Author: staff

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…

Ahead of 9 a.m. CT, July corn was up 7¢ at $4.77¼ per bushel. July soybeans were down 11¼¢ at $10.41½ per bushel. July wheat contracts were higher. CBOT wheat was up 6¢ at $5.31½ per bushel. KC wheat was up 3½¢ at $5.34½. Minneapolis wheat was up 5¾¢ at $5.98½. This morning, USDA announced unknown destinations are buying 120,000 metric tons of corn for the 2024/2025 marketing year. June live cattle were down 28¢ at $209.93 per hundredweight (cwt) ahead of 9 a.m. CT. August feeder cattle were down $1.70 at $295.20 per cwt. June lean hogs were up…

By Cami Koons WARREN COUNTY — 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…

USDA published the final April 2025 Crop Progress report on Monday. “Widespread rainfall across the state delayed planting last week, but provided much-needed moisture, easing drought conditions across portions of Iowa,” said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig in a statement on Monday. “Outlooks for the next few weeks show unseasonably warm temperatures and perhaps a break in the wet weather, which would give farmers a window to get in the field.” Here’s a closer look at the latest data on Iowa crop progress. Corn According to USDA, 34% of Iowa’s corn is planted, slightly ahead of the five-year average…

By Christine Zhu The North Carolina Senate Judiciary Committee voted Tuesday to advance a bill that would ban certain foreign groups from purchasing farmland in the state. Senate Bill 394, “Prohibit Foreign Ownership of NC Land,” passed without discussion after the panel approved a technical amendment. The legislation now moves to the Senate Rules Committee. The bill comes at the same time that tensions between the U.S. a several other nations have been on the rise as the result of the Trump administration’s economic tariffs and other foreign policy shifts. Sens. Bob Brinson (R-Beaufort, Craven, Lenoir), Bobby Hanig (R-Bertie, Camden, Currituck,…

July corn ended the day down 13¢ at $4.70¼ per bushel. July soybeans closed down 9¾¢ at $10.52¾ per bushel. July wheat contracts also closed lower. CBOT wheat ended the day down 5½¢ at $5.25½ per bushel. KC wheat was down 8¾¢ at $5.31. Minneapolis wheat was down 4¢ at $5.92¾. “Favorable U.S. weather conditions and few disruptions to the planting season were primary factors for the negative trade, but we did see pressure from the outside markets, mainly negative economic indicators,” said Karl Setzer, partner at Consus Ag Consulting. June live cattle ended the day up 60¢ at $210.20…

On Thursday, May 1, Culver’s is inviting guests to make a difference — one scoop at a time — during the 11th annual Scoops of Thanks Day. In exchange for a $1 donation, guests can enjoy a scoop of Fresh Frozen Custard, with 100 percent of proceeds benefiting local FFA chapters. As part of Culver’s Thank You Farmers Project, this event helps fund programs that inspire and support the next generation of agricultural leaders. Since 2013, the Thank You Farmers Project has raised more than $6.5 million for agricultural education, including over $1 million from previous Scoops of Thanks Day…

USDA rated the U.S. winter wheat crop for the last time this month in the Crop Progress report published Monday. Here’s a closer look at the latest data on the nation’s winter wheat crop. According to the March 2025 Prospective Planting report, USDA expected farmers to plant 33.3 million acres of winter wheat for harvest this year. Winter Wheat Condition Nationwide, the winter wheat crop was rated 5% very poor, 14% poor, 32% fair, 40% good, and 9% excellent the week ending April 27. Conditions improved slightly from the previous week and are similar to this time last year. California…

The Trump administration and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the approval of a nationwide E15 emergency use waiver on Monday, confirming that states will be able to sell E15 across the country during summer months. This was an expected move from the administration as this is the fourth consecutive year an emergency waiver has been issued by the EPA under the Clean Air Act. In 2022, eight states (Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Minnesota, Missouri, and Ohio) requested a permanent waiver to sell E15 year-round. The EPA issued a rule in 2024 approving this petition, which went into…

While not the largest line in your budget, lubricants are critical to keeping your machinery running its best. Using the right lubricant for your equipment is an important way to protect one of the biggest investments on your farm. “When you think about the massive investment you make in equipment, lubricants are a relatively small cost but goes a long way,” said Connor Canfield, product line analyst for Cenex Lubricants. “There are so many different types and grades and viscosities out there, with today’s tighter tolerances and more efficient equipment, you need to have high-quality lubricants that meet OEM approvals.”…