Author: staff

It seems odd that the company that would produce some of the most esteemed sports cars in the world started out in business in a barn. It’s odd, until you discover that Ferruccio Lamborghini began by manufacturing tractors. It was his huge success at building tractors that funded the Italian farm boy’s interest in cars. Put-Together Tractors The roots of Lamborghini horsepower go back to a youthful Ferruccio starting a repair shop in northern Italy. This was post-World War II when surplus military machine components were in ample supply. Capitalizing on that availability, Lamborghini purchased engines and transmissions, and he…

For Tom Vilsack, a tireless proponent as agriculture secretary for climate-smart agriculture and creating new sources of farm income, retirement is out of the question at age 74. “There’s work to be done in food and nutrition security, and I will look for opportunities to be engaged in that effort,” he said during his final days as USDA secretary of agriculture.  With nearly 12 years of service in the Obama and Biden administrations, Vilsack is the second-longest serving agriculture secretary. “I’m also the sixth-longest serving cabinet member of any kind,” he added during the interview in his office, with a…

On Wednesday, USDA published its biofuel feedstocks guidelines as an interim rule for “quantifying, reporting, and verifying the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the production of biofuel feedstocks” in the U.S. This rule falls under the Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) umbrella, and gives farmers guidelines to qualify for the 45Z tax credit under the Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Technologies (GREET) model. USDA said the guidelines will create “new market opportunities for biofuel feedstock producers.” The 45Z tax credit guidelines were published on Friday by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and were met with largely negative…

1. Soybean, Corn Futures Rise Slightly Overnight Soybean and corn futures were modestly higher in overnight trading amid a tighter supply outlook.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture last week cut its forecasts for both bean and corn output in the 2024/2025 marketing year that ends on Aug. 31.  Soybean production is now projected at 4.366 billion bushels on yield of 50.7 bushels an acre, down from a previous outlook for 4.461 billion bushels and yield of 51.7 bushels an acre, according to government data.  Corn production is now seen at 14.867 billion bushels on yield of 179.3 bushels an acre…

By Jonathan Coppess and Maria Kalaitzandonakes Introduction The final action of the 118th Congress was to enact a continuing resolution to fund the federal government through March 14, 2025. The legislation also extended the 2018 Farm Bill for another year through the 2025 crop and fiscal years. Finally, the bill provided supplemental appropriations for disaster relief. Included in this supplemental appropriation was $30.78 billion in assistance to farmers, of which $10 billion is for “economic assistance” designed to make direct payments for economic losses based on the lower crop price projections and the rest in response to natural disasters (P.L.…

By Shauneen Miranda WASHINGTON — Former North Dakota Republican Gov. Doug Burgum on Thursday got a step closer to securing his spot as secretary of the Department of the Interior following a rather breezy confirmation hearing before a U.S. Senate panel. Burgum made it clear he’s on board with President-elect Donald Trump’s pledges to spur domestic energy and gas production. Speaking to members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Burgum said the “American people have clearly placed their confidence in President Trump to achieve energy dominance.” “And by energy dominance, that’s the foundation of American prosperity,…

By Sky Chadde The new leader of the U.S. Senate’s agriculture committee, Arkansas’ John Boozman, has several ties to meatpacking behemoths, including Tyson Foods, and has recently resisted efforts by his fellow Republicans to reign in their economic power. New Democratic leadership on the committee also has strong agriculture ties, as Sen. Amy Klobuchar has received thousands from employees at the grain processor Cargill. Republicans recently won control of the U.S. Senate, along with the presidency, and the U.S. House of Representatives. This puts the GOP back in charge of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, which has sway over…

Three months ago, the nation’s farmers were in the middle of harvest season. In Midwest states, many farmers were also in the midst of mild to devastating drought. At that time – about the middle of October – 30% of the Midwest was abnormally dry, 35% was facing D1 moderate drought, 16% was facing D2 severe drought, 2% was facing D3 extreme drought, and less than 1% was facing D4 exceptional drought. Halfway through the first month of 2025, all Midwest states are in much better shape. Here’s a look at the improvement, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor…

Although relatively new to the legal world compared to other forms of legal entities, Limited Liability Companies (LLC) have by far become the legal entity of choice for businesses. Data suggests that in recent years, more than 90% of new businesses started as an LLC. Some of the largest companies in the world have converted or re-established from corporations to LLCs. Well-known companies such as Apple, IBM, Nike, and many others are structured as an LLC. For an individual starting a business, a single member LLC (SMLLC) is most often chosen. In the past, legal entities really were not geared…

DAILY Bites Perdue Farms announce plant closure and layoffs in Tennessee, affecting 433 workers. Severance packages include up to 10 weeks of WARN protection, additional pay beyond standard compensation, and job placement support. Child labor violations prompt $4 million in penalties and reforms. DAILY Discussion Poultry processor Perdue Farms plans to close a processing plant in Monterey, Tennessee, on March 28, resulting in 433 people being laid off, according to reports by Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter and the Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce. Porter shared information on Facebook following discussions with Perdue executives after the announcement. “While this decision…