At the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, live and feeder cattle were up, ahead of the USDA’s cattle reports, which came out after the closed. August live cattle closed $1.67 higher at $227.07 and October live cattle closed $1.12 higher at $222.50. August feeder cattle closed $1.55 higher at $345.32 and S
Frozen red meat and poultry supplies rose over the past year. The USDA says red meat in cold storage at the end of June 2026 was 3% larger than the same time a year ago at 865.033 million pounds, with a 9% increase in pork to 458.221 million pounds more than canceling out a 3% […] The post Red meat,
The CEO of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives says negotiations of the U.S.-Mexico- Canada Agreement need to address tariff circumvention. Duane Simpson tells Brownfield some companies may be routing products through Mexico to avoid U.S. tariffs, putting U.S. ag businesses and the farmers t
The general counsel of U.S. Hemp Roundtable says bipartisan legislation introduced in the U.S. House offers one of the most significant federal hemp policy developments since passage of the 2018 Farm Bill. Jonathan Miller says the Lawful Hemp Protection Act introduced by Republican Andy Barr, of Ken
Sep. corn $4.64 and 1/4, up 1/4 centAug. soybeans $12.48, up 10 and 1/2 centsAug. soybean meal $331.30, up $1.40Aug. soybean oil 74.33, down 126 pointsSep. Chicago wheat $6.78, down 18 and 1/4 centsAug. live cattle $227.07, up $1.67Aug. feeder cattle $345.32, up $1.55Aug. lean hogs $102.85, up 70 ce
The first-ever cattle vaccine to address Theileria is now available. Dr. Alan Young, the founder and Chief Technology Officer for Medgene, says it is administered in two doses. “We recommend using this in animals prior to infection,” he says. “Ideally you would use this in a herd before it shows up
Fewer cattle entered U.S. feedlots in June 2026 than June 2025. The USDA says placements last month were down 3% on the year at 1.399 million head, a little bit below the average pre-report estimate, signaling more short-term supply tightness. The rest of the numbers matched what analysts had been e
The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is making $3 million available through its Wetland Mitigation Banking Program for city and county governments, tribal governments, organizations and other eligible entities. The program supports the development of wetland mitigation banks, where wetl
The U.S. cattle herd grew slightly over the past year, signaling continued slow expansion. The USDA says the total cattle inventory on July 1st, 2026, was up slightly from July 1st, 2025 at 94.2 million head, including year-over-year increases for beef and milk replacement heifers. The supply of all
An ag economist says the soybean market has been finding some recent support from exports. Jim McCormick with AgMarket.Net says that’s due to recent purchases from China. “It looks like China continues to fulfill its obligation to buy beans,” he said. “They made a commitment to buy 12 million tons o
Governor Jim Pillen has signed a bill that establishes new safeguards to protect agriculture and critical infrastructure from foreign entities . “Securing Nebraska is not just about border security or law enforcement, it’s about protecting our food supply. It’s about our power grid. It’s about our w
A central Illinois farmer says he’s already considering the impact that high fertilizer prices are going to have on his operation in 2027. Thomas Perkins, who raises corn, soybeans, wheat, hay, and cattle in Effingham County, says he’s not optimistic of any major input cost relief before decisions n
A dairy lender at Farm Credit Services of America says a strong beef-on-dairy sector continues to create new market opportunities for farmers. Tim Van Hofwegen says many producers benefited from another source of income in 2025. “A lot of that was driven by the value of the beef on dairy calves plus
An American Farm Bureau Federation official says financial challenges are extending beyond major row crops. John Newton, AFBF vice president of public policy, says specialty crop producers are facing many of the same cost and market pressures. “It doesn’t matter if you are planting corn or planting
An ag meteorologist says he’s optimistic that the ongoing drought in the Western Corn Belt could improve over the next several months. Brian Fuchs with the National Drought Mitigation Center says conditions are slowing changing in western Nebraska, Kansas and South Dakota. “We’ve seen a good start t
