Author: staff

By Ian Karbal  Legislation intended to aid the state’s response to highly-pathogenic avian influenza, or bird flu, passed the Senate Wednesday. It was the first bill this session to pass through both chambers of the legislature. The bill, if signed by the governor, will eliminate citizenship requirements for people who want to become licensed poultry technicians in Pennsylvania, though they must be allowed to work in the country legally and undergo training. The goal is to expand the number of certified testers for bird flu. The bill received a bipartisan vote in both chambers, though it was opposed by four…

By Gary Schnitkey and Nick Paulson The Enhanced Coverage Option (ECO) is a county-level crop insurance product that some farmers may wish to consider, as premium costs will be lower in 2025. In today’s article, we describe ECO, discuss factors to consider, and provide recommendations for its potential use. Enhanced Coverage Option (ECO) ECO is a county-level crop insurance product that can be purchased to supplement a farm-level COMBO product (see Farmdoc Daily, Nov. 24, 2020 for a more detailed description). Farmers have the option to insure at either a 90% or 95% coverage level. ECO’s coverage mirrors that of the underlying COMBO…

By Tom Polansek CHICAGO, Feb 11 (Reuters) – Argentina, a major grain supplier, will harvest less corn and soy than previously expected after hot, dry weather hurt crops, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Tuesday. Grain traders have been closely monitoring dryness in Argentina because it is the world’s top exporter of soyoil and meal, the No. 3 exporter of corn, and competes with the U.S. for global grain and soy sales. Corn production is particularly important because world inventories for 2024-25 are projected to drop to their lowest level in a decade due to robust demand and a…

In 1911, a quiet and thoughtful man left Massachusetts, bound for East Moline, Illinois, to take on the job as superintendent of Deere & Co.’s Marseilles Manufacturing Company. Management at Deere quickly took note of Theophilus (better known as Theo) Brown’s ability to conjure innovative solutions to engineering challenges. Brown was one of those rare talents who could recognize a problem and then visualize its solution. Brown would note improvements to a design and then move with uncharacteristic speed (at least for an engineer) to create an advance. Using colored pencils to draw out his concepts and copious notes annotating…

BEIJING/PARIS, Feb 12 (Reuters) – Chicago corn and wheat futures edged up on Wednesday as traders awaited U.S. inflation data and further indications on crop weather and U.S. tariff policy. Soybeans eased, extending Tuesday’s fall as higher-than-expected forecasts of U.S. soybean and corn stocks from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) weighed on the market. The most-active soybean contract <Cv1> on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) was down 0.5% at $10.38-1/2 a bushel by 1157 GMT while CBOT corn <Cv1> inched up 0.1% to $4.84-1/2 a bushel. CBOT wheat <Wv1> rose 0.6% to $5.80-1/2 a bushel, breaking a three-session…

1. Wheat Futures Higher in Overnight Trading Wheat futures rose in overnight trading amid signs of demand for U.S. agricultural products.  Several countries including South Korea, Japan, and Algeria have in recent days issued tenders to purchase wheat from global supplies or have already done so.  Importing countries since the start of the grain’s marketing year on June 1 have agreed to purchase 18.8 million metric tons of U.S. wheat, up 8% from the same timeframe last year, according to data from the Department of Agriculture.  Accumulated exports since the beginning of June now stand at 13.8 million metric tons,…

AGCO Corporation released the Massey Ferguson SB.1436DB small square baler at the 2025 National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, Kentucky this week. The baler produces two rows of bales per field pass, doubling the output of a single baler that produces 14-by-18-inch bales. “The SB.1436DB is built to meet the needs of modern hay producers who face increasing pressure from labor shortages, tight harvest windows, and demanding quality standards,” said Dane Mosel, marketing manager, Massey Ferguson.  Field Performance The ability to produce two rows of bales per pass reduces labor, equipment, and fuel costs. “This baler makes a bale that…

In this episode, I have a chat with Alex Rodgers. He is an ag educator, coach, and FFA advisor at Southeast Warren Community School District in south-central Iowa, where my sons went to school. He’s pictured above with two of my boys, Luke and Will. Listen to the Podcast Subscribe to 15 Minutes With a Farmer on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Please rate and review us! Meet Alex Rodgers Rodgers grew up on a farm in southeast Iowa, and after his family got out of production agriculture when the farm crisis hit in 2008, his involvement in…

The National FFA Organization invites you to show your support for the organization on Feb. 20 with a donation to further the experiences of its members. “Give FFA Day is an opportunity for each FFA supporter to magnify their impact on the lives of more than a million FFA members when they join other donors across the country,” said Kimberly Coveney, senior manager of individual giving for the National FFA Foundation. “We know that every gift makes a difference, and we are grateful for our donors and their continued support and belief in our members, FFA, and agricultural education.” This…

The U.S. Senate confirmed Brooke Rollins as the next USDA Secretary in a 72-28 vote on Thursday. The 33rd secretary’s confirmation comes 83 days after President Trump first announced his surprise pick for the cabinet position. Rollins is a graduate of Texas A&M University and University of Texas Law School. She previously served as President and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, and President and CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Agriculture groups ranging from commodity organizations to biofuels advocates reacted to the confirmation, stressing their priorities for the new…