Author: staff

By Renee Hickman CHICAGO, March 18 (Reuters) – Chicago wheat futures traded both sides of unchanged on Tuesday, holding near a March high underpinned by concerns over U.S. crop conditions. Traders also awaited the outcome of a call between the leaders of the U.S. and Russia over the war in Ukraine. Meanwhile, corn futures fell as traders awaited planting intentions data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and corn and soy dipped on responses to recent U.S. tariffs that could impact U.S. agricultural products. The most active wheat contract on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) Wv1 fell 2-1/4 cents at $5.66-1/4 a bushel by 12:04 p.m. CST…

By John McCracken America’s dairy industry is being ravaged by bird flu, leading to a significant decline in milk production in many states, including California, the nation’s largest dairy-producing state that hit a 20-year low in 2024. But unlike eggs, which spiked in price due to the bird flu’s impact on poultry flocks, consumers aren’t likely to see a similar increase in milk prices because of federal price control laws. However, while those price controls save grocery store shoppers money, dairy farmers say it’s pushing them out of business. “I can’t see how any dairy farm is going to sustain…

A cow giving birth to twins is uncommon, but to triplets — especially healthy ones — is extremely rare. Yet that’s what happened at Ashton Creek Farm in Iowa, where a cow delivered three healthy calves without assistance. Luke Stowater of Cow-Calf Operations told KTIV that the odds of triplets are about 1 in 105,000. Even more unusual, all three calves survived, and their mother accepted them naturally.  Multiple births in cattle are influenced by genetics and environment. Kansas State University’s Beef Cattle Institute reports that twin births occur in about 2 percent of beef cattle pregnancies. Most twins…

Wooly Pig Farm Brewery sits on a gentle rise above Highway 36 and the Tuscarawas River in Fresno, Ohio. It takes its name from the Mangalitsa pigs covered in coats of thick curly wool, that roam the pastures nearby. Kevin Ely and Jael Malenke are the husband-and-wife team that run the brewery — Ely handles the beer and Malenke manages the business. They met in Utah and moved back to the area in 2014 when a farmstead near Malenke’s childhood home went up for sale. Ely is a tinkerer. Two work gloves stick out of one coat pocket and the…

A little past 9 a.m. CT, May corn was down 4½¢ at $4.56½ per bushel. May soybeans were up 2¢ at $10.17½ per bushel. May wheat contracts were higher. CBOT wheat was up less than a penny at $5.69¼ per bushel. KC wheat was up 4¢ at $6.09½. Minneapolis wheat was up 2¼¢ at $6.17¼. “More strong winds of 45–60 miles per hour are expected today into tomorrow for the central and southern Plains winter wheat belt, adding another level of stress to the drought-plagued crop,” said Arlan Suderman, chief commodities economist at StoneX. “State crop condition reports show that…

Purina Animal Nutrition, along with the Land O’Lakes Foundation, has reopened its annual scholarship program designed to assist students with experience in livestock production and animal stewardship in pursuing their passions and furthering their education. Undergraduate students and current high school seniors who have experience raising and caring for small or large livestock, equine and/or poultry are eligible to apply for a $5,000 scholarship. Four students will be awarded based on applications that illustrate the impact animal agriculture has had on their lives, along with details on academic achievements, leadership skills, community involvement, and a clear vision for their future.…

When the machines come out of the shed for planting and you find worn tires, the question always comes up: How long should my tires last and how can I make them run longer? “How the tires are utilized will determine the usable service life of a tire,” said Greg Gilland, Vice President Global Agriculture, Maxam Tire International. “In all instances, the type of machinery, soil conditions, application, and air pressure maintenance will have a direct impact on ability to deliver an improved service life.” Here are some general performance rules of the ag industry, detailing expected tire life span…

The Turn the Bag Blue & Gold program from Brevant seeds provides FFA students with the opportunity to gain industry experience and fundraise for their chapter. Once selected for the program, students from participating chapters can begin selling 200 special edition blue-and-gold bags of Brevant seeds for the following season. For the 2025 sales season, the program raised $62,790 in donations on the local, state, and national levels; since its inception in 2017, the program has donated over $365,000. Participants from six FFA chapters across the Corn Belt partner with the Brevant seeds team to sell the special edition bags…

Ryan Hanrahan Politico’s Grace Yarrow reported Monday that “the Agriculture Department is expected to open applications for economic aid to farmers by the deadline of Friday.” “USDA chief Brooke Rollins promised farmers at the Commodity Classic at the beginning of March that the funds would be ready by that deadline. Senate Ag Chair John Boozman (R-Ark.) told (Politico’s Morning Agriculture) on Friday he’s spoken with Rollins and expects the funds to start flowing on time,” Yarrow reported. “Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) confirmed USDA is ‘very close’ and said last week that farmers can expect an announcement of open applications soon.”…

Proper tire inflation is one of the simplest and cheapest ways to create a noticeable impact on your farm’s fuel consumption. “You can actually save a lot of money by getting the right air pressure, because you’ll have the optimum footprint,” said Dusty Hininger, Firestone Ag field sales trainer. “Realistically, sometimes it’s up to 4% savings, maybe even more, depending on how far away your air pressures are.” Hininger said the biggest issue is that most farmers don’t know what their equipment actually weighs. After getting an accurate measurement, knowing how much to inflate your tires is simple.  Firestone field…