A Kansas farmer says it’s becoming more difficult to manage risk in 2023. Paul Penner tells Brownfield he’s concerned about the impact that drought in the Eastern Corn Belt is having on commodity markets. “If suddenly they get some rains between now and July 15, that maybe problematic and the price may not go up as much as I anticipated.” He says it’s hard to determine when to sell. “Right […]
The American Farm Bureau Federation says Congress needs to overhaul the seasonal H-2A guest worker program to help alleviate a tight labor market. John Walt Boatright, director of government affairs, says the 40-year-old program is outdated and is difficult for producers and businesses to use. “It was formatted and designed in a way that is not dealing with the volume of the workers we are seeing now and the usage […]
This week Illinois Soybean Association Director of Agronomy Abigail Peterson talks about the importance of on-farm trials and gives us the inside scoop on a new test plot at the Farm Progress Show site in Decatur. ...
Recent rains provided some relief to crops in west-central Minnesota. Chad Willis grows corn and soybeans near Willmar. “Well we’ve been dry (but) last weekend we were able to snag about .6. But there were places around (that didn’t get that much), it was so spotty last weekend. And we were very fortunate to grab the .6 that we got.” He tells Brownfield crops look good despite the dry conditions. […]
An ag retail company executive says the industry is going through tremendous change and companies need to consider adapting business models and behaviors to deliver on customer needs. Vice President of Ag Retail for Simplot Grower Solutions Troy Bolt tells Brownfield one of those areas is data management. “We believe ag retailers have an opportunity to consolidate that data to then analyze and provide insights to make better agronomic decisions […]
May farm equipment sales indicate continued optimism in the ag economy. Curt Blades with the Association of Equipment Manufacturers says combine and four-wheel drive tractor sales grew by more than 50 percent. “That points to the true ag market being relatively optimistic. And as we know, that is sort of the lifeblood of our economy, the lifeblood of rural America. And our manufacturers are happy to supply those tractors to […]
Under drought conditions, what management decisions are necessary? In this Pods for Profits, soybean extension educator Mike Staton with Michigan State University will walk us through nutrient applications that might be necessary this growing season. ...
Hog farmers and Missouri 4-H and FFA swine exhibitors can donate their pigs or pork to the Drive to Feed Kids Hogs for Hunger Program this summer, presented by Missouri Farmers Care. Donations can be made after county fairs or during the Missouri State Fair. If donating pork locally, exhibitors will book processing spots at a USDA or state-inspected locker and coordinate the delivery of pork to the Feeding Missouri […]
The Biden administration is awarding $25 million to expand the use and availability of biofuels. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says the Inflation Reduction Act dollars will go toward 59 infrastructure projects across 15 states. “We are looking for ways in which we can provide assistance, particularly for small distribution systems (like) small gas stations (and) convenience stores. Those who have ten or fewer stations, their federal share of the […]
