AgWeb

House Ag Committee Chairman says farm bill pesticide provisions could cause concern in the Senate

Fri, 08 May 2026 18:55:29 GMT

After a flurry of debate, votes and finally movement, the Farm Food and National Security Act of 2026 passed the U.S. House with a 224-200 vote. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson calls the legislation “transformational,” adding that 96% of GOP members in the House, the most in history, and 14 Democrats supported the bill.

“That’s the most members of the minority party who voted for a House farm bill since 2008. So, [that’s] a strong endorsement in a bipartisan way as this bill winds up in the Senate for consideration,” he says.

Despite his optimism, Thompson expressed concern over a key amendment introduced by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna. The addition stripped the farm bill of pesticide liability provisions. Before the amendment, the bill’s original language reaffirmed EPA as the sole agency capable of determining the information listed on a pesticide label. Critics, including Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) advocates, worry the language would shield pesticide manufacturers from liability claims.

“I have some concerns with the pesticide provision that was added,” Thompson says. “I think it may put farmers’ health at risk and certainly drive up affordability and open the door for foreign-manufactured pesticides to flood into our country.

“I have significant concerns that the amendment that was put forward is going to create chaos [in the Senate],” he later added.

Thompson says he’s supportive of year-round E15, but because it falls under the jurisdiction of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, it will likely be taken up for a vote mid-May.

Moving Forward

Thompson says, overall, he thinks farm bill conversations in the Senate are positive. The chairman says he’s kept Sen. John Boozman, chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, well informed about the bill over the last year.

“I kind of pictured my good friend, John Boozma, with a catcher’s mitt, ready to receive the Farm Food and National Security Act,” Thompson says. “He’ll have to make some modifications, and I think he’s hoping to do that mid- to late May. He knows how ... our farmers need this bill today, not tomorrow or not next year.”

New Legislation Impacting H-2A Reform

Thompson says in three to four weeks, he will likely release draft language for public discussion that would make reforms to the H-2A program. After the draft, he’ll be introducing a bill with bipartisan support, he says.

“We’ve already had some very positive discussions with our [House] Judiciary [Committee] Chairman Jim Jordan — so, [I’m] looking forward to breaking that 45-, almost 50-year gridlock of really not doing anything in this space. I think we have a great opportunity to provide certainty to agriculture workforce, which quite frankly is necessary for both food security and ultimately national security.”

Hawaii Farmers Face $31M in Damages After Devastating Kona Low Flooding

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:11:17 GMT

A series of relentless Kona Low storms has left Hawaii’s agricultural community reeling, with record-breaking rainfall causing what officials describe as the worst flooding the islands have seen in decades.

Between March 11 and March 15, the National Weather Service reported that some areas received more than 30" of rain. A second system followed less than a week later, with the University of Hawaii recording staggering localized totals of up to 61". In total, an estimated 2 trillion gallons of water were dumped on the state’s countryside, leading Hawaii’s governor to label the event the most severe flooding since 2004.

U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda surveys flood damage in Hawaii.

(Rep. Jill Tokuda)

A Significant Blow to the Workforce

The impact on the farming community is widespread. U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda , D-Hawaii, reports that the scale of the destruction is historic.

“At least 1 in 3 farmers, ranchers and producers were negatively impacted,” Tokuda says.

Data from Hawaii Agriculture Disaster Response , based on self-reported farmer information, indicates that as of Thursday afternoon at least 500 farmers had been affected. The damage spans more than 4,000 acres, with estimated losses already exceeding $31 million. Farmers on Oahu have been hit particularly hard, accounting for over $20 million of that total.

(Hawaii Ag Disaster Response- Hawaii Agricultural Stewardship)

Legacy Crops Wiped Out

The losses are not just financial but also generational. Tokuda says she visited a coffee farm in Kona that was preparing to plant as the storms struck.

“They were just about to plant 20,000 saplings in their fields ... completely wiped out and gone,” Tokuda explains. “They had legacy trees that were originally planted over a hundred years ago by their founders — gone and lost.”

Beyond the loss of plants, the physical geography of the farms has changed. One of the most urgent requests from producers is for topsoil.

“They can’t sell their crops, which means they can’t pay themselves or their employees,” Tokuda adds. “They need to replace seedlings; they need to replace equipment.”

