A new case of highly pathogenic avian influenza has been confirmed this week in central Iowa. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship says the disease was detected in a multi-species backyard flock in Boone County. The department tells Brownfield 138 birds were impacted and will be d
Commentary. There’s a reason the U.S. House passed the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act last week. And for those of us who live and work in rural America, that reason hits pretty close to home. H.R. 979 passed by voice vote last Tuesday. The bipartisan bill now heads to the Senate and would require […
In this episode of Managing for Profit, David Widmar with Agricultural Economic Insights says the long-term impacts of record-high diesel prices will be felt throughout the economy. The post Diesel costs reshaping the price of ag transportation appeared first on Brownfield Ag News.
The rapid growth of data centers continues to be a key issue across the Midwest. Brad Bales, senior director of state and national policy with Ohio Farm Bureau, says questions remain about the long-term impacts of these projects. “As a ratepayer, we shouldn’t be taking on the burden in order to make
The CEO of Dairy Farmers of America says he has mixed feelings about the USDA’s directive preventing checkoff dollars from funding certain climate and sustainability initiatives. Dennis Rodenbaugh says farmers need a way to measure their environmental impact. “We need to be able to capture the value
U.S. President Donald Trump says he favors a ban on diesel exports, but ag economists say keeping more fuel in the United States won’t necessarily translate into lower prices. USDA Chief Economist Justin Benavidez told Ag Outlook Forum attendees export bans can be difficult to enforce, and fuel prod
Minnesota is seeing an early onset of highly pathogenic avian influenza cases heading into the heart of fall migration. Minnesota Turkey Growers Association executive director Ashley Kohls says a resurgence of the disease is not surprising. “But what is happening that’s unexpected is how early it su
At the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, live and feeder cattle are down on profit-taking, waiting for direct business to develop. October lives closed $2.17 lower at $218.77 and December live cattle closed $2.55 lower at $219.45. October feeder cattle closed $2.22 lower at $328.02 and November feeder ca
Soybeans were mixed, mostly weak after an up and down day. Traders continue to wait for the high-level face-to-face meeting with China later this week. There’s ongoing general optimism for more purchases by China in the near future and some chatter tariffs could be on the table in this round of nego
An organic row-crop farmer says the premium he receives for his crops has been somewhat helpful as diesel prices remain at record highs. Steve Ewald has been growing organic corn, soybeans, and dry beans for more than 25 years in Michigan’s Thumb. “It still hurts when you fill the fuel barrels up, s
This year’s Farm Science Review is helping first responders prepare for on-farm emergencies as a part of National Farm Safety and Health Week. Dee Jepsen says grain entrapments expected to reach a record high in 2026 and local fire departments need more exposure to specific ag emergencies. “We partn
Dec. corn $5.36 and 3/4, down 6 and 1/4 centsNov. soybeans $13.25 and 1/2, down 2 and 1/2 centsOct. soybean meal $368.90, up $2.30Oct. soybean oil 67.37, down 95 pointsDec. Chicago wheat $7.17 and 1/4, down 9 and 1/2 centsOct. live cattle $218.77, down $2.17Oct. feeder cattle $328.02, down $2.22Oct.
