Author: staff

In the USDA Crop Progress report released on Aug. 11, all but three states reported dented corn. Here’s a closer look at the 15 states that reported and the three that have yet to report for that crop growth stage. North Carolina North Carolina is leading the pack with the most dented growth stage being reported at 83%. That was an increase of 12 percentage points since the prior week. The five-year average for this time of year is 59%. North Carolina’s corn was rated 1% very poor, 3% poor, 18% fair, 61% good, and 17% excellent for the week…

The public is anxiously awaiting the release of the second Make America Healthy Again Commission report. On this episode of Agri-Pulse Newsmakers, Cathy Burns, president and CEO of the International Fresh Produce Association, discussed the opportunities her group sees in the upcoming guidance, the need for ag labor reform, and when consumers may begin to see higher produce prices caused by tariffs. Plus, Dan Basse, president of Ag Resource Company, discussed the USDA’s bin-busting corn crop projections and China’s lack of soybean purchasing this year. Becky Rasdall Vargas, a senior vice president at the International Dairy Foods Association, also joined…

Corn growers across parts of the Midwest have been reporting an unusual and potentially yield-limiting phenomenon — tassel wrap — and agronomists say it’s worth scouting fields now to assess its impact on pollination. Tassel wrap occurs when the upper leaves remain tightly bound around the tassel during the critical pollination window, explained Dan Quinn, Purdue University Extension corn specialist. Normally, tassels emerge fully and shed pollen in synchrony with silk emergence. When tassels stay enclosed for several days, pollen release may be delayed, sometimes until it’s too late for early silks to be fertilized. The result can be a…

Tar spot has spread to 33 counties in Nebraska, according to the latest Crop Protection Network (CPN) map. This is up from 19 counties back in mid-July. In addition to Nebraska, confirmed cases have also been reported in Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.”Tar spot started early in Nebraska — confirmed as early as in V6 corn,” said Tamra Jackson-Ziems, a plant pathologist and Extension specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.The fungus Phyllachora maydis causes tar spot. It produces 1/16–3/4-inch round to irregular diamond-shaped, raised black structures called…

As part of a strategy she referred to as “the most sweeping actions in our country’s history to date” to combat New World Screwworm, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced that the U.S. will build a sterile fly production facility in Edinburg, Texas. The ag secretary shared the news during a press conference with Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Friday. It follows her announcement in June that the USDA would construct a sterile fly dispersal facility in that region. “This [production] facility will triple our current output and eliminate our sole reliance on Panama and Mexico for sterile fly supply,…

Federal and state officials are rolling out what they say will be the most aggressive response in U.S. history to stop the New World screwworm from reaching Texas, warning that the flesh-eating parasite could devastate the nation’s livestock industry and drive up food prices if left unchecked. “This can result in billions of dollars of losses a year,” Texas Governor Greg Abbott said at a press conference today in Austin. “It could truly crush the cattle industry as well as other livestock sectors in Texas — and in doing so, lead to a dramatic spike in grocery prices.” The screwworm,…

After losing nearly 16¢ Thursday, November soybeans regained almost every penny Friday, ending up 14¢ at $10.42½ per bushel. Week-over-week, the contract closed up 55¢. December corn ended the day up 8¢ at $4.05¼ per bushel. For the week, the contract closed down less than a penny. December CBOT wheat ended the day up 2½¢ at $5.27 per bushel. December KC wheat also closed up 2½¢ at $5.28½ per bushel. December Minneapolis wheat was down 2¾¢ at $5.89¼. All three contracts closed lower week-over-week. October live cattle ended the day up $3.83 at $230.65 per hundredweight (cwt). September feeder cattle closed…

Graduate students pursuing careers in meat science and animal science are encouraged to apply for the annual W.D. Farr Scholarship program. Established in 2007 by the National Cattlemen’s Foundation, the scholarship recognizes outstanding graduate students committed to advancing the beef industry. Two $15,000 grants are awarded to graduate students who demonstrate superior achievement in academics and leadership. Previous scholarship recipients recognize that the program not only benefits their work but also the entire industry. “Receiving the W.D. Farr Scholarship enhanced my ability to share my research with veterinarians and producers in the field, as well as direct future research initiatives…

On Tuesday, the USDA predicted U.S. farmers will produce a record 16.7 billion bushels of corn this fall.  The World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) and Crop Production reports released by USDA on Tuesday were a shock to the ag industry, and several groups jumped at the opportunity to call on Congress and the Trump administration to take steps to increase demand for the U.S. corn crop. Here’s what they had to say.  National Corn Growers Association Founded in 1957, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) represents more than 36,000 dues-paying corn growers in 48 states, and the interests…

Celebrating American cowgirls nationwide, Durango Boots, in partnership with the Dude Ranch Foundation, awards its second annual National Day of the Cowgirl $30,000 scholarship to University of Tennessee Knoxville student, Laurel Cox. The National Day of the Cowgirl holiday, celebrated each year on September 15th, honors the spirit, strength and contributions of cowgirls across the country. Applications for the 2026 scholarship will be open September 15 through December 31, 2025. Eligible undergraduate students pursuing degrees in the Western industry are encouraged to apply. “The Western industry is rooted in traditions such as faith, hard work, and community, and these principles…