Agriculture

Several proposals that would impact Minnesota farmers remain in limbo as the 2022 Legislative Session comes to a close. Minnesota Farmers Union government relations director Stu Lourey tells Brownfield the House and Senate could not reach deals related to major spending items like bonding, healthcare, and taxes. “We’re leaving a ton of infrastructure dollars from the federal government on the table without a spending deal, we’d be walking away without […]

Michigan farmers brought a delayed planting season back on pace over the past week. The USDA says sugarbeets were 99 percent planted along with 77 percent of oats, 60 percent of corn, and 47 percent of soybeans—on track with average. Winter wheat condition remained steady at 49 percent good to excellent with 89 percent of the crop jointed and two percent headed.  Warm weather continues to push tree fruit development […]

Missouri’s overall planting progress has nearly caught up to last year and the average. USDA says 84 percent of the state’s corn crop is planted, within five percent of last year and the average. Corn emergence is still well behind at 57 percent. Thirty-eight percent of Missouri’s soybean crop is planted, also within five percent of last year and the average. Missouri cotton planting is slightly ahead of last year […]

The USDA says warm and dry conditions helped Nebraska farmers pick up the planting pace last week. Andy Jobman of Gothenburg says he finished over the weekend. “First planted corn is up. Last planted corn is just starting to emerge. Anybody that planted soybeans first, those beans are up and running and looking great.”   The latest crop progress and condition report says 85 percent of the corn crop has […]

At the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, live cattle were mostly higher and feeders were higher ahead of the week’s direct business.  June live cattle closed $1.20 higher at $132.77 and August live cattle closed $1.42 higher at $132.97. August feeder cattle closed $1.70 higher at $165.62 and September feeder closed $1.30 higher at $168.30.  It was a relatively quiet Monday for direct cash cattle trade activity.  However, there were a few […]

Poor winter wheat conditions continue from persistent drought across Kansas. According to the latest crop progress and condition report, winter wheat is rated 25 percent good to excellent with 98 percent of the crop joined and 86 percent headed. More than three-quarters of the corn crop is planted with 46 percent emerged, 8 percent behind last year’s average. Nearly half of soybeans have planted with 24 percent of the crop […]

Soybeans were mostly lower on spread trade. Contracts were up early but were pulled lower by spillover from soybean meal, which dropped on profit taking and technical selling. Soybean oil did finish mostly higher, adjusting spreads. The USDA says 50% of this year’s soybean crop has been planted, compared to the five-year average of 55%, with 21% emerged, compared to 26% on average. Most near-term forecasts have more planting delaying […]

A one-day planting window last week allowed western Indiana farmer Kevin Cox to wrap up corn planting. But, he says soybean planting is a different story because of untimely rains. “We’ve still got probably 75 percent of our soybeans yet to plant, which in the grand scheme of things with the equipment we have today we could get that planted in four good days with both planters running,” he says. […]

The USDA says farmers took advantage of planting windows between rain events last week in Ohio.   Fifty-two percent of the state’s corn crop is planted, compared to 71 percent last year. Twenty-four percent of the crop has emerged. Thirty-six percent of soybeans are planted, compared to the one-year average of 61 percent. Twelve percent of the crop has emerged. Ninety-three percent of the winter wheat crop is jointing, and […]