U.S. and China trade: actions louder than words

President Trump has signed an executive order to extend China’s tariff deadline by 90 days and the president of Missouri Farm Bureau says he’s optimistic the two countries will continue discussions. Garrett Hawkins says farmers need market certainty from China and the U.S. learned after the last trade deal, actions speak louder than words. “The…Continue Reading

Cotton crop estimate down on month, rice up

The USDA slashed its 2025 U.S. cotton production guess while raising the outlook for rice. Cotton is now seen at a total of 13.214 million bales, including 12.85 million bales of upland cotton, both down from July and 8% lower than 2024, with acreage and average yields below a year ago at 9.136 million acres…Continue Reading

Cash dairy prices mixed Tuesday with cheese higher, butter lower

Cash dairy prices were mixed again Tuesday at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange as cheese keeps rising and butter keeps falling.    Dry whey was unchanged at $0.5850.  No sales were recorded.  Forty-pound cheese blocks were up $0.02 at $1.88.  Five sales were recorded, ranging from $1.8625 to $1.88.  Cheese barrels were up $0.06 at $1.86.  No…Continue Reading

United effort in the fight against New Word screwworm

A Texas cattle producer says it’s crucial for livestock and wildlife groups to work together to protect the state’s agriculture industry from New World screwworm. Stephen Diebel is co-owner and manager of Diebel Cattle Company and first vice president of the Texas & Southwest Cattle Raisers Association. “Because of the great impact that it may…Continue Reading

Red meat, poultry production mostly down on month

The USDA’s protein production projections were mostly below a month ago. 2025 U.S. beef production is now estimated at 25.926 billion pounds, 262 million less than in July on lower slaughter numbers and lighter dressed weights, with an average steer price of $227.06 per hundredweight, a gain of $5.75, with cuts to imports, exports, and…Continue Reading

USDA sees record corn crop in 2025

The USDA is projecting the largest U.S. corn crop on record. Based on data as of August 1st, this year’s corn production is estimated at 16.742 billion bushels, 13% larger than 2024, on an all-time high for average yield at 188.8 bushels per acre thanks to favorable weather and higher planted area of 97.254 million…Continue Reading

Fertilizer efficiency improves bottom line

Increasingly high fertilizer prices have farmers seeking ways to maximize the value of their input purchases.                       Kip Jacobs, regional agronomist for the eastern U.S. with Mosaic, says some biological additives can make that costly fertilizer more available for plant uptake. “Especially now when margins are getting tighter and tighter.”  He says, “If we can do…Continue Reading

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