Author: staff

Train collisions are a rare occurrence on America’s roads, thanks to modern safety systems, improved rail infrastructure, and public awareness campaigns. However, when they do happen, the consequences can be severe due in part to the sheer size and weight of both the trains and the vehicles, as well as the potential bodily harm. Despite the safety measures, one major collision involving a grain truck took place earlier this month near Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, and it’s gaining a lot of attention because it was caught on another vehicle’s dashcam video. Around 2:13 p.m., police responded to numerous reports of the…

Just past 8:30 a.m. CT, July corn was down 3¼¢ at $4.86¾ per bushel. July soybeans were up 4¼¢ at $10.45¾ per bushel. July wheat contracts were lower. CBOT wheat was down 5¾¢ at $5.46½ per bushel. KC wheat was down 3¼¢ at $5.60½. Minneapolis wheat was down 3¢ at $6.11. Yesterday, USDA released the weekly Crop Progress report. Corn and soybean planting progress in the leading corn- and soybean-growing states was pegged ahead of the five-year average for both crops. June live cattle were up $1.43 at $205.18 per hundredweight (cwt) just past 8:30 a.m. CT. August feeder cattle…

There’s no shortage of adorable children’s books out there, and this includes books about agriculture! Kids are never too young to learn about ag. Hearing stories about cows, farmers, tractors, and so much more can help kids grow up with an understanding of what ag is and why it’s important to their life. Reading also exposes children to new vocabulary, helps them develop empathy, and ensures they are exposed to different lifestyles and learning about the world around them. Let’s take a look at some of the best and most fun children’s books about agriculture! 1. Please Tip the Cows…

By Leah Douglas WASHINGTON, April 21 (Reuters) – The Food and Drug Administration is suspending a quality control program for testing of fluid milk and other dairy products due to reduced capacity in its food safety and nutrition division, according to an internal email seen by Reuters. The suspension is another disruption to the nation’s food safety programs after the termination and departure of 20,000 employees of the Department of Health and Human Services, which includes the FDA, as part of President Donald Trump’s effort to shrink the federal workforce. The FDA this month also suspended existing and developing programs that ensured accurate…

1. Corn Futures Rise in Overnight Trading Corn futures were higher overnight on signs of demand for U.S. supplies and as the value of the dollar plunges.  Sales of U.S. corn to overseas buyers in the week through April 10 jumped to 1.56 million metric tons, the USDA said. That’s up 99% from the previous week and 39% from the prior four-week average.  Mexico was the big buyer at 401,500 metric tons, followed by Japan at 263,300 tons, and Spain at 240,000 tons.  Soybean sales jumped to 554,800 tons, up from 172,300 tons the week prior, and 74% from the average,…

From unfavorable weather to weed resistance, where others may see a defeating circumstance, Tim Dahl sees a problem to solve.  An agronomic service representative for Syngenta Crop Protection in southern Minnesota, Dahl is one of the contributing agronomists for Successful Farming’s coverage of the USDA’s Crop Progress report. He’s worked in the agricultural industry for more than 35 years. The Minnesota native spoke with us about growing up in the seed business and the biggest challenges confronting growers this season. SF: How did you end up in the ag industry?  TD: I grew up on a farm here in southeastern…

Authorities have confirmed that the body of Dr. Shawn Frehner, a Las Vegas-area veterinarian who had been missing for nearly two weeks, was recovered near the Boulder Islands in Lake Mead National Recreation Area. The Clark County (Nevada) Coroner’s Office identified Frehner the day after the National Park Service reported the discovery. Frehner’s disappearance on April 6 came shortly after a video, originally shared by Shawna Gonzales, circulated online showing a man kicking a horse during a medical procedure in Pahrump. The video, which animal-rights groups later amplified, showed the man, believed to be the 56-year-old Frehner, interacting with a…

By Cami Koons Research from The Nature Conservancy found current clean energy tax credits, if kept in place through 2032, would add more than $238 million in annual economic value to Iowa.  Some folks fear that the tax credits will be slashed by congressional leaders as they stare down hefty budget cuts and eye Biden-era environmental policies. But advocates of the clean energy credits say they are essential to reaching American energy dominance. The study looked at clean energy tax credits impacting transportation, power generation, industry, and buildings. Those categories comprise sectors from renewable vehicle fuels, to carbon sequestration, to home solar installations, and…

Three springs ago, a despicable derecho ravaged our region. We eventually engaged a scrap iron guy to haul away some of the wreckage the storm had created at my parents’ farm. It was gratifying to think that the steel from our ruined grain bins was going to be recycled, perhaps into new grain bins. Like many farms, ours had a quantity of dilapidated equipment — a wrecked car, an ancient Case combine, other miscellaneous junk — that had been placed into long-term storage in the shelterbelt. I told the scrap guy exactly where these items could be found, instructing him…

The Environmental Protection Agency is set to launch a series of five listening sessions next week to gather public input on the definition of “waters of the United States,” or WOTUS, following the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling that narrowed the agency’s regulatory authority. Beginning April 29, the sessions are designed to collect targeted feedback from a range of stakeholders. The agency is seeking input on key issues raised by the ruling, including the definitions of “continuous surface connection” and “relatively permanent” waters, as well as how to distinguish between jurisdictional and non-jurisdictional ditches. On March 12, 2025, the agencies announced a Federal…