Author: staff

Corn planting got off to an uneven start this April across top corn-growing states. Near-perfect conditions pushed some growers ahead, while persistent rain left others stuck on the sidelines.  Even within the same Corn Belt state, conditions have varied widely, creating a patchwork of progress across the region. Here’s a look back at April, drawing on USDA’s first four Crop Progress reports of the season and insights from agronomists. Iowa Although corn planting in Iowa tracked with the five-year pace for the first couple weeks of April, the state’s corn planting surged the week ending April 20. Progress continued to…

The International Trade Commission (ITC) issued a final ruling on April 29, 2025, that imports of the herbicide 2,4-D from China and India have harmed domestic producer Corteva Agriscience, resulting in antidumping and countervailing duties at rates yet to be finalized. In testimony to the ITC on April 1, Cynthia Ericson, vice president of Corteva’s weed control segment, said, “Over the past 3 years, a large majority of the imports of 2,4-D into the United States came from China and India. We have witnessed a tremendous increase in imports coupled with a significant decrease in price of those same imports.…

WARREN COUNTY, Iowa — Tom Vilsack, former Iowa governor and the U.S. secretary of agriculture during the Obama and Biden administrations, spoke Tuesday with farmers and rural Iowans about his ideas to grow rural communities.  In the pine-paneled Middleswart Lodge, looking out over Lake Ahquabi State Park, Vilsack explained policies he started, and hoped would continue, that make a farm — rather than a farmer — work harder.   This means programs like the Climate Smart commodities program, which pays farmers a premium for using sustainable agriculture tools, or practices that make use of other farm products, like an anaerobic digester…

The National Sorghum Producers is now accepting entries for the 2025 National Sorghum Yield Contest. State and national winners will be selected from contestants in East and West regions across the Irrigated, Dryland No-Till, and Dryland Tillage divisions, with one overall winner chosen in the Food Grade category. New this year, growers can choose between two protocol options for verifying yields. A market-based verification option allows growers to verify yields based on grain delivered and ticketed at an approved scale, while the traditional on-farm verification option allows for supervised weigh-backs at harvest. The added flexibility aims to accommodate a wider…

The beginning of May will bring conditions conducive to continued planting in the Corn Belt and Ohio Valley. The Climate Prediction Center indicates above-average chances for below-normal precipitation in the eastern Corn Belt and Ohio Valley. The CPC also indicates above-average chances for above-normal temperatures throughout the entire Midwest.  “There’s very little rain in the central-upper Plains and western Corn Belt,” said David Tolleris, owner and meteorologist for WxRisk.com. “For the next seven days, the total rainfall is like 1- to 3-inches for 80% coverage of the eastern Corn Belt.”  Tolleris said that the majority of that rainfall in the eastern…

Nebraska farmers had 21% of corn planted as of the week ending April 27, 2025 — a 13 percentage point increase from the previous week — according to the latest USDA Crop Progress Report released April 28.  Corn and Soybean Planting Progress “Corn planting in Nebraska has been progressing quickly,” said Travis Gustafson, agronomic service representative for Syngenta Crop Protection. “Many parts of central Nebraska have had good planting conditions and have seen roughly 25% of corn acres planted in the past week. Eastern Nebraska has had a few more showers, so the progress in the eastern part of the state…

A North Carolina Senate committee has moved forward with legislation that would restrict certain foreign entities from purchasing agricultural land in the state. Senate Bill 394, titled Prohibit Foreign Ownership of NC Land, passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday with no discussion, following the approval of a technical amendment. The measure now heads to the Senate Rules Committee for further consideration. Sponsored by state Sens. Bob Brinson, Bobby Hanig, and Timothy Moffitt — all Republicans — the bill targets what it defines as “adversarial” nations, including China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia. Under the proposal, these governments or entities…

Rodeo legend Roy “Super Looper” Cooper, an eight-time PRCA world champion and one of the most decorated calf ropers in history, died Tuesday night after a fire engulfed his home outside Decatur, Texas. He was 69. The blaze was reported around 7:08 p.m. at a large one-story home on County Road 3051, registered to Cooper and his wife, Sharon. By the time Wise County EMS and Decatur firefighters arrived, the structure was fully involved. Despite efforts from the multiple responding departments, the home was a total loss. One individual was found dead at the scene, and family members later confirmed…

Summers Manufacturing announced a new strip till equipment line featuring two models: the Verdant and the Apex. These units are designed to provide farmers with solutions for precision strip tillage and fertilizer application. “Our new strip till equipment line represents Summers Manufacturing’s commitment to developing tools that help farmers maximize efficiency and yields while promoting sustainable farming practices,” said Matthew Volkmar, director of sales and marketing. “The Verdant and Apex models combine superior engineering with practical design to deliver reliable performance in a variety of field conditions.” Features Across Both Models The new strip till equipment line offers farmers standard…

Farmland preservation can happen on a large scale as well as smaller, more regional ones. At the local level in Northeast Tennessee, Women Preserving Farmland for the Future (WPFF) offers tools and resources to women who are set to inherit farms, while working to also address farmland loss. The conservation education program, offered by the Appalachian Resource Conservation and Development Council (ARCDC), involves a three-day workshop where women professionals in conservation speak and provide their expertise. Dana Ensor is the founder and facilitator for the program, previously working for the USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service. She initially developed the curriculum…