Author: staff

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents conducted what the Department of Homeland Security described as the “largest worksite enforcement operation” in Nebraska during the Trump administration at Glenn Valley Foods, a meat processing facility in Omaha, on June 10. Federal agents executed a search warrant as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into what ICE called the “large-scale employment of aliens without authorization to work in the United States.” According to ICE, more than 70 individuals were detained during the raid, with some facing additional charges including fraud, assaulting a federal officer, illegal reentry, and misuse of Social Security numbers.…

Stephen Vaden, a judge on the U.S. Court of International Trade and former General Counsel for USDA, was confirmed Tuesday as the Deputy Secretary of Agriculture in a 51-44 Senate vote along party lines. Vaden will serve under Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. A Tennessee native, the 43-year-old Vaden has a farming background and spent his childhood helping out with his family’s farm and real estate ventures.Prior to his nomination to the Court of International Trade, Vaden served as the General Counsel for the Department of Agriculture from Dec. 2018 to Dec. 2020 during the first Trump administration. In 2019, it…

Dairy equipment dealers are reshaping milking as more milk comes from robots. Driven by demand for animal data and labor efficiency, robotic systems have become essential tools on many farms — the dealerships serving as the bridge from technology to barn. Whitney Davis can visualize farms across New York in his head, mapping an estimated 120 operations that use robotic milking systems (RMS). Davis has been selling Lely robotic milking systems since 2007, becoming one of the first to do so in the United States, when the Dutch technology crossed the Atlantic to Canada and then into New York. “It…

In the mid 1960s, competition among machinery manufacturers for farmers’ dollars was red hot. The Big Seven of main-line equipment builders that included Allis-Chalmers, International Harvester Company (IHC), J.I. Case, John Deere, Massey-Ferguson, Minneapolis-Moline, and Oliver were at war over a dwindling number of farmers who wanted more, more, and more — more power, more features, and more convenience. Short-Lived Series Dressed in promotional gold “Demonstrator” accents, the 13- hp Model 1456 replaced the Model 1256, providing more power along with a sturdier driveline, larger brakes, and more cooling capacity. At $12,400, the Model 1456 remained in production until 1971…

By Joana Colussi, Gary Schnitkey, and Nick Paulson Brazil’s 2024–2025 corn harvest is expected to be the second largest in the country’s history, with a projected 5 billion bushels, according to the National Supply Company (Conab), the country’s food supply and statistics agency. The volume is higher than last year and above previous projections due to favorable rainfall in April and May that has benefited most of the second-crop corn regions —responsible for 78% of Brazil’s total corn production in the current season. Despite the large harvest, Brazilian corn exports in 2025 are projected to decline due to rising domestic…

By Ryan Hanrahan Reuters’ Julie Ingwersen and Leah Douglas reported that “analysts voiced concerns this week about the integrity of USDA reports after the agency delayed a report and excluded findings that point to tariffs as a reason for a forecasted increase in the agricultural trade deficit, according to Reuters interviews with four analysts.” “The administration of President Donald Trump has pledged to shrink the farm trade deficit and has said tariffs will strengthen the farm economy, but farm groups have been critical of the approach,” Ingwersen and Douglas reported. “The agency’s delay of a quarterly agricultural trade report and…

Updates to Brute Force and Mule products are among the new products announced by Kawasaki for its 2026 model year. All are available for purchase. Brute Force 750  For 2026, the Brute Force 750 returns in the ATV class along with a new line of trim options. Featuring a 749cc V-Twin engine, other updates include TFT color instrumentation, LED lighting, an integrated handlebar-mounted LED light, and front and rear racks. Optional accessories include winch kits, a plow frame, front and rear rack extensions, a rear cargo box, windshield, brush guards, and more. Prices start at $10,999.   Kawasaki Highlights: 749cc V-twin…

Last week, spring wheat emergence reached 100% in three of the six states that grow the crop, bringing the country’s overall spring wheat emergence to 82%.  In all three states, emergence progress is 3–14 points ahead of average.  Here’s a closer look at the progress and condition of the nation’s spring wheat crop, according to the latest USDA Crop Progress report. Minnesota All of Minnesota’s spring wheat is out of the ground, USDA reported, which is significantly ahead of the five-year average of 86%. The planting and emergence progress of Minnesota’s corn, and that of its soybeans, are also notably…

Four graduate students researching in areas that benefit dairy cooperatives and farmers are receiving scholarships as part of the 2025 NMPF National Dairy Leadership Scholarship Program, with one being honored through a scholarship created this year. Recipients include: Dallas Soffa, a doctoral candidate in Physiology of Reproduction in Animal Science at Texas A&M. Soffa’s research explores the hormonal influence on reproductive microbiota and immune cell signaling in cattle. Margaret Costello, a doctoral candidate in Animal & Dairy Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research focuses on integrating emerging sequencing technology and non-invasive sampling techniques with rumen microbiome research to…

July corn ended the day up 5¼¢ at $4.38¾ per bushel. July soybeans closed up 1¾¢ at $10.57¾ per bushel. July wheat contracts closed lower. CBOT wheat ended the day down 7½¢ at $5.34½ per bushel. KC wheat was down 10¼¢ at $5.27¼. Minneapolis wheat was down 9¼¢ at $6.13¼. “All three wheat classes posted sizable losses for a second consecutive session following improvements in winter and spring wheat crop conditions, as reported in the latest USDA Crop Progress report,” said the Grain Market Insider newsletter by Stewart-Peterson Inc. “Adding to the bearish tone was an overnight statement from Russia’s…