Farm News

Minnesota to begin testing raw milk for H5N1

Tuesday, February 18

Minnesota will begin testing raw milk for H5N1. Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen tells Brownfield the USDA mandate goes into effect February 24th. “And those will be on (farms) that are already tested by the Department of Agriculture, so farmers won’t notice we’ll pull an... Read More.

Soybeans, corn, wheat see modestly higher finishes

Tuesday, February 18

Soybeans were higher on fund and technical buying. Crop condition ratings have declined in Argentina and weekend rainfall missed some dry areas. Conversely, harvest conditions in Brazil generally look good and should allow for decent progress. The USDA’s updated supply, demand, and production numbers... Read More.

How does labor efficiency correlate to a farm’s productivity?

Tuesday, February 18

A Purdue University ag economist says farmers should analyze their labor efficiency to maximize productivity in 2025. Michael Langemeier says if a farm has higher labor costs, it could struggle to support its workforce. “If your labor costs are above 11%, you need to... Read More.

Succession plans curb farmland loss

Tuesday, February 18

A land transfer navigator says having a succession plan in place is key to reducing farmland loss. Becky Huttenga tells Brownfield, “That’s one of the best tools we can use to protect farmland.” “It’s never more threatened than when it changes hands, that’s when... Read More.

Iowa farmer gives update on planting season plans

Tuesday, February 18

Pictured: Iowa farmer Lance Lillibridge scouts fields during the 2024 growing season (Photo by Brent Barnett/Brownfield) An eastern Iowa farmer says he’s making some of his final preparations for the 2025 growing season. Lance Lillibridge tells Brownfield it could be an expensive year to... Read More.

Lower egg production in 2024

Tuesday, February 18

U.S. egg production declined in 2024. The USDA says 108.515 billion eggs were produced last year, falling 1% from the year before, with table eggs also down 1% to 93.1 billion and hatching eggs seeing a slight year-to-year decrease at 15.4 billion. The lower... Read More.

Another push for year-round E-15

Tuesday, February 18

A bill has been reintroduced in the U.S. Congress that would allow year-round E-15. Kenneth Hartmann, an Illinois farmer and president of the National Corn Growers Association says the goal is to get that bill signed into law. “We know that the administration, from... Read More.

Estate tax relief eyed in Illinois

Tuesday, February 18

Farmers in Illinois could soon see estate tax relief. Chris Davis, director of state legislation with Illinois Farm Bureau, says the re-introduced Family Farm Preservation Act would significantly change how estate taxes are calculated on farms. “It would enable family farms to change the... Read More.

Ohio Farm Bureau backs bill to expand rural healthcare access

Tuesday, February 18

Ohio Farm Bureau says the need for access to rural healthcare is growing. Director of state policy and grassroots engagement Whitney Bowers says the organization is supporting Senate Bill 100, introduced by Senator Susan Manchester, whichwould allow the group to offer their members a health plan in... Read More.

Cash dairy steady-to-lower except butter Tuesday

Tuesday, February 18

Cash dairy prices were steady-to-lower except for butter Tuesday on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Dry whey was unchanged at $0.5550. No sales were recorded. Forty-pound cheese blocks remained unchanged since Thursday at $1.92. No sales were recorded. Cheese barrels were down $0.0025 at $1.8150. ... Read More.

Brazil soybean harvest more than a quarter complete

Tuesday, February 18

Brazil’s record-large soybean crop is beginning to come online. Michael Cordonnier, president of Soybean and Corn Advisor, says harvest progressed about ten percentage points on the week to 27 percent. “It was a good week for harvesting last week, especially in Mato Grosso which... Read More.

Corn, sorghum export inspections above last week

Tuesday, February 18

The USDA says that as of the week ending February 13th, corn, soybean, and wheat export inspections continue to run ahead of what’s needed to meet projections for the current marketing year. The 2024/25 marketing year got underway June 1st for wheat and September... Read More.