Author: staff

According to USDA’s Crop Progress report released earlier this week, both the soybean and corn harvests in Nebraska are moving faster than normal as of Oct. 21. Here’s a look at the season so far, according to an agronomist and pie charts. Corn Harvest and Yield Nebraska has jumped to 63% complete with its corn harvest as of Oct. 20, USDA said. After being at 45% complete on Oct. 13, the 18 percentage point jump puts Nebraska well ahead of the five-year average of 51%. Nebraska’s corn is at 98% mature, right in line with five-year averages.  Nebraska-based Agronomy Service…

American Farmland Trust  will collaborate with Real Farmer Care as the fiscal sponsor to support and advance farmer and rancher self-care and well-being. Founded in January 2020, Real Farmer Care’s founding mission is to support farmers’ self-care needs and allocate donated funds directly to farmers and ranchers as $100 self-care awards. Self-care is defined as the practice of taking an active role in protecting and improving one’s own well-being and happiness, particularly during times of stress. Self-care activities can be inexpensive, but rarely prioritized. Farmer self-care can look like a delicious dinner with friends and family at a restaurant where their…

In its Crop Progress report for the week ending Oct. 20, USDA said farmers were outpacing normal corn harvest progress in all but one of the 18 top growing states.   According to the report released Monday, 65% of corn harvest was wrapped up for the top 18 corn growing states by Oct. 20, an increase of 18 percentage points since the week prior.  With that, the country’s top corn growing states are, as a whole, 13 percentage points ahead of the five-year average for corn harvested. Last year at this time, 55% of the corn crop had been harvested in…

The countdown to the 97th National FFA Convention is down to just ONE day! And excitement is building around the country as FFA members and chapters kick off their trek to Indianapolis for four days in a sea of blue, gathering together to celebrate their accomplishments, their chapters, and learn how to be better leaders. » Follow all of our coverage during the National FFA Convention & Expo here. Image by Heidi Crnkovic Here’s some of what we’ve seen from FFA members and chapters around the country in the last few days: FFA interns, staff, and vendors tease members before the kickoff…

During the 97th National FFA Convention & Expo, a group of six dedicated and passionate FFA members will have the honor of leading the National FFA Organization as the 2024-25 National FFA Officer Team. This opportunity promises to be a transformative experience, allowing them to influence the future of the organization profoundly and inspire the next wave of agricultural leaders. The process of becoming a national officer is arduous. The candidates — each state FFA association can submit one individual member annually — take part in an extensive interview process with the National FFA Officer Nominating Committee. The committee is…

December corn is up 3¢ this morning. November soybeans are up 6¾¢. Al Kluis, managing director of Kluis Commodity Advisors, said if December corn and November soybeans can close above $4.12 a bushel and $9.95 a bushel, respectively, it could be a sign the fall lows are in for those two crops. December wheat contracts are unchanged or close to unchanged. CBOT wheat is up less than a penny. KC wheat is down less than a penny. Minneapolis wheat is unchanged. This morning USDA announced Mexico is buying 359,500 metric tons of corn for the 2024/2025 marketing year. December live…

DAILY Bites PLINAZOLIN technology is a broad-spectrum insecticide expected to be registered in 2025. The discovery of new active ingredients usually takes over a decade and costs over $300 million. Pest resistance is something that R&D departments pay close attention to. DAILY Discussion GREENSBORO, North Carolina — With PLINAZOLIN technology anticipated to become registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2025, Syngenta pulled the back the curtain on its R&D process to discuss what went into the development of this new active insecticide ingredient, which is one of its largest regulatory submissions ever. PLINAZOLIN technology is the trademark name…

Agricultural business, or agri-business, blends the worlds of agriculture and commerce, focusing on the production, management, marketing, and distribution of food and fiber products. With the growing complexity of the global food supply chain, careers in agricultural business are more essential than ever. Professionals in this field not only manage farms but also play key roles in finance, marketing, policy, and technology within the agricultural industry. Here are my choices for the top 10 careers in agricultural business that are driving innovation and growth in the global food economy: 1. Agribusiness Manager Agribusiness managers oversee the daily operations of farms…

By Ryan Hanrahan More than half of the 70 agriculture economists surveyed in Farm Journal’s Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor believe that the United States agriculture economy is in a recession, while 75% of those economists surveyed think the ag economy is on the brink of a recession.  “Farmers are seeing heightened volatility in commodity prices as harvest season progresses,” Farm Journal’s Tyne Morgan reported. “The latest Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor from Farm Journal showed a slight rise in optimism compared to the previous month, but economists remain worried about the current state of the agricultural economy when compared to last…

The California Air Resources Board (CARB), which oversees the state’s low-carbon fuel program, is considering a change in rules for the manure digesters on dairy farms that prevent methane emissions by capturing it for use as a transportation fuel. The digesters are eligible for up to 30 years of prevented-methane credits at present. CARB has proposed a reduction to 20 years for digesters built by 2030. “Prevented-methane emissions cover the cost of constructing a digester,” said agricultural economist Aaron Smith of the University of California in a blog. “However, after the initial 10-year crediting period, there is little economic justification…