Author: staff

DAILY Bites Michael Wayne Butikofer stole over $5 million in livestock and COVID-19 pandemic benefits, leading to his 15-year federal prison sentence. Butikofer operated a fraudulent cattle-feeding operation, selling cattle without ownership rights and defrauding investors. He exploited H-2A migrant workers, subjecting them to poor conditions and threats while continuing fraudulent practices even after his indictment. DAILY Discussion A Clayton County, Iowa, farmer who stole over $5 million in livestock and COVID-19 pandemic benefits was recently sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison. Michael Wayne Butikofer, 54, from Monona, received the prison term after a December 1, 2023,…

Corn and soybean harvest is sailing along Iowa, Illinois, and Nebraska. In all three states, corn harvest is nearing the halfway mark, and soybean harvest is even further along. Here’s a closer look at harvest progress for all three states using pie charts and input from agronomists. Comparing corn harvest and yield Illinois corn harvest reached 49% the week ending Oct. 13, 5 percentage points ahead of the five-year average. Based on acreage data published by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) in June, this means there are just under 5.5 million acres of corn still to be harvested in…

Two agriculture specialists with U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Texas intercepted a “First in Port” pest on board a motor vessel arriving from Vietnam to the Brownsville Seaport. “CBP agriculture specialists play a key role in preventing invasive pests from negatively affecting the agriculture of our country. I commend CBP agriculture specialists for the interception of this First in Port pest, Artaxa sp., that has the potential to defoliate hundreds of species of trees and shrubs,” said Tater Ortiz, port director at the Office of Field Operations at the Port of Brownsville. The interception occurred September 18. The vessel being…

December corn is down 3½¢ this morning. November soybeans are down 7¾¢. December wheat contracts are mixed. CBOT wheat is down 1¾¢. KC wheat is down less than a penny. Minneapolis wheat is up 2¢. This morning USDA announced more sales to Mexico and unknown destinations: Mexico is buying 197,180 metric tons of corn for the 2024/2025 marketing year.Unknown destinations are buying 101,000 metric tons of corn for the 2024/2025 marketing year. December live cattle are up 30¢ this morning. January feeder cattle are up $1.23. December lean hogs are up 40¢. December crude oil is down 13¢. The U.S.…

DAILY Bites Over 150 experts from agencies and universities joined forces to address PFAS challenges in agriculture. The workshop developed strategies for detecting and reducing PFAS contamination in soils, water, and food systems. Plans are underway to create tools and practices to help farmers in areas severely affected by PFAS. DAILY Discussion Concerns have been growing over “forever chemicals” in drinking water and beyond. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service as outlined new strategies following a recent workshop aimed at addressing the rising concern of Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination in agricultural soils and waters. With PFAS increasingly…

Recent trade policies have imposed tariffs to boost U.S. production, but Midwest agriculture has suffered, losing ground to competitors like Brazil in soybeans and pork. Farmers urge the new administration to prioritize free trade and stable agreements. Just as he did in 2016 and 2020, Iowa farmer and rancher Lance Lillibridge plans to vote for Donald Trump this November. However, this self-described conservative said his vote for the former president will come with concerns. “His policies didn’t do us any good; his tariffs didn’t do us any good,” said Lillibridge, referring to Trump’s first term as president. At the start…

It has been an early and fast-moving soybean harvest for Wisconsin. As of the latest USDA Crop Progress report released Oct. 15, the Badger State is over three weeks ahead of its progress from the 2023 soybean harvest. Here’s a look at the harvest season so far, according to agronomist feedback and pie chart comparisons. Soybean harvest and yield As of Oct. 13, Wisconsin has completed 83% of its soybean harvest. Based on data from the June Acreage Report, there are only 360,400 acres of soybeans left to harvest statewide. This mark is well ahead of the state’s five-year average…

FFA members and supporters nationwide will celebrate agriculture and agricultural education during the 97th National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis. This time-honored tradition will be held Oct. 23-26. The National FFA Organization is the nation’s premier school-based youth leadership development organization, with more than 1 million members and 9,000 chapters in rural, suburban, and urban schools in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. FFA’s mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. “Our FFA mission is…

Pumpkin regattas are quirky, family-friendly competitions where massive pumpkins are transformed into boats, and participants race them across lakes or rivers. These events have grown in popularity across North America, with towns hosting them as part of their fall celebrations. The tradition of pumpkin regattas, while lighthearted, combines impressive feats of agriculture with fun and entertainment. Wayne Hackney of Winchester, New Hampshire is credited as the first American to paddle a giant pumpkin he grew in 1996. However, the Windsor Pumpking Regatta soon kicked off on Canada in 1999, with the trend spreading across North America.  The pumpkins used in…

DAILY Bites AI combined with genetic sequencing detects milk anomalies like contamination or antibiotics. Untargeted AI methods identify deviations in milk that traditional approaches may miss. AI could enhance detection of food fraud and safety issues across the food supply chain. DAILY Discussion By combining the genetic sequencing and analysis of the microbes in a milk sample with artificial intelligence, researchers were able to detect anomalies in milk production, such as contamination or unauthorized additives. The new approach could help improve dairy safety, according to the study authors from Penn State, Cornell University and IBM Research. In findings published earlier…