Author: staff

“I just need to toughen in!” So said Old Frank, my new landlord at the time. I was 21 in the winter when I rented a small dairy farm, sight unseen, from Old Frank.  Old Frank was several years past his 80th birthday when he and I first crossed paths in a waiting room. Frank was garrulous and gregarious and soon shared with me that he had a problem: The tenant of a dairy that he owned was exiting the farming business.  “I’m too old to farm anymore,” Frank lamented. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with that…

The International Agri-Center, World Ag Expo, and the Central Valley Toyota Dealers presented a check for $91,442.32 to Valley Children’s Healthcare during the All Guild Picnic on May 28 in Madera, California. This donation marks another milestone in a partnership that began in 2015. Since then, the collaboration has raised more than $875,000 in support of Valley Children’s Healthcare. The funds were generated by the Guilds of Valley Children’s Healthcare through their participation in the World Ag Expo Toyota Tundra Giveaway. Guild members sold tickets for a chance to win a 2025 Toyota Tundra, with all proceeds going directly to…

Today, USDA published the ninth Crop Progress report of the 2025 growing season. Here’s a look at the latest corn, soybean, wheat, and oat numbers. Corn As of June 1, 93% of the corn crop across the country’s top 18 corn-growing states had been planted, which is right on track with the five-year average. Seventy-eight percent of the corn crop had emerged across the top corn-growing states as of June 1. That’s just ahead of the five-year average of 77%. As of June 1, the condition of the nation’s corn crop was as follows: Good/excellent: 69%Fair: 26%Poor/very poor: 5% Soybeans…

Fifty-four students demonstrating academic performance and community involvement will each receive a scholarship to help fund their higher education goals through Hilmar Cheese Company’s annual scholarship program. This program, which has existed since 2003, is one of the many ways Hilmar Cheese helps achieve its company purpose to improve lives together. The scholarship program awarded $40,000 in four categories — children of employees, children of the dairy farm families who ship milk to Hilmar Cheese, part-time Visitor Center staff and students pursing an agricultural undergraduate degree in the communities where the company operates. Fifteen children of employees of Hilmar Cheese…

Top Third Ag Marketing helps farmers become better agricultural marketers with the goal of marketing crops and livestock 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 here! https://www.agdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/agdaily-top-third-2025-06-02.mp3 The post Markets in Minutes: Top Third looks ahead for week of June 2, 2025 appeared first on AGDAILY.

The relationship between a landowner and a renter, like any relationship, needs clear communication. A well-crafted lease can help with that.  There are several critical components to a comprehensive farmland lease. Whether this is all new, or you’re an old pro; you are seeking professional help; or taking the DIY approach, make sure your lease includes these basic elements.  1. Write It Down First of all, and this perhaps goes without saying, but, write it down. While less common today, handshake or oral lease agreements are still at play in American agriculture, but experts advise against them.  “I hear about…

When Samantha Selliers walked into her first ag class at Coalinga High School in California as a 13-year-old freshman, she didn’t realize she was stepping into her future. “Everyone else was 17 or 18, and I was a little 13-year-old,” she laughed. “I really just was like, ‘I don’t want to be here.’ ” But what began as a mandatory high school rule set by her mom — “You have to at least be in FFA your freshman year” — blossomed into a four-year journey of leadership, self-discovery, and national recognition. Now, with a $10,000 National FFA scholarship in hand…

The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), in partnership with Farm Credit Services, is seeking entrepreneurs to apply by June 9 for the 2026 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge.  The national business competition showcases U.S. startups developing solutions to challenges faced by America’s farmers, ranchers, and rural communities. Entrepreneurs must be members of a county or parish Farm Bureau within their state of residence to qualify as top 10 semi-finalists. The application for the challenge — this year is the 12th edition — can be found here. Applicants who are not Farm Bureau members can learn about becoming a member. The…

By Heather Schlitz CHICAGO, June 2 (Reuters) – New World Screwworm, a devastating parasite that eats cattle and other wild animals alive, is traveling north from Central America to Mexico and has crept past biological barriers that kept the pest contained for decades, experts said. Washington halted cattle imports from Mexico in May, citing the insect’s spread further into Mexico, about 700 miles from the Texas border. With the U.S. cattle herd already at a multi-decade low, the closure could further elevate record-high beef prices by keeping more calves out of the U.S. cattle supply. What is New World Screwworm? Screwworms are parasitic flies whose females lay eggs…

By Cami Koons Gov. Kim Reynolds has just two weeks to either sign or veto a controversial bill that would impact carbon dioxide pipelines in Iowa.  On a Friday press call, landowners urged Reynolds to uphold Iowa and GOP values around property rights by signing the bill into law.  House File 639 advanced from the Senate May 13, following four years of effort from a group of landowners and House lawmakers. The bill would do a number of things including require carbon sequestration projects prove they are a common carrier, in order to use eminent domain.  The legislation, and landowner support, comes…