Indiana residents will spend more this year on their 4th of July celebrations. Indiana Farm Bureau chief economist Todd Davis tells Brownfield the cost of a 10-person barbecue is up 5 percent from last year. “Our consumers that were throughout Indiana have found that our market basket was pretty close with what was at the national survey,”…… Continue Reading
Minnesota farmer sees economic and environmental benefits to side-dressing corn
A southeast Minnesota farmer is not reducing fertilizer use despite tight margins. Rob Tate of Cannon Falls says his fertility plan is the same as other years. “We try to side-dress a fair amount of nitrogen on our corn, just economically I think there’s a better return to the side-dressing. And of course, from an…… Continue Reading
AFBF applauds Farmworker Protection Act suspension
The American Farm Bureau Federation says the Department of Labor’s decision not to enforce the Farmworker Protection Act is good news for farmers and ranchers. Government Affairs Director John Walt Boatwright tells Brownfield the suspension is especially welcome news for producers who use H-2A labor because of the unanswered legal questions before the courts. “There’s…… Continue Reading
Foreign Ownership of U.S. Farmland: What’s Really Going On?
Commentary. During the last election cycle, we all heard a lot of talk about foreign ownership of American farmland. It wasn’t just campaign chatter—foreign investors really do own a sizable amount of U.S. agricultural land, and they’ve held onto it for years. Questions and concerns about foreign countries owning U.S. land did not start recently…… Continue Reading
Ethanol production, stocks up on year
Ethanol production last week declined as stocks grew. The U.S. Energy Information Administration says ethanol production averaged 1.081 million barrels per day, the lowest since late May and down 28,000 on the week, but up 38,000 on the year. Iowa State University’s Center for Agricultural and Rural Development says the estimated operating margin for the…… Continue Reading
Cash dairy prices mixed, cheese stops falling Wednesday
Cash dairy prices were mixed and cheese prices stopped falling Wednesday on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Dry whey was down $0.0050 at $0.5675. Six sales were recorded, ranging from $0.5675 to $0.5725. Forty-pound cheese blocks were up $0.0150 at $1.61. Seventeen sales were recorded, ranging from $1.5975 to $1.6325. Cheese barrels were up $0.0125 at $1.6275. Six…… Continue Reading
Drier weather helping boost crop growth
A southwestern Ohio farmer says the recent warm and dry weather is helping his crops play catch up after a challenging start to the 2025 planting season. But, Eric Tipton says corn variability remains a concern. “We have every growth stage you can imagine all in the same field,” he says. “It’s not one of those years where…… Continue Reading
Renewable Fuels Association points to broader E15 use amid Middle East tensions
The Renewable Fuels Association is asking the Trump administration to remove E15 barriers amid tensions in the Middle East. In a letter to President Trump, RFA emphasized that the U.S. has record-large ethanol inventories and underutilized production capacity due to artificial barriers that are blocking access to the domestic marketplace. CEO Geoff Cooper spoke to…… Continue Reading
New World screwworm concerns a thousand miles away
The executive director of the Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association says the industry continues to monitor the northward movement of New World screwworm. Kaitlyn Root tells Brownfield the pest has moved within 700 miles of the U.S. – Mexico border. “And although we are in Minnesota and we feel very far from that Texas border, it…… Continue Reading
AGs file suit for misuse of OMB clause
Attorneys General from 22 states are challenging the Trump administration for terminating billions of dollars of federal funding appropriated by Congress. The coalition says using the Office of Management and Budget’s clause to eliminate awards that “no longer effectuate the program goals or agency priorities” is illegal and discriminatory. Plaintiffs say they are not aware…… Continue Reading
