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New partnership is helping develop ag career interest

The president and CEO of the National 4-H Council says a new partnership with the Farm Foundation is focused on increasing interest in ag careers. Jill Bramble says the joint effort combines Farm Foundation’s Next Generation program with the Beyond Ready initiative from 4-H.  “It really...

Cherry grower Ben LaCross to lead Michigan Farm Bureau

Michigan Farm Bureau delegates have selected a northwest cherry grower as their next president. Ben LaCross says he’d like to amplify the importance of Michigan-grown food on a broader level. “We have such a great climate for growing specialty crops, grain, sugarbeets, dairy, and...

Extra attention needed for product labels in 2025

The director of conservation for the Illinois Corn Growers Association says farmers need to pay extra attention to chemical labels in 2025 and beyond. Megan Dwyer says the EPA’s new herbicide strategy means even familiar chemicals could see label changes when re-registered. “We all...

Minnesota dairy farmer wants improved safety net

A Minnesota dairy farmer hopes improvements to the dairy safety net are included in the next farm bill. Fran Miron of Hugo says Dairy Margin Coverage calculations need to be updated to reflect current costs of production. “And what farmers need in the way...

Some fungicides prolonged plant health in dry fall

A plant disease specialist says 2024 was a good example of how a fungicide application helped corn beyond disease control. Dr. Damon Smith with the University of Wisconsin says many farmers noticed how fields with fungicide had prolonged plant health and didn’t dry down...

Finding a potential solution for timelier commodity program payments

An ag economist says a multiyear risk program (MYR) could offer farmers a timelier method for delivery of commodity program payments than the traditional ARC/PLC. Ohio State University professor emeritus Carl Zulauf explains why a study suggests shifting when payments are made could benefit...

More cheese & butter, less whey and powder in October

USDA says cheese and butter production was up in October, while whey and dry product production fell. The National Agricultural Statistics Service says total cheese output for October was 1.23 billion pounds, 1% above 2023 and 5.6% higher than September.  Italian type cheese totaled...

Consider having more control over drainage systems

A University of Wisconsin researcher says farmers should consider controlling how much water their drainage systems let out of the fields.  Steven Hall tells Brownfield many farmers use drain tile systems to remove excess water from fields, but many could be gaining additional benefits...

Watch interest costs

Interest can be a hidden cost farmers need to manage. Joe Barker is with CHS Hedging. “When I talk to farmers about marketing their crop, I try to remind them about the cost of money and what can happen to them on interest costs.”...

Industry anticipates expected 45Z announcement

Industry officials say the U.S. Treasury’s declaration that guidance on the 45Z sustainable aviation fuel tax credits is expected by the end of January is a good step. However, John Fuher, with Growth Energy, says the industry needs long-term certainty. “Because these are new...