Long-Term Concerns for Food Security

Areas of Hawaii enjoy a nearly year-round growing season, farmers planting different crops in the wet and dry seasons. The timing of these storms was catastrophic for those in the middle of a harvest.

Amanda Shaw, a nonprofit leader for Agricultural Stewardship Hawaii, helped create the state’s farmer response platform. She says even her home area, Waimanalo, which avoided the worst of the flooding, still saw devastating losses.

“A lot of our farmers lost 90% of what they had in the ground,” Shaw says. “If it was leafy greens, that was totally gone.”

According to Shaw, coffee and macadamia nut growers likely sustained the heaviest long-term damage, while vegetable producers lost significant rotations of squash and leafy greens.

The primary concern now is whether the industry can recover. Shaw says while farmers are known for their resilience, the financial burden of this event may be a breaking point for some.

“We are concerned that if folks see significant damage on their land that they’re not able to recoup from, that it could be a pathway out of farming for some folks,” Shaw says.

Farmer Aid and Ways You Can Support

The Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity on April 1 announced 333 Emergency Farmer Relief grants. The department reports it received over 1,600 eligible forms and continues to look for more funds to give producers. The grants provide a producer $1,500 to address immediate needs. FEMA granted Hawaii federal assistance for recovery efforts.

The Hawaii Agricultural Foundation and Hawaii Farm Bureau are accepting donations for farmers through the Hawaii Farmers’ Disaster Relief Fund. Tokuda lists a number of assistance programs for farmers on her website.

Illinois Farmers Sidelined by Rain and Storms, as Southern Farmers Plant at Record Rates

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 13:27:18 GMT

While many Southern farmers are shattering speed records for the 2026 planting season, planters are sidelined for many farmers in the Midwest who are facing wet conditions. For the father-and-son duo of Dave and Chris Harrell, the 2026 season is off to a slow start. However, the corn and soybean farmers in Hancock County think the slight setback could be a setup for a successful season later.

Chris and Dave Harrell test the planter in Carthage, Ill.

(Haley Bickelhaupt)

“[There’s] little to nothing going on at all this week,” Chris Harrell said April 17.

“I know we’ve had roughly five-and-a-half inches in the last in the last two weeks,” he adds. The Harrells received 2 more inches of rain and storms last weekend.

The nation’s corn crop is currently 11% planted, sitting 2 points ahead of the five-year average. Much of that momentum is coming from Illinois and Indiana, which both had a big week in the field. Illinois is now 13% planted, and Indiana follows closely at 14%. However, the western Corn Belt is seeing a different pace. Iowa is off to a slow start, with just 2% of its corn crop in the ground as of this week.

Soybean planting is moving even faster relative to historical norms. Nationally, soybean planting is 7 points ahead of the five-year average at 12% of the soybean crop planted.

Harrell says farmers south of his family’s farm in Carthage, Ill., are further along planting. The Harrells planted one field of beans March 30 before rain paused their efforts. With 40 years of experience under his belt, Dave Harrell thinks the rain won’t set them back too far and that it will helpful in the weeks to come.

“We’ve got ample time,“ Dave says. “You know, it’s still middle of April, so we’ll be fine.”

Shown is the Harrells’ bean field as of April 17, 2026.

(Haley Bickelhaupt)

Navigating the Bottom Line: Diesel and Inputs

While the rain may eventually prove to be a blessing in disguise for yields, input costs, specifically fuel, are weighing heavily on the books. According to AAA, the average diesel price in Illinois this week is approximately $1.80 higher than it was this time last year.

“The diesel prices, I think, is No. 1 top of mind subject right now,“ Chris explains. “I mean, the price of corn’s gone up with it, but I think a lot of farmers would say it’s not gone up enough to offset some of it.”

To combat these rising costs, Dave is utilizing strip-till practices. He also relies on early contracts to lock in fuel prices.

“We lucked out and had some contracted to kind of cover our spring needs, so we’ll be OK through the spring,” he says.

(AAA)

Finding Opportunity in Non-GMO Premiums

In addition to conventional corn and soybeans, the Harrells also plant non-GMO corn from Wyffels. While the process requires more management, Dave said the financial upside makes it a win-win situation.

