Author: staff

By Cami Koons A Thursday press release from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, about the department’s response to the highly pathogenic avian influenza, shows the nation imported more than 26 million shell eggs, counted by the dozen, since January, which is more than 10 times the amount imported during the same period in 2024.  Increasing egg imports, enhancing biosecurity, researching vaccine options, and providing financial relief to farmers were all elements of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins’ plan to combat HPAI and lower the cost of eggs.  Rollins said her five-pronged plan “has worked,” noting a 64% drop in wholesale egg…

By Cami Koons Across the state of Iowa, approximately 2% of planted corn acres are beginning to silk, and 13% of soybean acres are blooming, which is five days ahead of the five-year average, according to the Crop Progress and Condition report.  The report, put out weekly by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, showed Iowa corn rated 83% good to excellent and soybeans rated 77% good to excellent.  Iowa’s oat crop also rated highly with 85% good or excellent. Nearly all oats in the state, 81%, have headed and 27% are coloring. The first cutting of alfalfa hay was…

1. Wheat Futures Drop as Harvest Continues Wheat futures were lower in overnight trading as the U.S. winter harvest rolls on. Nineteen percent of the U.S. winter crop was collected as of Sunday, up from 10% a week earlier, the Department of Agriculture said in a report. That’s still behind the prior five-year average of 28%.  Growers in Kansas, the biggest producer of winter varieties, 20% of the crop was in the bin versus just 3% a week earlier, but still well behind the average of 31% for this time of year, the agency said.  About 49% of winter wheat…

By Galen Bacharier Republicans in North Carolina’s legislature are split on the details of hurricane relief for the western mountains. Almost a month ago, the House approved a new round of aid as the region continued to rebuild from Hurricane Helene. That aid bill then sat frozen for a month — until Monday. Senators fast-tracked it and sent it back to the House, with major changes. The last-minute Senate markup threw a wrench into plans to approve the aid before the legislature leaves Raleigh this week. The House on Tuesday unanimously voted to reject those changes, forcing lawmakers to go to a…

By Ana Mano SAO PAULO, June 24 (Reuters) – Brazilian farmers will produce a record 123.3 million metric tons of second corn, agribusiness consultancy Agroconsult said on Tuesday after surveying fields in key producing regions nationwide. Second corn, which Brazilian farmers are harvesting now, will account for about 80% of national output this year. It is mainly exported in the second half, competing with U.S. corn suppliers on global markets. Brazil is reaping “the mother of all safrinhas,” Andre Pessoa, head of Agroconsult, told a press conference, referring to second corn, which is planted after soy is harvested in the same areas. Good weather conditions, particularly abundant rains throughout April and May,…

It’s not often that a collector runs across an extremely rare tractor. However, unless it can be restored to running condition, it’s little more than a museum piece. On the other hand, if it’s really that rare, any replacement parts that are needed are likely unavailable or nearly impossible to find. That has all changed, though, thanks to new technology and 3D printing. As Alex Fuselier, with Aumann Auctions, related, “Historically, the only way you could make an obsolete part was to go to a pattern maker, who would typically make a wooden foundry pattern. You would then take that…

On June 30, 2025, the USDA will release the annual Acreage report with corn and soybean planted acre estimates. In 15 of the past 20 years, corn acres have increased from USDA’s March Prospective Plantings report to June’s Acreage report. This year, Farmers Business Network (FBN) is anticipating a net reduction in planted corn acres by 300,000 acres, according to FBN’s U.S. acreage report. “An acreage shift lower for corn is not a common occurrence,” said Cody Bills, director of market data and analysis at FBN. “The average acreage change is an increase of .47 million acres.” Corn FBN found…

By Carl Zulauf, Gary Schnitkey, Jonathan Coppess, and Nick Paulson U.S. corn and soybean yields have deviated notably less from trend yields during the first quarter of the 21st Century than during the last quarter of the 20th Century. The decline is especially large for U.S. corn if the 2012 drought is treated as an outlier event. Percent deviations from trend yield that have occurred so far in the 21st Century imply a 2025 U.S. harvested yield distribution that varies from 142 to 205 for corn and from 43 to 57 for soybeans. Using the percent deviations during the last quarter of the 20th Century, the ranges…

Senate Republicans are still working through a few major issues as they continue trying to pass the reconciliation bill by President Trump’s July 4 deadline. Sen. Raphael Warnock, the only southern Democrat on the Senate Ag Committee, discusses how he thinks the bill’s treatment of SNAP, Medicaid, and Inflation Reduction Act programs could hurt rural America.Then, Jacqlyn Schneider with FGS Global discusses how conservation funding and the broader farm bill coalition could be affected by reconciliation, and Rachel Sheffield from the Heritage Foundation discusses the more aggressive SNAP work requirements. Watch the Episode “Want to receive Newsmakers in your inbox…

Mark Crave, general manager and operating partner of Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese, shares how his family’s multi-generational dairy and cheese operation in southern Wisconsin blends tradition with innovation. From managing 2,200 cows to powering the farm with manure, sustainability and family farming go hand in hand for the Craves. 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! Lisa Foust Prater and Mark Crave have a chat on the 15 Minutes With a Farmer podcast. Meet Mark Crave Crave, the youngest of seven siblings, grew…