois -- Deere & Company (NYSE: DE) has acquired Smart Apply, Inc., a precision spraying equipment company based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The company developed the Smart Apply Intelligent Spray Control System, an upgrade kit that can improve the precision and performance of virtually any [...]
Ag Economists Release Report Showing Grain In Storage, Government Payments Have Big Influence
by Joe Janzen, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois, Bryn Swearingen, Economic Research Service, USDA and Jisang Yu, Department of Agricultural Economics. Kansas State University In recently published research, we estimated the impact of the unprecedented surge in ad hoc farm payments from 2018 to 2020 on [...]
Crop Insurance Industry Celebrates 100 Years Of Research
Source: National Crop Insurers association A mule-drawn cultivating team in the 1910โs. Around the time this photo was taken, the crop insurance industry started the agronomic research program that is still working today to understand the impact of natureโs perils on crops. Did you know this year marks 100 years [...]
Assn Of Equipment Mfgrs Releases Report Quantifying The Environmental Benefits From Precision Ag Practices
Source: Association of Equipment Manufacturers MILWAUKEE - Agricultureย andย environmental sustainabilityย have been closely linked for many years. It's just that there has been little data to quantify the benefits. That, however, is no longer the case."After doing some research, we realized there was a truckload of good information about theย economicย benefits of precision [...]
Russia Attacks Ukrainian Grain Export Facilities
Reuters reports: KYIV - Russia struck Ukrainian ports on Tuesday, a day after pulling out of a U.N.-backed deal to let Kyiv export grain, and Moscow claimed gains on the ground in an area where Ukrainian officials said Russian forces were going back on the offensive. Russia said it hit [...]
Cattle Producers Praise Congressional Resolution Supporting Beef Checkoff
Source: National Cattlemen's Beef Association news release WASHINGTON - Today, cattle industry leaders praised the introduction of a bipartisan congressional resolution recognizing the importance of commodity checkoff programs, including the Beef Checkoff. "As a cattle producer who invests in the Beef Checkoff, I know how important this program is to [...]
Russia Cancels Ukraine Grain Export Agreement, Will Impact Millions Of People
Source: AP LONDON -- Russia halted a breakthrough wartime deal on Monday that allows grain to flow from Ukraine to countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia where hunger is a growing threat and high food prices have pushed more people into poverty. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia [...]
Large Family Farms Faced Less Risk In 2021 Based On The Operating Profit Margin Ratio
Source: USDA news release Large family farms were more likely to have stronger financial performance than other farms, according to USDA, Economic Research Service (ERS) researchers reporting data from the 2021 Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS). ERS researchers measured financial performance using operating profit margin (OPM), the ratio of operating [...]
U.N . Reports 122 Million More People Pushed Into Hunger Since 2019
Source: United Nations news release Rome/New York/Geneva - Over 122 million more people are facing hunger in the world since 2019 due to the pandemic and repeated weather shocks and conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, according to the latest State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) [...]
KC Fed Bank Reports Farm Lending Slows As Interest Rates Rise
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City Farm lending activity at commercial banks slowed through the first half of 2023 as interest rates continued to push higher. The volume of non-real estate farm loans at commercial banks declined for the second consecutive quarter and average interest rates on agricultural loans [...]
Rural Medi Group Acquires FarmHer & RanchHer Brands
Source: Rural Media Group news release Marji Guyler-Alaniz (l), founder of FarmHer and Raquel Gottsch Koehler, CEO of FarmHerFort Worth, Texas -Rural Media Group, Inc. (RMG), the world's leading multimedia content provider dedicated to the rural and western way of life and owners of RFD-TV, The Cowboy Channel, The Cowgirl [...]
Farmers Nat’l Co. Reports Land Sales Are Slowing, Prices Remain High
Source: Farmers National Co. news release The agriculture real estate market entered a period of de-escalation beginning in the fourth quarter of 2022. The market experienced a reduction in both sales volume and value growth since that time, as interest rates increased, and inflation pressures became more apparent. That trend [...]
USDA Reports 55% Of Corn And 51% Of Soybeans Are In Good To Excellent Shape
Source: Brownfield Ag News The USDA's national corn and soybean condition ratings improved last week. That followed solid rainfall in parts of the Midwest and Plains, but that precipitation did miss portions of the region and forecasts for this week are also mixed. As of Sunday, 55% of U.S. corn [...]
Here Is The Current Drought Map, Midwest Still Being Impacted
by Tyne Morgan, AgWeb.com Widespread rains finally swept across the Midwest over the past week, but they didn't put much of a dent into the overall U.S. drought picture with drought percentages still resembling 2012. A slight change in the high-pressure block that's led to increasing drought conditions this summer [...]