“It’s a little extra work on segregation and storage and clean out,” Chris says. “You just kind of have to have a little checklist and get through it all, but the premiums are nice, especially in a tougher environment like this.”

Four generations of the Harrell family stand for a photo. Dave’s dad still helps out on the farm today at 95 years old.

(Chris Harrell)

Looking Ahead

As the fields in Carthage begin to dry out, a new challenge has emerged: High winds are currently preventing spraying operations. However, the Harrells are rolling with the punches, expecting farmers in their area to potentially move back into full-scale fieldwork by Wednesday.

Chris Harrell works on the planter while waiting for fields to dry out.

(Haley Bickelhaupt)

This barn on the Harrells’ farm was built in the early 1900s. It’s been through storms and been given updates. Today, it serves as a shop for the family.

(Mike Byers)

Historic Gains in the Corn Belt South

According to latest USDA reports, corn planting in Kentucky and Tennessee is moving at its fastest rate since 2012. The numbers tell a story of an efficient window:

Tennessee — Farmers have 64% of the corn crop in the ground, which is a massive 40-point jump ahead of the five-year average and 42 points ahead of last year.
Kentucky — Growers are nearly halfway finished, sitting roughly 30 points ahead of the normal pace.

Soybeans See Record-Setting Pace

The speed isn’t limited to corn. Soybean planting is also rewriting the record books in the Deep South:

Louisiana — Leading the pack at 58% planted, which is 26 points ahead of average and the fastest pace in USDA history.
Mississippi — Currently at 55% planted, running 32 points ahead of the usual pace, another record.
Tennessee — Soybean planting has hit the 50% mark, 41 points ahead of the historical average.

The ‘Dry’ Reality: Farmers Forced to Wait

While the dry weather allowed for uninterrupted field time early on, the lack of moisture is now a major hurdle. David Hula says for growers in the Southeast, the dust has become too much.

“We’ve been dry all season so far, and we actually stopped planting because we’ve been so dry,” Hula says. “Can’t just get the planter in the ground, but it’s the first top, the first planting window. We waited till things warmed up, you know; I’m very diligent and patient about that, and all that corn has come up awesome.”

He says they stopped planting last Thursday, and there’s no measurable rain in the forecast.

“I don’t know when we’re gonna get started back,” Hula says.

Pocket of Extreme Drought

The topsoil moisture maps highlight a stark reality for the region. In a corridor stretching from Virginia to Georgia, topsoil rated “short to very short” in ranges from 83% to a staggering 97%. It has become one of the driest pockets in the country, creating a sharp contrast to the Midwest.

Optimism Reigns at Joplin Stockyards as Cattle Prices Hit Historic Highs

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 14:10:23 GMT

Monday is sale day in Carthage, Mo. At the Joplin Stockyards, the air is filled with the rhythmic chant of auctioneers and the shuffling hooves. Among the crowd of buyers, part-owner Jackie Moore watches the ring with a smile, watching a market that is finally paying off for producers.

“Cattle are $100 higher than they were a year ago,” Moore says.

The higher prices and the resulting grins haven’t always been the case for the buyers and sellers sitting ringside at the Moore family’s business. Moore is an industry veteran, having started his career at the stockyards back in 1977, long before the operation moved to its current Carthage location.

“It’s been a long time since 1977,” he reflects.

Moore is grateful many cattlemen today are no longer focused on the years of struggle. Instead, they are seeing cash for their efforts.

“They’re in the driver’s seat now. They’re getting paid for what they’re doing. You know we see those people walk up to the window — you sold 20 head of calves, and they get a check for $50,000. He’s got three little kids at home, a trailer house and 80 acres of land. He’s the happiest guy in the world, and nobody would be happier for him than I am,” Moore says.

Moore is quick to point out the cattle industry is cyclical. While the current environment is prosperous, the question remains: When could the momentum shift? He believes the answer is tied closely to heifer sales and the eventual rebuilding of the national herd. Moore said buyers are purchasing more heifers to breed than they have historically.

“I think we’ve got a year and a half left of this really, really good market. Maybe then, as we see those heifers calve that they’re buying today, that we get enough cattle to satisfy the market,” Moore explains.

