Top Stories
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...
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...
Ethanol production hits three-month low
The Energy Information Administration says ethanol output dropped to a three-month low while inventories hit the lowest point since November. Ethanol production dropped to an average of 1.007 million barrels a day during the week ending on August 25. The EIA report...
South American Weather and Crop Update (8-31-23)
A little bit of rain in South America, but that’s not enough to deter farmers from finishing harvest. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest weather patterns. Harvest in Brazil is slightly behind the average, but McBride said this might...
Beef Promotion Operating Committee meeting next week
The Cattlemen’s Beef Board will hold its Beef Promotion Operating Committee meeting in Denver on September 6-7. The Committee consists of 20 cattle producers- ten from the beef board and ten from the federation. Jimmy Taylor, chairman of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board,...
Grassley criticizes EPA WOTUS final rule and calls for legislative fix
United States Senator Chuck Grassley says it’s time to end the WOTUS back and forth between the courts and the EPA and pass a legislative ‘fix’. Even after Senator Grassley said the Supreme Court rejected the EPA’s ‘significant nexus test’ for a navigable water to...
Quarter 2 flat for farm incomes
Earlier this year we discussed the prediction that the second quarter earnings wouldn’t be too exciting for farms across the Midwest. After all the dust has settled, we see that this prediction holds somewhat true. While we may not have seen quite the decrease we...
Video
More Ag News
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...
USDA finalizes “Product of the USA” labeling rule
The Department of Agriculture this week finalized a rule related to voluntary labeling claims of ‘Product of the USA.’ USDA’s final ‘Product of the USA’ rule will allow farmers to label meat, poultry, and egg products when they are born, raised, and processed in the...
Crop insurance deadline nears
Farmers not yet enrolled in the Agriculture Risk Coverage or Price Loss Coverage programs for the 2024 crop year have until March 15, 2024, to revise elections and sign contracts. Both safety net programs, delivered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency, support to farmers...
Effects from cattle losses in Texas wildfire could be felt for a while
Wildfires in Texas have been burning for some time. Even with the fire reported to be over 70% contained, the loss of property and life is terrible. Cattle spread across both of those spectrums. While they are livestock property of ranches, they are also lives being...
PFI’s Labor4Learning program offers hands-on experience for new farmers
Applications for paid on-farm jobs are now open for Practical Farmers of Iowa’s Labor4Learning program, which provides an opportunity for beginning farmers to train with experienced farmers across the state who are committed to developing the next generation of...
