Author: staff

By Erik Gunn A group of U.S. Senate Democrats introduced legislation Monday that would order the agriculture department to resume paying farmers on contracts already signed. “Donald Trump and Elon Musk are stiffing our farmers and processors — taking away resources these folks were guaranteed, threatening small businesses’ ability to stay open and people’s livelihoods,” said Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., one of 17 cosponsors. In addition to 15 Democrats, two independent senators who caucus with them, Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine, signed on to the bill. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has stopped reimbursing…

By Cami Koons Previously frozen funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Office has been released, funding rural energy projects and infrastructure for selling ethanol-blended fuels at gas pumps.  USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announced this week that funding allocated through the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program, or HBIIP, and the Rural Energy for America Program, or REAP, will be released, though the latter program requires an adjustment to projects.  HBIIP, which funds projects to upgrade rural fuel stations to sell ethanol-blended fuels, like E15, E85, and B20, at the pump, was released for 543 projects, totaling $537 million,…

By Tom Polansek and Leah Douglas April 3 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump’s new tariffs could apply to eggs being imported to ease a supply shortage, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said on Thursday, a move that industry experts said could boost prices just as they have started to decline from record highs. Rollins said in a Fox News interview that tariffs on egg imports were possible and negotiations with affected countries were ongoing. On Wednesday, Trump announced sweeping tariffs that have been mostly criticized by agricultural and food groups for their potential to shrink markets for farmers and raise consumer prices. The U.S. has increased imports of eggs from Turkey, Brazil and…

1. Soybean, Grain Futures Again Plunge Overnight Soybeans and grains again plummeted in overnight trading as concerns mount about retaliation from trading partners after the U.S. earlier this week slapped blanket tariffs on dozens of trading partners.  China said it would impose a 34% tariff on all U.S. goods and would curb exports on some rare earths starting April 10. Beijing has also filed a lawsuit with the World Trade Organization saying the U.S. tariffs violate WTO regulations.  U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced sweeping tariffs with a base rate of 10% on several countries. He said Chinese goods…

Husband-and-wife team Dan and Kris Nigg have increased the profitability of their corn-and-soybean operation by reducing tillage, growing cover crops, and putting variable-rate technology to work.  Successful Farming spoke with Dan Nigg, who was named a Soil Health Champion by the National Association of Conservation Districts, about how the three-point formula has led to better crop yields. “While yields are growing, costs are decreasing,” said Nigg, who farms in northeast South Dakota. “When you take away a lot of the expense while increasing yields at the same time, the return to the bottom line is going to be a lot…

CNBC’s Ruxandra Iordache reported that “China’s finance ministry on Friday said it will impose a 34% tariff on all goods imported from the U.S. starting on April 10, following duties imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration earlier this week, according to state news outlet Xinhua.” “‘China urges the United States to immediately cancel its unilateral tariff measures and resolve trade differences through consultation in an equal, respectful and mutually beneficial manner,’ Xinhua cited the finance ministry as saying in a Google-translated report,” Iordache reported. “The ministry further criticized Washington’s decision to impose 34% of additional reciprocal levies on China…

Pro Farm Group has received U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registration for RinoTec Technology, a newly developed biocontrol agent designed to combat a wide range of foliar and soil-borne pests.  This non-synthetic alternative offers growers another option for pest management in row and specialty crops, including corn, potatoes, tree nuts, and vegetables. Pending state registrations, RinoTec-powered products will soon be commercially available. RinoTec falls under the Insect Resistance Action Committee (IRAC) UNB chemical class, which includes bacterial agents (non-Bt) with an unknown or uncertain mode of action.  Successful Farming had the opportunity to discuss RinoTec Technology with J.R. Abele, RinoTec…

By Ella Cao and Naveen Thukral BEIJING/SINGAPORE, April 4 (Reuters) – China’s retaliation on Friday against new U.S. tariffs is poised to accelerate Beijing’s move towards alternative suppliers for agricultural goods including Brazil, a shift that began during the trade war of U.S. President Donald Trump’s first term. Beijing unveiled a slew of countermeasures, including additional duties of 34% on all U.S. goods, which are on top of the 10-15% tariffs placed on roughly $21 billion worth of agricultural trade in early March. “This is going to cost the U.S. a lot of export business,” Jack Scoville, vice president of the Chicago-based Price Futures Group, said.…

Wisconsin farmers may soon have access to new grants for sustainable grazing methods under a bipartisan bill making its way through the state legislature. The program, known as the Transition to Grazing Pilot Program, is intended to improve soil health, animal welfare, and water quality by encouraging the use of rotational grazing systems. The Senate agriculture committee of Wisconsin heard the bill on Thursday. The bill would provide technical support and grants up to $40,000 for farmers that use managed grazing systems. In the practice, the livestock are moved through smaller pastures to feed on perennial forage rather than grains,…

A new EarthOptics program for agronomic recommendations will be available for the 2025 growing season. Total Farm, a subscription-based program, combines the EarthOptics GroundOwl sensor suite, soil biological test results, yield data, and satellite imagery to produce soil fertility and crop planning recommendations.  The Total Farm program aims to help farmers improve their efficiency, productivity, and input optimization. Participants will receive soil testing and analysis, crop protection recommendations, fertility prescriptions, and access to crop planning tools. The subscription is set to launch at $4 per acre.  “Total Farm makes the highest-resolution agronomic data accessible and actionable to farmers at the…