Author: staff

March corn ended the day up 4¼¢ at $4.78¾ per bushel. March soybeans closed down 4¾¢ at $10.42¾ per bushel. March wheat contracts closed mixed. CBOT wheat ended the day up less than a penny at $5.47 per bushel. KC wheat ended the day down 3¼¢ at $5.57½ per bushel. Minneapolis wheat ended the day down 2¢ at $5.87½ per bushel. The Grain Market Insider newsletter by Stewart-Peterson Inc. said, “Firm crude oil prices and strong ethanol production [as reported today by the U.S. Energy Information Administration] supported corn futures, pushing prices back near recent highs.” The newsletter also said,…

Outside a bar in Douglas, Arizona, in 1890, a stagecoach driver stumbles into the night and falls asleep in the open air, unknowingly becoming host to hundreds of screwworms while passed out drunk. The parasitic insects made their way through his nose, into his throat, and eventually killed him — a grim but once relatively common occurrence. This chilling account of myiasis (or parasitic infection of fly larva) was shared by Dr. Gary Thrasher, a veterinarian who recounted the story to AGDAILY after reading Borderland Chronicles No. 62, a publication by Douglas historian Cindy Hayostek. Douglas was once a pivotal…

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) is reminding producers that the deadline to apply for financial assistance through the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) is fast approaching. The application deadline for the program is Jan. 30, 2025, for losses due to specific adverse conditions that occurred in 2024. This includes dairy producers who have been affected by the rise of H5N1 in cattle.  To find a service center visit farmers.gov/service-locator. ELAP Eligible Losses ELAP provides recovery assistance for:  Livestock feed and grazing losses that are not due to drought or wildfires…

Ahead of Inauguration Day, the Food and Drug Administration has proposed requiring a front-of-package nutrition label on most packaged foods to provide accessible, at-a-glance information. The FDA says that this change will help consumers to quickly and easily identify how foods can be part of a healthy diet. The proposed FOP nutrition label, referred to as the Nutrition Info box, would complement the Nutrition Facts label that is required on most food packages. Displaying simplified, at-a-glance nutrition information that details and interprets the saturated fat, sodium, and added sugar content of a food as “Low,” “Med,” or “High” on the…

John Deere has announced a step forward in its efforts to support customers’ ability to maintain and repair their machines across the agricultural and construction industries. It’s a newer effort sparked after signing a memorandum of understanding in 2023, and “Right to Repair” bills surfaced across the U.S., granting farmers greater ability to repair their own equipment. Deere says that the latest addition to their suite of digital solutions will further empower customers and independent repair technicians by, among other things, enabling them to reprogram Deere-manufactured electronic controllers. These new capabilities will be integrated into the John Deere Operations Center…

By Leah Douglas and Jonathan Stempel Jan 15 (Reuters) – The U.S. Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday sued farm equipment maker Deere DE.N, alleging it illegally drives up repair costs by forcing farmers to rely on its authorized dealer network. The lawsuit argues Deere has unlawfully boosted profits by requiring farmers to use its network of authorized dealers for repairs, making it difficult for farmers to use independent mechanics or do repairs themselves, the FTC said in a press release. The outgoing Biden administration has targeted what it sees as anti-competitive practices in agriculture, ranging from improving the treatment of…

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investing $2 million to make risk management training programs available for American farmers and ranchers. This funding, delivered through the USDA’s Risk Management Agency, provides resources for organizations such as universities, county cooperative extension offices, and nonprofit organizations, to develop education tools to help producers learn how to effectively manage long-term risks and challenges. Interested organizations may apply for funding by submitting documentation required as part of the Risk Management Education Partnerships Notice of Funding Opportunity. The applications are reviewed and the organizations that receive funding will enter a partnership with the RMA to…

By Aishwarya Jain Jan 14 (Reuters) – The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has prepared a lawsuit against Deere & Co DE.N alleging the company’s agricultural equipment repair practices violate competition laws, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The report also said the FTC was prepared to file the case as soon as this week, over concerns that the farm equipment maker had withheld key information and diagnostic tools from farmers and independent repair shops. The FTC’s commissioners have not taken a final vote on whether to file a case, according to the report. Deere and…

1. Wheat futures down slightly overnight Wheat futures were lower in overnight trading amid favorable weather in the Black Sea region.  Precipitation in the form of a wintry mix fell earlier this week in the north Caucasus and western Volga Valley — both major growing regions in the area, said Don Keeney, an agricultural meteorologist with Maxar.  Snow is forecast for parts of Belarus, northern Ukraine and the central region and rain is likely in the north Caucasus, he said.  “Snow cover should build further in northern Russia,” Keeney said. “Winterkill threats will remain low.”  Keeping prices from falling too…

When Chase Sailer decided to transition from having his local co-op apply pesticides to on-farm application, he decided to “go all in” on a John Deere See & Spray Ultimate. Sailer farms with his dad and brother in the southern Illinois community of Carmi, where they raise corn, soybeans, and canola.   Smart-spraying systems promise precision, efficiency, and considerable cost savings. Sailer has found that See & Spray delivers on that promise: He said he used it across his soybean acres in 2024 and realized a $15,000 savings in one day alone. “We sprayed 650 acres that day and filled up…