External factors are also playing a role in the current market dynamics. The suspension of live cattle imports along the Mexico border has tightened an already record-low cattle inventory. The border has remained closed since last July . While Moore believes a reopening could have an initial impact on the market, he doubts it will significantly alter long-term prices.

“We taught the cartel how to slaughter those cattle, how to feed those cattle, how to make money with those cattle. So consequently, you know, I don’t think there’s gonna be as big a need for them to export those cattle as there once was,” he says.

Midwest Market Solutions president Brian Hoops said there could be a headline risk for algorithm trades when the border opens, but he thinks, realistically, it might not have a large impact because of what has already been priced into the market. He agrees with Moore that processing has changed since the closure.

Moore notes the cattle environment in both Mexico and the U.S. is evolving, even without the steady flow of imports.

“Where this all leads us probably remains to be seen of how long the border is actually closed,” he adds.

Hoops says: “They’ve [Mexico] invested millions and maybe billions of dollars in an infrastructure because the border being closed. It’s kind of a double edged sword where we get a benefit of the border, being closed and having left less cattle here on feed and seeing higher prices, but it’s also forced Mexican producers to invest in infrastructure.”

Moore adds: “What happens down the road? I don’t know. I don’t really know. I’m very optimistic, and I’m bullish at the cattle market. All I know to do is just keep playing the game and enjoy the ride.”

Consumer Demand

On the consumer side, demand for beef continues to grow and is reaching record levels. Nebraska Farm Bureau reports an index created by the Livestock Marketing Information Center (LMIC) to gauge beef demand reached 138 last year, the highest on record and a 10-point jump from 2024.

Director of LMIC Tyler Cozzens says a similar jump has only happened two other times in the last 25 years. He says since 2019, the index increased 27%.

“Prices are extremely high. You’re right about that,” Hoops says. “There’s still optimism that prices are going to continue to move higher because we’re going into the spring grilling season.”

Winter Wheat Conditions Plunge as Drought Grips the Southern Plains

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 21:56:52 GMT

The 2026 winter wheat crop is off to a rocky start as dry conditions and harsh weather take a toll on production across the Southern Plains. According to USDA’s first Crop Progress report of the season, just 35% of the winter wheat crop is rated in good to excellent condition. It is a sharp decline from the 48% reported at this time last year.

While a third of the crop is rated fair, the situation is particularly dire in Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado and Nebraska following a combination of challenging winter conditions and persistent dry weather. “Things are looking pretty rough, as we get into the heart of this early growing season for 2026,” says USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey.

(United States Department of Agriculture)

Texas Facing Extreme Moisture Deficits

In Texas, the situation is especially critical, with more than half of the winter wheat rated poor to very poor. Rippey says the state recently endured its fourth-driest stretch from September to February in the last 131 years.

Cody Pruser, a farmer near Winters, Texas, says the recent moisture hasn’t been enough to save much of the crop. “We got some rain recently, but it’s all too late, wheat’s burned up and it’s not going to make a whole lot, it’ll be below average in most places,” Pruser says. His area received about 1.5 inches of rain last week — the first significant moisture since December.

However, the timing was far from ideal. “We’ve missed the February to March rains. We’re getting them toward the end of March, the first of April, but it seems like it’s a little too late. We had decent moisture when we planted, but not much after that,” he explains.

Drought Conditions Broaden Across the Plains

Data from the latest U.S. Drought Monitor confirms the severity of the situation. More than 95% of the Southern Plains are experiencing some level of drought or abnormal dryness. In Texas, Oklahoma and Colorado, that figure reaches nearly 100%.

Despite the moisture deficit, Pruser remains cautiously optimistic he will harvest a better crop than last year, though he notes disease pressure is now a growing concern. Pruser says the biggest concern for his wheat this year is damage from High Plains virus on wheat. He predicts about 10% of his crop is impacted, which means quite a few of his acres will be unable to be harvested.

“It’s really the main concern we have with our wheat going on right now. [There is] no way to control it, nothing really to do about it,” he says.

Driest spots in the U.S. over the last 180 days.

