Author: staff

With harvest nearly wrapped up across the U.S., we asked agronomists to reflect on the 2025 season. According to the USDA Crop Progress report released on Nov. 17, 91% of the U.S. corn crop and 95% of the U.S. soybean crop had been harvested. Across the Corn Belt, the growing season left its mark. Threatened In Illinois, Phil Krieg, agronomy service representative for Syngenta Crop Protection, summarized the season by the word “threatened.”  “The corn crop was threatened by late planting due to too much rain—wettest April on record,” Krieg said. “The threat continued throughout May and June for many.…

By Roberto Samora SAO PAULO, Nov. 19 (Reuters) – Brazilian soymeal exports in November are estimated at 2.68 million metric tons, a roughly 200,000-ton rise compared to last week’s forecast, putting Brazil on track to hit a monthly record for shipments. According to data from grain exporters group Anec on Wednesday, the previous monthly record was set in Oct. of last year, when Brazil exported 2.46 million tons of soymeal, which is mainly used as animal feed and is mainly destined for importers in Europe and Asia. Compared to Nov. of last year, Brazilian soymeal exports could increase by more…

By Mackenzie Huber As some South Dakota dairy farmers struggle to find workers and as the state’s unemployment rate remains the lowest in the nation at 1.9%, South Dakota’s economic development office continues to approve incentives for the industry. Two boards affiliated with the state Governor’s Office of Economic Development approved $17 million of aid for businesses this month, according to a press release from the department. Most of it was for dairy operations. “When businesses grow in our small towns, it creates a ripple effect that strengthens the whole community,” said Commissioner Bill Even, who leads the office. “Each of these projects represents…

By Andrew Hockenberry, Jonathan Coppess, and Bryan Endres On Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in Learning Resources, Inc., v. Trump (Case No. 24-1287). The case asks whether the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) authorizes the President to impose tariffs on countries based on national security or other threats to the United States. Beginning in February 2025, President Trump unilaterally began imposing tariffs on China through an executive order claiming authority under IEEPA. On April 2, 2025, President Trump expanded the implementation of tariffs covering every nation in the world, as well as increased tariffs on China. On April 22,…

Tens of thousands of blue jackets filled the streets of Indianapolis during the 98th National FFA Convention and Expo last month, as members took part in service projects, general sessions, competitions, industry tours, and more. The National FFA Organization shared the impressive stats from the largest-ever annual gathering of FFA members, advisors, alumni, and supporters.  Image by AGDAILY More than 73,000 attendees traveled from across the country to the convention. Their presence delivered an impressive $41 million in economic impact to the “Circle City” as members and advisors spread out across the Indiana Convention Center, Lucas Oil Stadium, the Indiana…

Longtime Border Patrol agents have seen their share of creative smuggling attempts, but this one layers on the irony thicker than the cuts at a butcher’s counter. On November 14, Nogales Station Border Patrol agents, at the Interstate 19 immigration checkpoint near Amado, Arizona, discovered methamphetamine hidden inside packages of meat — the latter a product that, depending on its origin, is also likely illegal to bring across the border. Agents working the primary inspection lanes referred a Nissan Versa, with Sonora, Mexico, license plates, for further inspection. An X-ray scan of the car revealed anomalies in the trunk, leading…

A new economic analysis released by the Meat Institute shows just how critical meat and poultry processing is to the U.S. economy, especially in rural communities that depend on the industry for jobs, tax revenue, and local investment. According to the report, the meat and poultry processing sector directly contributes $57.3 billion in value to the national economy and supports nearly 584,000 jobs. When accounting for ripple effects across the supply chain — including livestock production, feed manufacturing, transportation, equipment, and other supporting industries — the total economic contribution climbs to $347.7 billion, supporting more than 3.2 million jobs nationwide.…

What if everyday cameras (the same ones in our phones) could reveal the hidden chemistry of crops? Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are making that a reality, turning low-cost RGB cameras into powerful tools that can read plant nutrients, assess crop stress, and even predict growth. Today, farmers and manufacturers rely on expensive multispectral cameras to understand what’s happening inside their crops. These tools can cost upward of $10,000, putting them far out of reach for many operations. By contrast, most people already own an RGB camera — but these only capture visible colors. That’s where the Illinois…

Synthetic dyes, a byproduct of petroleum, give food the enticing colors that consumers have come to expect. Yet, their association with ultra-processed food (UPF) and allegations of links to hyperactivity in children have driven advocacy groups to call for them to be removed from our food. The movement to ban dyes has recently transitioned from the state to the federal level, and businesses are scrambling to change their formulas ahead of the artificial-dye deadline. There are nine synthetic food dyes on the market in the United States — one is approaching its deadline to be removed from the food supply,…

Experts say cost, logistics, and limited state funding could all be contributing to the disadoption of cover crop use. When Levi Lyle was just 6 years old, his father was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. With treatment, his father survived his diagnosis. The ordeal changed how he farmed. “It created an openness in his approach to farming to start doing things differently,” Lyle said. His father started no-till farming when the practice was still rare in Iowa. A decade ago, when Lyle, now 47, moved back to the family farm, he and his father jumped into organic farming. “My…