Author: staff

Lant Elrod “I became so frustrated working on large projects in my shop,” said Joe Keeley of south central Michigan. “Ninety percent of the time, I am working alone, and I need something to make my work easier. I came up with an idea to take a truck crane and retrofit it to use with a pallet fork.” He cut two 32x2x4-inch pieces of quarter-inch tube for the side rails, and three 20x2x4-inch pieces of quarter-inch tube for the cross rails, which he welded on both ends. Then he used grade-5 bolts to attach the crane onto the new platform.…

Farmer sentiment dipped for the third straight month in August, with the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer Index falling 10 points to 125. Producers expressed markedly less optimism about the future, as reflected in the Index of Future Expectations, which fell 16 points to 123. This marks the lowest reading for the future index since last September. Producers’ perspective on current conditions changed little this month, as the Current Conditions Index rose 2 points from July to 129. Sentiment differed widely among producers according to whether their operations focused mainly on crops or livestock. Crop producers responded with much…

Across the United States, youth in 4-H and FFA spend months preparing for livestock shows, creating projects, finding ways to educate the public about animals, and so much more. The culmination of all their hard work leads to their county fair, where oftentimes the youth compete both to win and for an opportunity to take their skills to the next level. County fairgrounds come alive with the sounds of excited kids, animals of all varieties, the smell of fair food and more. Amid that excitement, the most important thing is the youth who make it all happen, learning and leading…

By Ryan Hanrahan Politico’s Samuel Benson reported that “the Agriculture Department has quietly extended the public comment period for its controversial reorganization plan to Sept. 30, doubling the length of time provided for input on an initiative that has drawn criticism from both Democrats and Republicans since it was unveiled last month.” “USDA released the plan for public comment on July 24 for a period that was originally set to last 30 days. A department webpage that earlier this week listed the deadline as Aug. 31 now says it is Sept. 30,” Benson reported. “‘The additional days in the comment…

By Ryan Hanrahan The imposition of U.S. tariffs and new U.S. trade deals with countries across the globe are expected to reshape agricultural trade flows — on products ranging from beef to grains to oilseeds — in the coming months. For beef, Reuters’ Roberto Samora and Kylie Madry reported that “higher U.S. tariffs on Brazil are expected to reshape global beef trade flows, sparking increased shipments to the U.S. from countries like Mexico and Australia while Brazil seeks alternative markets, analysts said on Wednesday.” For grains and oilseeds, Reuters’ Naveen Thukral reported that “Southeast Asian nations are set to reshape…

By Cami Koons Forty-five percent of Iowa corn acres have reached the dent stage and soybeans are just beginning to color, with nearly all, or 90%, of the crop already setting pods, according to the latest crop progress and condition report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  Corn and soybean crops are a day or two behind the five year average schedule on several progression stages. Corn in the dough stage reached 88% which is three days behind the average for the Aug. 18–24 reporting period. Corn acres rated 84% good to excellent and soybean acres rated 79% good to…

By Cami Koons Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced Monday the state agriculture department has initiated a pilot project that will pay farmers to implement buffer strips along streams that feed the municipal water supplies of Des Moines and Cedar Rapids.  The buffer strips must be 30–100 feet wide and on land that is currently in row-crop production. According to a press release on the announcement, the buffer strips are intended to prevent nutrients from entering the waterways upstream of the cities.  The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship said it has initially allocated $3 million from the…

By Joe Janzen and Yu-Chi Wang Demand for soybeans is derived from the demand for soybean products. When a bushel of soybeans is crushed, there are four products: oil, meal, hulls, and waste. In the standard ‘board’ crush margin calculation, it is assumed that a 60-pound bushel of soybeans yields “11 pounds of soybean oil, 44 pounds of 48 percent protein soybean meal, 4 pounds of hulls and 1 pound of waste” (CME Group). The combined market value of these products along with the cost of processing, determines what the market is willing to pay for soybeans. Thus, if you…

AGCO has announced four new Fendt 1000 Vario Gen4 tractors, with Fendt DynamicPerformance engine intelligence and factory-integrated OutRun autonomy. The new Gen4 runs on a 12.4-liter MAN D26 engine. The tractors — the 1040, 1044, 1048, and 1052 — range in maximum horsepower from 400–520 hp. With Fendt DynamicPerformance, farmers are able to manage engine power, reducing horsepower to match an implement’s needs and increase fuel efficiency, or increase output by a maximum of an additional 30 hp, depending on the model.  The tractors use VarioDrive CVT, Fendt’s stepless transmission that manages the whole drivetrain. The VarioDrive is designed for…

What Happened In years when crops are highly rated in late summer, prices tend to bottom early, often before harvest. This month’s USDA World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report was filled with negative potential for corn prices, yet the December corn futures contract only lost ¼¢ by the end of the week. The big picture suggests that prices may be trying to establish a contract low. Predicting a bottom is challenging. However, when prices fail to fall on negative news, a signal is sent to the marketplace that buyers should be ready and those who are short (sold)…