Farm News

Verslues to retire

Friday, February 21

The CEO of MFA Incorporated, a farm cooperative based in Missouri, will be retiring this fall. Ernie Verslues has been at MFA for nearly 40 years and has been leading the cooperative for a decade. MFA says the Board of Directors is currently conducting... Read More.

Brevant investing in the future of agriculture

Friday, February 21

Brevant seeds celebrated National FFA Week by continuing a program that invests in the future of agriculture. Caleb Quinlan, retail sales agronomist in Missouri, says their Turn the Bag Blue and Gold initiative prioritizes ag education at the local level. “It’s a partnership with... Read More.

USDA resumes a portion of funding to growers

Friday, February 21

The USDA has announced it will release the first tranche of funding that had been paused after a review of the Inflation Reduction Act dollars. $20 million in payments will go to farmers who signed contracts under the Environmental Quality Incentive Program or EQIP, the... Read More.

Minnesota sees Netherlands as “gateway” to EU for ag exports

Friday, February 21

The Netherlands is seen as a gateway to the European Union for U.S. ag exports. Minnesota Department of Agriculture deputy commissioner Andrea Vaubel spoke to Brownfield after returning from a recent trade mission to the east European country. “They’re one of the largest importing... Read More.

Kansas Ag Secretary weighs in on Rollins’ vision for USDA

Friday, February 21

Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Mike Beam says he’s uncertain how a new USDA initiative will impact Kansas farmers. “I’m hoping that it’s going to be putting an emphasis and maybe even resources towards enhancing our research efforts. We need to be at the forefront,... Read More.

Midwest farmland values down 1% in 2024

Friday, February 21

Midwestern farmland values decreased one percent in 2024. Chicago Federal Reserve Bank policy advisor David Oppedahl says the district, which includes Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin, saw dips of two to three percent in every state except Wisconsin. “So we are not seeing... Read More.

Strong heifer market

Friday, February 21

A northern Minnesota cattle producer is benefiting from continued strength in the heifer market. Rachel Gray of Blackduck says high calf prices are trickling down to bred heifers. “We’ve seen record-high bred heifers (and) we hope that it holds. And my hope for people... Read More.

Meat export sales up on week

Friday, February 21

The USDA’s reporting a good week for U.S. meat export sales. Beef and pork sales during the week ending February 13th both saw improvements, with Japan leading the way for beef and Mexico topping the list for pork. Soybean, rice, and upland cotton sales... Read More.

Drought concerns ahead of 2025 growing season

Friday, February 21

A climatologist says he’s concerned about precipitation deficits across the Midwest. Brian Fuchs with the National Drought Mitigation Center says the growing season is rapidly approaching and farmers need more moisture. “Some of these areas over the last four or five years have missed... Read More.

IL Beef Expo brings cattle worlds together

Friday, February 21

A longtime cattle exhibitor says commercial beef producers and show competitors can learn from one another. Kim Carney Rhodes, chair of the 2025 Illinois Beef Expo, says there’s two worlds within the cattle industry. “Sometimes the commercial producer doesn’t understand the show ring, and... Read More.

MSU Dairy Farmer of the Year reflects on career

Friday, February 21

A Michigan dairy farmer says the past year of good prices have helped to catch up on some long-awaited improvements. Tony Jandernoa says it has been more than challenging to be a dairy farmer over the past decade. “It was a tough five or... Read More.

Frigid weather making for difficult calving season

Friday, February 21

Frigid temperatures have made calving season more difficult for a southeast Nebraska farmer. Logan Bredemeier tells Brownfield cattle have mostly fared well. “This week has been kind of tough on the calves. We’ve actually lost three or four this week with the cold and... Read More.