Cattle placements up sharply in February

Cattle placements up sharply in February

Placements of cattle into U.S. feedlots surged in February. The USDA says February placements were larger than expected, up 10% on the year at 1.793 million head, due to generally better weather in the major U.S. feeding areas than in January and the extra business day due to the Leap Year. That’s the biggest February…Continue Reading

Wisconsin Corn official resigns

Wisconsin Corn official resigns

The Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board’s Executive Director resigned Friday. In a statement, Board President Ryan Ripp says, “The Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board would like to thank Nicole Wagner for her years of service to the corn growers in Wisconsin.  Wisconsin Corn made great strides in her time with the organization.” Ripp says the board is…Continue Reading

Farmers carrying more operating debt

Farmers carrying more operating debt

An ag banker says farmers are carrying more operating debt as production costs increase. Barry Benson, VP of Agribusiness Banking at FNBO, suggests the farm economy is becoming more challenging as commodity prices soften while input costs remain high. “So with higher debt levels and increased interest rates, that does really strain their cash flow.”…Continue Reading

Fruit crops vulnerable to frost risk

Fruit crops vulnerable to frost risk

A record-setting warm winter has put fruit in the Midwest’s top-producing state at risk.  “It not only broke the record, it really shattered it.” Michigan climatologist Jeff Andresen tells Brownfield winter temperatures in the Great Lakes state were more than 10 degrees warmer than ever recorded. “This has been the warmest winter we’ve had on…Continue Reading

Protecting the health of the U.S. cattle herd

Protecting the health of the U.S. cattle herd

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association says the push-back on the USDA’s decision to allow imports of Paraguayan beef is solely about protecting the health of the U.S. cattle herd. Kent Bacus, director of Government Affairs with NCBA, says the US food supply is the safest in the world. “The information that was used to determine…Continue Reading

Iowa farmer gearing up for spring fieldwork

Iowa farmer gearing up for spring fieldwork

A south-central Iowa farmer is preparing to begin spring fieldwork. Warren Bachman of Osceola says all his fertilizer was applied in the fall. “Basically other than changing the oil in a couple of tractors and greasing the corn planter and getting it out of the shed, we’re ready to go.” Speaking to Brownfield during Commodity…Continue Reading

Agronomist says soybeans thrive with more intense management

Agronomist says soybeans thrive with more intense management

A soybean agronomist says farmers need to be more intentional about managing soybeans as they face tighter margins. Purdue University’s Shaun Casteel tells Brownfield the days of planting soybeans whenever are over. “If it hasn’t, I think people should be seeing these gains that we have with intentional management with timely planting,” he says.  “How…Continue Reading

Evansville Mayor comments on CHS crush plant project

Evansville Mayor comments on CHS crush plant project

An elected official says there has been progress towards building Wisconsin’s first soybean crushing facility. Evansville Mayor Dianne Duggan tells Brownfield the officials from CHS will soon come to Evansville to close the real estate deal, giving CHS ownership of the land, which has already been annexed to the city.  Duggan says several other steps…Continue Reading

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