Financial Assistance Applications Opens For USDA Farm Loan Borrowers Who Have Faced Discrimination
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON, Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the opening of the financial assistance application process for eligible farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners who experienced discrimination in USDA farm lending programs prior to January 2021. Section 22007 of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) directs USDA [...]
Massive Phosphate Rock Deposit Found In Norway, For Fertilizer, Batteries And Other
TechSpot reports: Good news for fertilizer, solar panel, and electric vehicle battery companies: a massive underground deposit of high-grade phosphate rock has been discovered in Norway, containing enough minerals to meet global demand for those products for the next 50 years. Norwegian mining company Norge Mining said the 70 billion [...]
U Of Illinois Researchers Expect Climate Change Will Decrease Corn Yields, Won’t Impact Soybeans
Source: University of Illinois URBANA, Ill. -- Winter cover crops could cut nitrogen pollution in Illinois' agricultural drainage water up to 30%, according to recent research from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. But how will future climate change affect nitrogen loss, and will cover crops still be up to the [...]
Maze In Wheat Field Welcomes Taylor Swift To Kansas City
by Tyne Morgan, AgWeb.com Wheat harvest wrapped up on Tom Waters' field in Orrick, Mo. nearly a week ago, but what happened after harvest is creating quite the buzz among Taylor Swift fans across the country. What some may view as a blank space, the harvested wheat field is an [...]
USDA Expands Risk Management Options For Specialty Crops
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON, - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is expanding its insurance coverage options for specialty crops and other actual production history (APH) crop programs. Through its Risk Management Agency (RMA), it will expand the availability of enterprise units to crops where they were previously unavailable, [...]
DTN Reports Nitrogen Fertilizer Prices Continue To Fall
By Russ Quinn, DTN OMAHA (DTN) -- Most average retail fertilizer prices continued their downward trend the fourth week of June 2023, according to sellers surveyed by DTN. Six of the eight major fertilizers were lower in price compared to last month with one fertilizer noticeably less expensive. DTN designates [...]
Purdue Study Reports 40% More Injures In Grain Storage Facilities Over 2021
Grain bins at Purdue University Agronomy Center for Research and Education, 2017. The number of reported injuries and fatalities in agricultural confined spaces rose between 2021 and 2022, according to the latest report released by Purdue's Agricultural Safety and Health Program. Source: Purdue University WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Last year [...]
USDA’s Planted Soybean Report Catches Market Off Guard, Prices Up 70 Cents
by Ben Potter, Farm Futures magazine USDA's June 30 Acreage Report caught everyone by surprise, but especially the soybean markets. USDA's count of 83.5 million acres of U.S. soybeans planted in 2023 was so far off everyone's radar that it sent nearby July 2023 futures prices as well as new [...]
EPA Announces New Regulations For Gene Editing Fruit And Vegetable Crops
Photo courtesy of Purdue University College of Agriculture / Tom Campbell. by Sabrina Halvorson, Hoosier Ag Today radio network Fruit and vegetable plant breeders who use gene editing are now facing more regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The agency recently increased oversight of some gene-edited crops and added [...]
USDA Reports51% Of Corn, 50% Of Soybeans In Good/Excellent Shape
BrownfieldAgNews reports: There were minimal changes to the USDA's national corn and soybean ratings last week. Weather was mixed for most of last week, with parts of the Midwest and Plains receiving precipitation, including damage storms in some areas, while others remained dry. As of Sunday, 51% of U.S. corn [...]
Global Market Insights Forecasts Water Soluble Fertilizers Market To Hit $19.1 Billion By 2032
Source: Global Market Insights Water soluble fertilizers market, an emerging vertical in the chemicals industry, is progressing on a lucrative path, of late. This can be reasoned to the water-soluble fertilizers' ability to be dissolved in water and added or leached out of the soil easily. Besides, the product application [...]
USDA Reports Hog Inventory Up Slightly
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON, As of June 1, there were 72.4 million hogs and pigs on U.S. farms, up slightly from June 2022 and down 1% from Mar. 1, 2023, according to the Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report published today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics [...]
Honey, Get Over Yourself! When Selling To Farmers
By Jan Johnson, Millennium Research I used to go to meetings where vendors would sell things to farmers, and if there were enough women in the room, someone would invariably complain that a new farmer questioned their knowledge or expertise, as if it was a personal insult. Or an insult [...]
