Author: staff

The March World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report is due Tuesday, March 11. February’s WASDE report offered more good news to corn and soybean bulls in the way of smaller South American production. U.S. carryout was left unchanged for corn and soybeans and reduced slightly for wheat. Over the past several weeks, conditions in South America have stabilized or improved slightly, so we do not expect any substantial production adjustments in next week’s report. Corn Market Expectations U.S. corn carryout for 2024/2025 was left unchanged at 1.54 billion bushels on the February report. World ending stocks for the…

Merck Animal Health, partnering with the American Association of Swine Veterinarians Foundation, sponsored the 2025 recipients of the AASVF and Merck Animal Health Veterinary Student Scholarship Program. Scholarships totaling $50,000 were awarded to five veterinary students for 2025. The recipients were announced at the 56th AASV Annual Meeting, held in San Francisco from March 1 to 4. The following students were each awarded a $10,000 scholarship: Kaitlyn Forrest, North Carolina State University, Class of 2027 Alek Goll, Iowa State University, Class of 2026Lauren Makovics, Michigan State University, Class of 2027 Casondra Snow, University of Minnesota, Class of 2027 Bailey Ward,…

The story of the Hürlimann tractor sounds more like a classic all-American inventor’s tale. Rather, it involves a Swiss farm boy who saw the need for a tractor that could readily work the rugged land of his native Switzerland. What is astounding about Hürlimann is that this rather small manufacturer became such a giant when it came to introducing technological advances to tractors. Began as a Mechanic After leaving the farm, Hans Hürlimann took to mechanical training as a mechanic with a factory located in Wil, Switzerland. Eventually, he advanced to become that firm’s sales manager, which provided Hürlimann with…

Empire State Development has announced that applications are now open for the seventh annual Grow-NY food, beverage, and agriculture business competition. Up to 20 high-growth food and agriculture startups from around the world will compete for $3 million in prize money. Finalists will participate in an accelerator program, receiving mentorship and networking opportunities with regional partners. The competition focuses on a 22-county region spanning Central New York, the Finger Lakes, and the Southern Tier. “The Grow-NY accelerator has been instrumental in attracting cutting-edge agribusiness companies from around the world and spurring private investment in the three targeted regions,” said Empire…

Just weeks after being sworn into her role as U.S. Agriculture Secretary, Brooke Rollins is focusing on battling the spread of bird flu, protecting the poultry industry, and helping to bring egg prices down. Rollins released details of the USDA’s new $1 billion strategy to curb the bird flu virus that has killed over 166 million chickens in the U.S. since the latest outbreak began in 2022. Part of the plan is to increase imports of eggs to relieve the shortage and help lower prices. “… the Trump administration is taking the issue seriously,” Rollins wrote. “American farmers need relief,…

HENDERSONVILLE, North Carolina — Even as farmers here recover from record flooding sustained during Tropical Storm Helene, the Trump administration has indicated it will terminate the lease of the Farm Service Agency office located in the heart of Western North Carolina’s apple orchards and fruit farms in Henderson County. The termination of the lease in Hendersonville will affect both the FSA and the Henderson County Soil and Conservation offices. Helene caused an estimated $4.9 billion in damages to Western North Carolina agriculture, and an estimated $135 million in damages in Henderson County, the Hendersonville Times News reported Feb. 26. The…

Just before 9:00 a.m. CT, May corn was up 4½¢ at $4.56 per bushel. May soybeans were 2½¢ higher at $10.01½ per bushel. Jamey Kohake, senior risk manager with Pinion said, “Starting off [Wednesday], a little flatter trade, waiting to see what happens after the market closes with the tariffs on Canada and Mexico, there’s going to be a fresh update to that.” Green across the board in May wheat contracts halfway through the week. CBOT wheat was up 11¾¢ at $5.48½ per bushel. KC wheat increased 10¢ at $5.58½ per bushel. Minneapolis wheat jumped 8¼¢ at $5.88¼ per bushel.  April live…

A proposed 4,300-acre Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway logistics hub in Whitman, Arizona, has left local residents deeply concerned about the impact it will have on their way of life. The massive project, which could become one of the largest laydown yards in the United States, is set to be developed on land that BNSF has acquired on multiple sides of the community. BNSF describes the facility as a “best-in-class, state-of-the-art freight rail facility” that will support Arizona’s economic growth by improving supply chain efficiency. The company states the $3.2 billion project will create more than 26,000 jobs during construction…

President Donald Trump enacted increased tariffs on Canada and Mexico on Tuesday, putting a 25% tariff on most goods from the U.S. neighbors and allies. Energy imports from Canada are subject to a smaller 10% duty. In addition, Trump bumped tariffs on some Chinese exports to 20% — up from 10% previously.  The move has led to retaliatory efforts from China and Canada. The Chinese tariffs on agriculture are significant — according to a statement from China’s Customs Tariff Commission, China will place a 15% tax on “imported chicken, wheat, corn and cotton originating from the United States,” as well…

What is the single most important thing you can do to operate profitably? Turns out, there is no one silver bullet. Profitability lies hidden in the many nooks and crannies of a farming operation. “Profitable producers are experts at efficiency; they do everything just a little bit better than average,” said Garen Paulson, University of Minnesota Extension educator in farm business management. “They can produce top crops at lower cost without sacrificing productivity. If you can manage many costs just a little bit better, our research shows that these small improvements really add up.” Paulson leads the field staff for…