Author: staff

Microsoft Corp. and the National FFA Organization on Wednesday announced the national expansion of FarmBeats for Students, an educational program integrating smart sensors, data science, and artificial intelligence to teach precision agriculture in classrooms. Starting today, FFA teachers and students throughout the United States, including FFA chapters in 185 middle and high schools, will receive a classroom set of FarmBeats for Students kits free of charge. The kits include ready-to-use sensor systems along with curriculum for teachers and are designed for classrooms of all kinds; no prior technical experience is required. More and more farmers are adopting advanced technology, including…

A South Huron, Ontario, farmer who claimed in 2023 that 45,000 baby chicks were stolen from his property has now been charged with fraud and public mischief after a two-year investigation. The Ontario Provincial Police allege the man, identified as 41-year-old Henk Veldman, fabricated the theft and “disposed of” the chicks himself. The monetary value of the alleged loss was estimated at more than $139,000. The bizarre case began on April 20, 2023, when police received a report that 30,000 15-day-old broiler chickens had been taken overnight from a South Huron farm. According to CBC News, that number was later…

BKT has announced the new Agrimax ProHarvest high-performance tire for combines designed to carry higher capacity while reducing soil compaction.  “Thanks to its innovative design, Agrimax ProHarvest tackles challenges by reducing the pressure exerted on the soil since it has a larger footprint,” said Dilip Vaidya, senior president and director of technology at BKT. “Not only does this preserve soil health, but it also promotes higher and more sustainable farming yields.” During harvest, a grain tank’s load will vary, and filling and emptying can cause stress on the tires. This leads to wear, or even cuts and punctures from debris…

Ahead of 9 a.m. CT, July corn was down 1¼¢ at $4.48 per bushel. July soybeans were up 6¾¢ at $10.46 per bushel. July wheat contracts were lower. CBOT wheat was down 2½¢ at $5.31¾ per bushel. KC wheat was down 2¼¢ at $5.27¼. Minneapolis wheat was down less than a penny at $6.02¼. This morning, USDA announced multiple new export sales: Mexico is buying 205,000 metric tons of corn — 40,000 metric tons for the 2024/2025 marketing year and 165,000 metric tons for the 2025/2026 marketing year.Unknown destinations are buying 115,000 metric tons of corn for the 2024/2025 marketing…

By Joana Colussi, Gary Schnitkey, and Nick Paulson As global markets react to trade tensions between the U.S. and China, another bilateral relationship has gained attention: Brazil and China. Over the past two decades, China has become Brazil’s largest agricultural trading partner, accounting for one-third of the value of Brazil’s total agricultural exports. With the latest tariff escalations, Brazil is expected to strengthen its trade ties with China (see 5-min farmdoc video, April 9, 2025). However, this deepening relationship raises questions about long-term risks for Brazil having relied heavily on Chinese trade, particularly considering forecasts for slower Chinese economic growth in…

Key Points Soybean planting progressing rapidly: Farmers have planted 30% of the U.S. soybean crop, a strong pace across key growing states.Corn planting slightly ahead of average: Corn planting is 40% complete nationwide, just ahead of the five-year average.Winter wheat condition peaks: The share of winter wheat rated good to excellent is at its highest level so far this season. Today, USDA published the fifth Crop Progress report of the 2025 growing season. Here’s a look at the latest corn, soybean, wheat, and oat numbers. Corn Crop Progress As of May 4, 40% of the corn crop across the country’s…

The next week and into mid-May is expected to bring above-average chances of warmer temperatures and drier conditions throughout the majority of the Midwest. Southern Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, and Ohio have seen more moisture this spring. For example, according to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford, St. Louis recorded its wettest April on record this year.  “They got 10, almost 11 inches of rain in St. Louis in April alone, which just gives you an idea of what parts of Missouri, the southern half of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky — and even into Ohio — what we’ve been dealing with,” Ford said. …

Across the country’s top 18 growing states, corn planting hit 40% by May 4, slightly exceeding the five-year average of 39%. Yet seven of those 18 states are lagging behind their individual five-year planting averages. In which states are farmers behind, and by how much? Here’s a closer look. Illinois — 12 Points Behind As of May 4, Illinois farmers had planted just 32% of the state’s corn crop, USDA said. That’s well below the five-year average of 44%.  Corn planting in the Prairie State started off slow and has fallen increasingly behind average this spring. In the southern part…

BRYAN, Texas — Texas A&M University held a ribbon cutting ceremony this week for a $13 million state-of-the-art livestock reproduction facility located at the college’s satellite campus, Rellis. The new center, formally known as the Animal Reproductive Biotech Center, will highlight the importance of Texas in the nation’s livestock production, as well as help to showcase Texas A&M as a leader in agricultural research. With the new developments to be made at this reproduction facility, Texas A&M said it aims to build on the trust of its partners by providing solutions for sustainable livestock production systems. Donor support came from…

U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) is calling on Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer to launch a formal investigation into Tyson Foods after a whistleblower came forward with allegations of illegal child labor at one of the company’s processing plants. Hawley’s letter, sent Tuesday, follows the secretary’s prior commitment during her confirmation hearing to aggressively target companies exploiting children. “As Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime, I have been contacted by a whistleblower who alleges that Tyson Foods used child workers at one of its processing plants — in likely violation of federal child labor law,” Hawley…