U.S. Vegetable Oil Imports Surged To $10.9 Billion In Fiscal Year 2022
Source: USDA news release The United States imports vast quantities of vegetable oils for a wide array of end uses--from cooking oils to plastics. From fiscal years 2013 to 2020, imports ranged from total inflation-adjusted values of $6.3 billion (2019) to $7.4 billion (2017). In 2021, imports exceeded $8.0 billion [...]
U.S. Corn, Soybean Conditions Are Now The Worst Since 1988
Source: AgWeb.com Despite weekend rains sweeping the northern Corn Belt, U.S. corn and soybean conditions sit at the second-lowest level of quality in history. The weekly, sizable declines in key areas of the Corn Belt from the stubborn drought situation come as the corn crop starts to enter a critical [...]
American Feed Industry Assn Reports U.S. Livestock Feed Sales Are $267 Billion, $760 Thousand Jobs
Source: American Feed Industry Association news release Across America each day, nearly 5,650 animal food manufacturing facilities produce millions of tons of livestock, poultry and aquaculture feed and pet food, providing animals with safe and adequate nutrition while supporting an abundant U.S. food supply. Now, new research from the American [...]
USDA: Prices For Genetically Modified Seeds Have Risen Much Faster Than Non-GM Seeds
Source: USDA news release USDA, Economic Research Service has scheduled a webinar on the report Concentration and Competition in U.S. Agribusiness at 1 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, July 11, 2023. During the webinar, ERS Agricultural Economist James MacDonald will present findings in three agribusiness sectors where concentration has increased over [...]
USDA Releases Cost-of-Production Forecast
Source: USDA news release USDA has estimated annual production costs and returns and published accounts for major field crop and livestock enterprises since 1975. Cost and return estimates are reported for the United States and major production regions for corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, grain sorghum, rice, peanuts, oats, barley, milk, [...]
Nat’l Corn Growers Assn Applauds USDA For Allocating Funding To Increase Access To Biofuels
Source: National Corn Growers Association news release The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) today applauded the U.S. Department of Agriculture for agreeing to invest $500 million from the Inflation Reduction Act to increase the availability of domestic biofuels and to give consumers cleaner fuel options. "We are appreciative of Secretary [...]
Mexico Places 50% Tariff On Import Of U.S. White Corn
BrownfieldAgNews reports: Mexico has placed a 50 percent tariff on imports of white corn, a move that could aggravate trade tensions with the United States. In a call with reporters on Monday, Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack said the US will continue to follow the trade dispute settlement process under the [...]
Bipartisan Proposal To Increase Access to Crop And Livestock Insurance Introduced
Source: Congressman Randy Feenstra (R-IA) news release WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Reps. Randy Feenstra (R-IA) and Angie Craig (D-MN) introduced the Crop Insurance for Future Farmers Act, which would equip new producers, beginning farmers, and our veterans in the Midwest and nationwide with the crop insurance protections they need [...]
AI Applications In Agriculture And Legal Implications
by Todd Janzen, Janzen Schroeder Ag Law Group, Indianapolis, IN FBN recently unveiled "Norm," an artificial intelligence (AI) advisor for FBN members. Norm may be the first dedicated artificial intelligence platform for farmers, but it will not be the last. AI is definitely on the rise in agriculture and elsewhere. [...]
House Ag Committee Chair Thompson Says Farm Bill Draft Could Be Ready By August
Source: National Sorghum Producers House Agriculture Committee Chairman G.T. Thompson (R-PA), announced this week at an event that draft language for the 2023 Farm Bill could be available by August. Chairman Thompson and House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member David Scott (D-GA) appeared on a panel with Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman [...]
U.S. Trade Rep Says Less Emphasis On Exports, More On Imports
Agri-Pulse reports: U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai says America's trade policy should be focused less on increasing exports and more on leveraging access to U.S. markets as a means to influence foreign countries on issues such as environmental and labor standards. U.S. Trade Rep Katherine TaiAmerica's "superpower" isn't its ability [...]
USDA Announces $300 Million Program For Or Underserved Producers
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON, - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced its selection of 50 projects for potential award, totaling approximately $300 million. These innovative projects will help improve access to land, capital, and markets for underserved farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners. The Increasing Land, Capital, and [...]
USDA Approves Sale Of Chickens Made From Cultivated Cells
Associated Press reports: For the first time, U.S. regulators on Wednesday approved the sale of chicken made from animal cells, allowing two California companies to offer "lab-grown" meat to the nation's restaurant tables and eventually, supermarket shelves. The Agriculture Department gave the green light to Upside Foods and Good Meat, [...]
