Soybeans were mixed, adjusting spreads. It was an up and down day with concerns about demand around these price levels against bullish fundamentals. Crush margins are strong, Ukraine is the world’s biggest exporter of sunflower oil, and both Ukraine and Russia are significant players in the global energy market. Estimates for Brazil’s crop are well below a year ago due to drought, which also limited production in Argentina, so a […]
Many Midwestern corn and soybean farmers are waiting for soils to warm up before planting. University of Minnesota Extension corn agronomist Jeff Coulter tells Brownfield soil temps at 3 to 4 inches deep should be at least 50 degrees and trending up. “So if that soil temperature drops to around 40 degrees or lower within one to two days after planting, that’s not a good thing because we can have […]
A central Illinois corn and soybean farmer says he is still waiting for a planting window to open. “Planting has been on the radar for a while, but unfortunately there has been a little too much rain on the radar as well. Elliott Uphoff of Findlay tells Brownfield they’ve received almost 2 inches of rain in the last week and while it is almost dry enough to plant today (Tuesday) […]
New research confirms consumers have negative perceptions about early cow-calf separation. Hannah Thompson-Weeman with the Animal Agriculture Alliance says the study led by researchers at the University of British Columbia puts data behind a practice animal extremist groups tend to focus on. “This study looked at several different possible methods for handing dairy calves and ultimately, they found that people felt the most positively toward a system where calves were […]
An ag economist says his concerns of tight wheat ending stocks are getting worse with more adverse weather in parts of the Western Plains and Western Cornbelt. The University of Missouri’s Ben Brown said freezing temperatures early this morning in states like Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska give farmers a reason to worry. “Well, we don’t want freeze warnings when the wheat is coming out dormancy…,” he said. “This morning would’ve […]
A new monthly report from Purdue University is gauging consumer perceptions of the food system. Jayson Lusk, director for the Purdue Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability, says the latest survey took a closer look at food and agriculture policy. “There’s pretty broad support for things like increasing ag research funding, increasing conservation reserve programs, and even expanding SNAP benefits,” he says. He tells Brownfield this month’s Consumer […]
The Missouri Corn Growers Association has partnered with the Renewable Fuels Association on a campaign to educate off-road vehicle owners about the benefits of E85 fuel. RFA’s Robert White tells Brownfield the investment allowed them to help create a custom Can-Am X3 side-by-side that runs on E85 and showcase it on the TV show Hauk Machines. “We want to show the audience the power and performance of ethanol, especially at […]
An ag lobbyist says population losses in remote communities will reduce the rural flavor in Michigan’s legislature following this year’s redistricting. Jeff McAlvey with McAlvey Merchant & Associates says the main goal of redistricting was to balance partisan divisions while honoring communities of interest. “Many of the districts stretch out in what I would call funky ways,” he says. He says rural voters will likely be overshadowed by the mix […]
An extension entomologist is concerned about seedling pests thriving in cool wet conditions. Erin Hodgson with Iowa State University says cold temperatures and excess moisture are plaguing much of the Midwest. “That makes me think about delayed planting, or even if people are trying to plant that the seeds are just kind of sitting in the ground or growing very slowly. And that makes me think about some seed and […]
