Author: staff

A runaway horse contributed to a severe car crash in western New York, resulting in the death of the horse and injuries to five people. According to local news reports, the incident occurred on Alderman Road, where Evelin Lazo-Rivera and her four passengers reportedly collided with a horse that suddenly ran into the path of their vehicle. The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office indicated that the impact led to a head-on collision between Lazo-Rivera’s car and the vehicle operated by electrician Eric Minns. Minns described the aftermath to reporters with local TV station 13WHAM. He recalled the devastation of the crash,…

By Stephanie Kelly NEW YORK, April 28 (Reuters) – The Trump administration on Monday issued an emergency waiver to allow the sale of a higher-ethanol gasoline blend to be sold this summer nationwide, saying it will add to fuel supply during the peak U.S. driving season and bring down costs. The move likely will benefit biofuel producers and corn farmers, as it is expected to expand the market for their products. Both industries have pushed for nationwide year-round sales of the higher-ethanol blend, which is called E15, as it is made up of 15% ethanol. “This move to allow the summer sale…

By Ryan Hanrahan Bloomberg’s Hallie Gu reported that “China’s grain supply won’t be affected by a loss of U.S. feed grain and oilseed imports, thanks to abundantly available substitutes on the global market and sufficient reserves at home, a top official from the country’s state planner told reporters on Monday.” “The world’s top buyer of soybeans is set to receive a mammoth amount of the oilseed from South America in the second quarter, easing a supply shortage and helping to further cool animal feed prices,” Gu reported. “Inbound shipments, mainly from Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay, are poised to climb to…

By Jeff Beach FARGO, N.D. – Matt Perdue, government relations director for the North Dakota Farmers Union, on Tuesday told U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins that staff cuts to the U.S. Department of Agriculture have farmers worried they won’t get the help they need in securing federal loans.  “Earlier this year, we had a farm loans webinar. That same webinar last year had 17 attendees. This year, it had 107 and I think that is an indication of the financial stress and uncertainty out there,” Perdue said. “I think it also is an indication of how important FSA [Farm Service…

1. Soybeans Higher in Overnight Trading Soybean futures were higher in overnight trading as investors weigh comments by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicating the trade war with China is expected to de-escalate.  Bessent said Tuesday that he’s expecting to see “de-escalation” in the ongoing tit-for-tat trade war with China.  The U.S. has imposed a whopping 145% tariff on imported Chinese goods, while China has slapped a 125% rate on U.S. products. Still, Bessent reportedly said in a separate speech that talks with Beijing have yet to begin.  Weighing on futures this morning, however, is a stronger dollar that is…

The majority of seed is sold in bulk rather than bags, and a seed tender is an important tool to make planting more efficient. With tank and box-style carriers, farmers can choose which style fits their operation best.  “Which is more common? The popularity is a direct reflection on each farmer’s seed handling preferences,” said Jacob Mason, Unverferth product support and development manager. “Some farmers prefer to run the seed boxes right to the planter, while others like a larger capacity and go for models with larger tanks. “It also depends on the number of varieties you prefer to plant,”…

By Aaditya Govind Rao April 24 (Reuters) – Japan is considering increasing its soybean imports from the U.S. as part of tariff negotiations, the Nikkei reported on Thursday. Japan, whose soybean imports are handled by the private sector, could ask companies to boost trade with the U.S. amid the latter’s trade war with China, the report said. About half of U.S. soybean exports were shipped to China in 2024, totaling nearly $12.8 billion in trade, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. However, last month China suspended the soybean import licences of three U.S. firms in retaliation for President Donald Trump’s additional tariffs on Chinese goods. Japan’s tariff negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa,…

By Ryan Hanrahan CNN’s David Goldman reported Wednesday that “President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he could re-impose ‘reciprocal’ tariffs on some countries in as soon as two or three weeks, a potentially significant re-escalation of the global trade war that has already raised fears of a U.S. and global recession.” “‘In the end, I think what’s going to happen is, we’re going to have great deals, and by the way, if we don’t have a deal with a company or a country, we’re going to set the tariff,’ Trump said in an Oval Office ceremony,” according to Goldman’s reporting.…

By a vote of 207–69, Illinois wheat producers approved a measure to bring a wheat check-off program to the state. The referendum goes into effect Jan. 1, 2026 and will implement a voluntary wheat check-off program with a 1.5¢-per-bushel assessment. The proposed assessment rate is less than the Kansas voluntary 2¢-per-bushel rate but less than those of Ohio (half of 1% [0.005] of the net market price) and Kentucky (one-fourth of 1% [0.0025] of the gross marketed price). Both Ohio and Kentucky’s assessment rates are voluntary. The referendum result was announced April 17 after the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA)…

Illinois Democratic Senator Dick Durbin announced his retirement on Wednesday, signaling the end to a 44-year career in Congress after 2026. Durbin is the Democratic Whip in the upper chamber of Congress and was first elected to the Senate in 1996. As a senator in a major farm state, Durbin has been a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee since 2018.  While on the Ag Committee, Durbin urged for the passing of a new Farm Bill to replace the current bill passed in 2018 and encouraged Illinois farmers to enroll in conservation programs funded by the Inflation Reduction Act.  As…