Author: staff

by Cami Koons Cattle at a nature preserve in eastern Iowa appear to roam the land freely — no fences or cowboys on horseback patrol their movement.  Instead, these cows wear special collars that keep them from grazing beyond the boundaries their owners designate via a phone or computer.  The Nature Conservancy has studied this form of virtual fencing with cattle at its Land of the Swamp White Oak Preserve for the past three years with the hope that the technology can be integrated into other ranchers’ operations.  Amy Crouch, The Nature Conservancy’s Little Sioux project director who headed the virtual fencing…

By Joshua Haiar A South Dakota economic development board this week approved up to $2.8 million in tax relief for a solar farm, a $10 million state loan for a cheese factory and a $7,500 state grant to help local businesses grow.  Officials expect the projects to result in a combined $395 million in private investment and create 163 jobs. “We’re supporting a major expansion in food production, investing in renewable energy, and fueling local economic development,” Gov. Larry Rhoden said in a press release. “Each project strengthens our communities and ensures long-term growth for our state.”   The Board of…

By Brooklyn Draisey A study by Iowa State University (ISU) researchers shows the viability of using bio-oils to plug abandoned oil wells, an application that could drive economic growth for Iowans with farm and forest waste. ISU mechanical engineering professor Mark Mba-Wright led a “techno-economic assessment” of technology that uses oil created from plant waste to fill orphan oil wells, or abandoned wells that need to be filled in, and sequester carbon dioxide. Mba-Wright, who has studied bio-oils and their applications for more than a decade, said he was surprised to learn about this use of the materials when the…

USDA published the latest Crop Progress report on Monday, September 8. Here’s a closer look at recent weather and the status of North Carolina’s most important crops as September started out. Weather North Carolina has dried out since early June. In June, the Iowa Environmental Mesonet reported precipitation several inches above average during the month of May. North Carolina’s precipitation departure shows a drier than normal pattern. Iowa Environmental Mesonet More of the eastern side of the state is now abnormally dry, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.  The eastern half of North Carolina is abnormally drought. U.S. Drought Monitor…

DAILY Bites Corn: Forecast at 16.8 billion bushels, up 13% from 2024; planted area at 98.7 million acres (+9% YoY); yields at 186.7 bushels/acre, with multiple states expected to hit record highs. Soybeans: Production at 4.30 billion bushels, down 2% from 2024; planted area at 81.1 million acres (-7% YoY); yields projected at 53.5 bushels/acre, with record yields in several states. Cotton: Output forecast at 13.2 million bales, down 8% from 2024; planted area at 9.3 million acres (-17% YoY); yields averaging 861 pounds/acre, below both last month and last year. DAILY Discussion Corn production is up, while soybean and…

The most recent U.S. Drought Monitor shows that abnormal dryness (D0) and short-term moderate (D1) to severe (D2) drought continued to expand across the lower to middle Mississippi Valley, Ohio Valley, Central Appalachians, Northeast, and Southeast last week. It wasn’t all degradations, heavy rainfall of 2 inches or more brought a 1-category improvement to parts of central and eastern portions of Kentucky and Tennessee. Map showing the U.S. Drought Monitor data for September 9, 2025 highlighting varying levels of drought intensity. Midwest Central and southern Missouri saw widespread 1-category degradations based on 30 to 60-day standardized precipitation index (SPI), soil…

DAILY Bites Phosphate prices surged nearly 36% between January and August 2025, while nitrogen and potash markets remain volatile due to energy and trade disruptions. Global policy shifts, including EU tariffs on Russian fertilizer, Canadian potash tariffs, and China’s export restrictions, are tightening supplies and driving up costs. Higher fertilizer expenses, combined with declining crop revenues, are expected to weigh heavily on farm income, especially for row crop producers. DAILY Discussion Farmers are once again bracing for higher input costs as fertilizer prices begin climbing after a brief period of stability. While prices remain below the record highs of 2022,…

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins today announced eligible livestock producers will receive disaster recovery assistance through the Emergency Livestock Relief Program for 2023 and 2024 Flood and Wildfire to help offset increased supplemental feed costs due to a qualifying flood or qualifying wildfire in calendar years 2023 and 2024. The program is expected to provide approximately $1 billion in recovery benefits. Signup begins on Monday, September 15. Livestock producers have until October 31, 2025, to apply for assistance. “We are providing continued support for livestock producers whose livelihoods and way of life have been disrupted by catastrophic floods, wildfires,…

Key Takeaways Nationally, winter wheat planting is 5% complete, slightly behind the 6% average.Washington is more than 10 points ahead of average progress.Overall, progress is uneven, with some states moving faster than others. As of Sept. 7, 10 of the country’s top 18 winter-wheat-growing states had reported planting winter wheat, according to the most recent USDA Crop Progress report. Across those 10 states, planting stands at 5%. The five-year average for planted winter wheat at this time of year is 6%. Here’s an in-depth review of the states that reported. Washington Washington is leading the pack in winter wheat planting with…

Authorities in two states are investigating separate tractor incidents that left older farmers dead this week. In Bertrand Township, Michigan, a 78-year-old man died Wednesday after losing control of his tractor, which rolled over along U.S. 12 near Franklin Street around 2:30 p.m. First responders attempted life-saving measures, but the farmer was pronounced dead at the scene, according to mlive Michigan. The Michigan State Police said the investigation is ongoing. Troopers also reiterated basic safety guidance for operators: “drive slowly,” understand a tractor’s “center of gravity,” use caution on slopes, stay alert to people and vehicles, and avoid ditches and…