Agriculture

Differences in milk pricing proposals have resulted in some dairy cooperatives withdrawing their membership from the International Dairy Foods Association. California Dairies, Inc., Dairy Farmers of America, Inc., Land O’Lakes, Inc., and Maryland, and Virginal Milk Producers Cooperative Association, Inc., in April, sent a letter to U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack about their opposition to IDFA’s proposal which the groups say call for make allowance changes that are based off […]

Research at Michigan State University is finding some wheat management techniques are helpful to drought-stressed crops. Soil fertility specialist Kurt Steinke with Michigan State University is studying different nutrient applications. “We’ve seen some tremendous yield gains and in some cases, grain quality increases with starter fertilizer applied in the fall and that starter specifically focusing on nitrogen and sulfur,” he says. Steinke tells Brownfield earlier, fall-planted winter wheat usually yields […]

Crop condition ratings are declining for the small grain crops in South Dakota. USDA says winter wheat conditions are mostly split between fair to very poor and the spring wheat conditions are rated 42% fair with more than half of the crop headed. South Dakota State University Extension Agronomist Jonathan Kleinjan tells Brownfield rains have been spotty in the state and it’s affecting the small grains. “Some places are worse […]

A dairy nutritionist says dry weather in Wisconsin could lead to feed inventory issues later this year. Stu Rymph with Purina tells Brownfield first cutting of haylage had great quality but weeks without meaning rain is concerning. “I think we gave up some yield by going quite that early, but we got some really awesome quality, so that was looking really good,” he shares.  “The problem is now with no […]

It was another dry week for Wisconsin.  USDA statistician Greg Bussler says in the week ending Sunday, only 29% of the state’s topsoil has adequate moisture, with 37% of the soil short of moisture and 34% very short.  There were no reports of excess moisture in Wisconsin last week.  Subsoil moisture levels are slightly higher.  The dry conditions are impacting row crops and the 2nd crop of hay.  Most of […]

Sporadic rains have not been enough to alleviate declining crop conditions in Michigan. The USDA says 89 percent of the topsoil moisture is in short to very short supply across the state.  Fire conditions are rated “very high” in the Upper Peninsula and ‘extreme’ in the Lower Peninsula. Nearly all corn and soybeans have emerged, with only 32 percent of corn in good to excellent conditions while soybeans are at […]