Author: staff

Corn planting got off to an uneven start last month across top corn-growing states. Near-perfect conditions pushed some growers ahead, while persistent rain left others stuck on the sidelines.  Even within the same Corn Belt state, conditions have varied widely, creating a patchwork of progress across the region. Here’s a look back at April, drawing on USDA’s first four Crop Progress reports of the season and insights from agronomists. Iowa Although corn planting in Iowa tracked with the five-year pace for the first couple weeks of April, the state’s corn planting surged the week ending April 20. Progress continued to…

In her first 100 days as secretary of agriculture under the Trump Administration, Brooke Rollins has taken aggressive steps to refocus the U.S. Department of Agriculture as part of her mission to put “Farmers First.” The policy under Rollins has reprioritized some of the doctrine of Trump’s previous Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, who adopted the slogan “Do Right and Feed Everyone” in his tenure. Rollins has zeroed in on the rollback of what she describes as the Biden Administration’s “woke Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion agenda,” aiming instead to build a USDA that emphasizes “unity, equality, meritocracy, and color-blind policies.” “It…

1. Wheat Futures Higher in Overnight Trading Wheat futures were higher overnight on some technical buying and unfavorable weather in parts of the Canadian Prairies.  Investors who were short the market, or had bet on lower prices, likely bought back contracts and booked profits after the front-month contract earlier this week dropped to the lowest level since August.  Also giving prices a boost are tightening global inventories of the grain.  Stockpiles at the end of the 2024-2025 marketing year are projected at 260.7 million metric tons, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That’s down from the 269.1 million metric…

No matter whether your farm is big or small, commercial or hobby, or focused on crops or livestock, there’s one tool that people in the agricultural industry universally carry: a knife. That trusty sharpened blade has a multitude of uses, and it’s rare that you’ll ever see me without one on my hip. While we all have personal preferences about blade shape and choosing a fixed blade vs. a folding knife, it’s not uncommon to hear the question asked: Which are the best knives for farmers and ranchers? I’m a bit of a knife nut — I use them for…

With black cutworm moths making their annual migration into the Midwest, agronomists are urging farmers to begin scouting susceptible fields to avoid significant crop damage. Trapping reports from across Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, and Wisconsin indicate increasing moth activity, marking the beginning of a high-risk window for corn. Flight Monitoring Trapping efforts begin April 1st and continue through the end of May for black cutworm and armyworm in Illinois and other Midwest states. “This gives us an indication of when moths start arriving and helps us determine potential areas where insect pressure might be a little higher,” said Kelly Estes, Illinois…

Farmers can now submit nominations for the 2026 Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year contest, which comes with cash prizes — and, of course, bragging rights! This is the eighth year of the contest, which celebrates farm dogs and the many ways they support farmers and ranchers. The grand prize winner — Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year — will win a year’s worth of Purina Pro Plan dog food and $5,000 in prize money. The winner will be recognized at a Farm Dog of the Year award ceremony at the American Farm Bureau Convention in Anaheim, California,…

By Morgan Chilson TOPEKA — The Trump administration defunded 16 of 17 Feed the Future labs across the country when it began wiping out U.S. Agency for International Development projects. After months in limbo, Kansas State University found out its lab is the lone survivor. Two K-State labs that are part of the Feed the Future network received stop work orders in January. In early April, K-State officials received notice that the Climate Resilient Cereals Innovation Lab could resume work, said Timothy J. Dalton, professor of agricultural economics and interim director of the lab. The second lab, the Feed the…

By May, not just flowers start blooming all over the countryside — so do straw cowboy hats. Traditionally, the transition from felt to straw hats happens at Easter and lasts up to Labor Day, which coincides with rising temperatures and longer days. But as is typical with all things cowboy, practicality trumps tradition. Some swap out simply depending on the weather rather than the calendar. For example, when I was a kid and riding in the wilderness in the summers, I discovered that felt hats may be warmer, but they also handle thunderstorms and hail considerably better than straw. When…

Just after 9:00 a.m. CT, July corn was up 3¼¢ at $4.75½ per bushel. July soybeans were 4½¢ higher at $10.54¾ per bushel. Jamey Kohake, senior risk manager with Pinion said it was a solid opening for row crops, “Exports were pretty solid with corn [Thursday]. We’re kind of rationing that with [Thursday’s] highs at times, trying to really see if new orders go up there.” He added, “[It] could be the forecast is turning dry again for western Mississippi, we’ll see if the market starts to put in any sort of limited premium short term.” July wheat markets were…

U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) have reintroduced the Strengthening Local Processing Act, a bipartisan bill designed to support small meat and poultry processors in improving their operations. The legislation aims to expand access to food safety planning tools, allow more inspector-approved meat products to be sold across state lines, and provide funding for training, education, and technical assistance grants. “South Dakota’s producers work hard to raise high-quality livestock and play a critical role in our nation’s food supply,” Thune said. “It’s important that we invest in expanding local processing capabilities to help them meet consumer demand.…