USDA Reports 55% Of Corn, 54% Of Soybeans In Good To Excellent Shape
BrownfieldAgNews reports: U.S. corn and soybean condition ratings declined over the past week. That followed another round of generally hot and dry weather in some key U.S. growing areas. The USDA says 55% of U.S. corn is in good to excellent shape as of Sunday, down 6% on the week, [...]
Food Companies Agree To Use GMO-Free Corn In Tortillas Bound For Mexico
by Jenna Hoffman, AgWeb.com Mexico reached an agreement with food manufacturers to use only non-GMO corn in tortilla production across the country. The government says it plans to implement new import tariffs on white corn imports. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador announced this decision on June 19, emphasizing the importance [...]
NOAA Forecasts Continued Drought In Eastern Corn Belt
by Tyne Morgan, AgWeb.com Conditions are dry across the Corn Belt, and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) seasonal drought outlook shows the eastern Corn Belt could continue to get drier through the summer months. The updated Seasonal Drought Monitor was just released late last week and provides a snapshot [...]
Livestock Feed Mfgrs List Their Top Three Challenges
by Lisa Cleaver, Feed & Grain magazine Feed & Grain asked the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) and the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) what they saw as their top three challenges for the 2023 North American animal feed industry. Here's what they had to say. 1. Ongoing supply [...]
Global Wheat Production Forecast At A Record
by Keith Good, University of Illinois' FarmDoc project In its monthly Wheat Outlook report this week, the USDA's Economic Research Service indicated that, "Global wheat production is forecast at a record 800.2 million metric tons (MMT), up 10.4 MMT from the May forecast. The European Union is currently forecast as [...]
U Of Illinois Publishes Estimate Of Farmland Acreage Change From Plant-Based Food
by Maggie Cornelius and Gary Schnitkey, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois The emerging plant-based meat industry has the potential to change farmland allocation in U.S. agriculture. Plant-based meat companies such as Impossible Burger aim to capture market from the livestock industry, not only for profits but [...]
Farm Service Agency Now Accepting Nominations To Serve On County Committees
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON, -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is now accepting nominations for county committee members for elections that will occur later this year. Additionally, USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) is unveiling a new GIS tool to make it easier for producers to participate in the [...]
USDA Announces 320 Million To Strengthen Food Supply Chains
Source: USDA news release Manchester, NH, - U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that USDA is making investments that will create new and better markets for agricultural producers and food businesses in 19 states across rural America. "The Biden-Harris Administration and USDA are standing up for [...]
USDA: CRP Reaches 22 Million Acres In 2022
Source: USDA news release USDA's Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) was established by Congress in 1985. By 1986, the program began to use contracts to retire highly erodible cropland from crop production for 10-15 years. Enrollment grew quickly, reaching 33 million acres in 1990. After the initial contracts were awarded, program [...]
Nitrogen Fertilizer Prices Stabilize At High Levels In Spring 2023
by Gary Schnitkey, Nick Paulson, and Jim Baltz, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois and Carl Zulauf, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, Ohio State University In early June, retail nitrogen prices in Illinois were $1,116 per ton for anhydrous ammonia, $532 per ton for liquid [...]
House Appropriations Committee Advances Agricultural Bill
National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) reports: WASHINGTON - Today, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) thanked members of the House Appropriations Committee for advancing the Fiscal Year 2024 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration appropriations bill, which will provide funding for essential programs that support cattle producers while defending [...]
Agoro Carbon Makes $15 Million In Payments To U.S. Farmers And Ranchers
Source: Argo Carbon Alliance news release TAMPA, Fla. - Agoro Carbon Alliance, a global business created for farmers and ranchers to earn additional revenue through farming and ranching practice changes that improve soil health, today celebrates the company's second anniversary by sharing its latest results. In just two years, Agoro [...]
Univ Of Nebraska Researchers Build Autonomous Planter
Nebraska graduate research assistant Taylor Cross (left) and graduate student Ian Tempelmeyer walk behind the Flex-Ro autonomous planting robot as it starts a row at Rogers Memorial Farm, east of Lincoln. Santosh Pitla, associate professor of advanced machinery systems at Nebraska, has managed the project since the robotโs inception in [...]
USDA Accepts One Million More Acres In Its Conservation Reserve Program
Source: USDA news release WASHINGTON, - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is accepting more than 1 million acres in this year's Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) General signup. This is one of several signups that USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) is holding for the [...]
