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Farmer stays resilient, says farm bill would help

A southwestern Wisconsin farmer says it has been challenging on the farm, but he remains positive.  James Edge farms with his wife, daughter, and father-in-law near Fennimore, where they raise about 130 head of beef cattle. Edge tells Brownfield even with low commodity prices...

Soybeans, wheat cling onto gains as corn finishes mixed

Soybeans were modestly higher on fund and technical buying. Beans started lower but found support from near-term demand expectations, despite the USDA’s most recent supply and demand report being seen as neutral. Crop development weather in South American remains generally favorable, with Argentina and...

$5 million investment helps FFA students with higher education

A new investment from Tractor Supply Company will expand scholarship opportunities for FFA members pursing higher education. Molly Ball, president of the National FFA Foundation says the company provided National FFA $5 million to support students. “They saw the need to help students in...

Start now to get 2025 H-2A workers, follow regulations

An ag labor consultant says dairy farmers need to follow the rules when utilizing H-2A guest workers.  Sarah Black with Great Lakes Ag Labor Services tells Brownfield there are plenty of seasonal jobs on a dairy farm, but milking cows is not one of...

Broiler sets, placements continue to run ahead of last year

Broiler sets and placements continue to point towards more chicken in 2025. The USDA says 249.821 million broiler-type eggs went into incubation, down 315,000 on the week, but up 6% on the year, with the average hatchability rate holding just under 80% at 79.7%....

Illinois Farm Bureau pushing deer management

The president of the Illinois Farm Bureau says better management of the state’s deer herd is at the forefront of member’s minds. Brian Duncan says farmers are losing money to wildlife. “This very real economic impact, especially in southern Illinois.”  He says, “Forty acres...

USB releases report showing economic benefits of the checkoff

An economics professor at Cornell University says a recent study from the United Soybean Board shows checkoff dollars create more opportunities for soybean farmers. Dr. Harry Kaiser says without the checkoff program… “Overall soybean demand would have been 9% lower than it actually was,”...

Baldwin confronts FDA officials on dairy labeling

A dairy state Senator remains critical of the Food and Drug Administration for failing to enforce dairy labeling standards. Tammy Baldwin from Wisconsin confronted FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf and Deputy Commissioner Jim Jones during a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committee hearing...

Hawkins re-elected to third term as Missouri Farm Bureau president

The president of the Missouri Farm Bureau has been reelected to a third term. St. Clair County farmer, Garrett Hawkins, won reelection at the organization’s 110th annual meeting.  Hawkins was elected to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Board of Directors in January 2024, and...

December proclaimed Christmas Tree Month in Missouri

December is officially Christmas Tree Month in Missouri. Governor Mike Parson presented a proclamation to winners of the Missouri Christmas Tree Association’s annual wreath and tree contests, held earlier this year. Lloyd’s Family Farm in Ashland won the tree contest and has provided a...

Modest changes for weekly ethanol production

U.S. ethanol production rebounded slightly last week. The U.S. Energy Information Administration says production averaged 1.073 million barrels per day, up 5,000 from the previous week’s holiday impacted activity, and 4,000 above a year ago. Operating margins have tightened, but ethanol producers continue to...