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Findings from April Cattle on Feed Report
The Cattle on Feed Reports from USDA provide a look at the inventory of cattle in feedlots throughout the United States. The April Cattle on Feed Report shows another year over year decrease according to USDA livestock analyst Michael McConnell. McConnell points out that total inventory was slightly down compared to last year. He also details some of the trends from the April report. McConnell states that the trend of feeding cattle to heavier finishing weights is continuing. The next USDA...
U.S. fruit producers losing to China because of “UnPear” trade practices
We don’t get to talk about fruits and vegetables all that much, because it is just not a major component of the agriculture industry in our state. However, all of us eat, and we like to enjoy the fruits and vegetables that are grown by our fellow ag producers in more...
Indigo Ag continues to aid farmers with sustainable ag programs
The Farm Progress Show is a great opportunity to showcase ag innovation, and that’s especially true for one of the newer opportunities in agriculture: carbon markets. Indigo Ag has a wide portfolio of carbon program options that are available to help provide farmers...
Drought intensifies in weekly drought monitor
The weekly Drought Monitor showed drought getting worse across areas in the Midwest, South, Southwest, and the Pacific Northwest. In the Midwest, extreme heat impacted areas like Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Illinois. Record high temps were set in cities...
USDA releases updated 2023 farm income forecast
The updated farm income forecast for 2023 is out from USDA and as you might imagine it’s predicting a drop. The new forecast includes information that wasn’t available during their last forecast in February according to Carrie Litowski, senior economist for the USDA,...
Grains & markets both challenged as harvest approaches
If you are holding onto grain to sell before harvest, you may have checked cash bids or listened to the Basis Matters program this morning and got a big surprise. The basis level has dropped like a stone overnight. I have seen drops as small as a nickel to a buck and...
Heat hits cattle, USDA updates LIP payments
The extreme heat is taking its toll not just on crops, but also cattle says United States Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack as USDA is updating its payment rates for cattle losses. So, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack says the department will update Livestock Indemnity...
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AM radio supports quality of life in rural America
AM radio is a critical to rural America, according to National Farmers Union President Rob Larew. Speaking at the NFU annual convention this week, Larew said automakers shouldn’t limit access to information. “In terms of like emergency information and getting the word...
Farms received nearly a quarter of each food-at-home dollar in 2022
In 2022, farm establishments received 24.1 cents for each dollar spent on food at home and 3.6 cents for each dollar spent on food away from home. These amounts, called farm shares, highlight the different paths that food takes from farms to consumers' points of...
Low demand hurting dairy so far in 2024
The dairy industry just seems to never be able to catch a break these past few years. Regulations, trade disputes, labeling products that aren’t dairy as though they were, and the list goes on and on. As we move through these first three months of 2024. We see that...
South American Weather and Crop Update (3-12-24)
Drier weather in Brazil is providing less-than-ideal conditions for the safrinha crop that has been planted so far. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest South American weather patterns. On the other hand, that dry weather is allowing...
Tyson Foods to close Perry pork packing plant
Tyson Foods has signaled that it will permanently close its pork packing plant in Perry in late June. Tyson is the biggest employer in the city of Perry and the closing of the facility will leave 1,276 plant workers without jobs. The Worker Adjustment and Retraining...