El Nino Arrives, What It Means To U.S. Agriculture
By the AgWeb.com editors It's been the talk of the coffee shop - scientists have been forecasting the development of El Niรฑo for months and issued the first El Niรฑo Watch on April 13. In the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's monthly outlook released on Thursday, forecasters issued an El [...]
Bunge, Viterra Enter Definitive Agreement To Merge, Create One Of World’s Largest Grain Companies
Source: Bunge news release ST. LOUIS & ROTTERDAM, Netherlands--Bunge Limited (NYSE: BG) ("Bunge") today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement with Viterra Limited, a private company limited by shares incorporated under the laws of Jersey ("Viterra"), together with certain affiliates of Glencore PLC (LSE: GLEN) ("Glencore"), Canada Pension [...]
USDA: Farm Sector Real Estate Debt Hits Record High
Source: USDA news release Farm sector debt tied to real estate is expected to be at a record high of $375.9 billion in 2023, according to data from the USDA, Economic Research Service (ERS). Farm sector real estate debt has been increasing continuously since 2009 and is expected to reach [...]
Nat’l Corn Growers Assn Comments On U.S.’ Dispute With Mexico’s Proposed Biotech Crop Ban
Source: National Corn Growers Association news release As the U.S. Trade Representative takes next steps on a dispute settlement request with Mexico over biotech corn, corn grower leaders across the country are reflecting on a months-long advocacy campaign that paid off for the nation's farmers. "We began sounding the alarms [...]
Here’s How USDA Will Collect Data From Its Climate Smart Ag Projects
by Todd Janzer as it appeared in Farm Equipment magazine The USDA's Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities program represents an investment of over $3.1 billion into US agriculture. The statistics for the program huge: USDA selected 141 proposals from corporations, non-profits, and universities to study ways to increase climate-smart production practices [...]
USDA Releases Report Showing Destinations Of U.S. Cheese
Source: USDA news release In 2022, the United States exported more than 450,000 metric tons of cheese, valued at approximately $2.3 billion. Top export markets include Mexico, South Korea, Japan, Australia, and Canada. U.S. cheese is a mainstay among imported cheeses in these countries. In 2022, U.S. cheese accounted for [...]
Iowa State Releases Results Of Its Farmland Ownership Survey, 58% Is Owned By Non-Farmers
Source: Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, Iowa State University AMES, Iowa -- As the average age of Iowa's farmland owners continues to rise, other trends in landownership have begun to emerge. According to an Iowa State University study, 58% of Iowa's farmland is now leased out, a significant increase [...]
FBI Reports Ag Industry Is Target Of Foreign Hackers
BrownfieldAgNews reports: The Federal Bureau of Investigation says the ag industry is facing several national security threats and the fallout could be catastrophic. Eugene Kowel is the special agent in charge of the Omaha FBI Field Office. "We're worried about the threat from cyber criminal actors hijacking our farming operations, [...]
RFA: Univ Of California Study Shows Emissions-Reducing Benefits Of E15 Blend
Source: RFA news release A newly released, peer-reviewed study from the University of California, Riverside, shows that the E15 ethanol blend provides notable emissions reductions compared to California's regular reformulated gasoline. The Renewable Fuels Association hailed the report as proof of the value of E15 for The Golden State, which [...]
USDA Reports 96% Of U.S. Corn, 91% Of Soybeans Planted
BrownfieldAgNews reports: The USDA's national corn condition rating fell over the past week. That was largely due to warm, dry weather in portions of the central and eastern Midwest. As of Sunday, 64% of the U.S. corn crop is in good to excellent shape, 5% lower than the previous week, [...]
U Of Illinois Research Finds Corn Gets Majority Of Its Nitrogen From Sources Naturally Occurring In Soil, Not Fertilizer
Source: University of Illinois-Champaign news release URBANA, Ill. -- Corn growers seeking to increase the amount of nitrogen taken up by their crop can adjust many aspects of fertilizer application, but recent studies from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign show those tweaks don't do much to improve uptake efficiency from [...]
USDA Reports 92% Of Corn, 83% Of Soybeans Planted, Well Ahead Of Normal
BrownfieldAgNews reports: The USDA says warm, dry weather in most of the Midwest allowed farmers to make good corn and soybean planting progress last week. As of Sunday, 92% of U.S. corn is planted, compared to the five-year average of 84%, with 72% of the crop emerged, compared to 63% [...]
Drought Area Continues To Spread In Grain Belt
by Rhonda Brooks, AgWeb.com Is a flash drought underway in the Corn Belt? Or, is what's underway in farm country just some passing dryness? Those are questions USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey is evaluating as the month of May comes to a close. He says it's easy to see why farmers [...]
