Brownfield

The Biden administration is investing more than $700 million to expand affordable, reliable high-speed internet to rural communities. White House Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu says it will help improve economies and remove connectivity issues for producers.  “In agricultural communities, high speed Internet can transform farming practices, enabling farmers to use more sustainable data-driven approaches to precision agriculture. Farmers need fast, reliable service that allows them to send data up as […]

The U.S. International Trading Commission has expanded its tracking of tart cherry juice imports to help growers better analyze the impact on the domestic industry. Head of the Cherry Marketing Institute Julie Gordon tells Brownfield the organization tried to bring a trade case against dried cherry importers dumping into the U.S. in 2019 but lost because of product commingling and coding issues. “We figured out that there were multiple different […]

It’s been a busy seed corn planting season for Beck’s, the largest family-owned retail seed company in the United States. Brownfield Ag News was recently on the ground at the company’s headquarters in Atlanta, Indiana, for a tour and update from Production Location Agronomist Darin Lucas. “We have scouts out in the field right now checking in on some of our first planted corn, doing some post herbicide applications, and […]

Harvest is underway in the nation’s largest winter wheat producing state and expectations are extremely low. “It’s going to be one of those years that will be referenced in history as far as the number of acres that won’t go to harvest.” Kansas Wheat CEO Justin Gilpin says combines just got rolling near the Oklahoma border before many farmers were rained out. “It’ll really be next week before we get […]

An ag economist says ag groups should also prioritize funding for market development as the 2023 Farm Bill debate continues.  University of Missouri’s Scott Brown building new markets is costly.  He says while producers might not see immediate returns, those investments are critical in growing global trade.  “It’s probably more important than that dollar of direct payments that they might be getting at times,” he says.  “You’re trying to grow […]

The Michigan Beef Industry Commission is considering a proposal that would reinstate a state beef checkoff. Executive Director George Quackenbush tells Brownfield the Commission’s budget structure hasn’t changed in nearly 40 years but consumers have. “Less than a third of Michigan consumers have a positive perception of how cattle are raised for food, and that’s concerning quite frankly,” he shares.  “We need to do a better job of educating consumers […]

An ag meteorologist says there is limited amount of rain in the short-term forecast for the western and central parts of the Midwest. Drew Lerner with World Weather Incorporated says the next round of meaningful rain will come this weekend. “It will debut in the eastern Dakotas and western Minnesota on Friday morning. As we get into the weekend, the frontal boundary will march from west to east across the […]

Scattered rain showers crossed Illinois over the weekend bringing much needed precipitation to some areas while falling short in others.   State Climatologist Trent Ford tells Brownfield some areas of east central and southeastern Illinois got 2 inches or more, the Interstate 70 corridor got about an inch, and totals in the northern half of the state were less than half an inch. As of Thursday, 97% of the state […]

The Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council and Beck’s Hybrids are collaborating on Beck’s Bash at the Bay Farm. Beck’s Seed Advisor Clarissa Cauthorn says the informative event is open to all Missouri farmers, not just Beck’s customers. Cauthorn, who also farms with her husband in Audrain County, says the Beck’s Bash on Thursday, June 22nd is an experience for learning and for relationship building. Learn more at mosoy.org. ...