Author: staff

The National FFA Organization is one of six national organizations to each receive a $10 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. These grants are being awarded through the latest round of Lilly Endowment’s initiative, Character Development Through Youth Programs, which helps youth-serving organizations with a nationwide reach create, test, implement and sustain strategies that support character development in young people ages 5 to 18. This grant will enable National FFA to expand its current efforts of character development to regional and local levels that will benefit states, teachers and students. “We’re deeply honored to receive this support from Lilly Endowment,”…

Beginning farmers face a wide range of barriers including access to capital and markets, and they may not have a previous generation to teach them how to run a farm and business. FarmPath, a new program from nonprofit Farm Foundation, aims to support beginning farmers in the U.S. through a combination of practical tools, coaching, and early access to capital. The goal is to increase the success rate of beginning farmers and help them build generational operations. According to the FarmPath website, the program will reduce financial barriers by providing startup micro-grants to help with critical early purchases. Participating farmers…

The 180-year experiment at Rothamsted Research — the world’s longest-running agricultural trial — has revealed that long-term application of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers can significantly increase the amount of carbon stored in farmland soils, helping to mitigate climate change. An international team of scientists led by Zhejiang University, China, together with partners at Rothamsted in England and the University of Bangor, analyzed samples from the Broadbalk Classical Experiment, which has been growing winter wheat continuously since 1843, and found that plots receiving nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers contained up to 28 percent more soil organic carbon than those left unfertilized. The…

What Happened Recent movement in grain and oilseed prices might be described as watching paint dry. Little price volatility is reflective of a standoff in fundamental factors as well as other outside influences. Harvest pressure, uncertainty with a government shutdown, trade wars, and ample supplies are keeping a lid on prices. December corn futures, currently trading near $4.20, have not moved outside this mark by more than 15¢ for several weeks. Soybeans have been trading in a range of nearly $1 for a year, with the most recent trade activity in a 50¢ pattern. Wheat futures also have been on…

Bob Evans Restaurants aims to continue advocating for agricultural education with donations totaling $25,000 this fall. Bob Evans donated $5,000 to each of the following Ohio organizations: the Ohio FFA Foundation, Ohio 4-H, and Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation. Second, a $10,000 donation was made to the National FFA Foundation, benefitting FFA chapters in Ohio and Indiana. The restaurant chain is based in New Albany, Ohio. The three $5,000 donations included funds raised during Bob Evans’ 54th annual Farm Festival. This event took place in Rio Grande, Ohio, on the original Bob Evans Farm and birthplace of the brand, from October…

The USDA was expected to publish the 28th Crop Progress report of the growing season today, delayed from its usual Monday release by the federal holiday. However, the report was not published for a second week because of the continued government shutdown. The shutdown has affected half of the expected October reports from USDA. Just six more reports are anticipated after today for the 2025 season: two more in October, and four in November. In lieu of data from USDA, here are progress and condition estimates from other industry sources. Corn U.S. corn harvest reached an estimated 44% the week…

Like it or not, you’re going to start hearing people talk about Christmas very, very soon. Sure, Halloween and Thanksgiving haven’t arrived yet for 2025, but that doesn’t mean Walmarts, Dollar Generals, and other discount retailers aren’t carving out a sizable section of their stores for everything wintery and wonderlandy. And the centerpiece of the seasonal festivities is a Christmas tree. For agriculture, that means supporting growers and getting your hands on a live, real tree. With so many changes in agricultural pricing, inputs, and market availability this year, the Real Christmas Tree Board has revealed the results of its…

As of 9:38 a.m. CT, December corn was up 1¾¢ at $4.12½ per bushel. November soybeans were down 3¾¢ at $10.04 per bushel. December CBOT wheat was up 2¼¢ at $4.99 per bushel. December KC wheat was up 4¢ at $4.85¼ per bushel. As of 9:30 a.m. CT, December Minneapolis wheat was up less than a penny at $5.52. “Grain and soybean futures came under renewed pressure in early trade with soybean contracts falling to nine-session lows, corn futures sliding to six-plus-week lows, and wheat futures again sliding to new contract lows,” said The Brock Report of the overnight session.…

If Congress passed legislation that allowed for year-round, nationwide access to fuels with 15 percent ethanol blends, corn use in ethanol could increase by 50 percent at full implementation, supporting a higher market price for corn and energy stability for Americans, according to a new analysis released by the National Corn Growers Association. “Congress could address the economic crisis affecting corn growers by passing legislation that would make higher blends of ethanol readily accessible to all Americans,” said NCGA President Jed Bower. “We urge Congress to act now to make that happen.” NCGA has spent months calling on Congress to…

Farmers, ranchers, and other ag stakeholders have dedicated considerable effort in recent decades trying to get more people onto farms and learning about this industry we love. Yet, it’s not realistic to get all people to visit farms and make that connection with their food sources. Despite this barrier, millions of people are getting their first taste of agriculture in a different way — through video games. A wide variety of games such as Farming Simulator, Stardew Valley, and Hay Day have become a surprisingly popular part of the gaming industry. Players get to virtually harvest crops and raise livestock,…