Farm News

Dry whey sales important to dairy farm prices

Wednesday, July 31

An economist says the one dairy product China continues to regularly import from the U.S. is very important to farmer profitability. Mary Ledman with RaboResearch tells Brownfield China remains important for the sale of dry whey, which helps support dairy prices. “Every penny change...

Hog futures supported by higher cash business

Wednesday, July 31

At the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, live cattle were lower and feeders were mixed waiting for the week’s direct business to develop. August lives closed $.57 lower at $187.12 and October live cattle closed $.77 lower at $186.67. August feeder cattle closed $.27 higher at...

Grande Cheese to expand former Foremost Chilton plant

Wednesday, July 31

Grande Cheese is renovating and expanding the Chilton, Wisconsin cheese plant it bought from Foremost Farms. The company is adding 60-thousand square feet to the existing 20-thousand square foot facility, and when finished, will be Grande Cheese’s third largest manufacturing plant. Grande Cheese specializes...

Microsoft expands FFA precision ag programing grants

Wednesday, July 31

The National FFA Organization and Microsoft are equipping agriscience teachers with expanded resources to integrate precision agriculture into classrooms. FFA Chief Program Officer Christine White tells Brownfield the new grant will support digital agricultural tools and trainings for teachers across four states, including Wisconsin....

Corn continues to drift lower, soybeans bounce

Wednesday, July 31

Soybeans were modestly higher on short covering and technical buying, bouncing off the recent lows. It was an up and down session, but contracts are oversold and due for a bounce, and there was help from a higher move in bean oil. Development weather...

Dry pea harvest off to early start in Nebraska panhandle

Wednesday, July 31

A Nebraska Extension educator says dry pea harvest got an early start in the state’s panhandle. Gary Stone tells Brownfield the hot weather matured crops quicker and yields are mixed. “Probably when the peas were setting blossoms we might have had some pretty extreme...

Closing Grain and Livestock Futures: July 31, 2024

Wednesday, July 31

Sep. corn closed at $3.82 and 3/4, down 6 centsAug. soybeans closed at $10.28 and 1/2, up 1 and 1/4 centsAug. soybean meal closed at $354.10, up $2.10Aug. soybean oil closed at 43.30, up 55 pointsSep. wheat closed at $5.27 and 1/4, up 3...

Cost of tar spot control likely to limit applications

Wednesday, July 31

A field crops educator says she wouldn’t be surprised if the current corn price limits how farmers manage tar spot this year. Michigan State University Extension’s Monica Jean says many farmers are questioning, “Is it worth your return on investment when it’s a $40...

A mindset shift to integrated weed management

Wednesday, July 31

A weed scientist at the University of Missouri says the future of combatting weed resistance is integrated weed management. “The way I think about integrated weed management is to get rid of our herbicide centric way of thinking.” Kevin Bradley says agriculture has been...

Missouri’s soybean crop looks good heading into August

Wednesday, July 31

A state soybean specialist with University of Missouri Extension says the crop is doing well heading into August. “August is the time of the season where the soybean yield will be mostly defined.” Andre Reis says Missouri’s crop should have an overall better yield...

Broiler sets, placements see another week of gains

Wednesday, July 31

The USDA’s weekly broiler hatchery numbers continue to point to increased production in 2024. 247.956 million broiler-type eggs were set into incubators by hatcheries last week, 1.284 million less than the prior week, but 3% more than a year ago, with average hatchability at...

Agronomist says weather has made it a hard year

Wednesday, July 31

A Dekalb agronomist says farmers in her area have seen the extremes when it comes to weather. Kentucky-based Shelby Wright says while many areas were delayed, most crops made it into the ground. “I know it wasn’t as ideal conditions as a lot of...