The vice president of government affairs for The Fertilizer Institute says adding phosphate to the Critical Minerals List could help improve its availability. Ed Thomas says the distinction could help bolster domestic production and reduce fertilizer costs. “It takes time, but this will be very helpful in the longer term, if we face similar supply shocks…… Continue Reading

The director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture says farmers are facing numerous headwinds as harvest progresses. Jerry Costello says low commodity prices and high input costs are financially squeezing producers. “The first three months of this year, there were more farm bankruptcies than all of last year.”  He says, “Farm bankruptcies right now are…… Continue Reading

The USDA’s latest hogs and pig report estimates the smallest breeding herd in more than a decade. Ever.Ag Chief Livestock Economist Lee Schulz says producers continue to pull back sows in production as productivity improves. “We have fewer sows today than we did a year ago,” he says. “If you consider anything like a similar…… Continue Reading

A Minnesota farmer who recently hosted the Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee says trade was a focus during the visit. Joel Schreurs welcomed Minnesota Democrat Amy Klobuchar to his Lincoln County farm last week. “The biggest thing that we talked about was the lack of trade into China, and specifically the beans that…… Continue Reading