Author: staff

Key Points This report is the USDA’s final Crop Progress report of 2025.U.S. corn harvest reached 96%, just shy of the five-year average.Winter wheat progress is largely on track with average. The USDA released the final Crop Progress report of the growing season today. Here’s a look at corn and wheat crop progress for the week that ended Nov. 23, 2025. Corn Harvest Nearly Wrapped As of Nov. 23, 96% of the corn crop across the country’s top 18 corn-growing states had been harvested, up from 91% a week ago. That’s just behind the five-year average of 97%. Last year at this time,…

A coalition of 18 farmworkers, the United Farm Workers, and the UFW Foundation has filed suit against the Trump administration over a new federal rule that would significantly reduce hourly pay for both domestic and H-2A agricultural workers. The lawsuit, filed November 21 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, argues that the Department of Labor’s revised Adverse Effect Wage Rate methodology unlawfully slashes wages and could shift hiring incentives away from U.S. workers. The rule, unveiled October 2 as an interim final rule without public comment, restructures how H-2A minimum wages are calculated. According to…

This month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency advanced approval of two new crop protection products, cyclobutrifluram and isocycloseram — causing a major backlash from environmental activists concerned over claims that these pesticides use PFAS, better known as “forever chemicals.” But, the devil is in the details, and claims don’t always mesh with reality. Cyclobutrifluram is a nematicide/fungicide for use on turf, ornamentals, and romaine lettuce, as well as cotton and soybean seed. The EPA said no human-health risks of concern were identified when this pesticide is used according to the label. Isocycloseram is a broad-spectrum contact insecticide which would be…

Tyson Foods’ plan to shut down its longtime beef plant in Lexington, Nebraska, is raising concern across the state’s cattle industry and rural communities. The plant, employing approximately 3,200 workers, will shut down sometime around January 20 as Tyson restructures its beef operations amid shrinking national cattle supplies. The Lexington plant is one of Tyson’s major Midwestern beef facilities, which have been operating below capacity as cattle numbers drop to their lowest level in nearly 75 years. Tyson also said it sustained continued financial losses in its beef business and would move to streamline operations by shifting production to other…

Image by Nokwan007, Shutterstock Top Third Ag Marketing, a division of StoneX Financial Services Inc., helps farmers become better agricultural marketers with the goal of marketing crops in the top third of prices. Mark Gold and his team provide AGDAILY.com with the latest information and a look ahead in their audio commentary. Listen to Mark Gold’s Weekly Grain Comments here! https://www.agdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Top-Third-agdaily-2025-11-24.mp3

When the Lauderdale County FFA String Band from Alabama stepped under the bright lights of the National FFA Talent stage, they brought five and a half years of friendship, countless hours of practice, and small town grit.  Made up of seniors Titus Norton and Connor McMains, along with sophomore Ty McMains, the group represents not only their Rogersville school but also the heart of the FFA experience. What began as kids learning music in the ag shop has now grown into a national championship story that will be told around their community for years. Image courtesy of Ivy Harbin Before…

Pre-harvest and year-end are typically the two key seasons for large equipment to sell at auction – but this year, so far, the overall numbers are down. Dave Mowitz and Andy Campbell discuss this trend and some of the possible drivers behind it, and where they believe the 2025 used equipment market will end up. However, not all types of machinery have seen a slow down. Older models are seeing gains in sales prices and desirability, perhaps due to simpler maintenance and relatively lower prices versus newer models. High horsepower tractors are also seeing steady demand. As the myriad factors…

The Agriculture Department will soon roll out the second stage of the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program. We asked Richard Fordyce, undersecretary of agriculture for farm production and conservation, about the program and when — or if — the trade aid payments previously teased by the administration will be announced. Plus, Joby Young outlines what’s included for agriculture in the deal lawmakers struck to reopen the government and Dan Halstrom with the U.S. Meat Export Federation discusses the impact of the U.S.-China trade deal for the meat industry. Emily Skor with Growth Energy also weighs in on the biofuel sector’s continued…

After years of research and development, autonomous technology has arrived. With labor shortages and changing weather conditions creating smaller productivity windows, autonomy may be the key farmers are looking for.  Autonomous solutions have finally moved past the trial stage, with limited commercial availability in 2025. Previously, manufacturers had provided farmers with autonomous technology to test — but 2025 marks the first growing season in which farmers bought and used this technology for themselves.  Autonomous equipment is now out in the fields seeding, spreading fertilizer, weeding, tilling, and hauling grain carts. Heavy Machinery AGCO has adjusted its strategies to ensure its…

By Cami Koons Republican and Democratic legislators agreed Thursday that water quality is a pressing issue in the state along with property taxes and public health — all of which will be necessary to balance as the Legislature returns in January.  Water quality, cancer, and conservation efforts in Iowa were a key topic on day two of the Iowa Nature Summit at Drake University as a panel of Iowa lawmakers discussed potential 2026 policies.  Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, D-West Des Moines, said water quality, especially after a lawn watering ban was issued in central Iowa over the summer due to elevated nitrate…