Brownfield

The EPA has issued an emergency waiver allowing sales of E15 this summer, fulfilling an announcement made by President Biden in mid-April. EPA administrator Michael Regan said the waiver aims to counteract a shrinking global fuel supply triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, noting it also increases domestic energy independence while supporting U.S. agriculture. But, University of Missouri ag economist Ben Brown doesn’t expect the approval to be too impactful […]

Producers made and paid more in March. The USDA says the index of prices received by farmers and ranchers was up 6.3% from February thanks to gains in corn, milk, broilers, and lettuce, which canceled out losses in calves, strawberries, broccoli, and tomatoes. The dairy index for March was up 4.9% on the month and 50% on the year, with an all milk price of $25.90 per hundredweight, a jump […]

A central Iowa farmer concerned about planting this year’s crop says he’s increasingly nervous about next year. Corey Hillebo grows corn and soybeans near Polk City and tells Brownfield he’s not sure commodity prices can sustain current levels. “That’s the unknown, right? The unknown is concerning, we know fertilizer prices are high but we don’t know what the markets are going to do. You hope that they stay high, or […]

The chair of the Senate Ag Committee says a call for crop insurance support and sustainability efforts was loudly echoed at their first committee field hearing.  When asked how climate issues will be addressed in the next farm bill, Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow tells Brownfield, “We’ll have to discuss that, what I do think has been successful is the voluntary nature of our conservation programs and the fact that our […]

After facing corn rootworm pressure in 2021, eastern Iowa farmer Lance Lillibridge had to come up with a game plan for this year. He tells Brownfield crop rotations are not always the answer. “We need to make sure we’re rotating our technologies between insecticide, crop rotation, and traits,” Lillibridge said. But, Lillibridge has yet to start planting. “We have all of our seed still in bags,” he said. “We have […]

The Kansas Department of Agriculture has confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza in a non-commercial poultry flock in Republic County. This is the sixth case of HPAI in the state. The flock will be depopulated, and the farm is under a 20-kilometer surveillance zone that extends into Nebraska. KDA says if producers notice systems of the virus to report them to the agency immediately. ...

The Senate Ag Committee is hearing farmer concerns ahead of the 2023 Farm Bill.        Senate committee leaders Debbie Stabenow and John Boozman are hearing from nearly 20 food and farm leaders in Michigan including Ashley Kennedy. “Farmers have an amazing story to tell, we’ve been environmental stewards for generations, and we need to find ways to share that, use that, working on climate change in the bigger picture,” he […]

Accessing parts continues to be a challenge for many farmers this planting season. Southern Ohio farmer Greg Corcoran tells Brownfield “trouble getting parts in has been a continuing issue– certain parts not being available, having to subsite parts, the lengthy lead times. It used to be overnight and then it will be there. Now it’s not overnight and they might not even have it. We’re trying to be proactive on […]

An online farmers market has continued to deliver local food and provide farmers opportunities during the coronavirus pandemic. Market Wagon, based in Indianapolis, was started six years ago by CEO and co-founder Nick Carter. Healthy Living: Click here for more information. ...