Agriculture

USDA has opened a short window to sign up new qualifying acreage in the Grasslands Conservation Reserve Program.  Farmers and ranchers can enroll now through April 13th.  Through the program, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) provides annual rental payments of no less than $13 an acre to landowners to maintain and conserve grasslands, and the producers can continue to graze, hay, and produce seed on that land.  The contracts are […]

Wisconsin’s cool and wet weather prevented most farmers from making any progress in the fields. USDA reporters say temperatures averaged seven degrees below normal as snow and rain left most fields too wet for field activities. Less than 1% of spring tillage is completed in Wisconsin.  Winter wheat is 61% good to excellent this week, down from 77% at the end of November. Pastures are rated 38% good to excellent, […]

Dry conditions remain a problem for many South Dakota farmers.  USDA’s first weekly crop condition report of the 2022 growing season shows topsoil moisture levels at 23% very short and 44% short with only 32% of the land having adequate moisture. Sixty-three percent of South Dakota’s winter wheat is in fair condition with 27% rated good and 10% poor. About 9% of the state’s oats are planted with 1% emerging. […]

Less than two days were suitable in Missouri for fieldwork last week. In the first crop report of the season, USDA says winter wheat condition was reported at 58 percent good to excellent with one percent headed, slightly better than last year.  Pasture and range conditions are 44 percent good to excellent with mostly adequate hay supplies. Topsoil moisture is 96 percent adequate to surplus and subsoil moisture is at […]

Nebraska farmers took advantage of a mostly favorable week of weather. In its first weekly crop progress report of the year, the USDA says oat planting progressed to 14 percent and is now equal with the five-year average. Winter wheat condition is rated 27 percent good to excellent. Moisture levels remain a major concern statewide, with just 19 percent of topsoil and 18 percent of subsoil rated adequate and none […]

A livestock economist says uncertainty is hindering expansion of the swine herd. University of Missouri’s Scott Brown says producers have been slow to respond to higher prices.  “They don’t know whether if they produce more hogs, if there’s going to be the ability to process those hogs,” he says.  “And to me, we’re really starting to see out of the data this idea that producers are going to sit on […]

The soybean complex closed higher on fundamental support. Mixed South American weather has kept the market’s attention. Moderate to heavy rains are expected for Brazil this week with little to light showers expected for Argentina. Even with expected rainfall, Argentina and the southern half of Brazil remain in extreme drought. North American weather is becoming more important as planting season ramps up. Gains for crude oil on the day have […]