A wide-range of temperatures & rainfall ahead for most of the Heartland

Looking ahead, the 6- to 10-day outlook calls for the likelihood of below-normal temperatures from the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys into the Great Lakes and Northeastern States, while warmer-than-normal weather will dominate areas from the Pacific Coast to the High Plains, as well as southern Texas and peninsular Florida.  Meanwhile, near- or below-normal precipitation across…Continue Reading

USDA expects milk production to rise

USDA’s Thursday supply and demand report projects milk production will continue to go up in 2025.  That’s based on larger cow inventories and slightly higher milk yields per cow. Prices for butter, cheese, nonfat dry milk (NDM), and whey are all lowered for 2025 based on recent prices and higher expected milk supplies. Class III…Continue Reading

Minnesota farmers getting the planting itch

Conditions are nearly fit to begin planting across much of southern Minnesota. Dan Glessing farms west of the Twin Cities near Waverly. “We’re getting close. There are some grey hills, but there’s still some black low areas. A farmer north of Cokato did put on some anhydrous right before we got that snow, and I’m…Continue Reading

Strategize ag inputs

A longtime ag economist with Purdue University says farmers need to scrutinize their input budgets in a down economy. Mike Boehlje, professor emeritus, says systematically approaching input purchases can boost profitability. “What we have tried to do is put together something we call the spec sheet, which is commonly used in other industries to worry…Continue Reading

What happens to farm bill in budget reconciliation?

Ag policy specialists are watching how Congress uses the budget reconciliation process to fund parts of a new farm bill. Randy Russell tells Brownfield “there’s going to be, at least an effort made, to take some of the key parts of the farm bill, which would be reference prices, funding for market access and foreign…Continue Reading

New Senate bill would extend 45Z tax credits

New legislation that would extend 45Z biofuel tax credits has been reintroduced in the U.S. Senate. The bipartisan Farmer First Fuel Incentive Act was introduced Thursday by Republican Roger “Doc” Marshall of Kansas and Democrat Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.  Marshall tells Brownfield turning soybean oil into jet fuel is the best opportunity agriculture has had…Continue Reading

Back to the starting line for weed management

An extension weed scientist says many Arkansas farmers are back at the starting line for managing weeds following excessive rains and flooding. “Fields are just starting to dry out now. I would imagine now through next week it’s going to be busy, busy, busy.” Tom Barber with the University of Arkansas says pre-emergence herbicides have…Continue Reading

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