The Midwest regional manager with MagrowTec says magnet technology is leading to more efficient chemical applications on the farm. Nathan Keppler says the Ireland -based company’s magnetic conditioning system has been proven to greatly reduce spray drift. “So as the water flows over those magnets, t
The nation’s largest ag cooperative, CHS, is partnering with a major phosphate fertilizer producer to build a fertilizer production facility in Louisiana by the end of the decade. CHS CEO Jay Debertin tells Brownfield the joint venture is with Moroccan-based OCP. “A company that focuses primarily in
There’s a light round of direct cash cattle trade underway. Live deals in the South are at $222, that’s $3 lower than the previous week’s weighted averages. Bids in other areas are at $218 live and $345 dressed. There could be a little more business develop before the end of the day. So far this […]
Cash dairy prices were mostly up Friday to end the week at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Dry whey was down $0.0075 to $0.7375. No sales were reported. Forty-pound cheese blocks were down $0.0125 to $1.4825. Ten sales were reported ranging from $1.4625 to $1.4850. Cheese barrels were down $0.01 to
A pair of farmers say they’re frustrated by the lack of clarity surrounding the Trump administration’s biofuels policy. Northeast Nebraska farmer Greg Anderson says the Renewable Volume Obligations announced in March helped set the stage for record biodiesel and renewable diesel production this summ
An agronomist says there have been reports of armyworms across portions of Missouri. “We’re always watching for it and so far this year, we’ve had some reports,” says Travis Harper, with University of Missouri Extension in Clinton County. “We have seen some high populations, especially in some summe
A young dairy farming couple says they had to build the farm of their dreams twice before taking over as the fifth generation of their family operation. Bryan and Molly Benson milk almost 500 cows in northern Michigan. Just weeks before a new robotic barn was set to open—and the week they got engage
An ag economist says farmers should keep their long-term financial goals in mind as they’re making grain marketing decisions this fall. David Widmar with Agricultural Economic Insights says there are costs associated with storing grain on farm after harvest. “If I’m keeping my grain in these grain b
An official with the Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers says Illinois land values showed signs of a decline in the first half of 2026. During a recent FarmDoc webinar, Luke Worrell, who co-owns Worrell Land Services in Jacksonville, says the results of a mid-year sur
Briefly resurgent monsoon-related showers will spread from parts of the West to the northern Plains, with 5-day rainfall totals reaching 1 to 2 inches in some locations from the Four Corners States to Montana and the Dakotas. Showers will also spread across the northern U.S. into the Great Lakes and
Favorable September weather could give farmers an opportunity to make early harvest progress. Drew Lerner with World Weather Incorporated says much of the southwestern Corn Belt is expected to turn drier during the first half of September. The post Drier September weather could favor Midwest harvest
At the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, live and feeder cattle futures were sharply higher on technical buying, with feeders see additional support from the losses in corn. October live cattle was up $2.15 at $212.92 and December was $2.22 higher at $214.80. September feeder cattle were $3.45 higher at
A federal judge in California has ruled the Department of Labor’s new farmworker wage rules are unlawful and need to be rewritten. John Hollay with the National Council of Agricultural Employers tells Brownfield the Adverse Effect Wage Rate Interim Final Rule for the H-2A guest worker program is sti
The CEO of R-CALF USA says the decision to import more foreign beef underscores the need for Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling. Bill Bullard says President Trump’s recent proclamation to attempt to lower beef prices creates more competition for U.S. cattle producers and muddies the water for cons
A coalition of farmers, biofuel producers, oilseed processors and others are asking President Donald Trump not to expand Small Refinery Exemptions under the Renewable Fuel Standard. “More than double what they predicted in March is what they’re contemplating granting,” says Kurt Kovarik with Clean F
Farm groups use the state fair to enlighten the public about modern agriculture. Ruth Meirick with Minnesota Farm Bureau says they’ve created an interactive experience at their booth at the Minnesota State Fair. “We get a lot of ‘ah ha’s’ like I didn’t realize something that was connected to beef ca
Soybeans were modestly higher on short covering and technical buying. Beans are watching late development weather, with the potential for late heat stress in parts of the region. Harvest activity is already underway in some areas, but for later developing beans, this could impact yield at a time whe
Sep. corn $5.10 and 1/4, down 3 and 3/4 centsSep. soybeans $12.56 and 1/2, up 2 and 1/4 centsSep. soybean meal $330.20, up $1.50Sep. soybean oil 68.00, up 78 pointsSep. Chicago wheat $7.42 and 3/4, up 12 and 1/4 centsOct. live cattle $212.92, up $2.15Sep. feeder cattle $322.45, up $3.45Oct. lean hog
A policy advisor for the American Dairy Coalition says there’s still hope the bipartisan Securing Ag Workforce Act can pass through Congress by the end of the year. “We’ve really failed as a nation, we’ve failed all of year-round agriculture, not just dairy.” Sherry Bunting tells Brownfield lawmaker
Cash dairy prices were mixed Thursday at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Dry whey was down $0.01 to $0.73. No sales were reported. Forty-pound cheese blocks were down $0.0150 to $1.4950. Thirteen sales were reported ranging from $1.49 to $1.5050. Cheese barrels were unchanged at $1.5750. No sales w
The corn product manager with Renk Seed says he expects stress to limit corn yields in some areas this season. Karl Bobholz says most of the Midwest saw nearly a month of warmer than ideal overnight temperatures this summer. “A lot of especially warm nights, about 28 days above 70 degrees.” He says,
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is highlighting efforts to improve water quality and support biofuels as his term comes to an end. Walz attended the first day of the Minnesota State Fair and tells Brownfield the state’s water quality certification program continues to grow. “We can not only, feed, fuel,
The branch manager at Posey County Coop says it could be a record-breaking harvest for some farmers in southwest Indiana. Bryce Martin says this year’s crop got off to a strong start early in the season. “It was one of the best springs that I’ve ever seen as far as crops getting put in the […] The p
Dry bean harvest is starting in western Minnesota, and the chief of procurement at Bonanza Bean says the hot growing season has reduced the size of the crop. “We have good quality, we just don’t have a big quantity,” Andy Hacker tells Brownfield. He says there was a lot of heat in July, which brough
The recent runup in commodity prices is providing opportunity for farmers to mitigate some risk. Tim Persinger who farms in southwest Indiana says three months ago he wasn’t this chipper. “It’s coming around where hopefully everybody can make a little bit of money,” he says. “That’s we all got to ma
Last week was a big week for new crop U.S. soybean export demand. The USDA says those soybean sales during the week ending August 20th topped 90 million bushels, nearly all of that to either China or unknown destinations. Global demand for new crop beans has surged over the past several weeks thanks
A market analyst says some Northern Plains farmers are starting to back off from making aggressive crop sales ahead of harvest. “We’re a little more worried about where production’s going to fall and whether we’ll have production to meet the sales that are already done,” says Randy Martinson, Martin
The president of Farmers National Company says land values have been resilient despite the downturn in the ag economy. Paul Schadegg tells Brownfield, “We simply just have more willing buyers than willing sellers,” he said. “There’s a lot of landowners that have decided to retain ownership, keeping
The CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation says increased dairy processing in the U.S. is helping increase demand for producers. Gregg Doud says the industry has invested $13 billion over the last year. “I don’t think there has ever been anything quite like in the history of agriculture or th
Direct cash cattle trade activity is quiet. At Thursday’s start, no bids have been renewed yet. Some trade has developed in the North at $345 dressed, which is $10.00 lower than the previous week’s weighted average. But there’s yet to be a good test in the South. Boxed beef is lower. Choice is $1.66