Viterra And Bunge In Discussions To Merge
Reuters reports: Global grain trader Viterra is in talks to merge with U.S. rival Bunge Ltd (BG.N), a person familiar with the matter said, in a potential mega deal that would reshape the top tier of global grains merchants. There is no certainty that Viterra, part-owned by Switzerland-based mining and [...]
Cattle Producers Rejoice In Supreme Court Ruling On WOTUS Case
National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) reports: WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of the Sackett family in Sackett v. EPA - the court's most recent consideration of which features are subject to federal Clean Water Act jurisdiction. In its holding, the court soundly rejected the [...]
Ag Economists Report Shows Which States And Crops Receive Most Government Program Payments
by Carl Zulauf, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, Ohio State University and Jonathan Coppess, Department of Agricultural and Consumer EconomicsUniversity of Illinois Payment by State: Seven of the 10 states receiving the most commodity payments are in the South (see Figure 2). PLC made 99% of payments in [...]
Iowa Farmland Cash Rents Up 9% In 2023, Up 20% Since 2021
by Alejandro Plastina, Iowa State Extension Economist The most recent annual survey of cash rental rates for Iowa farmland shows that rates increased by 9% in 2023 to the highest average value on record: $279 per acre. This new peak rent is 3.3% higher than the previous one of $270 [...]
New Boston Consulting And WBCSD Report Finds Up to 25% Profit Increase For Regenerative Farmers
Source: Boston Consulting Group news release WASHINGTON, DC - Farmers could expect a 15-25% increase in profitability after transitioning from conventional to regenerative agriculture systems, however the transition can take three to five years, according to a report and economic analysis released today by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and the [...]
AGCO And Kubota Sign Right To Repair MOUs With Farm Bureau
Source: American Farm Bureau Federation news release WASHINGTON - The American Farm Bureau Federation signed two more memoranda of understanding with two agricultural equipment manufacturers, AGCO and Kubota, providing farmers and ranchers the right to repair their own farm equipment. The MOUs, which were negotiated independently with each manufacturer, follow [...]
U.S. News & World Report Lists Best Agricultural Engineering Programs
Source: U.S. News & World Report Biological and agricultural engineers address problems relating to the life sciences. These are the top undergraduate schools where the highest engineering degree offered is a doctorate. Rank...in-state tuition...number of students 1. University of California-Davis...$14,945...31,675 2. Purdue University...$9,992...37,101 3. University of Illinois...$17,138...34,779 4. Texas A&M [...]
USDA Reports 81% Of Corn, 66% Of Soybeans Are Planted
BrownfieldAgNews reports: U.S. corn and soybean planting and development remain ahead of average. Recent weather in most of the Midwest and Plains has been generally favorable but parts of the region could see a drier pattern into early June, potentially causing some stress in those areas. The USDA says 81% [...]
Purdue Biology Innovation Allows The Introduction Of Valuable Traits In Plants
Stanton Gelvin (left), the Edwin Umbarger Distinguished Professor of Biology, and Lan-Ying Lee, research scientist in the Department of Biological Sciences of Purdue University's College of Science, have developed patent-pending Agrobacterium strains that deliver T-DNA to plants but do not integrate this DNA into the plant genome. The plants can [...]
Agri-Marketers Report On Their Best Of NAMA Wins
Agri Marketing magazine reports: In a recent Agri-Marketer Poll, half of the 124 respondents reported their organizations have won a Best of NAMA award. Here is the question: Has your organization won a Best of NAMA national award ? Yes...50% No...30% Don't enter the competition...20% The Agri-Marketers' Poll is a [...]
The Andersons Complete Purchase Of Granulation Facility In Michigan
Source: The Andersons news release MAUMEE, OHIO, - The Andersons, Inc. (Nasdaq: ANDE) has purchased the operating assets of an existing granulation facility in Laingsburg, Michigan. These operating assets will be used to produce natural limestone and gypsum soil amendments in addition to other proprietary granulated products. "Acquiring this production [...]
Results From Hard Red Winter Wheat Tour Shows Worst Crop In 60 Years
BrownfieldAgNews reports: Results from this year's Hard Red Winter Wheat tour show it could be the worst crop in 60 years. The Wheat Quality Council predicted an average of 30 bushels per acre with production at 178 million bushels, the first time since 1963 total production in Kansas could be [...]
House GOP Appropriators Propose Reduce USDA’s Budget By One-Third
Agri-Pulse reports: House GOP appropriators have proposed to slash fiscal 2024 funding for USDA by one-third, in part by eliminating some climate-related funding, restricting Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack's use of the Commodity Credit Corp. spending authority and expanding work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. To read the entire [...]
