Author: staff

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…

At the close on Tuesday, May corn was down 4¾¢ at $4.51½ per bushel. May soybeans closed down 12½¢ at $9.99 per bushel. May wheat contracts were also lower. CBOT wheat closed down 11¢ at $5.36¾ per bushel. KC wheat was down 13½¢ at $5.48½. Minneapolis wheat was down 11¼¢ at $5.80. Trade tariffs were once again the hot topic today. “[Corn] futures ended the day lower as tariff concerns and retaliatory measures weighed on the market,” said the Grain Market Insider newsletter by Stewart-Peterson Inc. “May corn futures are now testing key support near $4.50.” The newsletter also cited…

As March begins, winter weather is in the short-term forecast for the Corn Belt and Plains states while warmer temperatures are expected during the week of March 9. Paul Pastelok, the lead long-range forecaster at AccuWeather, said that March is a transitional month for weather, so extreme weather swings aren’t out of the ordinary.  Precipitation Coming to the Corn Belt and Plains A series of storms is expected to come through California that will eventually impact the Plains, Pastelok said. “Some precipitation is coming,” he said. This comes after a dry January left much of the Corn Belt and Plains…

U.S. farmer sentiment continued its upward trend in February, as the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer rose 11 points from the previous month to a reading of 152. The boost was primarily driven by the stronger sentiment among producers, with the Current Conditions Index climbing 28 points to 137 — marking a rebound from its low of 76 in late summer and early fall 2024. In contrast, the Future Expectations Index saw only a modest increase, rising 3 points to 159. The recent upswing in sentiment reflects a combination of factors, including a sharp recovery in crop prices, expectations…

By Tom Polansek JACKSONVILLE, Illinois, March 4 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs on imports from Mexico carry an outsized risk for farmers in Jacksonville, Illinois, as retaliation by Mexico could prompt corn buyers in that country to turn to rival growers in South America. Mexico, the world’s top corn importer, is a crucial market for U.S. farmers, at a time when grain prices have slumped and costs are rising for seeds and chemicals needed to produce crops Farmers around Jacksonville, a city of about 17,000 people, benefit more than most from Mexican demand. They live near a grain facility that loads corn onto railcars…