Author: staff

A farmer from Decorah, Iowa, is accused of stealing enough corn and soybeans to fill nearly 25 tractor-trailer rigs — grain valued at over $175,000 — and hiding the income during an ongoing bankruptcy case, according to authorities in Winneshiek County. According to reporting from The Gazette newspaper out of Cedar Rapids, Kurt Krauskopf, 47, turned himself into the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office on Monday after a warrant was issued for his arrest. Court records show he was released without posting a bond. Krauskopf faces charges including ongoing criminal conduct, a Class B felony; two counts of first-degree theft, Class…

By Ryan Hanrahan Reuters’ Casey Hall, Brenda Goh and Mei Mei Chu reported last week that “U.S. agriculture producers are bracing for the prospect of a fresh trade war under U.S. President-elect Donald Trump again hitting exports of farm goods to China, but they said while any new tariffs would hurt, they felt better prepared.” “China is the largest market for U.S. … soybeans, the top U.S. export to China, but it has been trimming purchases. U.S. agricultural exports to China fell 24% last year to $29.1 billion, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA),” Hall, Goh and Chu…

“Solar boom covers farmland that could feed millions,” reads an environmental news headline in the July 6 issue of New Scientist. The author, Madeleine Cuff, goes on to say the “huge numbers of panels being installed on prime farmland (worldwide is) taking quadrillions of calories out of the global food supply.” Solar farms installed in deserts or low value pasture lands has always been the textbook image portrayed. Now they are here in force, and builders want to put them on nice, flat land close to existing transmission lines and roads. I can’t really blame them. It’s much easier to…

Lots of people like to pit organic and conventional agriculture against each other. There’s a lot of misconceptions about both organic farming and conventional farming, and this can lead to a lot of tension between them — and a lot of tension in the eyes of the public. But is ag really always organic versus conventional? Some people think that organic food is healthier, more nutritious, and overall better for you and the environment. Some claims about conventional agriculture are that it’s bad for the environment, uses too many chemicals, and is made up of “factory farms.” Let’s set the…

December corn is up 3¢ this morning. This morning USDA announced Mexico is buying 110,500 metric tons of corn for the 2024/2025 marketing year. January soybeans are down 2¢. December wheat contracts are mixed. CBOT wheat is up 2½¢. KC wheat is down less than a penny. Minneapolis wheat is up 1¾¢. “Soybean futures came under further pressure in early trade while corn futures and wheat futures were narrowly mixed in very cautious action amid a lack of fresh fundamental news,” said The Brock Report, referring to the overnight trade. “Technical follow-through to a weak Monday close, anticipation of an…

Top Third Ag Marketing helps farmers become better agricultural marketers with the goal of marketing crops and livestock in the top third of prices. Mark Gold and his team provide AGDAILY.com with the latest information and a look ahead in their audio commentary. Listen here! https://www.agdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/top-third-agdaily-2024-011-11.mp3 The post Markets in Minutes: Top Third looks ahead for week of Nov. 11, 2024 appeared first on AGDAILY.

Kristopher Klokkenga is the fourth generation to run his family’s 1,500-acre centennial farm near Emden, Illinois, midway between Peoria and Springfield. Eighty-five percent of his production is organic, including food-grade yellow and white corn, popcorn, alfalfa, and non-GMO soybeans, as well as conventional corn and soybeans.  His travels led him to Ghana. While farming he met and married his wife, Christina, from Denmark. The opportunity to take over his family farm led them back to the U.S., where they now raise their four children.  SF: How did you end up on a winding path that led from your family farm in…

Listen to the Podcast Meet Brent Rendel Brent Rendel grew up on his family’s Oklahoma farm but didn’t think he would become a career farmer. After earning a mechanical engineering degree from Oklahoma State University, he joined the Navy as a nuclear engineer. Serving aboard a submarine, Rendel served his country and saw the world. When his service was complete, Rendel returned to Oklahoma, went to work for the family metal fabrication business, and eventually joined the family farm. We discuss his time in the military, lessons learned on the farm that helped him in the Navy (and vice-versa), and…

The grain markets have turned lower with wheat futures getting hit hard. Last week the corn and soybean markets posted impressive gains after the bullish USDA reports. Wheat futures closed mixed to lower. The main factor today is the major rainfall event that moved through the dry areas of the southern Plains this weekend. This pressured wheat prices first during the overnight trade, and then weighed on corn and soybean prices. This morning, December corn futures are down 3¢, January soybean futures are 42¢ lower, and wheat futures are 12¢ to 17¢ lower. Even though corn and soybean prices are…

The U.S. agriculture economy in 2024 is facing an unusual combination of events, leading to an unpredictable machinery market. Despite this, farmers can still improve their equipment fleets if they know where to look. Options are available, and in some cases prices are approaching historic lows.   “I think we’re going to be in the middle of 2026 before we level out into a new normal,” says Moving Iron podcast host Casey Seymour. “I’m anticipating a very active auction time frame through December where if you have the money, you’re going to be able to get some bargains. And I…