(Brad Rippey, USDA Meteorologist)

Rippey’s Weather Outlook

Rippey says the subsoil moisture in Kansas means the state could see a turnaround from drought. The 1" to 2" of rain expected to hit the southern great plains and lower Midwest could make a big difference. “Maybe for some of the earlier wheat on the Southern Plains, we can still turn the corner and bring back some yield potential,” he says.

However, Rippey isn’t sure Western acres, or those in the central Great Plains will be able to come back from dry conditions. “Wheat’s already heading out in the far South. When you look at the numbers coming in out of Oklahoma and Texas, there’s only so much recovery at this point you’re going to have,” he says.

How One Kansas Family is Cultivating a New Legacy by Diversifying their Farm

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 02:52:31 GMT

In a state where wheat, cattle and corn fill the fields of Kansas, broccoli doesn’t typically make the list of farm favorites. But it’s Jacob Thomas’, the co-owner of Jet Produce and Meats , favorite food to grow. His family’s farm started as a livestock operation in the 1950s. Today, it’s making a way for the next generation by diversifying the operation and connecting to the personal side of producing food.

“When I pick a head of broccoli, I know exactly ... what’s going to happen to it. Somebody’s going to buy that to eat for dinner,” Thomas said. His passion for produce began at age 14 when he asked his dad if he could plant a garden. “I think the draw to it for me was that a lot of farms are growing corn, soybeans and even raising livestock. How does that actually feed a person?”

Jacob and his wife Jennifer, started their farm and business while Thomas was a junior in college at Iowa State University. Their venture began on a quarter of an acre. “It was like, wow, there really is something to this. People will stop on the side of the road and buy vegetables. This is interesting.”

The following year, their business model grew to selling food at the farmers markets. Today, the operation, spans nearly 17 acres, includes eight greenhouses, and operates its own storefront on the family farm. Jet Produce also sells its products to farmers markets in the Kansas City area.

(Jet Produce and Meats Facebook Page)

Jet Produce grows most vegetables, pumpkins, popcorn and flowers. Thomas said flowers account for nearly 20% of their sales and help them manage risk throughout the year. Jacob notes that the direct connection to the consumer changes the experience of farming.

“That’s something that’s just really nice for me,” he said. "[To] have all that positive interaction with customers that are just so thankful for the food.”

Back to the Roots

Jacob and Jennifer have help from their daughters Lisa and Sarah, ages 7 and 5. Jacob’s parents are also active in the operation. Dale Thomas, Jacob’s dad, can be found managing the storefront. He wasn’t originally sure about Jacob’s interest in horticulture, but he now sees the value of adding produce to their operation.

“It’s a lot more personable than the farming I ever did,” he said. Dale’s primary role on the farm is taking care of the livestock and hay. It’s a job that brought the family back to its roots. “The Leavenworth Farmers Market, just basically said to Jacob one day, ‘you know there’s nobody here selling beef, why don’t you grow beef or sell beef?’”

Now, Jet Produce sells beef, pork, chickens, and lamb directly to customers. But the family isn’t just building consumer connections; their focus is also at home.

“My girls were at that age where they just want to hang out with me all day and they want to learn,” Jacob said. “Every opportunity I can get to have them help me plant something, help me sorting, anything that they can do.”

Jacob, Jennifer, Lisa and Sarah Thomas.

(Credits: Jet Produce and Meats Facebook)

Overall, Jacob said the wide variety of crops and livestock has gained the respect of other farmers in the area, even if it started as a different model of farming. “They realize now that what I’m doing isn’t just like a really big backyard garden. That it is farming,” he said. “It’s just different farming.”

The North Carolina Farm Family Behind the White House Easter Egg Roll

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 15:23:17 GMT

As a child, farmer Trey Braswell watched the president and first lady speak on the South Lawn of the White House during the annual Easter Egg Roll. This year, his family farm is continuing the tradition of supplying approximately 40,000 hard-boiled eggs to the historic event.

“As an egg farmer, these are things that you don’t expect,” Braswell said. “We believe our business is the Lord’s and we’re here to take care of it and be good stewards. It’s only by God’s grace that we have the opportunity to do this, to supply these eggs.” Braswell Family Farms began providing eggs, on and off, for the White House event in 1997. It is the fifth consecutive year the family has provided all of the eggs for the event on behalf of the American Egg Board.

