Top Stories
A different perspective on California Proposition 12
California Proposition 12 may be here to stay, as the Senate Farm Bill does not include any legislation to address it. Several swine industry groups, including the National Pork Producers Council, expressed their disappointment in the decision and are working to get it included in the final version of the farm bill, but there are swine producers who have actually seen benefits in their swine operations after becoming compliant to Prop 12. One of those swine producers is Brent Hershey, owner...
USDA announces more regulatory reforms for Packers and Stockyards Act
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a third installment in regulatory reforms to the Packers and Stockyards Act. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack said this third change, in combination with the others, is intended to level the playing field for farmers raising...
Arctic cold and potential cattle concerns
A strong arctic system is expected to settle over much of the United States late this week and into the weekend, creating concerns for livestock producers. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says the latest blast of arctic air could bring some of the coldest temperatures...
SCN continuing spread renews focus on the threat
Researchers have been updating the map of known soybean cyst nematode distribution regularly since 2000, and with each update, the threat spreads. The latest update, spearheaded by Greg Tylka, a nematologist from Iowa State University, reveals 31 counties in ten...
John Deere See & Spray™ technology is ready for 2025
It might be the middle of January, but it won’t be too long, and we will be ready to return to the fields for another growing season. One of our main jobs when growing a crop is feeding and protecting those plants. To do that you need to have a sprayer that you can...
South American Weather and Crop Update (1-14-25)
Some rain has returned to the forecast in South America, providing relief to the crops that were experiencing dry weather. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest conditions in Brazil and Argentina. Harvest is just getting started in...
More data released on foreign-owned land
Foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land remains a widely debated topic. Two additional years of data from 2022 and 2023 became available recently, and Danny Munch, an economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation, said only a small portion of foreign-owned...
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More Ag News
Cercospora leaf blight poses a heightened challenge for soybean farmers
As planting season continues and the 2025 crop season gets fully underway, it’s important for farmers to be aware of the diseases that can impact their crops and limit yields. Last year, the top yield-limiting foliar disease for soybeans was Cercospora leaf blight...
National Farmers Union hosting a week of action
The National Farmers Union is hosting a Week of Action May 5th-9th, 2025. Rob Larew, president of the National Farmers Union, says that farmers are dealing with too much uncertainty and are in desperate need of a new five-year farm bill. Larew says that America’s...
U.S. ag groups react to EPA strategy
The EPA released an updated draft Insecticide Strategy, and U.S. agriculture groups and supporters reacted to the news. “EPA’s numerous pragmatic improvements to the draft Insecticide Strategy have created a final strategy that can be better implemented by applicators...
Chinese government urging other countries to oppose U.S. tariffs
China and the U.S. have officially drawn lines in the sand regarding trade and tariffs. China seems to be digging in for the long term and looking for allies. Arlan Suderman, chief commodities economist for StoneX, said the Chinese government released a video this...
GROWMARK driving growth in carbon marketplace
Momentum is building in the carbon credit marketplace as demand from companies seeking to meet sustainability goals continues to rise. Farmers are increasingly benefiting from this trend, receiving additional revenue by adopting climate-friendly practices such as...
