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2025 saw almost record volume and value for pork exports
2025 proved to be another strong year for U.S. pork exports, with a volume of 2.9 million metric tons. This is three percent shy of the 2024 record, but it was still the third highest on record. Value was three percent down from 2024’s record but the second highest overall at $8.4 billion. Andy Tauer, vice president of international market development at the National Pork Board, said the industry continues to see sustained demand for U.S. pork in the Western Hemisphere. The U.S. Meat Export...
EPA issues Right to Repair guidance for farm equipment repairs
The EPA is weighing in on a debate farmers and independent repair shops have been having for years, issuing new Right to Repair guidance focused on non-road diesel equipment. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin says the move is intended to clear up long-standing confusion...
Farmers need to think long-term when making planning decisions
Farming decisions this year can have a big effect for several seasons to come. Todd McRoberts, the Corn Technical Product Lead for Syngenta Corn Traits, said planning ahead is more important now than ever. When it comes to planning ahead, McRoberts said you have to...
November pork and beef export below year-ago levels
Exports of U.S. pork remained relatively strong in November but were below the large total reported in November 2024, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). Lamb exports were a bright spot, posting the largest...
Phil’s forecast and possible ag implications
For those of us in the Midwest and eastern states, Punxsutawney Phil’s Groundhog Day forecast comes as no surprise with the famous groundhog calling for six more weeks of winter. That is USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey who says that Phil’s forecast lines up with the...
Farmers aggressively sold soybeans in 2025
U.S. farmers were aggressive sellers of soybeans last fall as prices climbed after trade tensions eased between the U.S. and China. With higher prices and a swifter pace of sales, commercial ownership of soybeans rose sharply while use of delayed pricing programs and...
USDA cattle numbers show ongoing herd decline
The USDA released its latest Cattle Inventory Report last Friday, just ahead of this week’s National Cattlemen’s Beef Association convention in Nashville. While the overall change in cattle numbers was modest, the data continues to reinforce a long running trend of...
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More Ag News
February WASDE report was as uneventful as expected
After experiencing a very surprising January WASDE report, this month’s report was as quiet as expected. Overall, there really wasn’t much for the markets to react to. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an analysis of this month’s report. The report was so...
Increasing farm bankruptcies highlight economic challenges
New data from U.S. court filings indicate farm bankruptcy has risen again. This is yet another indicator that we are experiencing a struggling farm economy. Samantha Ayoub, an economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation, said the data paints a stark picture of...
Adoption of precision dairy technologies
Most row crop farmers are very aware of and knowledgeable about precision agriculture technology. However, animal agriculture is quickly adopting more precision agriculture technology and that extends into the dairy industry. USDA research economist Johnathan McFadden...
Farm bankruptcies continued climbing in 2025
A new American Farm Bureau Market Intel Report said Chapter 12 farm bankruptcies increased for the second year in a row, reaching 315 filings in 2025, a 46 percent increase from 2024. The Midwest and Southeast filed 121 and 105 Chapter 12 cases, respectively, far...
Why discipline matters more than market moves
Risk management is always part of agriculture, but in today’s volatile markets, the fundamentals matter as much as ever, regardless of operation size. Understanding costs, knowing who you are selling to, and being honest about what a balance sheet can withstand are...
