Several factors have slowed herbicide applications across the Midwest. In Minnesota, extension crops educator Dave Nicolai says a cool, wet start to spring limited planting until the first of May. “So there’s been a lot of hours put in in terms of planting corn, I mean we’ve had a rapid increase in planted acres across the state. So then it becomes a problem in terms of how far behind the […]
USB’s Communication and Education Committee is focusing on educating farmers and end users about the benefits of soy and soy-based products. USB programs impact everything from improving production on the farm to expanding markets across animal agriculture and soy foods and providing a renewable alternative for biofuels and nonfood uses. In this episode of Managing for Profit, learn about the value USB is providing to 515,000 soybean farmers and the […]
The Black Sea Grain Initiative has been extended for two more months. Jim McCormick with AgMarket.Net tells Brownfield Russia had repeatedly threatened to back out of the agreement. “The market, interesting enough, always seemed to have confidence a deal would get done,” he said. “You had never really seen any risk premium really getting put back into the corn or the wheat market.” McCormick says the announcement will likely pressure […]
Many farmers are wondering how thin margins will get with commodity prices weakening and input costs remaining high. Brownfield recently asked west-central Iowa corn and soybean grower Tim Bardole about break-evens. “Not really good about it.” Bardole prepaid for anhydrous before fertilizer prices softened. “At least where we got ours, they held us to that price. It’s the first time since I’ve been farming the spring price is a lot […]
A rice lobbying organization says the Biden administration’s lack of focus on trade is hurting US rice farmers. Louisiana rice miller Bobby Hanks chairs the Trade Policy Committee for USA Rice. He tells Brownfield heavy subsidies in countries like India put US rice farmers at a competitive disadvantage. “We’re having a hard time competing with them globally. We’re challenged in all the export markets that we’ve been traditionally exporting rice to, […]
Ten finalists are competing to represent Minnesota dairy farmers as the 70th Princess Kay of the Milky Way. Jenna Davis with Midwest Dairy leads the program. “We have a long and really rich history of dairy promotion and Princess Kay serving as a goodwill ambassador for Minnesota’s dairy farmers.” The finalists are Makenzie Alberts of Pine Island, Gracie Ash of Milaca, Jalyssa Beaudry of Otsego, Katherine Hills of Monticello, Montana […]
One of the nation’s largest wheat milling companies says the potential of a poor crop this year could impact the baking industry. Marco Hernandez, technical director with Miller Milling, says lower production and poor quality will make wheat supplies and inventories tight. “Historically, good regions are really bad, that’s problem for us. We have to start getting ready and prepare for what type of wheat blends we’re going to do […]
An ag economist says drought conditions, input costs, and demand concerns are some of the issues plaguing the nation’s cattle producers. University of Missouri’s Scott Brown says Friday’s Cattle on Feed numbers will provide insight as to how the industry is reacting. “We’ll continue to be focused on what happens to placements and how tight they get as we look ahead,” he says. “And we’re kind of starting to set […]
Across the Corn Belt, dry weather across the northern Corn Belt favors fieldwork, except in areas of the upper Midwest that received inundating rainfall last week. During the week ending May 14, more than one-half of the sugarbeet acreage was seeded in North Dakota (an increase from 1 to 60% planted) and Minnesota (from 23 to 75%). On the Plains, dry weather prevails in the wake of recent heavy rainfall. […]
