Author: staff

This spring, the news was strongly bearish when the administration announced tariffs on most of the world, including most of our major ag export markets. The U.S. stock market, energy prices, and the grain markets were collapsing sharply. One late afternoon, a worried farmer called me. “Should I sell it all now?” he asked. “I am watching TV all day and — wow — are they bearish!” He told me everything he was reading on the internet was so negative. “I can’t stand it,” he said.  His call, and his reactions, reminded me of the Carter grain embargo in January…

Policy decisions in Washington, D.C., at on the state level affect everyone, but maybe agriculture more than most. From major efforts like the farm bill to more niche topics such as nutrition assistance, conservation, and rural development, policies play a huge role in agriculture and on the way our food system operates. It’s incredibly important that ag has a presence in the making of these decisions. We need to have a seat at the table, not just spend our time producing food for the table. It’s important to recognize that lobbying is not a dirty word. Lobbying tends to have…

By Anna Kaminski  TOPEKA — A water task force meant to ensure the “precious resource is available for generations to come” received its first members this week. The 16-member panel of Republican and Democratic legislators, state officials, and a handful of appointees from both parties will craft policy changes in an effort to evaluate Kansas’ current and future water supply, funding efforts for water projects, and potential impacts on the state’s economy. Republicans announced their appointments Wednesday, which included an official from utility company Evergy, an environmental consultant and the manager of a public groundwater management district in northwest Kansas.…

What Happened As confirmed by recent USDA crop progress reports (released on Monday afternoons), spring fieldwork is progressing about as anticipated, and in comparison with historical norms. The markets have reflected this in corn and wheat, as both have seen declines in futures prices for new crops. Typically, as planting uncertainty begins to decrease, so do prices. In the case of wheat, recent rain for the Wheat Belt, where hard red winter wheat is growing, suggests crop stabilization or improvement as the harvest season nears. Why This Is Important Farmers must prepare for market moves when making marketing decisions. Some…

Take look at these three farmland transactions that transpired in January and February 2025. 39.7 acres in Plymouth County, Iowa Date: Feb. 6, 205 Price: $22,600 Corn Suitability Rating Index (CSR2): 79.3 Farmland in northwest Iowa sold for $22,600 per acre, with a per-tillable acre price of $23,780, and a CSR2 value of $300 per point. The farm consisted of 39.7 gross acres, with 37.73 tillable acres featuring high-quality soil types. The auction was conducted on-site, with full possession granted at closing, making the land immediately available for the 2025 crop year. The final sale price, just under $900,000, reflects…

July corn ended the day down 14¾¢ at $4.54¼ per bushel. July soybeans closed down 12½¢ at $10.45½ per bushel. July wheat contracts also closed lower. CBOT wheat ended the day down 11¾¢ at $5.31¼ per bushel. KC wheat was down 8½¢ at $5.32¾. Minneapolis wheat was down 1½¢ at $6.09½. “Corn futures finished lower as warm, dry forecasts across the Corn Belt supported planting progress and kept selling pressure on the market,” said the Grain Market Insider newsletter by Stewart-Peterson Inc. “Soybean futures weakened in bear-spreading action, with the front months leading the decline and giving back Friday’s gains.…

Lallemand Animal Nutrition has opened applications for its 11th annual scholarship program, continuing its commitment to supporting students pursuing careers in agriculture, veterinary medicine, and related fields. Since the program’s launch, Lallemand has awarded nearly $140,000 to 50 students across North America. For Sydney Wyman, a 2024 scholarship recipient and Animal Science student at Morehead State University, the award has made a significant impact. “Lallemand’s scholarship is a privilege that allows me to continue my education and achieve my master’s degree and give back to the industry that has given so much to me,” said Wyman. “It’s a direct example…

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/2025/05/Top-third-agdaily-2025-05-05.mp3 The post Markets in Minutes: Top Third looks ahead for week of May 5, 2025 appeared first on AGDAILY.

Today, USDA published the fifth Crop Progress report of the 2025 growing season. Here’s a look at the latest corn, soybean, wheat, and oat numbers. Corn Crop Progress As of May 4, 40% of the corn crop across the country’s top 18 corn-growing states had been planted. That’s ahead of the five-year average of 39%. Eleven percent of the corn crop had emerged across 16 of the top corn-growing states as of May 4. That’s ahead of the five-year average by 2 percentage points. Only Colorado and Wisconsin had no corn emergence reported. The five-year average for both states is…

Britain-based Genus plc has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for its gene-edited PRRS-resistant pig, marking a major milestone in the company’s push toward commercialization in the U.S. pork market. The approval clears the way for the PRRS-resistant pig, or PRP, to be used in the U.S. food supply chain. The breakthrough comes after years of research and regulatory collaboration, aimed at combating Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome — a disease that causes significant suffering and mortality in pigs and is linked to a more than 200 percent increase in antibiotic use. “We have spent years conducting extensive research,…