Agriculture

Iowa’s first case of highly pathogenic avian influenza in more than a week is in a non-commercial backyard flock in northeast Iowa. The Iowa Department of Agriculture says the virus was found in Bremer County and reminds flock owners they should prevent contact with their birds and wild birds. Before Tuesday’s detection, the last case of avian flu in the state was reported on April 22nd in a mixed backyard […]

A lack of sun and warmth is stunting alfalfa development in at least one Midwestern state. University of Minnesota Extension crops educator Dave Nicolai says it’s been an abnormally cool spring. “Really cold temperatures have really slowed that growth and availability.” He encourages farmers to wait until alfalfa stems are two inches or taller with a rule of thumb that if stem counts are over 55 stems per square foot […]

A recent analysis suggests the USDA’s selection process was flawed when it relocated two of its research agencies to Kansas City in 2019. The Government Accountability Office says the USDA’s decision to move the Economic Research Service and National Institute of Food and Agriculture wasn’t consistent with an evidence-based approach. Courtney LaFountain, Assistant Director for GAO’s Center for Economics, tells Brownfield USDA didn’t factor in potential costs related to the […]

A cold, wet spring has farmers like Rob Tate checking the forecast several times a day. The southeast Minnesota corn and soybean grower tells Brownfield despite unseasonably cool conditions he was able to work some ground until an inch and-a-half of rain fell over the weekend. “I look at my phone app several times a day to see what the weather forecast is doing, (sometimes) it changes a little bit, […]

Farmers are turning to cover crops for a variety of reasons. Southwest Iowa cattle producer Seth Watkins says he originally incorporated cover crops about 15 years ago without knowing there were soil health benefits. “It started out as just a way to extend my grazing season, and then I started to see the soil tests and how things were improving.” He tells Brownfield he has enough cows to harvest his […]

A dairy economist says rising costs are expected to limit herd expansions despite $25 milk. Tanner Ehmke with CoBank tells Brownfield farmers are likely to rely on more productive cows to increase profitability rather than grow their herd in the current environment. “Really trying to squeeze as much value out of each pound of feed and each pound of milk as you possibly can,” he says.  “I think going forward […]

At the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, live and feeder cattle closed higher on follow-through buying and the lower move in corn, waiting for direct cash business to develop.  June live cattle closed $.12 higher at $135.32 and August live cattle closed $.27 higher at $137.32.  August feeder cattle closed $2.20 higher at $176.27 and September feeder cattle closed $1.67 higher at $178.35.  Direct cash cattle trade activity is off to a […]

Many farmers testifying during the first Senate Ag Committee field hearing in Michigan credited farm bill funding sources as an important lifeline to their business. Allyson Maxwell, a crop farmer from Beaverton, says it’s nearly impossible for new entrants to begin farming in an increasingly capital-intensive industry and the Farm Service Agency’s young and beginning farmer loan programs need continued support. “A successful farm bill reauthorization should continue to support […]