Farm News

Illinois sees warm, wet end to 2024

Wednesday, January 8

December was warm and wet for most of Illinois. The USDA says the average statewide temperatures and precipitation were both above normal, boosting soil moisture and aiding winter wheat development. 69% of Illinois’ winter wheat crop is in good to excellent condition, compared to...

Improving demand supports dairy market outlook

Wednesday, January 8

An uptick in demand is supporting dairy markets. Naomi Blohm with Total Farm Marketing says an increase in milk production weighed on futures prices toward the end of 2024. “But now just in the past few weeks here we’ve seen better demand for domestic...

2025 crop fertility plans being examined

Wednesday, January 8

A field agronomist with Burrus Seed says high input prices and lower commodity prices have many growers closely examining their fertility plans in 2025. Dana Harder, who’s based in Missouri, says a recent soil test is the first step. “If your pH is starting...

MSU weighs in on farm bill expectations for 2025

Wednesday, January 8

An ag policy expert says he sees potential for a new farm bill to pass this year as part of a continuing resolution. Michigan State University’s Alan Ker tells Brownfield Congress could take up two separate resolutions to move tax policy and other legislation...

Grassley reacts to reports House GOP is considering one-bill budget reconciliation process

Wednesday, January 8

Republicans in the U.S. House are reportedly considering a one-bill budget reconciliation process that would include tax and spending cuts, border security funding, and energy development. U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley tells Brownfield the Senate Republican Caucus would prefer two bills. “And the reason we...

Illinois no-sales a sign of instability in the farmland market

Wednesday, January 8

There are signs of instability in the farmland market. Compeer Financial certified appraiser Josh Miller covers several counties in central Illinois and says no-sales are occurring more frequently. “I’ve got a sale at $20,600 (an acre), and then not even 10 to 15 miles...

Precision Breeding

Wednesday, January 8

Precision breeding can help farmers address challenges by designing customized products that are fit for every acre. The head of North American hybrid product development, Michael Kovach, explains more in this episode of Managing for Profit. The post

A mid-Winter “look & feel” across much of the Heartland; southern states prep for storminess

Wednesday, January 8

Across the Corn Belt, rural travel conditions are slowly improving in the wake of the recent snow and ice storm, which primarily struck from Missouri into the Ohio Valley. Early Tuesday, approximately 75,000 customers from southeastern Missouri into southern Indiana remain without electricity. Currently,...

A cold pattern to continue for most of the Heartland; some moisture ahead for the Plains

Wednesday, January 8

Looking ahead, the 6- to 10-day outlook calls for the likelihood of near- or below-normal temperatures nationwide, except for warmer-than-normal weather near the Canadian border from northern Montana to northwestern Minnesota. Meanwhile, near- or below-normal precipitation across most of the country should contrast with...