Author: staff

Terry Kelley has been with North Carolina’s Henderson County Cooperative Extension for eight years. As the director and tree fruit and beekeeping agent, he interacts with farmers frequently. Lately, the conversations have all carried the same theme: frustration. That’s because Henderson County farmers are still facing negative repercussions from 2024’s Hurricane Helene — eight months later. Kelley said the Henderson County Farm Service Agency (FSA) staff have been overwhelmed and understaffed. “They’re getting tons and tons of requests for disaster relief,” he said. According to the Office of State Budget and Management, Helene caused an estimated $59.6 billion in damages…

U.S. sales of tractors in all classes dropped 11.9% in May 2025 compared to May 2024, according to numbers from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM). “This continued slump of U.S. tractor and combine sales reflects broader challenges in the ag economy,” said Curt Blades, senior vice president of AEM. “High interest rates, global trade uncertainty, and increased input prices are causing farmers to delay major equipment purchases. At the same time, we’re encouraged by the strong performance in the Canadian market and remain hopeful that overall conditions will improve as the planting season progresses.” U.S. sales declined in all…

1. Grain, Soybean Trading Closed Thursday Grain and soybean trading is closed Thursday for the Juneteenth holiday.  Trading is scheduled to resume for the overnight session.  2. Ethanol Production Drops From Record High Ethanol output fell from a record high while inventories of the biofuel increased week to week, the Energy Information Administration said in a report.  Production fell to an average of 1.109 million barrels a day in the week that ended on June 13, the agency said.  That’s down from a record 1.12 million barrels a day, the highest weekly average on record, the previous week.  In the…

USDA released the latest Crop Progress report on Monday, June 16. Here’s a closer look at recent weather and the status of Iowa’s most important crops halfway through June. Weather “Strong storms swept through parts of northern Iowa last week, bringing hail that damaged some corn and soybean fields. Despite that unwelcomed severe weather, most of the state experienced a good mix of rain and seasonal temperatures that helped the crops progress,” said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. “As summer officially arrives this week, forecasts are showing warmer-than-normal temperatures and continued chances of storms and widespread showers.” Iowa State…

In its Crop Progress report released Monday, USDA reported that two states had 100% of their soybeans planted as of June 15.  Farmers in Minnesota and Louisiana were the first of the top 18 soybean-growing states to have all of their 2025 crop planted. Here’s a closer look at progress and conditions in these two top states. Minnesota Minnesota soybean growers were the closest to wrapping up soybean planting the week ending June 8 — at that point, 99% of the crop was in the ground. By the week ending June 15, 100% of the state’s soybeans were planted. That’s…

The USDA has announced a sweeping readiness and response plan in light of increasing threats of New World screwworm (NWS). The plan aims to enhance USDA’s ability to detect, control, and eliminate the pest.  “The United States has defeated NWS before and we will do it again,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, in a news release. “We do not take lightly the threat NWS poses to our livestock industry, our economy, and our food supply chain. The United States government will use all resources at its disposal to push back NWS, and today’s announcement of a domestic strategy…

December corn ended the day up 5¼¢ at $4.44 per bushel. November soybeans closed up less than a penny at $10.68¼ per bushel. September wheat contracts ended the day higher. CBOT wheat was up 25¢ at $5.90½ per bushel. KC wheat was up 24¢ at $5.86½. Minneapolis wheat was up 17¼¢ at $6.61½. “Wheat took support from elevated global trade flow and building weather concerns,” said Karl Setzer, partner at Consus Ag Consulting. “The U.S. winter wheat harvest has been slowed by rains and there are now concerns over quality on the mature crop. There are also increasing pockets of…

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins has announced the launch of an $8.5 million facility in South Texas dedicated to the aerial release of sterile New World screwworm flies. The facility at Moore Air Base is part of a broader, multi-faceted plan to strengthen the United States’ defenses against the destructive pest, which threatens livestock, wildlife, and — in rare instances — human health. The New World screwworm, eradicated from the U.S. for decades, was recently detected in parts of Mexico much farther north than usual. These detections, in states such as Oaxaca and Veracruz, prompted the U.S. Department…

The USDA and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins have announced a five-pronged plan to detect, control, and eliminate New World Screwworm threats. The strategy looks to control animal movement, create strong surveillance systems, and utilize proven sterilization techniques. Government officials and cattle industry representatives praise the plan, which includes the launch of a $8.5 million sterile fly dispersal facility on Moore Air Base in south Texas.  Government Officials  Governor Greg Abbott “Texas is on the front lines of the threat posed by the New World Screwworm. Proactive measures like this dispersal facility are a critical step to ensure our state and…

Agridime LLC, a Fort Worth-based cattle company accused of operating a Ponzi scheme, has been ordered to pay nearly $103 million in restitution following a final judgment by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which brought the case, has permanently banned Agridime from registering with the agency or participating in any CFTC-regulated markets. The ruling stems from a broader investigation by the CFTC and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which alleged in 2023 that Agridime raised $191 million from over 2,100 investors across 15 states. The SEC characterized the business…