Author: staff

Pesticides are powerful tools on the farm, but they are not without risk. Understanding the essentials of pesticide safety can help prevent unintended exposure for people and the environment. February is National Pesticide Safety Education Month, and this is a great time to review pesticide safety practices on the farm.  “Today, pesticides are used in and around homes, apartments, workplaces, farms, and a myriad of other settings to control weeds, insects, disease-causing organisms, rodents, and other pests,” said Fred Whitford, PhD, director of Purdue Pesticide Programs at Purdue University. “That means everyone benefits when we focus on pesticide safety education.”…

In late August 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the final version of its Herbicide Strategy. The strategy is intended to bring the agency into compliance with its obligations under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to protect more than 900 federally endangered and threatened species from herbicides’ potential impacts.  As a result, farmers can expect to see changes in drift and runoff mitigation measures required on labels, as products are registered and reregistered moving forward. This requires a shift in how pesticides are to be managed, down to the field level.  What Changed From the Draft? The EPA…

By Anna Liz Nichols Nearly one-third of counties in Michigan have had confirmed cases of bird flu since 2022.  Alpena County is the latest to join the ranks of those counties that have detected cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), according to a Monday news release from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). The virus began sweeping through every state starting in 2022 as the COVID-19 pandemic was waning and nearly 150 million wild, commercial, hobby, and backyard birds have been affected nationwide to date, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Counties all over Michigan have detected cases…

By Ryan Hanrahan Reuters’ Karl Plume reported Tuesday that “grains merchant Archer-Daniels-Midland posted its lowest fourth-quarter adjusted profit in six years on Tuesday on weak oilseed crush margins and uncertainty over U.S. biofuel policy and said it is cutting costs and slashing up to 700 jobs to weather the market downturn.” “Chicago-based ADM said it aimed to cut costs by $500 million to $750 million over the next three to five years via job cuts and lower raw materials and manufacturing costs,” Plume reported. “Reuters had reported last week that the grain trader would soon start laying off employees in…

By the mid-1950s, the writing was on the wall. Farmers, particularly those living in the West and Midwest, wanted more horsepower from their tractors. Looking to expand its market share, Oliver responded to the call with a new generation of machines that set horsepower standards the industry would follow for the next decade. Oliver already had a respectable line of mid-sized gas tractors. Company leaders wanted to build on that success growing into an entirely new high-horsepower segment. The company’s march toward building industry-leading powerhouses began in 1940 when it pioneered the first use of a diesel engine. That year,…

By Nick Paulson, Gary Schnitkey, and Jonathan Coppess Tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China have the potential to increase the prices paid by consumers and products for goods, services, and inputs from those major U.S. trading partners. Fertilizers are such an input for U.S. farmers. Price increases would likely be greatest for potassium (K) given the U.S. reliance on imports, in particular imports from Canada. Impacts would likely be smaller for nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), fertilizers given a lower reliance on imports relative to total consumption in the U.S. Tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China On Feb. 1, 2025, the…

John Deere has launched weave automation for select round balers to speed up the baling process. Deere previously introduced gate and speed automation, bringing the tractor to a stop when the bale is completed. With weave automation, operators place the windrow between the front tires of the tractor and let the baler take over.  “Gone are the days where operators must weave a tractor during the baling process to ensure quality bale shape while not driving over windrows,” said Kaylene Ballesteros, John Deere go-to-market manager for hay and forage equipment. “Weave automation allows the baler to align with the tractor’s…

By Henry Redman Gov. Tony Evers announced Wednesday that he’s proposing to spend $80 million through the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) in his 2025-2027 state budget to support farmers and Wisconsin’s agricultural industry.  The proposal includes increases in current funding as well as new programs to increase farm efficiency, connect producers with markets and support conservation efforts.  “Our farmers, farm families, and producers have been the backbone of our state for generations,” Evers said in a statement. “Whether it’s been supporting the future research and workforce this industry needs to keep up with the demands of the…

By Cami Koons An Iowa House of Representatives subcommittee advanced a bill that would prohibit the Iowa Utilities Commission from considering climate change when issuing a permit for a hazardous liquid pipeline.  House Study Bill 67 was introduced by Rep. Charley Thomson, R-Charles City, who has been an outspoken opponent, and intervenor, of the proposed Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline that would transport sequestered carbon dioxide from biofuels facilities to underground storage in North Dakota.  The Iowa Utilities Commission approved a permit for the project in June 2024.  Thomson said “climate change is a hypothesis” that is “not strong enough” to support a justification of…

1. Soybean Futures Lower in Overnight Trading Soybean futures declined overnight amid a disappointing export sales report and favorable weather in parts of South America.  Sales of U.S. beans in the week through Jan. 30 totaled 387,700 metric tons, down 12% from the previous week and 40% from the prior four-week average, the Department of Agriculture said in a report late yesterday.  China was the big buyer at 208,700 tons, followed by the Netherlands at 125,200 tons, and Egypt at 107,900 tons. Mexico purchased 63,700 tons and South Korea bought 60,900 tons of U.S. supplies, the agency said.  The total…