A rancher in the Nebraska Sandhills says soaring diesel prices are hitting every part of her cattle operation. Jaclyn Wilson says the run-up has been extremely discouraging. “We’re looking at it not only for input costs for our operation because anything that comes in for miles or hours, those costs
The president of Minnesota Farmers Union hopes farm bill negotiators can find middle ground on the federal nutrition program. Gary Wertish says the biggest hangup is the cost shift on SNAP. “I know the Democrat side of the aisle is wanting a two-year delay on that. And really what that is (it) would
Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen is taking steps to provide economic relief for the state’s farmers and ranchers. Speaking with reporters Thursday evening, he said he signed two executive orders that included suspending the state tax on diesel fuel for any ag transportation needs. “You don’t have to hav
Widespread 2025 farm program payments are expected to reach farmers next month. David Widmar with Agricultural Economic Insights says higher reference prices are helping trigger payments, while a one-time change means farmers will automatically receive the higher of their Ag Risk Coverage or Price L
The nonpartisan policy institute Center for American Progress says rural communities have been disproportionately affected by the current policy environment. President and CEO Nerra Tanden says, “We’ve got farmers that can’t stay above water, and we have consumers that can’t afford food, so that sys
Soybeans were lower on fund and technical selling. Beans were waiting to see what comes out of the high-level face-to-face meeting with China. Aside from the announced extension of the trade truce through January 2027, including a cap on tariffs, there were no significant developments for ag reporte
At the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, live cattle were mixed, feeders were lower waiting on widespread direct business. October live cattle closed $1.85 lower at $219.07 and December live cattle closed $1.25 lower at $221.10. October feeder cattle closed $1.57 lower at $331.75 and November feeder catt
The mental health specialist with Farm SOS, formerly the Farm Family Resource Initiative, says the organization’s recently announced rebranding should make it easier for farmers to access specialized resources. Rachel Brown says any Illinois ag professional can access free mental health services by
A Wisconsin grower will deliver the National Christmas Tree to the White House this year. Third-generation farmer David Chapman of Silent Night Evergreens tells Brownfield it’s a tradition his family has been honored with five times during their 50-plus years of growing trees. “We try to make every
Dec. corn $5.27 and 1/2, down 1 and 1/2 centsNov. soybeans $13.17 and 1/2, down 1/2 centOct. soybean meal $376.10, up $5.80Oct. soybean oil 66.93, down 32 pointsDec. Chicago wheat $7.07, down 1 and 1/2 centsOct. live cattle $219.07, down $1.85Oct. feeder cattle $331.75, down $1.57Oct. lean hogs $79.
American Soybean Association President Scott Metzger says soybean farmers are looking for any positive news coming out of the U.S. and China trade meeting. “Whether that’s a commitment to more bushels in the future, doing away with the tariffs or extending the Section 301 stuff with ship building.”
An extension agronomist warns of long-term consequences if farmers don’t wait until conditions are fit to harvest. Angie Rieck-Hinz with Iowa State University says activity is stalled in many areas because of wet weather. “Even the people that I’ve seen that have been in the field, there are already
The CEO of the National Cotton Council says China could purchase up to five million bales of U.S. cotton as part of its $17 billion commitment for additional U.S. ag products. Gary Adams tells Brownfield this would be an equitable share if China follows through. “Just going back, based on cotton’s s
Researchers are looking at optimizing crop insurance levels by analyzing the risk management tool’s relationship with farm and county yields. University of Kentucky Extension assistant professor Grant Gardner says they’re taking farm-level Average Production History (APH) and dividing it by the coun
The American Farm Bureau Federation says President Trump’s action to increase beef imports has yet to provide meaningful savings for consumers. AFBF economist Faith Parum tells Brownfield they’ve been tracking ground beef prices since September 2nd. “Our average price of 41 grocery stores started at
U.S. commercial red meat production declined during August. The USDA says the total of 4.095 billion pounds was down 1% on the year, with a slower processing pace for hogs and tight ready cattle numbers canceling out higher average live weights. Beef production was 1.982 billion pounds, a decline of
The executive director of Missouri Farmers Care says the MFC Foundation is now accepting grant applications for the 2027 Drive to Feed Kids. “The Missouri Farmers Care Grant Program offers a chance for 4-H clubs, FFA Chapers, Career and Technical Education Organizations and Collegiate Ag Organizatio
The U.S. hog and pig herd shrank over the past year. The USDA says the total number of hogs and pigs in the U.S. on September 1st, 2026, was 74.302 million head, 2% lower a year ago. That includes a 2% decline in the market hog inventory to 68.427 million head and a dip of […] The post U.S. hog herd
Ag meteorologist says a cycle of wet weather is helping provide much-needed drought relief for some cattle producers in the Central Plains. Matt Makens says while there’s optimism, it’s not enough to break the drought. “It’s going to take seasons and seasons worth of water to get out of it totally.”
Ohio’s state climatologist says widespread drought conditions could be a challenge for farmers heading into 2027. Aaron Wilson says current weather models show above-normal precipitation to close out the year, but, “With El Nino, there tends to be a lot of moisture across the southern US, but someti
Two Ohio ag groups are helping students explore careers in the industry. Sandusky County sophomore Kali Hines says the Ag Ed Experience uses everyday food items to connect young people to the industry. “All of the wheat that is grown in Ohio is used to make Goldfish products,” she says. “Connecting
Cash dairy prices were mixed Thursday at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Dry whey was up $0.0075 to $0.8050. No sales were reported. Forty-pound cheese blocks were down $0.03 to $1.3275. Two sales were reported ranging from $1.3275 to $1.3375. Cheese barrels were unchanged at $1.4525. No sales were
Pork export sales were solid during the week ending September 17th. The USDA says that pork sales were above average, with Mexico and China combining for more than half of the total. Mexico is one of the biggest buyers of U.S. pork and while China is largely self-sufficient and has diversified its g
A member of House Ag Committee says there could be small window for lawmakers to address the financial challenges facing farmers and ranchers. Don Bacon, a Republican from Nebraska, says the chamber is in recess until after the midterm election, but, “The speaker has put us on call for any kind of f
Direct cash cattle trade activity remains quiet. Bids and asking prices haven’t resurfaced. There was some light trade reported on Wednesday at $350 dressed in the North, but it wasn’t enough to establish an accurate price trend. Look for more trade to take place over the balance of the week. Boxed
A central Illinois farmer says it’s been a surprisingly slow start to harvest in his area. John Klemm, who raises corn, soybeans, and cattle in DeWitt County, says it’s been hard to find corn ready to be harvested. “That’s a 107-day hybrid and it’s running 21% to 22% moisture.” He says, “So, it’s no
A member of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee says changes to federal risk management programs in last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill are benefiting farmers. Minnesota Republican Brad Finstad tells Brownfield producers and insurance agents alike are pleased, with participation on the rise. “Also t
Nebraska Senator Pete Ricketts has introduced a bill that he says would provide producers the right to own their data. “Farmers and ranchers should be able to choose how they share their expertise. It’s important that we protect their intellectual property. They shouldn’t be forced to share their da
A south-central Iowa farmer says the wet start to harvest will likely lead to an uptick in propane expenses. “There’s going to be a considerable amount of grain that’s going to have to be dried this fall.” Steve Kuiper tells Brownfield fall production costs are adding up fast. “It depends on if you’
The CEO of equipment dealer AgRevolution says producers are looking to add new technology to older equipment as ag equipment costs continue to rise. Stacy Anthony says many farmers are retrofitting instead of investing in new machinery. “We’re seeing farmers look at something on the Precision Planti
