Author: staff

Lurking just beneath the crop canopy, waiting to rob yield and wreak havoc, are hidden criminals: herbicide-resistant weeds. As technology has advanced, these weeds adapt to control tactics, often faster than we can respond, making them the “most-wanted” weed species.  Herbicide-resistant weeds are one of the most significant problems facing farmers, costing them time and money, said Isaac Schroeder, division agronomist for Superior Ag, headquartered in southwest Indiana. “Resistance has forced a larger financial investment in a more robust residual program because weeds are a lot easier to control before they emerge,” he said. According to the Iowa State Estimated Costs of…

By Cami Koons The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has confirmed the state’s first 2025 detection of the highly pathogenic avian influenza with a case in a multi-species backyard flock in Clinton County.  This follows a series of detections in commercial and backyard flocks across the state beginning in December 2024.  The Iowa Department of Natural Resources also reported a resurgence of the H5N1 bird flu in wild birds in the same month.  Avian influenza is listed as a low public health risk according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Infections to humans have come from direct contact with dairy…

By Roberto Samora SAO PAULO, Jan 8 (Reuters) – Dry weather is limiting soybean development in Brazil’s southernmost state, putting farmers on alert there at the same time as excessive rain is set to disrupt early harvest work in central areas of the country, according to meteorologists. Expectations for the 2025 soy harvest in Brazil, the world’s largest producer and exporter, are sitting above 170 million metric tons. But output in Rio Grande do Sul, where rains have been scarce, is essential for achieving the target, which would be a record, according to some private consultancies. “Some areas have gone more than…

Corn farmers in Iowa, and across the country, will have “full and fair” access to markets in Mexico after a United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, panel found Mexico’s bans on genetically engineered corn were against USMCA commitments.  The U.S. brought forward seven claims under the trade agreement in 2023 and on Dec. 20, 2024, the USMCA panel sided in favor of the U.S. claims, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  Under a 2023 presidential corn decree, Mexico initiated a ban on GE corn in dough and tortillas and called for the gradual elimination of GE corn from other food sources…

CHICAGO, Jan 6 (Reuters) – Condition ratings for winter wheat declined during December in Kansas, the top U.S. winter wheat producer, even as dry conditions subsided in parts of the state, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Monday. The United States is the world’s No. 5 wheat exporter. The USDA issued its last national winter wheat ratings of the season on Nov. 25, reporting 55% of the U.S. crop in good-to-excellent condition, the highest for that time of year in six years. Over the winter, the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service releases monthly reports for select states. The government…

By Ryan Hanrahan The Hill’s Alex Gangitano reported Tuesday that “President-elect Trump on Tuesday refused to commit to not using the U.S. military to gain control of the Panama Canal, after vowing last month to take over operation of the key passageway.” “Trump was questioned during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago about his recently targeting the canal as well as Greenland for possible American expansion and if he would say he would not use the military to gain control of it,” Gangitano reported. “‘I’m not going to commit to that. It might be that you have to do something,’ Trump said. ‘Look,…

By Jeff Beach A group of North Dakota landowners is appealing the state’s approval of an underground carbon storage area for Summit Carbon Solutions, the company attempting to build the world’s largest carbon capture and storage project.  The group represented by Bismarck attorney Derrick Braaten on Thursday filed the appeal in Burleigh County District Court, asserting that the North Dakota Industrial Commission withheld information and violated state law in approving the storage permit plan on Dec. 12.  The permanent underground carbon storage sites in western North Dakota are a key piece of Summit’s planned five-state pipeline network capturing greenhouse gas…

By Nick Paulson, Gary Schnitkey, and Jonathan Coppess In December, the U.S. Congress passed legislation that 1) continued the current farm bill into 2025, 2) appropriated $20.78 billion for disaster aid to farmers, and 3) appropriated $10 billion in economic assistance payments to farmers. This article discusses these impacts, with a focus on the $10 billion in economic assistance which is estimated to provide $42.51 per acre for corn and $29.50 per acre for soybeans to offset projected economic losses for the 2024 production year. Continuing Legislation On Dec. 21, 2024, the U.S. Congress passed, and President Biden signed into…

By Ryan Hanrahan Just a few days into the New Year, the trend in layoffs at agriculture-related companies is continuing, with John Deere announcing layoffs at its Ottumwa, Iowa, plant and Bridgestone-Firestone announcing it is offering buyouts at its agricultural tire plant in Des Moines. Agriculture Dive’s Nathan Owens reported that “as crop farmers struggle with income declines, agricultural equipment manufacturers have actively reduced production in an attempt to align inventory levels with customer demand. Deere, AGCO, and others are expecting challenging conditions through at least the first half of 2025.” Deere & Co. Layoffs Owens reported that “Deere &…

Consider a commercial-grade vacuum that is not only more powerful but also offers myriad advances such as quieter operation, better filtration systems, and undercarriages that make transporting them across floors easier. Before heading out to compare vacuums, do some Internet searching to pare down your shopping list. The market for shop vacs is huge. Also, prices for commercial-grade vacuums can start at around $250 and soar to over $1,200 in short order. Don’t shop only for horsepower When rating vacuums, don’t get overly impressed with canister size and horsepower ratings. A canister has little to do with its performance. True,…