Brownfield

The soy checkoff has released a report highlighting environmental achievements made by U.S. soybean growers.Mace Thornton, vice president for communications and marketing with the United Soybean Board, discusses the U.S. Soy Sustainability Overview report. “We know that over the years U.S. soy farmers have really made tremendous progress in sustainability. Between the years 1980 and 2020, conservation efforts have skyrocketed. The efficiency of land use has increased about 48 percent […]

Drought or not, the cost of feed is troubling beef producers.  Michigan Cattlemen’s Association President Dave Girton tells Brownfield feeding cattle with $7 corn is putting on a squeeze. “In just the matter of a year to year and a half’s time, we’ve doubled—so in my end of it as a farmer/feeder balancing that cost of feed with what I paid for the feeder cattle and making those margins work […]

This year, the National Biodiesel Board unveiled a new name and brand – Clean Fuels Alliance America— to better reflect the role biodiesel, renewable diesel, and sustainable aviation fuel play in carbon reduction efforts.  In this Managing for Profit, Clean Fuels CEO Donnell Rehagen discusses the reasons for the change. ...

The National Pork Producers Council is hopeful the Supreme Court case on Proposition 12 could be over by the end of the year. NPPC president Terry Wolters, a pork producer from Pipestone in southwest Minnesota, tells Brownfield the High Court will likely take oral briefings beginning early next month. “And then ultimately we hope that by late October or somewhere around November timeframe, that we have a chance to actually […]

Across the Corn Belt, cool, mostly cloudy weather prevails in the wake of a departing storm system. In addition, rain and snow showers linger across the eastern Corn Belt. On March 27, prior to the most recent precipitation event, topsoil moisture ranged from one-quarter to one-half surplus in Michigan (50% surplus), Ohio (48%), Indiana (44%), and Illinois (31%). On the Plains, temperatures are quickly rebounding across Texas, where Friday’s high […]

The head of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association says consumer demand confirms a desire for real meat.  NCBA CEO Colin Woodall tells Brownfield plant-based protein sales for some companies seem to be falling flat. “The stock price of Beyond Meat is absolutely cratered, losing almost 70 percent in the last year,” he says. When it comes to cell-based protein, Woodall says there’s a lack of transparency and sustainability metrics. ...

A livestock economist says after Russia’s invasion into Ukraine the global food supply is under a microscope. Rupert Claxton with Gira, an international research firm, says global commodity supplies were already tight and exports of corn, wheat, barley and sunflower oil could be impacted. “We are not going to lose Russian exports to the world markets as a result of this. But they are going to flow to different places. […]

Milk futures and cash dairy prices were mostly higher on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Friday. April Class III milk was up a penny to $23.69.  May closed up $.08 at $24.55.  June closed up $.08 at $24.35.  July was up $.22 at $24.17.  August through March contracts ranged from twelve cents lower to eighteen cents higher with November and December futures dropping. Dry whey was down $.0525 at $0.61.  six […]

Highly pathogenic avian influenza is having a big impact on South Dakota poultry operations. Dr. Mendel Miller with the South Dakota Animal Industry Board says, “We’re actually at 22 cases now, and we’ve had new cases almost every day.” Miller tells Brownfield as of April 1st, the 22 cases of avian influenza in the state include 21 commercial flocks and most of them are turkeys.  He says the producers are […]