Corn planting is now 2% ahead of the five year national average, while soybeans are currently 4% ahead, according to the April 22, 2024, USDA Crop Progress report.
Growing degree days (GDDs) are a more reliable method to predict corn emergence and development than calendar days. Start calculating GDDs daily the day after planting. Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie explains.
Planter experts offer some quick tips and lookouts around spring planter maintenance and setup. In this article we discuss the furrow creation and closing components and what to look for there.
As drought deteriorates across the U.S., it's a positive signal for growing a big crop in 2024. And analysts say if weather continues to fuel this year's crop, December corn futures could fall into the $3 range by fall.
USDA said this week cow-to-cow transmission is a factor in the spread of avian flu in dairy herds, but it still does not know exactly how the virus is being moved around.
Anzu Robotics, an emerging U.S.-based commercial drone manufacturer, announces its entrance into the drone market with the launch of two enterprise aerial platforms.
Residue might hamper uptake, surface cover slows soil warming and most cover crops raise the carbon penalty. Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie shares timing and placement tips for phosphorus, sulfur and nitrogen.
An International Harvester 856 diesel tractor, a Peterbilt 389 Glider kit day cab semi and a collection of John Deere 55 series tractors are just a few pieces of equipment that have caught Machinery Pete's eye lately.
There's now a 60% chance La Niña will develop between June and August and an 85% chance it's in effect by November 2024 to January 2025, according to NOAA.
To bring new ways to connect its agronomy insights with customers, Growmark and 29 of its member FS companies are launching the myFS Agronomy app in conjunction with Intelinair.
More than 20 farm groups support the new Federal Agriculture Risk Management Enhancement and Resilience Act. The bill does not require choosing between enhanced crop insurance coverage and commodity support programs.
At farm bill listening session in South Dakota members of the Senate Ag Committee expressed optimism about getting a farm bill done yet in 2024 and putting more farm in the farm bill.
Marc and Meagan Kaiser are building their future — finding a way to be part of their families' corn and soybean operation and soil testing lab while starting a precision ag business and being active in farm groups.
Unrelenting inflation continues to weigh down the U.S. economy and agriculture. Still, CoBank says it believes the Fed will stick with its decision to cut interest rates three times in 2024.
USDA reports 3% of the country's soybean crop is in the ground, the same as this time last year but two points ahead of the average pace. In all 10 states are reporting progress, and planting is ahead of average.
This week Machinery Pete – Greg Peterson – takes a deep dive into used equipment auction data and what it might mean to the dealer network, and an auction up North nearly sets a price record on a two-decade old tractor.
It's a tale of two extremes this year. Some farmers report they can't find soil moisture to plant into, while others are struggling just to get into their fields. Agronomist Ken Ferrie weighs in on both scenarios.
The U.S. Drought Monitor shows drought coverage is now at its lowest level since spring of 2020, but USDA's topsoil moisture map shows it's still extremely dry in areas of the west and too wet in the east.
Two consecutive years of drought has been devastating for farmers in West Texas, and with forecasts of a transition to La Niña, economists and cotton leaders say it will force even more cotton farmers to call it quits.
Deciding how big and what structure type to use when building a farm shop involves decisions that echo for years to come. From ceiling clearance to door options, contractors offer tips to minimize second-guessing.
USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) announced it’s canceling the July Cattle Inventory Report. In the announcement, NASS blamed budget cuts from the most recent appropriations bills.
One of the biggest benefits from waiting to plant corn until conditions are ideal, is the crop emerges more uniformly and forms those picket-fence stands that deliver huge yields, says Agronomist Missy Bauer.
This week's Machinery News covers U.S. and Canadian tractor and combine sales figures for March 2024, Jorge Heraud's new role at Rootwave, and John Deere's upcoming appearance in Washington D.C.
Lance Honig, acting director of the NASS methodology division, says budget constraints led to the agency's decision. The County Estimates data was used over the years, in part, to determine federal farm program payments.
South Dakota Dairy Producers encourages all dairy producers to closely monitor their herd and contact their herd veterinarian immediately if cattle appear symptomatic.
USDA's April WASDE report showed larger wheat and soybean ending stocks, but smaller ending stocks for corn. More surprising, still, was the lack of changes to South America's crop estimates.
After a 30-year career, her advice to someone just getting started is to be an effective communicator, which includes developing listening skills, and invite people to the table to take in different perspectives.
Along with too much moisture, high numbers of corn flea beetles are posing an early-season concern. Ferrie advises checking your Stewart’s wilt bacteria rating on hybrids. There's no treatment option for infected corn.
Steve Troxle, state commissioner of agriculture, said he is waiting for more diagnostic information from the National Veterinary Services Laboratory and will work collaboratively with North Carolina dairy farmers.
This roll up unites complimentary product portfolios and distribution channels to provide farmers with Smart Farming solutions and retrofit precision ag technologies, and OEMs with more factory fit options.
What’s the key to growing big yields? According to the reigning national corn yield contest champ, David Hula, you can’t have 300-bushel-per-acre yields if you don’t start with 300-bushel-per-acre stands.
Greg Peterson – Machinery Pete – talks his weekly Pete's Pick of the Week and other used equipment market news during his weekly AgriTalk appearance with host Chip Flory.
The second USDA Crop Progress Report of the year shows farmers are already ahead in planting the 2024 crop with six states pacing ahead of the five-year average.
The first look at a new farm bill could happen as early as next week. It’s long overdue after nothing was released out of Committee in 2023. Now, there’s growing doubt a farm bill will even be passed in 2024.
Kay Russo, DVM, Novonesis technical services manager for dairy and poultry, emphasized the situation is rapidly evolving and more clarity will come with time as researchers learn more.
The intricacies of modern planting systems complicate preparing for the first day in the field. Farmers now have to worry about components and systems that didn’t exist 10 years ago.
While the expectation is for cotton acres to increase in the June acreage report, another key question is if cotton demand can continue to find footing and support higher prices.