Southwest Iowa farmer Ray Gaesser says corn and soybean planting is wrapping up in his area. “On our farm we are completely done with corn,” he said. “We had to wait on a variety of (soybean) seed from South America and it just arrived. As soon as it dries up we will finish up in a short day.” He tells Brownfield soil conditions have improved from 2022. “The August drought […]
Minnesota Farm Bureau is pleased with the omnibus agriculture, broadband, and rural development bill that’s headed to the desk of Governor Walz. Public policy specialist Kaytlin Bemis tells Brownfield there’s funding for soil health grants, biofuels infrastructure, meat processing, and positive tweaks to language involving pesticide restrictions. “Nothing was included on treated seed. There were a few provisions about PFAS in pesticides, but we’re hoping that will get sorted out […]
WASHINGTON, May 16, 2023 – The Biden-Harris Administration today announced the availability of nearly $11 billion in grants and loan opportunities that will help rural energy and utility providers bring affordable, reliable clean energy to their communities across the country. This represents the single largest investment in rural electrification since President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Rural Electrification Act into law in 1936.
The American Farm Bureau Federation says highly pathogenic avian influenza isn’t expected to go away anytime soon. AFBF economist Bernt Nelson tells Brownfield, “That’s because the strain of this virus is carried very well by the migratory bird population,” he said. “It has the ability to mutate, adjust, and change as conditions change.” The 2022/2023 HPAI outbreak is the largest foreign animal disease outbreak in US history. Nelson says a […]
Some members of Congress plan to fight Proposition 12 through legislation after the Supreme Court upheld the California law. U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley calls the ruling a major blow to pork producers and consumers and says it can and should be corrected by Congress. “Justice Gorsuch writing in the majority opinion said Congress has the power to regulate commerce but has yet to adopt a statute to displace Proposition 12.” […]
The Michigan FFA Foundation is now operating as its own nonprofit to support youth leadership development. Transition manager and retired agriscience educator Burt Henry tells Brownfield pulling the Foundation away from Michigan State University, where it has been housed since 2006, will give it more flexibility. “We’ll be in a much better shape to provide for the annual operating fund,” he says. He says the university will still oversee their […]
Southern Indiana farmer Ben Kron says he’s reached the halfway point for corn and soybean planting. “I probably need about another week to ten days to get completely done,” he says. He tells Brownfield there were some initial challenges at the beginning of planting. “Things seem to be going into the ground pretty good now. We had some issues with the first couple of fields. It seemed like it was […]
A bill introduced in the US House this week aims to level the playing field for corn starch ethanol. The Fuels Parity Act introduced by Representatives Nikki Budzinski and Eric Sorensen of Illinois, Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa, Stephanie Bice of Oklahoma and Wesley Hunt of Texas would allow ethanol from corn starch to be classified as an advanced biofuel. Dave Loos with the Illinois Corn Growers Association tells Brownfield it […]
In this week’s Missouri Corn Talk, Missouri Department of Agriculture Director Chris Chinn talks about expansion of biofuel infrastructure in Missouri and support for growing ethanol use nationwide. ...
