U.S. ethanol production and supply both moved modestly higher last week. The U.S. Energy Information Administration says production averaged 1.024 million barrels a day, up 15,000 on the week and 366,000 on the year. Iowa State University’s Center for Agricultural and Rural Development says profit margins firmed up for many producers last week and the USDA says Midwest cash ethanol prices were higher. The supply of 25.507 million barrels was […]
Commentary. It’s National FFA Week. The heart and soul of National FFA is found in the local chapter. Without the local agriculture teacher who serves as the advisor for the chapter, there would be no local FFA chapter. There are currently more than 13,000 ag teachers who offer classroom and laboratory instruction to students, oversee students in Supervised Agriculture Education Experience programs (work-based learning) and serve as advisors for the […]
A group of seed companies is suing a Nebraska-based ethanol plant for creating an environmental crisis they say have cost millions of dollars to clean up. In a civil lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Nebraska, the companies – Corteva, AgReliant, Beck’s Hybrids and Winfield Solutions – say the AltEn plant near Mead sold off its assets, abandoned the site and botched the clean up after the plant improperly used […]
The head of the Nebraska Farm Bureau says trade agreements with countries in the Middle East could create new markets for the state’s ag products. Mark McHargue says a recent trade mission to the United Arab Emirates and Jordan focused on sustainability, technology and food security. “Probing for opportunities to have relationships with different universities over there and with the University of Nebraska. We do some things very well in […]
This is Grain Bin Safety Week and a leading insurance company is again taking nominations for fire department rescue tubes. This is the 9th year Nationwide has sponsored Grain Bin Safety Week to bring awareness to the risks of entering grain bins and to prevent the tragedy of grain bin deaths. Jason Berkland, vice president of risk management for Nationwide Agribusiness, says if a farmer has to go into a […]
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza has been confirmed in a backyard poultry flock in southwest Michigan. The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development reports a non-commercial poultry flock in Kalamazoo County has been detected with the virus. Director Gary McDowell says while currently it is an isolated case and there is no threat to public health or food safety, it shows the disease is present in the environment. The premises […]
The global fertilizer market is reacting to Russia’s invasion on Ukraine in a big way. “It has been intense.” Josh Linville, Director of Fertilizer for StoneX tells Brownfield Russia is a major exporter of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus fertilizers and because of that, “Out of the chutes we have seen global urea prices up over $200 a ton overnight. NOLA US prices are up $150-$200 per ton. The price of […]
Senate Ag Committee leadership has created a bipartisan caucus to support future agricultural leaders. Chair Debbie Stabenow of Michigan and Ranking Member John Boozman of Arkansas say the Senate FFA Caucus will support teachers, parents, and students through agricultural education. The announcement comes during National FFA Week with the goal of educating lawmakers on the difference FFA makes across the nation. U.S. Representatives Tracey Mann, a Republican from Kansas, and […]
An ag consultant says this week’s extreme volatility exemplifies the impacts geopolitical and global issues have on commodities. Dan Roque with Chicago-based Commodity and Ingredient Hedging tells Brownfield supplies are likely to tighten with Russia’s attack on Ukraine. “Not only on the grain side of things—but you also have oilseeds as well,” he says. “Vegetable oil is taking off again which is lost in the grand scheme of things but […]
