Author: staff

Agriculture is crucial to North Carolina’s economy, environment, and culture. From the mountains to the coasts, farming is a fabric of the literal and figurative landscape. Yet in recent years, many of the state’s farms have struggled. Data from the latest U.S. Census of Agriculture, which was released in 2024, shows that between 2012 and 2022, North Carolina saw a decline of 7,400 farms. That’s a 15 percent decrease — from more than 50,000 farms to less than 43,000 — in only 10 years. Some counties and communities feel this loss more acutely than others, but the trend is truly…

Shortly after 8:30 a.m. CT, May corn was up 1½¢ at $4.65½ per bushel. May soybeans were down 3¾¢ at $10.23½ per bushel. May wheat contracts were also lower. CBOT wheat was down 6¼¢ at $5.47¾ per bushel. KC wheat was down 7¼¢ at $5.58½. Minneapolis wheat was down 6¾¢ at $5.87¼. April live cattle were up 83¢ at $197.10 per hundredweight (cwt). April feeder cattle were up 20¢ at $274.63 per cwt. April lean hogs were up 5¢ at $86.70 per cwt. April crude oil was up $1.32 at $67.68 per barrel. The U.S. Dollar Index March contract was…

By Mei Mei Chu and Ella Cao BEIJING, March 4 (Reuters) – China suspended on Tuesday the soybean import licenses of three U.S. firms and halted imports of U.S. lumber, stepping up retaliatory action after the United States imposed additional tariffs on Chinese goods. Earlier in the day, China also imposed import levies covering $21 billion worth of U.S. agricultural and food products including soybeans, wheat, meat and cotton. The three U.S companies affected by the license suspensions are farmer-owned cooperative CHS Inc, global grains exporter Louis Dreyfus Company Grains Merchandising LLC and export grain terminal operator EGT, China’s customs department said in a statement. Customs…

The Treasury Department announced Sunday that it is suspending the enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) against U.S. citizens or domestic reporting companies or their beneficial owners. It also plans to issue a new rule to limit the reporting requirement to foreign reporting companies only. U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent called the move “a victory for common sense.”   The Treasury said in a release, “Treasury takes this step in the interest of supporting hard-working American taxpayers and small businesses and ensuring that the rule is appropriately tailored to advance the public interest.” Multiple national groups have reacted…

By Joshua Haiar A four-year controversy that has shaken South Dakota’s Republican political establishment culminated Tuesday in the Legislature’s passage of a ban on eminent domain for carbon dioxide pipelines. The state Senate voted 23-12 to approve the bill, which previously passed the House, and sent it to Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden for his signature or veto. He declined to state his position on the bill during recent press conferences. His spokeswoman issued a statement Tuesday in response to a question from South Dakota Searchlight. “Governor Rhoden is committed to protecting landowner rights and keeping South Dakota Open for Opportunity,” the…

1. Soybeans, Grains Higher in Overnight Trading Soybean and grain futures rebounded in overnight trading on optimism that the U.S. will come to an agreement with Canada and Mexico to avoid prolong tariffs.  President Donald Trump imposed blanket 25% tariffs on all goods from Canada and Mexico, the U.S.’s biggest trading partners, that took effect on Tuesday. Tariffs on China were doubled to 20%.  Canada and China announced retaliatory tariffs and Mexico said it would announce what measures it would take on Sunday.  The U.S. imposition of tariffs and the resulting retaliatory levies led to a massive selloff in commodities…

By Cami Koons A bill advanced from the House Agriculture Committee Wednesday that would establish a pilot program to reduce the average, statewide use of commercial nitrogen fertilizer.  House Study Bill 165 was amended in the committee to task the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship with the administration and development of the pilot program. The program would work with farmers to evaluate crop production strategies that “enhance nitrogen management” in the state.  Rep. Jon Dunwell, R-Newton, said the amendment calls for a $2 million appropriation from the fiscal year 2026 general fund. This would create a dispersal fund for…

Temple Grandin — Colorado State University professor, author, and world-renowned animal behavior expert — has been named one of USA TODAY’s 2025 Women of the Year. The award recognizes her groundbreaking work in animal welfare and autism advocacy. This honor places her among 61 women who are breaking barriers and inspiring change. This isn’t the first time Grandin has been honored, having been listed on the Time 100 list of people who most affect our world in 2010.  Grandin, 77, is renowned for her contributions to livestock handling. She designs industry-standard equipment that improves animal welfare. Her innovations include curved…

Take look at three farmland transactions that transpired in October 2024. 90.71 acres in Pottawattamie County, Iowa Date: Oct. 4, 2024 Price: $17,900 per acre Located about 20 miles northeast of Omaha, Nebraska, 90.71 acres sold via timed online auction. This farm consisted of 82.41 Farm Service Agency cropland acres, holding a Corn Suitability Rating Index (CSR2) value of 91.1, well above the Pottawattamie County average of 68.4. The auction concluded at a final sale price of $17,900 per acre or $216 per CSR2 point. 448.09 acres in Clay County, Minnesota Date: Oct. 30, 2024 Price: $5.4 million Located within…

New Holland’s IntelliSense Sprayer Automation can be used for a wide variety of crops, and a number of full-season application functions.  The IntelliSense system features live variable rate and selective spray modes. It’s compatible with row crops like corn, soybeans, and cotton, as well as small grains like wheat and canola. Mid-season, farmers can use IntelliSense for applications like herbicide, fungicide, plant growth regulator, nitrogen, and harvest aid.  New Holland is launching IntelliSense with no annual subscription or per-acre fee.  “Operators and farmers are going to be able to optimize the return on their inputs and increase productivity both in…