Author: staff

By Ashley Murray WASHINGTON — Five Republican U.S. senators joined Democrats Tuesday to terminate President Donald Trump’s national emergency that triggered steep tariffs on goods from Brazil. The vote came ahead of a major case before the Supreme Court that could decide whether many of the president’s tariffs violate the Constitution. Sens. Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul of Kentucky, along with Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski, Maine’s Susan Collins, and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, supported a joint resolution in a 52-48 vote. The measure’s passage in the Senate marks a shift from a previous effort in April, when Senate Republicans blocked a resolution to terminate…

By Ella Cao and Naveen Thukral BEIJING/SINGAPORE, Oct. 29 (Reuters) – China’s state-owned COFCO bought three U.S. soybean cargoes, two trade sources said, the country’s first purchases from this year’s U.S. harvest, shortly before a summit of leaders Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. As the two nations battle over trade tariffs, the lack of Chinese buying has cost U.S. farmers billions of dollars in lost sales, after they largely supported Trump in his campaigns for president. Although COFCO’s deal for December-January shipment of about 180,000 metric tons of soybeans was China’s first such buy in months, traders do not expect a significant resumption in demand for U.S. cargoes…

By Carl Zulauf, Gary Schnitkey, and Nick Paulson The high cost to produce U.S. crops remains a topic of concern and key farm policy factor in 2025. This article examines the change in cost by input category since the 2014 farm bill authorized the current set of commodity title programs. Percent increase has been highest for chemicals and machinery and equipment. For chemicals, the increase is more likely due to more use than higher prices. For machinery and equipment, higher prices are the more likely reason. Data and Procedures Each year, USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) reports a per acre economic cost to plant…

USDA delays, trade rumors, and volatile prices make this fall tricky. Discover proactive grain marketing strategies to manage risk and protect profits. What Happened in the Market Markets and harvest were humming along when the government shut down, halting USDA news traders use to make decisions. We are left with tweets from the president and harvest rumors. The trade is hopeful the government will open near November 1, when government health insurance premiums are scheduled to go up. However, nothing has been decided at the time of this writing.  A dry fall is helping the harvest pace. When it comes…

Nufarm Americas Inc. has secured EPA registration for two formulations of their chlorantraniliprole insecticide products, Naxypro and Naxypro Plus, now that the active ingredient has come off patent. Chlorantraniliprole is widely known for effective, long-lasting control of lepidopteran pests, the company said in a press statement. European corn borer, armyworms, cutworms, codling moth, and pink bollworm are examples of yield robbing lepidopteran insects. Nufarm is a global crop protection and seed technologies company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia. “The Naxypro insecticide portfolio opens the door to channel partners seeking a technical alternative,” said Jeff Wagner, VP of Sales, Crop Protection at…

National FFA announced today that the National FFA Convention & Expo will continue to be held in Indianapolis through at least 2040. The announcement was made during the kickoff event for the 98th National FFA Convention & Expo, which is expected to bring more than 71,000 FFA members, advisors, alumni and supporters to Indianapolis from across the country. “We’re thrilled about the opportunity to continue calling Indianapolis home for our convention through 2040,” said Cheryl Zimmerman, National FFA Organization Executive Secretary. “This city has proven time and again to be an incredible partner, welcoming our members with open arms, providing…

By Cami Koons U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley called for the end of countervailing duties on phosphate fertilizer during a Senate committee hearing Tuesday on competition in fertilizer and seed industries.  Farmers, retailers and politicians from both sides of the aisle agreed that consolidation in the agricultural industry is making it more difficult for farmers to make ends meet, especially when they are also faced with global trade opposition.  Grassley, chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, said farmers “don’t have a real choice, let alone a fair price” in the seed and fertilizer industries.                       Grassley said one solution would…

What Happened Bullish and bearish traders have arguments as to where soybean prices may be headed. The bulls argue that an eventual adjustment downward to this year’s crop yield, along with a strong crush pace and eventual trade deal with China, will help bolster prices. As winter approaches, potential for less-than-ideal weather in South America could also be a factor. Talk of possible government cash payments to farmers for trade disruptions could reduce the need for farmers to make sales in the near term. Bearish traders argue there is a big crop at a time when the window for a…

Image courtesy of the National FFA Organization During the 98th National FFA Convention & Expo, a group of six dedicated and passionate FFA members will have the honor of leading the National FFA Organization as the 2025-26 National FFA Officer Team. This opportunity promises to be a transformative experience, allowing them to influence the future of the organization and inspire the next wave of agricultural leaders. The process of becoming a national officer is arduous. The candidates — each state FFA association can submit one individual member annually — take part in an extensive interview process with the National FFA…

By Alena Maschke, The Current In the late summer heat, the hours move like molasses. Still, across the cane fields of South Louisiana, migrant workers from Mexico brave the sun and punishing humidity to plant sugarcane. They come from the mountains of Guanajuato and San Luís Potosí, or the tropical coast of Veracruz, working the fields, often up to 70 hours a week. Their long hours spent in the sun create an estimated economic impact of $4 billion in Louisiana annually from sugarcane alone, according to the American Sugar Cane League. Many return for rice and crawfish harvests, spending most…