Farm News

Focus on proven agronomy in downturn

Friday, December 20

The outreach agronomist with the Illinois Soybean Association says farmers should focus on proven agronomic practices during the economic downturn. Stephanie Porter says many farmers are looking at cost saving measures next season. “I guess most importantly, there’s a lot of possibly biased agronomy...

Unseasonably mild, increasingly wet weather to build across the Heartland next week

Friday, December 20

Looking ahead, the 6- to 10-day outlook calls for the likelihood of warmer-than-normal weather nationwide, except for near-normal temperatures along the middle and northern Atlantic Coast. Meanwhile, near- or above-normal precipitation across most of the country should contrast with drier-than-normal conditions in northern New...

A dynamic “Clipper” feature across the Great Lakes region; largely fair, seasonal on the Plains

Friday, December 20

Across the Corn Belt, travel conditions are deteriorating from North Dakota into Wisconsin, due to wind-driven snow and falling temperatures. Additionally, upper Midwestern livestock are experiencing temporarily stressful conditions, amid several inches of new snow and wind gusts locally topping 40 mph. The remainder...

Rep. Mann applauds decision to remove Kansas from NIETC project

Thursday, December 19

A U.S. Congressman from Kansas is applauding the U.S. Department of Energy’s decision to remove the state from a proposed National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor. Tracey Mann tells Brownfield the primary concern for farmers was property rights. “Early on, they were talking about a...

U.S. Senate passes Water Resources Development Act

Thursday, December 19

The 2024 Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) is on its way to the President’s desk to be signed into law. Soy Transportation Coalition executive director Mike Steenhoek says last minute passage by the U.S. Senate was a critical step in supporting the nation’s ports...

Gonzalez named outstanding Wisconsin Ag in Classroom teacher

Thursday, December 19

A second-grade teacher in the Milwaukee Public School system, has been named the 2024 Wisconsin Outstanding Teacher by Wisconsin’s Agriculture in the Classroom program. Ag in the Classroom coordinator Beth Schaefer tells Brownfield Joshua Gonzalez helped River Trail School became Milwaukee’s first specialty agriculture...

Government funding agreement falls apart, shutdown looms, new deal emerging

Thursday, December 19

Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski says the proposed Continuing Resolution to fund the government, extend the farm bill, and bring disaster aid to producers is stumbling. “I’m very concerned about the fact that an unelected billionaire like Elon Musk could basically dictate to my Republican colleagues...

Farm bill extension, aid for farmers up in the air

Thursday, December 19

Congress is under pressure to keep the government open and extend the current farm bill after a bipartisan bill brokered by U.S. House and Senate leaders was squashed. Chairman of the House Ag Committee, G.T. Thompson, tells Brownfield the Continuing Resolution was very complex,...

USDA makes additional investments in fertilizer expansion

Thursday, December 19

The USDA’s Fertilizer Production Expansion Program is awarding $116 million in grants to eight new projects. Michigan Rural Development Deputy State Director Valarie Handy tells Brownfield nearly 70 percent of this week’s funding announcement has been allocated to the Michigan Potash Company. “We’re helping...

Soybeans, corn both bounce off recent lows

Thursday, December 19

Soybeans were higher on fund and technical buying. Contracts found some new interest near the recent mutli-year lows, helped out by good weekly sales and unknown destinations buying U.S. beans Thursday morning. The weekly total of 52.3 million bushels was up on the week,...

Additional cash cattle business develops Thursday afternoon

Thursday, December 19

Chicago Mercantile Exchange live and feeder cattle futures were down sharply ahead of the USDA’s Cattle on Feed numbers, out Friday afternoon. Ahead of the report, on average, analysts expect all major categories to be below a year ago. February live cattle was down...

Closing Grain and Livestock Futures: December 19, 2024

Thursday, December 19

Mar. corn closed at $4.40 and 3/4, up 3 and 1/2 centsJan. soybeans closed at $9.63, up 11 and 1/4 centsJan. soybean meal closed at $284.10, up $4.60Jan. soybean oil closed at 40.01, up 46 pointsMar. wheat closed at $5.33, down 8 and 1/4...