How much do pork production practices matter to consumers? Not much according to two social media influencers. Eddie Zamora is known online and in the food industry as the “Yum Yum Foodie.” He says his audience isn’t asking about animal care… “If it is important, it’s not something that they share with me.” He says, “They…… Continue Reading
The chief legal counsel for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association says the final rule from the Securities and Exchange Commission won’t require farmers and ranchers to provide the federal government with farm-level supply chain emissions reports. Mary-Thomas Hart tells Brownfield that Wednesday’s rule was a change from what the SEC had initially proposed. “The SEC actually stripped out supply…… Continue Reading
Several indicators point to weakening farmland values. Jim Rothermich with Iowa Appraisal tells Brownfield he tracks every land auction in the state and says there were at least nine no-sales in February. “That is a drastic increase. A year ago, February 2023, we had two. So that’s how big a difference there is right now.”…… Continue Reading
An economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation says the United States’ lack of participation in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership is impacting ag exports. Betty Resnick tells Brownfield, “We’re specifically seeing that impact exports to Asia and as the CPTPP is entering into force for a lot of our big trading…… Continue Reading
Chicago Mercantile Exchange live and feeder cattle futures were pressured by profit taking ahead of this week’s widespread direct business. April live was down $.75 at 4187.25 and June was $.25 lower at $183.27. April feeders were $1.30 lower at $255.87 and May was down $.92 at $257.77. Direct cash cattle trade had some packer…… Continue Reading
Farmer sentiment has improved modestly month-over-month but is still well below year-ago levels, according to the latest Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer. Jim Mintert with Purdue’s Center for Commercial Agriculture tells Brownfield it was a fairly small move. “People did become just a little bit more optimistic about the future,” he says. “The future…… Continue Reading
Keystone Cooperative has announced it’s officially servicing farmers across parts of the Eastern Cornbelt. The Indiana-based company joins Ceres Solutions and Co-Alliance with a focus on energy, agronomy, grain, animal nutrition, and swine production. The cooperative’s combined workforce includes nearly 1,700 employees to support 20,000 farmer-owners in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. Kevin Still, former…… Continue Reading
An ag technology specialist says farmers are quickly adopting digital solutions to stay ahead of potential farm management regulations. Ryan DeMorrow, Great Lakes Technology Specialist with Wilbur-Ellis, points to work underway in the Western Lake Erie Basin. “Using topsoil mapping, getting a better idea of what that actual acre is holding in terms of phosphorus,” he…… Continue Reading
May corn closed at $4.28 and 3/4, up 2 and 1/2 centsMay soybeans closed at $11.48 and 1/4, down 3/4 centMay soybean meal closed at $330.40, up 50 centsMay soybean oil closed at 45.32, up 28 pointsMay wheat closed at $5.31, down 20 centsApr. live cattle closed at $187.25, down 75 centsApr. feeder cattle closed…… Continue Reading
Soybeans were modestly lower on fund and technical selling. Weather continues to look mostly favorable in South America, with rain in the near-term forecast for many areas. The USDA’s new estimates for South American soybean production are out Friday, with CONAB’s updated outlook for Brazil on the 12th. No significant adjustments are expected for the…… Continue Reading
