Author: staff

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.”…

The federal government has dropped its criminal case against Charles and Heather Maude, a ranching couple from West River, South Dakota, who were indicted last summer over allegations they unlawfully appropriated 50 acres of federal land. U.S. District Judge Camela Theeler signed an order on Monday dismissing the charges and removing the conditions of the couple’s release, which had included restrictions on their ability to communicate about the case. The case revolved around a dispute with the U.S. Forest Service regarding fencing that allegedly blocked access to the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands. Though the Maudes had agreed to a property…

1. Soybeans, Corn Lower in Overnight Trading Soybean and corn futures were lower overnight as planting in the U.S. rolls on despite wet weather in parts of the Midwest.  About 24% of the U.S. corn crop was planted as of Sunday, the Department of Agriculture said in a report. That’s up from 12% a week earlier and ahead of the prior five-year average of 22%.  Five percent had emerged versus 2% the previous week and the average of 4%.  Some 18% of soybeans were in the ground at the start of the week, jumping from 8% the week prior and…

Today, USDA published its latest Crop Progress report of the 2025 growing season. Here’s a look at the latest numbers for corn, soybeans, wheat, and oats. Corn Crop Progress As of April 27, 24% of the corn crop across the nation’s top 18 corn-growing states had been planted. That’s ahead of the five-year average of 22%. All top states have corn planting underway, according to USDA. Five percent of the corn crop has emerged across nine of the top corn-growing states. That’s ahead of the five-year average by 1 percentage point. The states with corn emergence are the following: Illinois:…

July corn ended the day down 2¼¢ at $4.83¼ per bushel. July soybeans closed up 3¼¢ at $10.62½ per bushel. July wheat contracts closed lower. CBOT wheat ended the day down 14¢ at $5.31 per bushel. KC wheat was down 11¼¢ at $5.39¾. Minneapolis wheat was down 9½¢ at $5.96¾. June live cattle ended the day up $1.35 at $209.60 per hundredweight (cwt). August feeder cattle closed up 65¢ at $294.95 per cwt. June lean hogs were down 15¢ at $101 per cwt. As of 3:40 p.m. CT, June crude oil was down $1.16 at $61.86 per barrel. As of…

By Zach Wendling A Friday morning update from Ainsworth Fire Chief Brad Fiala, shared through the local KBRB Radio station, indicates the north-central Nebraska Plum Creek Fire is up to 70% contained as crews continue to battle the fire west and north of Johnstown in Brown County. The fire started Monday afternoon after a private landowner’s prescribed burn done in coordination with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, local fire departments and other partners escaped containment, according to local and state officials. Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen issued a statewide burn ban Wednesday afternoon through the end of April, when the fire was 0% contained and 6,631…

By P.J. Huffstutter, Leah Douglas and Tom Polansek VERSAILLES, Ohio, April 28 (Reuters) – The United States and Mexico reached an agreement on the handling of a damaging pest called New World screwworm, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said on Monday, after she threatened to limit cattle imports from south of the border. Screwworm can infest livestock, wildlife and in rare cases, people. Maggots from screwworm flies burrow into the skin of living animals, causing serious and often fatal damage. Rollins sent a letter to Mexican Agriculture Minister Julio Berdegue on Saturday, warning that the United States would restrict livestock imports from Mexico on April 30 if the…

Boehringer Ingelheim shared new survey results this weekend exploring animal owners’ perceptions of the vital role veterinarians play in animal health and community well-being. The 2025 survey of animal owners builds on a 2024 survey, also conducted in partnership with market research institute Kynetec, which explored whether veterinarians feel valued and understood by animal owners. Both efforts are part of Boehringer Ingelheim’s Going Beyond campaign, which seeks to spotlight aspects of veterinary work that often remain unseen and under recognized. “In collaboration with our Going Beyond campaign partners, we are proud to celebrate veterinary teams, bringing attention to their crucial…