Author: staff

The National FFA Organization has officially opened applications for its 2025-26 scholarship program, offering nearly $2.5 million in financial assistance to FFA members pursuing their next steps in education. Whether students are headed to a trade school, vocational program, or a two- or four-year college, the online application gives them access to a wide range of scholarship opportunities funded by FFA’s generous corporate partners and supporters. The application period runs now through January 15, 2026, and all high school seniors and FFA alumni currently enrolled in college are eligible to apply. Notifications for both winners and non-winners will be sent…

Ahead of 9 a.m. CT, December corn was down less than a penny at $4.26¾ per bushel. January soybeans were up 6¼¢ at $11.23¼ per bushel. December CBOT wheat was up 3¼¢ at $5.31 per bushel. December KC wheat was up 1¾¢ at $5.21 per bushel. December Minneapolis wheat was up 1¾¢ at $5.59¾. “This week will be full of yield estimates coming in before the much-anticipated WASDE [World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates] report on Friday. …” said Jacob Burks, chief experience officer with AgMarket.net. “I would anticipate a range-bound trade going through the week looking for real information to…

Biological products are some of the fastest-growing categories of crop inputs, potentially helping farmers unlock new yield potential, improve soil health, and increase the efficacy of fertility programs. “The real promise of biologicals lies in their flexibility,” said Fred Below, a University of Illinois crop physiologist. “It’s the only category that can potentially make every part of the production system work a little better.” But, with hundreds of products on the market, it can be difficult to separate promise from proven performance. Defining the Space One challenge: Even the terminology is muddy. Below noted that many farmers feel overwhelmed by…

In 1957, the future of Allis-Chalmers (AC) tractors was revealed in a dandy 34-hp tractor. Heralding a significant departure from its past tractor designs, the D14 was the vanguard of AC’s D Series and represented a complete modernization of its tractor line. And just in time. Farms were growing in size and farmers were demanding not only more horsepower but also better features on that horsepower. Recognizing that need, Allis engineers set about designing a new generation of horsepower and brought out the D14. This model would soon be joined by six additional tractors ranging in power from 31 engine…

It’s notoriously difficult to shop for gifts for farmers. How many socket sets does one person need? These ideas are useful enough for a farmer to appreciate, but they wouldn’t necessarily buy them for themselves. That’s a recipe for a great gift! Keep the Pigs Warm Make winter chores more bearable with these rechargeable heated insoles from Weston. They come in two sizes and can easily be moved from work boots to tennis shoes. The water-resistant insoles have eight heating zones and three temperature levels, warming to 130°F in temperatures as low as -20°F. A charge lasts around eight hours,…

For Justin Butts, the path to becoming a farmer was riddled with bumps and detours, including a stint in the Navy, a misdiagnosed medical crisis, culinary school, and a derailed first attempt at leasing a farm. Thanks to the work ethic and ability to persevere he honed in the Navy, Butts finally has his own farm, and now he’s giving back. 15 Minutes With Justin Butts See more episodes of 15 Minutes With a Farmer. Please rate and review us! Garden Roots As a child in rural Pennsylvania, Butts enjoyed gardening alongside his grandfather, a World War II veteran. “When…

The Supreme Court heard arguments this week on President Donald Trump’s use of emergency powers to impose tariffs. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., the top Democrat on the Senate Ag Committee, discussed attending the arguments and why she believes the court will strike down the president’s use of a 1977 law to implement his tariffs. She also outlined what’s needed to end the government shutdown and whether she’ll support farm aid for trade losses this year. Trade experts Greta Peisch of Wiley Rein and Mayur Patel of Hogan Lovells also weighed in on the case’s implications for agriculture. Watch the Episode…

By Morgan Chilson TOPEKA — China’s plan to increase soybean and sorghum purchases moved the market in a positive direction and gave Kansas farmers a measure of relief amid high input prices and tariff challenges. “It was great to see that America’s farmers, our soybean producers especially, were a priority in conversation last week with China,” said Kaleb Little, CEO of the Kansas Soybean Association. “Sept. 1 started that new crop year, and up until last week, China had bought zero new crop soybeans from the U.S.” China has traditionally been the largest international purchaser of U.S. soybeans, but this year’s…

The U.S. Drought Monitor released its latest map this week, highlighting a mixed pattern of drought changes, with both improvements and renewed dryness across the country.  Locally heavy rainfall (1–4 inches) was reported in northwestern Montana, northern Idaho, and much of the Northeast. Lighter totals, generally 0.5–2 inches, were observed across the Middle and Lower Mississippi Valley, upper Southeast, central Carolinas, central Appalachians, and Upper Ohio Valley. In contrast, much of the Lower Mississippi Valley, the central and eastern Gulf Coast, the South Atlantic region, and the Great Lakes received little to no measurable precipitation. Following last week’s beneficial rainfall,…

October has come and gone, and harvest in the U.S. is nearing the finish line. While the USDA has yet to resume publishing its weekly crop progress reports, a Reuters poll shows U.S. soybean harvest was 91% complete and corn harvest was 83% complete as of Sunday.  To get a sense of how October unfolded in the field, we asked agronomists across the Corn Belt to sum up the month in a single word. Variabile Nick Groth, agronomic service representative for Syngenta Crop Protection covering the state of Wisconsin, described the corn crop progress for the month of October as variable.…