Author: staff

Editor’s note: This article was written by my grandfather several years ago before he passed away. I recently found it and made a few modifications to his original manuscript. He left a note on it stating he hoped to have it published. Today’s high horsepower, 4-wheel drive, track units, and front-wheel assist have replaced all but memories of the tandem tractor era. This new wave of power came late in the 1950s and early 1960s. My farm life had been interrupted by a two-year stay in the U.S. Army, one year of which I spent in Korea as a tank…

In its Crop Progress report released Monday, the USDA offered a first look at the progress of soybeans setting pods across the country. Nationwide, progress reached 3% during the week that ended June 29, just ahead of the five-year average of 2%.  Just under half of the 18 top growing states have soybeans at the setting pods stage, with progress ranging from 1% to 41%. Here’s a closer look. Arkansas USDA reported that 41% of the soybean crop in Arkansas had reached the setting pods stage as of June 29, an increase from 33% the week prior. That’s ahead of…

In 1984, I teamed up with former Successful Farming Editor in Chief Loren Kruse to write the textbook “Charting for Profit,” which had some of the first-ever seasonal price pattern studies. The concept was simple: Look back five or 10 years and study price changes, month by month. This method showed when prices usually peaked for the corn, soybean, and wheat markets, as well as when they usually put in lows.  Corn chart image above: This chart shows that over the last several years, selling corn in January and May has been better than in April. The lows have usually come…

As the Fourth of July nears and the calendar turns to a key section of the growing season, the state of Nebraska is experiencing some relief from a very dry spring that threatened to derail farmers’ plans.  Eric Hunt, extension educator for Nebraska-Lincoln Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, said much of the state experienced “significant precipitation” in June. Hunt said pasture conditions in particular were improved after the rainfall. Parts of Central Nebraska, in particular, received more than 7 inches above the average historical rainfall for June. Grand Island had the second-wettest June in its history. Iowa Environmental Mesonet…

In its latest Crop Progress report, the USDA rated more than 80% of the corn crop in three of the top 18 corn-growing states good/excellent. What’s more, that percentage in a third of the 18 states is at least 75%. Nationwide, 73% of the corn crop was rated good/excellent, the highest percentage all season. Take a look at the six states that boosted that percentage during the week that ended June 29. Pennsylvania With 86% of its crop rated good/excellent — 30% of that falling into the excellent category — Pennsylvania has the best corn in the country. Just 12%…

CattleCon 2026 is heading to the heart of downtown Nashville, Tennessee, Feb. 3-5, along with opportunities to join the largest cattle industry event of the year. Applications are being accepted for the NCBA National Anthem Contest, sponsored by Norbrook, internships, and scholarships. National Anthem Contest The 13th annual NCBA National Anthem Contest, sponsored by Norbrook, is accepting entries through Oct. 15. The contest winner will perform the “Star-Spangled Banner” at the event’s Opening General Session and will receive round trip airfare to Nashville, a hotel room for three nights, complimentary convention registration, plus a pair of boots, jeans and a…

Image by zimmytws, Shutterstock Farm Credit East, the Northeast’s largest agricultural lender, recently awarded $88,000 in higher education scholarships to 40 student recipients. Farm Credit East’s scholarship program supports students with diverse career aspirations in agriculture, commercial fishing, forest products and related fields from across the association’s eight-state territory. “This year’s scholarship recipients aspire to make a difference in their communities and are well on their way to becoming future industry leaders and entrepreneurs,” said Farm Credit East CEO Mike Reynolds. Farm Credit East Board Chair John Knopf commented, “The Farm Credit East Board of Directors congratulates these deserving students…

Global plant genetics company GDM is set to acquire 100% of the shares in AgReliant Genetics. The acquisition looks to combine GDM’s soybean breeding expertise with AgReliant’s market leadership in corn breeding and genetics.  “The GDM and AgReliant teams share a commitment to helping growers get the highest yield for their fields, and we are excited to welcome them into the GDM family,” said Ignacio Bartolomé, CEO for GDM, in a news release. “This acquisition is a significant development for both companies and a major milestone in GDM’s growth strategy in North America. It will allow us to serve farmers…

By Ryan Hanrahan Progressive Farmer’s Todd Neeley reported that “the Supreme Court on Monday denied an Iowa Pork Producers Association petition on California’s Proposition 12. The petition came about after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit last year rejected the IPPA’s constitutional challenge to the law.” “Prop 12 makes it a criminal offense and civil violation to sell whole pork meat in California unless the pig it comes from is born to a sow that was housed within 24 square feet of space and in conditions that allow a sow to turn around without touching an enclosure,”…

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced risk-based port re-openings for cattle, bison, and equines from Mexico will begin as early as July 7, 2025. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, following collaboration between USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service experts and their counterparts in Mexico to increase New World Screwworm surveillance, detection, and eradication efforts, are set to begin a phased reopening of the southern ports starting with Douglas, Arizona. According to the USDA, progress has been made in several critical areas since the ports were closed on May 11th, including: resolution of challenges with conducting flights in…