A commodities consultant says he’s optimistic about the corn market. Karl Setzer, a partner with Conus Ag Consulting, says export demand remains high with the closure of the U.S. border to Mexican cattle imports due to concerns about New World Screwworm being an unexpected win. “We got Mexico, which all of a sudden has a…… Continue Reading
Seed selection a key piece to managing soybean cyst nematode
A soybean cyst nematode specialist says selecting the right seed varieties is crucial when it comes to managing the pest. Jeremiah Mullock with BASF tells Brownfield the two most common native traits growers use are PI 88788 and Peking. “We’ve seen over the last few years some developing resistance to that main source of 88788,…… Continue Reading
China trade buzz boosts soybean prices to start the week
Soybean prices began the week higher on prospects of U.S. and China trade negotiations progressing. Iowa State University Extension economist Chad Hart says President Trump’s optimistic tone about a potential deal over the weekend gave the market a spark. “Any whisper we hear about China, the market is definitely reacting. So it’s definitely volatility-inducing.” He…… Continue Reading
High butterfat production has good news & bad news
A dairy economist says the recent trend towards high butterfat components in milk has both good news and bad news. Corey Geiger with CoBank tells Brownfield U.S. dairy farmers are making more butterfat than cheese and butter processors know what to do with. Geiger says the good news is domestic butterfat consumption is up 4.5%…… Continue Reading
Tap into carbon markets with feed additives
One of the most challenging new opportunities in agriculture is how to tap into new revenue using carbon markets. Farmers are looking for ways to not only reduce their carbon footprint, but expand their markets and appeal to consumers and the companies that make the food and fiber products consumers want, and there are ways…… Continue Reading
October RMI: Rural economy falls to five-year low
The latest Rural Mainstreet Index shows the ag economy has slumped to a five-year low. Ag economist Ernie Goss with Creighton University says weak agriculture commodity prices continue to dampen economic activity in the Midwest. “It’s certainly not good with corn, soybeans, and wheat, which is the three products we tend to focus on in…… Continue Reading
Minnesota farmer: “We put grain in every little nook and cranny” amid price pressures
Many farmers are maximizing grain storage because of low harvest prices. Wanda Patsche grows corn and soybeans near Welcome in south-central Minnesota. “We put grain in every little nook and cranny that we had on the farm, so we had some smaller bins that we typically may not have used in the past that we…… Continue Reading
Existing ag-tech could help mitigate screwworm risks for the U.S. beef industry
An ag innovator says existing ag-tech infrastructure could be useful if New World screwworm were to re-enter the United States. Andrew Coppin, CEO of RanchBot, a real-time monitoring platform, says there currently isn’t technology available to identify the pest remotely. “But where we can play a serious role is, of course, by minimizing the amount…… Continue Reading
Live cattle futures rebound to start the week
At the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, live cattle were up on an oversold bounce, feeders were mostly lower as the market awaits additional details on the government’s intervention in retail beef prices. December live cattle closed $1.82 higher at $243.65 and February live cattle closed $1.70 higher at $244.52. November feeder cattle closed $.97 higher at…… Continue Reading
Corn yields down, moisture levels up after challenging growing season
A central Indiana farmer says his corn crop is variable and yields are below expectations. Chris Cherry says inconsistent weather throughout the growing season impacted this year’s crop. “We’re seeing anywhere from 150 to 220,” he says. “Where it was 150, we had too much water early combined with the drought late. Where the corn…… Continue Reading
