Farm News

High input costs causing farmers to seek solutions on fertilizer

Tuesday, September 3

Farmers continue to battle high input costs. Craig Dick, with Phospholutions, tells Brownfield the current price situation for phosphorus is as bad as it’s ever been. “China has curtailed exports, Brazil isn’t really producing. We have the countervailing duties reducing imports of phosphate fertilizers into the...

2023 corn for ethanol use up from 2022

Tuesday, September 3

5.3 billion bushels of corn were used for ethanol production in 2023. The USDA says that was an increase of 2% from 2022, with production supported by generally solid processing margins and demand expectations, both domestically and globally. Production of distillers dried grains with...

Corn grind, soybean crush both solid during July

Tuesday, September 3

Corn demand for ethanol use continues to be strong, while crush demand remains a bright spot for soybeans. The USDA says 473.504 million bushels of corn were used for fuel alcohol production in July 2024, up 6% from June and 4% from July 2023,...

Corn stunt disease identified in Kansas

Tuesday, September 3

The first known case of corn stunt disease has been identified in Kansas. Plant pathologists and entomologists at Kansas State University say the disease and associated symptoms has been identified in field corn in Edwards, Pratt, Sedgwick and Stafford counties and sweet corn in...

Spring wheat crop insurance usage up

Tuesday, September 3

The crop agency manager with Country Financial says the number of farmers protecting their spring wheat acres with crop insurance is increasing. Doug Yoder tells Brownfield nearly 80% of Illinois wheat acres are protected. “Roughly about the southern third of Illinois, those counties automatically...

Cash dairy prices mostly higher Tuesday

Tuesday, September 3

Cash dairy prices were higher except for butter Tuesday on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Dry whey was up $0.01 at $0.57. One sale was recorded at that price. Forty-pound cheese blocks were up $0.0050 at $2.2150. One sale was recorded at that price. Cheese...

Grassley critical of EPA draft Insecticide Strategy

Tuesday, September 3

U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley is echoing concerns of ag stakeholders that have submitted public comments critical of EPA’s draft Insecticide Strategy. The Iowa Republican says those groups are urging EPA to redo its practice for pesticides. “They also asserted the EPA was overregulating by...

Global Dairy Trade index down slightly Tuesday

Tuesday, September 3

The Global Dairy Trade index fell slightly in Tuesday’s trading session. Butter, whole milk powder, and lactose saw prices go down, while cheese, butter milk powder, skim milk powder, and anhydrous milk fat saw price gains. Butter milk powder was up 8.4% to $3,024...

Sticking to the Profitability Playbook

Tuesday, September 3

Illinois corn farmers are feeling the pinch of lower commodity prices. That’s why the Illinois Corn Marketing Board is focused on expanding corn demand. Farmers have seen commodity prices decline rapidly over the past year. Rodney Weinzerl, executive director of the Illinois Corn Marketing...

Solid week for export inspections

Tuesday, September 3

The USDA says that as of the week ending August 29th, U.S. corn, sorghum, soybean, and wheat export inspections were ahead of what’s needed to meet projections for the current respective marketing years. The 2024/25 marketing year kicked off June 1st for wheat, while...

Meristem launches free carbon intensity estimator

Tuesday, September 3

Farmers now have a no cost way to learn their carbon intensity (CI) score. Peter Rousonelos, senior vice president of business development with Meristem Crop Performance, says the CI Estimator is a service to better educate farmers. “There are people that are charging saying...

August rains helped MO soybean crop

Tuesday, September 3

A central-Missouri farmer says the August weather was good for the soybean crop. Nathan Alpers tells Brownfield rains were timely. “You want a state fair rain out and we got a rain then. Another inch of rain would be great to finish up some...