Author: staff

Image courtesy of the National FFA Organization During the 98th National FFA Convention & Expo, a group of six dedicated and passionate FFA members will have the honor of leading the National FFA Organization as the 2025-26 National FFA Officer Team. This opportunity promises to be a transformative experience, allowing them to influence the future of the organization and inspire the next wave of agricultural leaders. The process of becoming a national officer is arduous. The candidates — each state FFA association can submit one individual member annually — take part in an extensive interview process with the National FFA…

By Alena Maschke, The Current In the late summer heat, the hours move like molasses. Still, across the cane fields of South Louisiana, migrant workers from Mexico brave the sun and punishing humidity to plant sugarcane. They come from the mountains of Guanajuato and San Luís Potosí, or the tropical coast of Veracruz, working the fields, often up to 70 hours a week. Their long hours spent in the sun create an estimated economic impact of $4 billion in Louisiana annually from sugarcane alone, according to the American Sugar Cane League. Many return for rice and crawfish harvests, spending most…

Spend enough time with farmers and you’ll soon learn that as different as they are, they all still seem to have some things in common. There are plenty of stereotypes about farmers (like all of them wearing overalls and a straw hat … really?) but it seems like some stereotypes just might be true. I wanted to take a look at some of those classic “you might be a farmer if …” moments. The farmer’s wave is an absolute classic. Every farmer has perfected their version. It’s not a big, whole hand type of wave. Instead, it’s the subtle finger…

Shortly past 9 a.m. CT, December corn was up 3¼¢ at $4.32 per bushel. January soybeans were up 12¢ at $10.97 per bushel. December CBOT wheat was up 5¾¢ at $5.31¾ per bushel. December KC wheat was up 6½¢ at $5.20¾ per bushel. December Minneapolis wheat was up 6¢ at $5.66¼. “It was positive to see the grains rally as a trade deal is anticipated this Thursday [between the U.S. and China]…,” said Cole Raisbeck, commodities broker at Kluis Commodity Advisors, about yesterday’s trade. “Headline risk remains prevalent. Soybeans have rallied roughly 70¢ since the harvest lows, yet not a…

Over the weekend, President Donald Trump announced trade pacts with Malaysia and Cambodia during a trip to southeast Asia. He also provided new details on potential Thailand and Vietnam deals. “These landmark deals demonstrate that America can maintain tariffs to shrink the goods trade deficit while opening new markets for American farmers, ranchers, workers, and manufacturers,” Ambassador Jamieson Greer of the U.S. Trade Representative Office said in a statement. “I thank my counterparts from Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam for their collaboration and commitment in achieving a more balanced trade relationship with the U.S.” As the business week began, agriculture…

By Cami Koons Temperatures across the state of Iowa were near the climatological normal, though precipitation was below average as parts of the state slid into dry conditions for the close of harvest season, according to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.  The IDALS weekly weather report also noted Iowa experienced its first widespread frost during the Oct. 20 through Oct. 26 reporting period.  Crop progress and condition data, typically shared by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is unavailable during the current government shutdown.  Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said the state typically has less than 10%…

By Cami Koons Iowa lawmakers U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn and U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, along with U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wisconsin, urged a “coordinated action” across the Trump administration to prioritize soybeans in a trade deal with China and to finalize renewable fuel guidelines.  The GOP lawmakers addressed a letter Monday on behalf of soybean producers and related industries who have been “priced out of the market” due to the impacts of the ongoing trade disputes with China.  China, a major soybean importer, has not placed an order with U.S. producers this year. Instead, the country has turned to Argentina for…

BEIJING, Oct. 27 (Reuters) – China hopes the United States can meet it halfway to “prepare for high-level interactions” between the two countries, foreign minister Wang Yi told U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a phone call on Monday, China’s foreign ministry said. Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump have “long-standing exchanges and respect each other”, Wang said, calling Xi and Trump’s relationship “the most valuable strategic asset in China-U.S. relations,” according to the ministry. The call came ahead of an expected meeting between Xi and Trump in South Korea on Thursday on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit. The Chinese readout…

Trade relations between the United States and Canada took a dramatic turn this week after President Donald Trump announced a 10 percent tariff increase on Canadian imports, accusing Ontario’s government of running a “fraudulent” advertisement that misrepresented the legacy of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan. The controversy centers on a television ad sponsored by Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s government, which featured excerpts from Reagan’s 1987 speech denouncing tariffs as harmful to American workers. The ad aired in several U.S. markets, including during Game 1 of the World Series, and was widely seen as a critique of Trump’s protectionist economic policies. …

Every autumn, pumpkins take center stage in America, adorning porches as jack-o’-lanterns, starring in pies and lattes and fueling a seasonal economy. What began as an old Irish tale of “Jack of the Lantern” (originally carved from turnips) has grown into a multi-million-dollar U.S. industry. Native to North America, pumpkins are truly an all-American crop, one of the continent’s oldest cultivated plants and a symbol of fall. In 2021, Americans spent over $10 billion on Halloween festivities, and nearly 94 million people planned to carve pumpkins, a testament to the cultural and economic weight of this (typically) bright orange crop.…