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No holiday lull for grain markets

The senior director of brokerage for CHS Hedging expects a lot of market volatility through the end of the year. Joe Barker says exports have been strong for corn, soybeans, and wheat. “Trade will continue through the coming months, even though there’s a transition...

Where is the fertilizer market headed?

Pictured: Corey Rosenbusch, President and CEO of The Fertilizer Institute, at the 2024 NAFB Convention in Kansas City (Photo by Brent Barnett/Brownfield) The head of The Fertilizer Institute says managing volatility in the fertilizer market wasn’t as big of an issue for farmers in...

Widmar discusses state of the farm economy

An ag economist says the farm economy is currently a tale of two stories. David Widmar with Agricultural Economic Insights tells Brownfield, “The real pain here is with crop producers. It’s sort of the farm economy with two stories and the one story is...

Soybeans, wheat end session mostly higher

Soybeans were mixed, mostly higher, adjusting spreads. Development conditions in South America continue to look favorable with more rain on the way for some areas. It looks like South America is on track for a very large crop this year, but there are months...

Ethanol industry seeks E15 fix under second Trump admin

The head of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association says he’s optimistic a federal solution for year-round E15 will get prioritized under a second Trump administration. Monte Shaw tells Brownfield he remains hopeful the issue will be tackled within the first 100 days of Trump’s...

District Courts side with cases against DOL’s farmworker rule

Three U.S. District Courts have now ruled in favor of farm groups who argue a Department of Labor farmworker rule illegally provides collective bargaining rights to H-2A guest workers This week the U.S. District Court of Mississippi issued a nationwide stay of labor enforcement...

Indiana native crowned 2025 Miss American Angus

A southeastern Indiana teen was crowned the 2025 Miss American Angus during the recent American Angus Association Awards Dinner and Reception in Fort Worth, Texas. Rosalind Kidwell is from Gentryville, Indiana. “I’m a fifth generation angus breeder,” she says. “I’ve been involved in showing...

Importance of a balanced gut microbiome

A senior scientific and business advisor at Novonesis says maintaining a balanced gut microbiome is essential to an animal’s well-being. Dr. Steve Learner says it all starts with a probiotic. “The reason you provide probiotics to the animals in your care, not only do...

New research investigates additional cover crop benefits

A new multi-state and multi-year research project is digging deeper into the benefits of cover crops. Marta Moura Kohmann with the University of Wisconsin tells Brownfield rye cover crops were seeded this fall, and they will plant corn and alfalfa into those fields this...

Farmer’s share of Thanksgiving dinner pennies on the dollar

The National Farmers Union President says farmers are not the ones benefiting from high food costs. Rob Larew tells Brownfield, “As that food cost goes up and down often it is the farmer on the other end who is also feeling squeezed and pressured.”...

Potential tariffs weighing on farmers

The potential for the next Trump administration to impose tariffs on America’s top trade partners is weighing on the ag industry.                   Mary Kay Thatcher, head lobbyist for Syngenta, says new threats of tariffs from President-elect Trump are cause for concern. “Well, the president-elect came...

Thankful farmer

Commentary. Even amidst the ever-present challenges that are part of farming, we have so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving season.  There are so many small and wondrous moments for which I am grateful: the smell of freshly turned soil, the peace of...