Weathering the storms

The director of agriculture in Arkansas says farmers are doing their best to weather spring storms. Wes Ward tells Brownfield strong winds and tornadoes damaged grain bins, fences and poultry barns across portions of the state last week. “There was farm equipment out in fields and the tornado that came through Lake City, it was…Continue Reading

New MO beef packing plant expected to open this week

Missouri Ag Director Chris Chinn says America’s Heartland Packing will process 2,400 head of cattle each day, once fully operational. “I think their plan, when they get completely up and going, is to do 1,200 head per day of cull cattle: cows and bulls, and then, the other 1,200 will be finished cattle.” Chinn says…Continue Reading

Minnesota net farm income sinks to lowest level this century

A new report shows net farm income in Minnesota has fallen to its lowest level this century. University of Minnesota Extension economist Pauline Van Nurden says the median income dropped to just under $22,000 in 2024. “Going back to the mid 1990’s, still the lowest median net farm income for Minnesota producers over that whole…Continue Reading

Excessive rains flood Missouri Bootheel fields

Missouri Bootheel farmer Rance Daniels says some of his recently planted rice fields are underwater following the excessive rains over the last week. “We had 10.5 to 12 inches of rain in my area and north of me, up around Bernie and Dexter, I think they were closer to 14 inches of rain.” But Daniels,…Continue Reading

Minnesota farmers limited by wet weather

Widespread rain and snow limited spring fieldwork in Minnesota last week. In its first weekly crop report for 2025, USDA says there were less than two days suitable for fieldwork. There were isolated reports of fertilizer and manure applications and tillage. Oat planting is two percent complete, two weeks behind last year and two days…Continue Reading

Heavy rains and flooding likely to impact Arkansas’ crops

Northeast Arkansas farmer Derek Haigwood says he had a pretty decent start to this year’s planting season. “My family, all in all, probably had about 750 acres of rice planted and probably 900 acres of corn planted,” he says.  According to the latest Crop Report from the USDA 15 percent of the state’s rice crop…Continue Reading

Corn and rice planting gets started in MO

Corn and rice planting is underway in Missouri. In the first weekly crop progress report of the season, USDA says six percent of the corn is planted in Missouri, in-line with last year’s pace and three points ahead of the previous week. Rice planting is just getting started in Missouri at two percent complete, behind…Continue Reading

Small grain planting underway in Iowa

Oat seeding is a little ahead of normal in Iowa’s first weekly USDA crop report for 2025. At 20 percent done, the pace is two days ahead of the five-year average but does trail last year by more than a week. Minimal fieldwork was done during the week because of cool, wet conditions, but some…Continue Reading

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