Only about a third of the funding allocated for USDA’s Assistance for Specialty Crop Producers Program has been distributed ahead of the August 7th deadline. National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles tells Brownfield, “One of the biggest challenges for specialty crops overall is eligibility.” “A numbe
Cash dairy prices were down Friday to end the week at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Dry whey was down $0.01 to $0.68. One sale was reported at that price. Forty-pound cheese blocks were down $0.0625 at $1.6075. Two sales were recorded ranging from $1.5975 to $1.6075. Cheese barrels were unchanged
Oat harvest is underway in northern Iowa. Zack Smith farms in Winnebago County and says he’s about a quarter of the way through his first oat crop. “Had a breakdown here that stopped me for a couple days, but the yields have been probably 20 to 25 bushels more than what I was expecting. I […] The po
Direct cash cattle trade was quiet Friday. There has been little renewed interest. Deals this week have been marked at $365 dressed, down $12 to $15 from the previous week’s weighted average basis. Live deals in the South have been at mostly $230, down $7 to $8 from the prior week’s business. Boxed
The CEO of the Minnesota Beef Council says demand for beef remains strong despite high retail prices. Kelly Schmidt tells Brownfield the domestic cattle herd is still short relative to demand. “We’re watching it closely. Are we expanding this herd, what is this supply? I think everyone would agree w
There have been mixed reactions from some ag groups to the CME Group’s announcement that it would begin trading sorghum basis futures. Kansas State University ag economist Guy Allen says helps protect producers from risk in the market. “The sorghum futures is basically trading as a spread to corn, b
A former U.S. Trade Ambassador suggests the agriculture sector is often treated unfairly in trade negotiations. Robert Lighthizer uses U.S. bulk commodity agriculture as an example. “We’re more competitive, and we’re more discriminated against around the world. I’ve always said that no group suffers
The president of the Midwest Hemp Council says Indiana farmers are well-positioned to capitalized on new investments in the industrial hemp industry. Justin Swanson tells Brownfield, “Indiana is a wonderful place with the right soil to grow hemp,” he says. “Whether it’s grain, fiber, or cannabinoids
A professor of weed science at the University of Illinois says many farmers have faced challenges in terms of weed control this year. Aaron Hager tells Brownfield, “It’s been all over the board, around the state this year.” He says, “We had some very good timely rainfalls when we were doing a lot of
Purdue Extension’s hemp specialist says 2026 has been a challenging year for many industrial hemp growers across the state. Margurite Bolt says variable weather patterns have slowed crop development. “We had an exceptionally wet spring, so we had to fit our hemp into a dry window,” she says. “It has
The executive director for Missouri Farmers Care says spots are still available for Missouri livestock exhibitors who want to participate in the Hogs for Hunger program at the upcoming Missouri State Fair. Ashley McCarty tells Brownfield “As pig exhibitors get ready to converge at the fair, we accep
A fierce, mid-summer heat wave across the Plains may result in significant weekend stress on rangeland, pastures, and summer crops, with high temperatures expected to range from 100 to 105°F, with locally higher values. Early next week, the northern Plains will experience modest relief, while the so
The cattle industry continues to look for any signs of herd expansion. University of Kentucky ag economist Kenny Burdine says the first thing he’s looking for is the percentage of heifers on feed, a statistic that’s only found in quarterly reports. “I think we’ll see what we’ve been seeing really th
An atmospheric scientist says August weather could still have a major impact on crop yields, markets, and profitability as the forecast uncertainty continues. Eric Snodgrass with Nutrien Ag Solutions tells Brownfield… “When it comes to corn, it might be a game of attrition unless August weather is j
The USDA is making $35 million available for new partnerships to support feral swine eradication and control in 14 states, including Missouri. Partners selected to participate in the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program will provide landowners with restoration assistance, on-farm trappi
