Farm News

Cattle futures mostly higher, awaiting direct business

Tuesday, March 4

Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle were up and feeders were mostly modestly higher, oversold and waiting for direct business to get underway. The import tariffs on Canada and Mexico could lead to a tighter domestic supply of cattle. April live was $2.40 higher at... Read More.

New weed control tools from BASF

Tuesday, March 4

Surtain corn herbicide from BASF is commercially available to growers in the United States in 2025. Josh Putnam, Technical Marketing Manager for U.S. Corn Herbicides told Brownfield that weed resistance continues to spread and farmers have fewer tools to control weeds than they did... Read More.

Iowa Ag Secretary expects market disruption from retaliatory tariffs

Tuesday, March 4

Iowa’s Secretary of Agriculture warns farmers to brace for the impact of retaliatory tariffs on U.S. ag exports. Mike Naig tells Brownfield Canada has already retaliated and Mexico is expected to. “Factually, we expect that there will be or we should expect a disruption.... Read More.

Closing Grain and Livestock Futures: March 4, 2025

Tuesday, March 4

May corn closed at $4.51 and 1/2, down 4 and 3/4 centsMay soybeans closed at $9.99, down 12 and 1/2 centsMay soybean meal closed at $293.50, down $4.50May soybean oil closed at 42.27, down 63 pointsMay wheat closed at $5.36 and 3/4, down 11... Read More.

Is 2025 the year a new farm bill gets done?

Tuesday, March 4

Pictured: Darin Johnson (left) with the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association interviews with Brownfield’s Brent Barnett at the 2025 Commodity Classic (Photo by Jill Makovec/Brownfield) Farm groups continue to call on lawmakers to finish the farm bill this year. Darin Johnson, president of the Minnesota... Read More.

Economic models show impact of Trump policies

Tuesday, March 4

Dairy economists at the University of Wisconsin have been modeling how retaliatory tariffs and program cuts will impact U.S. dairy farmers. Leonard Polzin tells Brownfield UW’s Dr. Charles Nicholson has been calculating the effects of an equal 25% retaliatory tariff, cuts to the nutrition... Read More.

Ag Economy Barometer sees surprising rise from last month

Tuesday, March 4

Despite current economic challenges, farmer sentiment rose significantly this month in the latest Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer. Jim Mintert with Purdue University says the survey was taken the week of February 10th. “Of course, conditions have changed a lot since then, with the collapse in... Read More.

Grains, oilseeds fall on tariff concerns

Tuesday, March 4

Soybeans were lower on fund and technical selling. There’s more rain in the forecast for parts of Argentina and Brazil’s harvest has hit the halfway point. The USDA’s next supply, demand, and production numbers and CONAB’s updated projections for Brazil are both out next... Read More.

Climate-smart grant holders say ripple effects are mounting

Tuesday, March 4

An executive director of a sustainable agriculture nonprofit says rural communities will bear the brunt of USDA funding freezes and firings. Hannah Smith-Brubaker with Pasa Sustainable Agriculture tells Brownfield, “The firings in the federal government, and equally the funding freeze itself, disproportionately is impacting... Read More.

China halts some U.S. soybean imports as trade war takes shape

Tuesday, March 4

Pictured: Jim McCormick with AgMarket.Net at the 2025 Commodity Classic (Photo by Brent Barnett/Brownfield) An ag economist says China has taken some retaliatory measures against the U.S. over President Trump’s tariffs that went into effect Tuesday. “For the U.S. producer right now, this is... Read More.

U.S. Drought Monitor staff preparing for NOAA disruptions

Tuesday, March 4

A climatologist at the National Drought Mitigation Center says he’s closely following how staffing cuts at USDA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) could impact work. Brian Fuchs tells Brownfield, “When we see some of these agencies starting to get some of... Read More.

A tale of two rivers

Tuesday, March 4

The chief science fellow with Nutrien Ag Solutions says current levels on the Mississippi River vary greatly depending upon location. Eric Snodgrass says it’s a tale of have’s and have not’s. “Three weeks ago, it was below low stage, so they’ve recovered 35 feet... Read More.