Author: staff

What happened According to the USDA weekly Crop Progress report released on Monday, Oct. 21, harvest is well beyond the midway mark, as dry weather has helped farmers advance at a rapid pace. As of Sunday, 65% of corn (five-year average is 52%) and 81% of soybeans (five-year average is 67%) in the top producing states were harvested. Farmers are focused on taking care of harvest and fall fieldwork. However, that same attention will quickly focus on what to do with a harvested crop now that it is in the bin. While it is easy to look back at what…

Eight winners of the 2024 National FFA Agricultural Proficiency Awards were named during the fourth session of the 97th National FFA Convention & Expo on Friday, Oct. 25, which is being held in Indianapolis. Agricultural proficiency awards honor FFA members who, through Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAEs), have developed specialized skills that they can apply toward their future careers. Students compete in areas ranging from agricultural communications to wildlife management. Proficiency awards are also recognized at local and state levels and provide recognition to members exploring and becoming established in agricultural career pathways. Today, awards were announced for eight of the…

Syngenta Group has earned recognition as the top agriculture employer worldwide, ranking among the top five global employers overall in Science Magazine’s 2024 Careers Top Employers Survey. This milestone marks the eighth consecutive year Syngenta has been named the leading employer in agriculture, reflecting the company’s strong commitment to research, innovation, and employee development. The ongoing recognition highlights Syngenta’s focus on fostering an environment of collaborative innovation, which has driven their consistent global reputation. “We are delighted to maintain our status as the world’s number one agricultural employer,” says Camilla Corsi, Global Head of Crop Protection Research. “This consistent recognition…

As October winds down, the XtremeAg farmers are balancing micronutrients, managing weather challenges, and preparing for the 2025 season. Kelly Garrett – Arion, Iowa Kelly Garrett is a fifth-generation farmer in western Iowa. Garrett farms 4,000 acres of corn, over 1,800 acres of soybeans, and 170 acres of winter wheat. At the beginning of the season, I was a bit nervous seeing how the crop looked different early on, but I was committed. I waited until the end, and as we reduced the nitrogen and increased our use of the airplane for various applications, especially during the R stages, we…

December corn is down 3¼¢ this morning. January soybeans are down 3¢. December wheat contracts are also down. CBOT wheat is down 10¾¢. KC wheat is down 9¢. Minneapolis wheat is down 3¾¢. “The corn and soybean buying spree continues as end users — foreign and domestic — seek to take advantage of the seasonal harvest low in prices to extend coverage,” said Arlan Suderman, chief commodities economist at StoneX. “The farmer doesn’t like current prices, so he’s a reluctant seller. In the background of all of this is the fund manager reluctant to be short the commodities due to…

INDIANAPOLIS — Walking around the 97th annual National FFA Convention, you can’t help but notice the sea of blue corduroy jackets from across the country. Each one represents a unique story and journey in agriculture. But these jackets aren’t just a symbol of membership; for many, they mark the beginning of something greater — a pathway to leadership, learning, and lifelong connections. The convention is a hub of energy, uniting thousands of members who share a common passion for agriculture and a commitment to making an impact in their communities. For Sydney Smith with Nutrien Ag Solutions, the FFA jacket…

Whenever an Allis-Chalmers 440 shows up on an auction, it always grabs my attention. Granted, this one is prettier than most, but otherwise is no different. At any rate, the way these tractors came about is kind of interesting. Let’s dig in a little deeper, shall we? Along the way, we’ll take a look at this one that lives in South Dakota until it sells on an auction wrapping up on Nov. 6. A-C 440 listings on Tractor Zoom A lot of people say that the 440 was A-C’s first 4WD — it wasn’t. Allis-Chalmers actually had a 4WD farm…

By Ryan Hanrahan Progressive Farmer’s Anthony Greder reported Monday that “both the U.S. corn and soybean harvests are now double digits ahead of their five-year averages as dry weather continued across most of the country last week, USDA NASS reported in its weekly Crop Progress report on Monday.” “Corn harvest moved ahead 18 percentage points nationally to reach 65% complete as of Sunday,” Greder reported. “That was 10 points ahead of last year’s 55% and 13 points ahead of the five-year average of 52%. Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, and Wisconsin were all…

The farm economy stabilized in the Midwest and northern Plains but weakened in much of the country this fall as producers nationwide confronted high costs and lower commodity prices, said the Federal Reserve’s Beige Book on Wednesday. “Agricultural activity was flat to down modestly, with some crop prices remaining unprofitably low,” said the national economic summary. The Beige Book, which is based on reports from regional Federal Reserve banks, is published a couple of weeks ahead of the periodic meetings of the Fed committee that sets interest rates. The next meeting will be on Nov. 6 and 7, immediately after…

Ten winners of the 2024 National FFA Agricultural Proficiency Awards were named during the third session of the 97th National FFA Convention & Expo on Thursday, Oct. 24, which is being held in Indianapolis. Agricultural proficiency awards honor FFA members who, through Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAEs), have developed specialized skills that they can apply toward their future careers. Students compete in areas ranging from agricultural communications to wildlife management. Proficiency awards are also recognized at local and state levels and provide recognition to members exploring and becoming established in agricultural career pathways. Today, awards were announced for 10 of the…