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Revised USDA report schedule released
On Thursday USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service issued an updated release schedule for reports impacted by the recent government shutdown. Lance Honig of the National Agricultural Statistics Service says some of the reports can be released more quickly than others. The October and November agricultural prices report will now be released on December 15th. Honig explains some of the factors behind rescheduling certain USDA reports. The full list of reports and publishing dates is...
Hong Kong foodservice industry recovering as ASF concerns grow
U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO Dan Halstrom just completed a market visit to Hong Kong for the first time since COVID-19 restrictions were lifted. Halstrom said that Hong Kong’s foodservice sector- which was decimated by limitations on...
AFBF announces new mental health resource for farming families
Mental health is not something that should be taken lightly. It's okay to not feel okay, but it's also important to make sure that you and your loved ones are doing what you can to develop and promote positive mental health. This past Sunday, the American Farm Bureau...
Budget disputes leading to farm bill frustrations
Congress has voted to extend temporary funding again to keep the government open, but in the process has likely produced more delays in writing a farm bill. That has led to frustration among members of Congress hoping to complete work on the farm bill early in 2024....
Fed’s January 2024 beige book on ag economy
The Federal Reserve Board released its January 2024 Beige Book, a summary of its commentary on the current economic conditions in each Federal Reserve District. In the sixth district around Atlanta, Low cattle supply led to higher cattle prices, but consumers are...
Will the grains continue to pull back on price levels?
We are almost one month into the new year, and we have been seeing a lot of red splotches on the grain markets. That’s not to say there has been a general slide, but it feels like there have been more low days than highs. The markets seem to keep retreating from the...
How to adjust your planter for no-till fields
When using no-till practices, the soil is obviously not as soft at the surface due to the residue from the previous crop. If you don’t adjust your planting practices to go along with your no-till practices, then your yields will take a hit. Roger Wilcox, one of the...
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Midwest Dairy seeking candidates for the 71st Iowa Dairy Princess
During this Dairy Month, Midwest Dairy’s Iowa Division is looking for candidates to serve as the 71st annual Iowa Dairy Princess. Heidi Lantzky, Iowa Dairy Princess Program Coordinator, said the Iowa Dairy Princess serves as the official goodwill ambassador for the...
South American Weather and Crop Update (6-4-24)
Much of South America is dry again this week. This is good news for farmers who are looking to wrap up harvest and receive some flood relief. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest weather patterns. First crop corn harvest is pretty well...
New USDA digital cattle market data tool available soon
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says USDA is preparing to launch a new market data tool for cattle producers called the Livestock Mandatory Reporting (LMR) Live Cattle Data Dashboard. The new digital tool for cattle producers will give users the ability to access...
USDA proposes next steps to fairer markets and transparency
The USDA announced the next steps it’s proposing to address the many complex competition issues in agricultural markets and create a fairer playing field for poultry growers and farmers. USDA is proposing the rule “Poultry Grower Payment Systems and Capital...
NASDA addressing some of Ag’s top concerns
We know that there are a lot of things that are being juggled around in the ag industry. There are a lot of policies that are being made or stalling in Washington, that farmers need to have certainty about. The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture...
