Author: staff

The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo has long been known as one of the most prestigious livestock shows in the country, drawing exhibitors from across the nation. However, recent events may be casting a shadow over its reputation, with many questioning its handling of exhibitor concerns and competition fairness. Amanda Nuncio, a longtime supporter of the show, recently shared her son’s experience, which has sparked widespread debate. The boy, Payton, exhibited his lightweight steer, Cracker, on February 6, securing first place in his class. As he entered the division drive, where the judge had indicated Payton’s steer could have…

What Happened Wheat prices, unlike the corn and soybean prices, were trending lower into mid-January. This is the opposite direction of what might be expected when corn and soybean prices are rallying. Typically, we see corn, soybeans, and wheat move somewhat in tandem. However, expectations for sluggish wheat export activity for the U.S. and a lack of speculative buying kept wheat prices defensive early in the new year.   Since mid-January, the price trend has changed. Wheat futures have gained nearly 60¢, with the market focusing attention elsewhere in the world — mainly Russia. Approximately 35% of Russia’s crop is considered…

Life in the country just hits differently. The chores, the unexpected encounters, and the small-town quirks all come together in ways our urban and suburban counterparts might never experience. Take, for example, a seemingly mundane task: a trip to the dump. For some, it’s a chore. For others, it’s practically a mental health excursion — a moment of solitude, a break from the daily grind, or even an unspoken test of self-sufficiency. But as with most things in rural life, nothing is ever quite that simple. Picture this: A woman (not naming names or looking in the mirror as I…

After a lack of rain in January and last week’s heatwave brought temperatures as high as 104°F, parts of Brazil and Argentina are expected to receive rain in the coming week, according to David Tolleris, meteorologist and owner of WxRisk.  The rain is especially welcome in Argentina, ahead of the corn and first-crop soybean harvests.  “If these rains show up in the next week in Argentina, that’s going to help,” Tolleris said. “But I think the damage has already been done.”  South American Production Outlook Cuts The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reduced its outlook for Argentina’s corn and soybean…

By Renee Hickman Feb 13 (Reuters) – Robert F. Kennedy Jr. lowered a raw Thanksgiving turkey into a bubbling pot of cooking fat in a video posted to social media last November. “This is how we cook the MAHA way,” said Kennedy, who the Senate confirmed as head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday, referring to his Trump administration slogan, Make America Healthy Again. Kennedy was cooking with beef tallow, or rendered beef fat, which he has repeatedly claimed is healthier than canola or other oils from seeds. Beef tallow, used primarily for cooking but also in products like soap…

The U.S. agricultural equipment market saw a significant downturn in January 2025, with tractor and combine sales falling sharply compared to the previous year, according to new data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers . The report highlights a continued trend of declining sales that persisted throughout 2024, reflecting broader economic and policy uncertainties affecting the agricultural sector. Total U.S. farm tractor sales fell by 15.8 percent year-over-year, with the most substantial decline seen in large tractors. Sales of 2WD tractors with over 100 horsepower dropped by 26.8 percent, while 4WD tractor sales fell by a staggering 54.5 percent. The…

Another member of the historic Kennedy family is in political office, this time in the cabinet of President Donald Trump.  Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the environmental lawyer, vaccine skeptic, and former independent candidate for president, was confirmed Thursday morning by the Senate. Kennedy’s confirmation process was filled with uncertainty, as he defended statements he made alleging that vaccines could cause autism, which he made without evidence supporting the claim.  Kennedy, 71, was confirmed 52-48, with Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) the only Republican senator to vote against him. Now as the head of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), he…

At the close, May corn was up 2¢ at $5.06 per bushel. March soybeans increased 2¼¢ at $10.30 per bushel. Don Roose, President of U.S. Commodities, said the corn market continues to be in a 12¢ trading range at the expected top, but grain looks to be on hold today. “The soybean [is] technically breaking down as harvest is starting to ramp up in Brazil. Northern Mato Grosso, before long, is going to have almost a billion bushels that’s going to be harvested…. So, I think it’s the weight of the South American harvest that’s pressuring the market.” Roose pointed to…

Snowfall has been sparse across Nebraska this winter, but a cattleman said the lack of snow has made for “beautiful cattle feeding” conditions. Craig Uden, a fourth generation cattleman and part-owner of Darr Feedlot in Central Nebraska, said there have only been about six inches of snow all winter long. Despite the lack of snow, Uden said the weather has been “wonderful for cattle feeding conditions.” A lot of Uden’s cattle have been able to stay in the corn fields as a result of “so many 50 to 60℉ days. It’s actually been a tremendously easy year to winter cows,”…

By Stephanie Kelly NEW YORK, Feb 13 (Reuters) – U.S. senators reintroduced a bipartisan bill on Thursday that would allow nationwide sales of gasoline with a higher blend of ethanol year-round, a plan that has the support of a leading oil trade group. Senator Deb Fischer, a Republican from Nebraska, introduced the bill with senators including Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat from Illinois, and said it would do away with patchwork regulations that would have the blend containing 15% ethanol, known as E15, only available in certain areas of the U.S. Year-round sales of E15 have been long sought by the biofuel industry and corn…