USDA Reports 65% Of Corn, 49% Of Soybeans Have Been Planted
BrownfieldAgNews reports: Despite rain in some key growing states, farmers were still able to make solid planting progress this past week. There is more rain in the forecast in parts of the US for the upcoming week. The USDA says 65% of U.S. corn is planted, compared to 49% a [...]
U Of Illinois Ag Economist Lowers Corn Price Forecast 27% From 2022 Crop
by Joe Janzen, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics. University of Illinois This article reviews the latest US corn and soybean production and use forecasts from USDA which include forecasts for the new-crop 2023/24 marketing year. These new-crop supply and demand projections are valuable not because they necessarily enable users [...]
U.S. Corn Farmers May Be Called On To Fill Void Left By War In Ukraine
National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) reports: The Black Sea Initiative has allowed for the safe export of over 30 million metric tons (MMT) of grain and foodstuffs from Ukraine since initial agreement in July 2022, according to the United Nations. As of May 11, 2023, 50% of the total grain [...]
U Of Illinois Study Shows Poor Soils Lose Carbon Regardless Of Crop Residue And Nitrogen Inputs
Source: University of Illinois Jesmin (left) and Mulvaney (right)URBANA, Ill. -- Let's say you're a corn grower farming on low-fertility soil. How do you go about making that soil healthier and more fertile? Many farmers think if they add plenty of nitrogen fertilizer, that nutrient, along with carbon, will be [...]
John Deere Debuts New 4075R Compact Utility Tractor And MY2024 Upgrades For 3R- And 4-Series Models
Source: John Deere news release New 4075R Compact Utility Tractor.CARY, N.C. -- Offering premium power and versatility to its customers, John Deere debuts its 2024 model-year upgrades on its lineup of 3R- and 4-Series compact utility tractors. In addition, John Deere unveils its latest 4-Series model, the 4075R Compact Utility [...]
Iowa Ag Sec’y Says Supreme Court Ruling On Pork Production Will Spread To Other Industries
Source: Iowa Dept of Agriculture & Land Stewardship DES MOINES, Iowa - Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig released the following statement today after the United States Supreme Court issued a decision in the case of National Pork Producers Council v. Ross: "Having the safest, most abundant, and most affordable [...]
Farmers Testify In Congress That Crop Insurance Works
Source: National Crop Insurance Services news release President Dwight D. Eisenhower once famously said, "farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil, and you're a thousand miles from the corn field." That's why farmers, crop insurers, and other agriculture stakeholders from across the country recently brought the corn [...]
Nat’l Cattlemen’s Beef Assn Calls On To Producers To Fight The Animal Rights Groups Infiltrating Our Industry
By Todd Wilkinson, President, National Cattlemen's Beef Association and a cattle producer from South Dakota Over the past few weeks, I have seen news articles and social media posts lying about our industry, attacking our association, and endangering the programs that generations of farmers and ranchers worked hard to establish--and [...]
Western Growers Survey Reports 70% Of Farmers Are Using Automation, Spend $500,000 Annually
by Ann Donahue, Western Growers IRVINE, CALIF. - Growers are now spending an average of $500,000 a year on automation in response to the persistent ag labor shortage, according to the Specialty Crop Automation Report released today and commissioned by Western Growers. This is the second year the Specialty Crop [...]
Study By U Of Illinois Shows U.S. Population Migration During The Pandemic
by Mark White, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois Population trends can reveal much about a community's economic vitality. More people can lead to new opportunities for businesses and workers, and new homeowners and businesses can grow the local tax base to support public services and local [...]
Scientists Use Gene-Editing To Produce First BVD Resistant Calf
Feedstuffs reports: Scientists have collaborated to produce the first gene-edited calf with resistance to bovine viral diarrhea virus, a virus that costs the U.S. cattle sector billions of dollars annually. The recent study published in PNAS Nexus results from a collaboration between the USDA's Agricultural Research Service, the University of [...]
In Blow To Pork Industry, Supreme Court Supports California’s Proposition 12
by Jennifer Shike, Pork magazine The U.S. Supreme Court upheld California's new humane-pork law, rejecting an industry challenge in a ruling buttressing the power of states to impose rules that have a broad economic impact on other parts of the country, writes Pro Farmer analyst Jim Wiesemeyer in his daily [...]
