A round of layoffs is set to occur next month at Ames, Iowa-based Chevron Renewable Energy Group. According to data on the Iowa Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification website, 70 Chevron employees will be laid off effective June 18th. The workforce reduction comes amid some uncertainty in the biodiesel industry. As previously reported on Brownfield,…… Continue Reading
Nearly 20 USDA advisory committees halted
The U.S. Ag Secretary is terminating seven advisory committees and pausing eight others following Executive Orders to reduce and restructure the federal government. Eliminated committees include the Advisory Committee on Agriculture Statistics, which until November was in the process of reestablishing to ensure statistical accuracy and that the agency was meeting the needs of stakeholders, including…… Continue Reading
Indiana 4-H sees program growth with record project numbers
Photo provided by Indiana 4-H. Indiana’s 4-H program continues to see growth. Tony Carrell, acting program director, says the program set a record during the 2023-2024 year of more than 155,000 projects exhibited. He says these experiences provide members with valuable life skills. “Whether they decide to go to a four year college, a two-year…… Continue Reading
Midwest farmland values up slightly in first quarter
A policy advisor at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago says land values in the Seventh District were up slightly from a year ago in the first quarter of 2025. David Oppedahl says a few factors led land values 1% higher than the first quarter of 2024. “And up 4% from the fourth quarter.” He…… Continue Reading
Cuts to SNAP could have far-reaching impacts
The vice president of research for Feeding America says reducing funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program could worsen hunger and economic strain across the U.S. Emily Engelhard says, “Cuts in SNAP will undoubtedly increase food insecurity rates.” She tells Brownfield the program supports local economies. “SNAP benefits stimulate the economy by about $1.54 for every…… Continue Reading
Rollins: Agencies aggressively looking at solutions to farm labor
Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins says a multi-agency effort is underway to help improve the nation’s farm labor crisis. “If our farmers can’t have the workforce they need, which many cannot, and don’t have access to. We need to fix that and change it.” Speaking with reporters in Nebraska earlier this week, she said the USDA…… Continue Reading
Pillen signs bill banning sale of lab grown protein
Nebraska has become the fourth state to ban lab-grown protein. On Tuesday, Governor Jim Pillen signed a bill into law that bans the production, sale, promotion and distribution in the state. While it doesn’t affect plant-based alternatives, the measure specifically targets proteins derived from animal cells. He says the long-term health impacts are unknown, and…… Continue Reading
Rules Committee working to advance budget bill
The Chairman and Ranking Member of the U.S. House Ag Committee presented their case to the Rules Committee as the House continues its work to advance a budget bill. Chairman Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) says the Committee was tasked with cutting $230 billion from its budget. “And proud to report that we exceeded our…… Continue Reading
Ag groups working to protect farmer access to crop protection tools
The American Soybean Association and other ag groups have filed a brief with the Supreme Court for glyphosate labeling clarity. In this episode of Managing for Profit, ASA’s senior director of government affairs Kyle Kunkler explains what this means for farmers. The post Ag groups working to protect farmer access to crop protection tools appeared first…… Continue Reading
ACE Ethanol Conference
Brownfield’s Mark Dorenkamp covers the ACE Ethanol Conference The post ACE Ethanol Conference appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. … Continue Reading
