A Minnesota non-profit is developing new markets to help improve profitability for farmers. Agricultural Utilization Research Institute executive director Shannon Schlecht says their focus is to add value and support the ag economy in the Upper Midwest. “And I think we know a lot of that has to do with market opportunities and just helping…… Continue Reading
Wheat up on lower dollar, oversold signals
Soybeans were modestly lower on fund and technical selling. Planting and emergence are ahead of average, with generally favorable conditions expected in the next several days. There are some areas of concern, but for now, expectations are for a solid 2025 yield. Soybeans are also watching Argentina’s harvest and waiting for the totals on Brazil’s…… Continue Reading
Short-term planting windows coming
An atmospheric scientist says a decent planting window is expected for much of the Corn Belt in the next week. Eric Snodgrass is with Nutrien Ag Solutions. “Most of Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and the whole Western Corn Belt, except Kansas, has wide open windows coming, and those are starting right now.” But he says…… Continue Reading
Cheese and butter processors pick up production
The USDA says cheese and butter production started to pick up steam in March while other products remained mostly slumped. Total cheese production was more than 1.2 billion pounds, up 1.4 percent from last year and nearly 10 percent from the prior month. Italian cheese production was up incrementally on the year and more than…… Continue Reading
Waiting on dry conditions to resume planting
A farmer in north-central Missouri says he’d like to have a break in the consistent rains to finish soybean planting. “We shut down operations on Easter weekend and haven’t been back since.” Brandon Thiel from Malta Bend tells Brownfield field conditions are close to being dry enough to resume planting, but “we’ve had several days…… Continue Reading
MMPA says milk quality & safety are essential
The head of Michigan Milk Producers Association says USDA staff reductions won’t stop food safety efforts throughout the supply chain. Joe Diglio tells Brownfield, “While there might be maybe some less oversight within the government ranks, I don’t believe that the practices being followed today from the farm community all the way through the supply chain…… Continue Reading
USDA budget proposal gets mixed reviews
U.S. Senators have mixed reviews on President Trump’s 2026 budget proposal, which if realized, would cut 18% of federal spending at the USDA. At a Senate Ag Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on Tuesday, chairman John Hoeven, a Republican from North Dakota, said lawmakers can work with USDA to save money, but “we’ve got to know we’re…… Continue Reading
Reconciliation pivotal in farm bill discussions
A member of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee says she’s gravely concerned about the effects of ongoing budget reconciliation efforts in Congress. Nikki Budzinski, an Illinois Democrat, says this week’s expected committee markup of the legislation is pivotal for a new farm bill. “In this markup, it’s going to be debated about $230 billion of…… Continue Reading
AFBF economist says off-farm income is keeping farmers going
An economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation says off-farm income is helping keep U.S. farming operations afloat. Danny Munch says a recent Market Intel Report shows 98% of farms receive some form of off-farm income. “The average on farm income was a loss of $900 in 2023,” he says. “That means that numerically, most…… Continue Reading
The 20 Best Movies of the Last 20 Years
The 20 films of the last two decades you need to see. Continue reading…… Continue Reading