U.S. Treasury Dept Proposes Rule Requiring Government Approval For Land Purchases Near Miliary Bases By Foreign Entities
By Jenna Hoffman, AgWeb.com By now, you've likely heard of the Chinese balloons that made their way across the U.S. in late January and early February and were eventually shot down. The spy balloons, coupled with a Chinese-owned company purchasing land 12 miles from a U.S. Air Force base in [...]
The Fertilizer Institute Releases Its 2023-2024 Public Policy Priorities
Source: The Fertilizer Institute news release Arlington, VA - The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) today released its list of 2023-2024 public policy priorities for working with the Biden Administration, regulatory agencies, and a closely divided 118th Congress. "With the 118th Congress underway, we are strongly advocating for policies that ensure the [...]
Purdue Survey Finds Half Of Farmers Intend To Grow Their Operations
by Michael Langemeier and James Mintert, Center for Commercial Agriculture, Purdue University There are numerous reasons why a farm may want to expand including the following: reduce costs, improve profit margins, improve asset utilization, bring in new family members, invest retained earnings, and more fully utilize the skills of key [...]
USDA Reports 49% Of Corn, 35% Of Soybeans Are Planted, Well Ahead Of 5-Year Average
Brownfield Ag News reports: U.S. farmers made solid progress planting corn and soybeans last week. That was despite rain in some key growing areas, with more in the forecast for parts of the Midwest and Plains this week. The USDA says 49% of U.S. corn is planted, compared to 26% [...]
Indiana Holstein Breaks Record For Most Milk Produced Over Her Lifetime
By Taylor Leach, AgWeb.com The record for most lifetime milk produced by a registered Holstein cow has been broken once again in 2023. This time by Nor-Bert Colby Connie, a 14-year-old Holstein owned by Nor-Bert Farm in Bremen, Indiana. Connie achieved this incredible feat with her lifetime milk production record [...]
Ag Exports Generated Additional $190.5 Billion In Economic Activity In 2021
Source: USDA news release Exports constitute a significant market for U.S. farm and food products and send ripples of activity through the Nation's economy. For instance, exports of grain first generate economic activity on the farm through purchases of inputs such as fuel and fertilizer, spurring additional economic activity in [...]
Following Record Highs In 2021 And 2022, USDA Forecasts Farm Income To Fall 18%
Source: USDA news release After reaching recent highs in 2021 and 2022, the average net cash income (gross cash income minus cash expenses) of U.S. farm businesses is expected to decline by 18 percent in 2023 compared with 2022. Farm businesses across the country are forecast to see higher production [...]
DTN Survey Shows Fertilizer Prices Are Well Below Last Year’s
By Russ Quinn, DTN Staff Reporter OMAHA -- Most average retail fertilizer prices continued to be down from the previous month in the fourth week of April 2023, according to sellers surveyed by DTN. Prices for seven of the eight major fertilizers were lower compared to last month. DTN designates [...]
Independent Professional Seed Assn CEO Martin Applauds USDA’s Examination Of The Industry
Source: blog by Todd Martin, CEO, Independent Professional Seed Association (IPSA) After reviewing the 86-page Agricultural Marketing Service report, "More and Better Choices for Farmers: Promoting Fair Competition and Innovation in Seeds and Other Agricultural Inputs," I am happy to see the focus on critical issues for Independent Seed Companies [...]
AgriFood Investments Drop 44% In 2022
by Louisa Burwwod-Taylor, AgFunderNews There's no denying the second half of 2022 was terrible for venture capital, and agrifoodtech was no exception. Funding to foodtech and agtech (agrifoodtech) startups reached $29.6 billion in 2022, down 44% year-over-year (YoY), according to a new report from food, agriculture, and climate-tech venture capital [...]
Brazil Passes U.S. As Largest Corn Exporter, Planted Acreage Has Doubled Since 2003
by Joana Colussi, Gary Schnitkey, and Nick Paulson, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics,University of Illinois The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) forecast that Brazil will export more corn than the United States this year has shaken the global corn market. Brazil exported more corn than the U.S. only [...]
Commodity Group Leaders Discuss What’s Needed In The Next Farm Bill
Source: National Sorghum Producers National Sorghum Producers Chairman Craig Meeker participated on a panel of commodity group leaders also including Tom Haag, President of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), Nicole Berg, former President of the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG), Daryl Cates, President of the American Soybean Association, [...]
Russia Agrees For Ukraine To Continue Grain Exports In Last Minute Deal
Agri-Pulse reports: It came down to the wire on Saturday, but a United Nations-brokered deal to keep the Black Sea Grain Initiative alive was extended on the last possible day before the renewal deadline. Russia had been demanding an extension be limited to 60 days, but the UN and Ukraine [...]