A southwest Kansas farmer says USDA’s Food for Peace program helps strengthen global food security and bolsters demand for American ag products. Gary Millershaski says he’s traveling to Kenya this week to help deliver rice and hard red winter wheat to refugee camps. “If you look at the number of pop
A south-central Iowa farmer says his harvest timeline is up in the air. “Field conditions are terrible.” Steve Kuiper of Knoxville tells Brownfield persistent moisture the last couple weeks has led to a difficult situation. “I don’t think we’ll go to the field before the first of October because it’
A soybean product manager with Golden Harvest says growers should already be thinking about weed control for next year’s crop. “We know it’s really important to protect yields early in the season.” Clay Cole says weed management starts well before spring. “V1 through V3 is the most critical phase fo
A plant pathologist with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln says soil tests are critical to help manage soybean cyst nematode. Dylan Mangel tells Brownfield, “Take some samples and compare good to bad spots to see who all is contributing to that yield loss.” He says fall is the ideal time to identif
All industry-funded research and promotion boards overseen by USDA have been asked to review and terminate projects that support environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives. American Dairy Coalition policy advisor Sherry Bunting tells Brownfield a growing number of their members say they
A central Nebraska farmer says additional sorghum delivery locations are creating additional value for his crop. Tyler Bose says utilized the state’s new sorghum delivery map to find more competitive pricing. “I ended up getting about a 30-cent premium between the two. I didn’t realize the other one
Cash dairy prices were mixed for the second day in a row Tuesday on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Dry whey was up $0.0075 at $0.7875. Forty-pound cheese blocks were unchanged at $1.3650. Cheese barrels were steady at $1.4525. Butter was down $0.02 at $1.34. Nonfat dry milk was up $0.0325 at $2.12
There’s a growing sense of urgency across the Corn Belt as wet weather slows harvest and deteriorates crop conditions. Southeast Iowa farmer Dan Keitzer says activity is at a standstill because of persistent rain. “And I really think that time limit is getting a little more critical with all this wa
Direct cash cattle trade activity is quiet. Bids and asking prices haven’t surfaced. Showlists this week are mixed. Look for significant trade volumes to hold out until sometime Thursday or Friday. Boxed beef was higher and sharply higher with solid demand for moderate offerings. Choice was $1.98 hi
There’s a lot of attention on U.S. soybean exports to China as leaders from both countries meet later this week. Soy Transportation Coalition executive director Mike Steenhoek says despite a rebound in Chinese imports this year, the U.S. must continue to diversify markets. “The way we often like to
Bayer Crop Science is using field trials, digital tools and artificial intelligence to accelerate the development of new products, and farmer input is playing a critical role in the process. Brownfield spoke with Tom Eickhoff, Agriscience Research and Insights Lead at Bayer, about how the company’s
A U.S. Senator says she doesn’t have very high hopes for this week’s meeting between President Trump and the president of China. During a recent webinar hosted by the Center for American Progress, Tammy Duckworth, of Illinois, says she’s still waiting for the Chinese to honor agreements that were ma
A pair of Midwestern farmers say diesel prices are putting a damper on harvest season. Central Illinois farmer Ken Franklin, who grows corn and soybeans in Christian County, tells Brownfield, “Basically, harvesting cost of fuel is double what it was last year.” He says, “It’s more than $1000 a day f
President Trump says the U.S. is working on a deal to buy potash from Belarus instead of Canada, and a fertilizer expert says it’s a negotiation tactic. Josh Linville with StoneX Group says there’s no benefit to an agreement between the U.S. and Belarus when it comes to potash imports; there’s not e
An ag lender says adjusting cash flow projections could help eliminate some margin uncertainty for 2027. Barry Benson with First National Bank of Omaha says skyrocketing diesel prices continue to be the top concern for many of his customers. “We had diesel at $4 or $3.50 or even lower at the time. W
Across the Corn Belt, cool, mostly cloudy weather is slowing evaporation rates in areas affected by last week’s heavy rain. Additionally, rain is falling early Tuesday in parts of the upper Midwest, including eastern Iowa, northern Illinois, and southern Wisconsin. By September 20, statewide topsoil
Looking ahead, the 6- to 10-day outlook calls for near- or above-normal temperatures nationwide, with the eastern U.S. having the greatest likelihood of experiencing unusual warmth. Meanwhile, below-normal precipitation across the interior West should contrast with wetter-than-normal weather along a
An ag lending expert says early financial planning could help farmers manage economic uncertainty heading into 2027. Rudi Pitzer Perry, regional vice president of agricultural lending at Farm Credit Mid-America, says tighter margins are forcing producers to reevaluate their operating budgets. “It’s
