CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange Director says the labor crunch across the U.S. is only going to get tighter. Rob Fox tells Brownfield the historic surge in immigration in recent years has helped to offset lower workforce participation rates. “They really made the problem kind of less acute for the time being, but in 2025 and moving…… Continue Reading
See & Spray impacting soybean traits
Advancements in spraying technology are bringing changes to soybean traits. Katy Martin-Rainey, professor of soybean genetics at Purdue, says current soybean varieties don’t hold up well against most pre-emergent herbicides, but that needs to change. “See and Spray technology is something that everyone is quite excited about because we have a lower herbicide application overall…… Continue Reading
Uncertainties a concern for farmland values
An ag real estate specialist says there’s a tremendous amount of uncertainty that could impact farmland values. Paul Schadegg is with Farmers National Company. “I’m not sure that I’ve ever experienced a time where we’ve been dealing with more geopolitical and policy and administration events, and unrest overall across the world. And that certainly causes…… Continue Reading
The Band Perry Are Officially Back
The Band Perry are returning to Big Machine — but there’s a lineup change from the original sibling trio. Continue reading…… Continue Reading
TBD: USDA’s National Farm Security Action Plan impact on hog farmers
It’s unclear what impact the USDA’s National Farm Security Action Plan might have on hog producers who contract with Smithfield Foods. Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins tells Brownfield the Trump administration will consider all options assessing foreign owned ag land, including land owned by ag companies like Smithfield Foods, a subsidiary of WH Group Limited. “The…… Continue Reading
NEFB says Congress needs to take up ag labor crisis
The president of the Nebraska Farm Bureau says he’d like to see Congress create a solution for the nation’s ag labor crisis. Mark McHargue says that could eliminate any confusion surrounding the administration’s policy on amnesty for farmworkers. “I think we have to know where our workers are coming from. We have to know their…… Continue Reading
Trump names Chief Ag Negotiator nominee
President Trump has named Julie Callahan as the nominee for the chief ag negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Callahan is currently the assistant USTR for ag affairs and commodity policy and ag groups are responding positively to the news. U.S. Meat Export Federation CEO Dan Halstrom says at a critical time…… Continue Reading
Farm Bureau Pavilion unveiled during Michigan Livestock Expo
The first steps to renovate Michigan State University’s Livestock Pavilion were unveiled this week during the Michigan Livestock Expo. Michigan Farm Bureau President Ben LaCross tells Brownfield the facility has been renamed the Farm Bureau Pavilion as part of a gift agreement with the university. “A lot of our farmers use the pavilions for expos…… Continue Reading
FDA to eliminate 18 “obsolete” dairy standards of identity
The Food and Drug Administration wants to eliminate what they call 58 obsolete and unnecessary food standards of identity, including 18 dairy products. Clay Detlefsen with the National Milk Producers Federation tells Brownfield the FDA wants to get rid of three categories within the standards of identity rules: Products no longer on the market, foods…… Continue Reading
Farmers concerned about MAHA impacts
A southwest Indiana farmer says he’s concerned the next Make America Healthy Again report will impact U.S. agriculture. Phil Ramsey says he’s concerned misinformation could impact crop protection availability. “We need the chemicals to be able to control the weeds,” he says. “All of them have been through the EPA, they’ve been through the testing.…… Continue Reading
