Agriculture

The Ocean Shipping Reform Act has passed out of the Commerce Committee and will soon head to the full Senate for consideration.  The bipartisan legislation, intended to ease shipping backlogs and improve supply chain challenges, is supported by 27 U.S. Senators and more than 100 organizations including the Agriculture Transportation Coalition, as well as being endorsed by the American Association of Port Authorities. The bill is co-led by Minnesota Democrat […]

A University of Minnesota Extension veterinarian and researcher says a new study shows how the state’s beef producers compare to other states and where the extension needs to focus its resources.  Dr. Joe Armstrong Dr. Joe Armstrong says the study began with funding from Minnesota’s Beef Council as both wanted to get real Minnesota numbers and feedback. “We had a lot of assumptions about a lot of things in the […]

The employees of the Canadian Pacific Railway are back on the job.  The railroad announced early Tuesday they have reached an agreement with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference to bring in an arbitrator to help resolve disagreements in their contract negotiations.  CP Rail is one of two Canadian trans-continental railroads and has extensive connections in the U.S., especially since their recent acquisition of Kansas City Southern.  CP transports a large […]

Across the Corn Belt, a low-pressure system crossing the lower Missouri Valley is producing widespread rain. Warmth lingers across the Ohio Valley, while cooler air is overspreading the remainder of the Midwest. In parts of eastern Nebraska, rain has changed to wet snow, accompanied by howling winds. On the Plains, dry weather has returned across most areas, although a mix of rain and wind-driven snow lingers early Tuesday across parts […]

Two million dollars have been granted to Michigan farmland preservation efforts across the state. The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and Michigan Agricultural Preservation Fund Board have announced seven grants this year will help preserve more than 1,100 acres of farmland. Counties receiving grants include Ottawa, Washtenaw, Macomb, Eaton, Barry, and Berrien. The funds help farmers with up to 75 percent of the costs related to development rights […]

Looking ahead, the 6- to 10-day outlook calls for the likelihood of near- or above-normal temperatures nationwide, except for cooler-than-normal conditions across Florida’s peninsula and from the Great Lakes region into the Northeast. Meanwhile, near- or above-normal precipitation across most of the country should contrast with drier-than-normal weather in the south-central U.S., including much of Texas, and along the southern Atlantic Coast ...

Photo provided by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers The Celebration of Modern Agriculture on National Ag Day created an opportunity to connect policy makers and consumers with the role farmers play in today’s sustainable food production. Association of Equipment Manufacturers Senior Vice President Curt Blades tells Brownfield tractors, combines, and sprayers were parked on the National Mall in Washington D.C. “I’m talking to you from the National Mall in Washington […]

More than 80 members of Congress have written to the International Trade Commission about fertilizer tariffs contributing to record-high input costs for farmers. Minnesota Republican Tom Emmer tells Brownfield the bipartisan, bicameral letter asks the ITC chair to lift duties on imports from Morocco, Trinidad, and Tobago. “I’m hoping that we get some short-term relief, but that’s not going to be absolute relief.” He says fertilizer prices jumped another 40 […]

An expert on how environments affect dairy cattle says more consumers are bringing the animal welfare discussion to the dairy industry. Dr. Nigel Cook says U.S. dairies operate without any significant federal or state laws governing how to house and manage cattle, in stark contrast to Europe and the Scandinavian countries where public trust eroded around 25 years ago. “They govern the way they do certain things, and that really […]