Bipartisan legislation recently introduced in the U.S. House would give farmers some relief on labor costs this year. Co-sponsor Representative Dan Kildee of Michigan tells Brownfield the Farm Operations Support Act would maintain 2022 wage rates in the H-2A seasonal guest worker program. “It’s simply a pause that would give some relief to those growers so they can get through this cycle, stay in business, stay viable while we continue […]
A Minnesota Congressman is concerned that USDA’s conservation programs might be encouraging farmers to idle prime productive farmland. Minnesota Representative Brad Finstad is a farmer and former USDA State Rural Development Director. He commented during a House Ag Subcommittee hearing Tuesday while asking Farm Service Agency Administrator Zach Ducheneaux if Conservation Reserve Program reforms in the 2018 Farm Bill are achieving the goal of limiting competition for prime farmland. “We’re […]
At the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, live cattle were mostly lower, and feeders were lower ahead of the week’s direct cash business. Feeders had additional pressure from the higher move in corn. June live cattle closed $.77 lower at $164.27 August live cattle closed $1.02 lower at $162.57. August feeder cattle closed $1.42 lower at $233.47 and September feeder cattle closed $1.10 lower at $236.75. It was another very quiet day […]
Jul. corn closed at $5.77 and 1/2, up 6 and 1/2 centsJul. soybeans closed at $13.22 and 1/2, down 18 and 3/4 centsJul. soybean meal closed at $406.40, down $5.80Jul. soybean oil closed at 47.76, down 101 pointsJul. wheat closed at $6.22 and 1/4, up 16 centsJun. live cattle closed at $164.27, down 77 centsAug. feeder cattle closed at $233.47, down $1.42Jun. ...
A Missouri farmer says the lack of subsoil moisture and inconsistent rainfall are some of his top concerns heading into the growing season. Brian Threlkeld raises corn and soybeans in northeast Missouri. “We didn’t have a lot of snow and we haven’t got a lot of rain right here where I live,” he says. “We farm in about a 20-mile geography and we’ve had three inches to the west of […]
Soybeans were lower on profit taking and technical selling. Planting is ahead of average, with warm, dry weather expected in the central and eastern Midwest over the next week. It’s early, but that could cause some stress in those parts of the region. Parts of the Plains that badly need rain could see limited precipitation during that time frame. Longer term outlooks for the region are more friendly, including the […]
Dry weather could make early season weeds a greater issue in Michigan. In this Pods for Profits, agronomist Ed Benkurt discusses how April and May planted soybeans will lead to two different management plans. Hear his advice on what that means for weeds, nutrients and more. Managing for Profit gives expert perspectives on risk management in production agriculture. ...
The University of Kentucky will be the home to a new forage research facility. The USDA and UK broke ground for Forage-Animal Production Research Unit on Tuesday. It was established to improve the productivity, profitability, competitiveness, and sustainability of forage-based enterprises within the region. The facility will help the USDA research meet the needs of the diverse operations it serves across the U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says the groundbreaking […]
An Indiana farmer says he’s been adding more wheat acres to his crop rotation in recent years. Jonathan Sparks, who farms south of Indianapolis, says he’s incorporated chicken litter as part of their nutrient management and wheat has been a good fit. “The timing works well for us to plant earlier soybeans, cut the beans, and then we can apply that chicken litter and then plant wheat behind it,” he […]