The White House Easter Egg Roll officially began in 1878 and brings tens of thousands of people to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The Braswell family doesn’t just raise the eggs for the event; they also handle the whole process of getting the dyed eggs to the White House.

Dying White House Easter Eggs

(Intrepid Marketing Group)

“It takes several days and a lot of volunteer labor hours to cook them in small batches to chill them and then to dye them,” Braswell said. The family works with culinary partner Stocked Pot to complete the process. The company boils, dyes and packages the eggs in Winston-Salem, N. C. before they are stored in a Braswell warehouse in Virginia and delivered to Washington, D.C. The farm says the process means the eggs travel about 493 miles and move through five states before they reach the green grass on the South Lawn.

Secretary of Agriculture Visits Farm

This year, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins visited the farm and toured the operation. The visit included a round-table discussion on labor, input costs, hen health and flock security with state egg and soybean producers. The American Egg Board, American Farm Bureau Federation, North Carolina Farm Bureau, the North Carolina Egg Association and United Egg Producers also participated.

(Intrepid Marketing Group)

Braswell said the egg roll is a day politics are set aside and people of different backgrounds are brought together. He and his wife have taken their three children to the celebration twice. Braswell said the event isn’t just a business opportunity, but it holds personal weight. “It’s really cool that not only is it a great event at the White House, but we’re really celebrating one of the most important events in the history of the world as we celebrate Christ’s resurrection,” he said.

The event takes place Monday, April 6.

Rural America is Facing a Mounting Labor Crisis

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 21:01:26 GMT

The American labor market is reaching a critical turning point that could tighten labor availability in rural industries and slow growth across the U.S. economy. A new quarterly report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange warns that demographic shifts and recent policy changes may start impacting businesses as soon as late 2025.

From livestock and crop operations to food processors and rural cooperatives, this labor shortage is becoming especially noticeable in the heart of America’s farmland. Many producers are already struggling to fill roles, and the challenge is expected to intensify in the coming months.

“Barring an unforeseen change in labor force participation rates or immigration policies, the pool of available workers is set to shrink sharply in the next few years,” says Rob Fox, director of CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange. “The problem will be even more serious in states with slower population growth in the Upper Midwest, Corn Belt and Central Plains.”

Demographic Pressures Mount

Fox says the warning signs have been building for years. Labor force participation has steadily declined, birth rates have dropped and immigration policy has become more restrictive.

Between 2022 and 2024, nearly 9 million immigrants arrived in the U.S., driven by global humanitarian crises and relaxed federal rules. While that influx temporarily eased labor constraints, Fox says it only masked deeper, long-term trends.

U.S. fertility rates have fallen from 2.12 children per woman in 2007 to 1.62 in 2023, meaning fewer young people are entering the workforce just as the last of the baby boomers retire. In addition, labor force participation has slipped from a peak of 67% in 2000 to 62% today. Nearly 2.5 million working-age Americans have left the labor force in the past eight months alone.

“There is no single reason people are stepping away,” Fox explains. “It’s a combination of rising caregiving responsibilities, job skill mismatches, mental health challenges and higher disability rates. These are complex issues that won’t be resolved overnight.”

Shrinking Workforce Hits Agriculture Hard

The effects are already being felt across rural America. Farms, food processors, equipment dealers and cooperatives are struggling to find and keep the workers they need to maintain daily operations. Seasonal labor has become harder to find and full-time positions, especially those requiring specialized skills or long hours, are increasingly difficult to fill.

In regions with slower population growth, such as the upper Midwest and central Plains, the challenge is even more acute. These areas often lack the population inflows that help offset workforce losses elsewhere in the country.

While labor has been tight for several years, Fox warns that conditions are poised to deteriorate further.

“What we are facing is not just a cyclical labor issue; it’s a structural one,” he says.

Border encounters have dropped sharply since August 2024, signaling a steep decline in immigration. Combined with rising political pressure to increase deportations, the agricultural labor pool could shrink even more in the months ahead.

“Immigration has long been a key pillar supporting the rural workforce,” Fox notes. “Without a steady flow of new workers, farms and agribusinesses will have to get creative, either by increasing wages, automating tasks or changing how they manage production.”

Technology Offers a Path Forward

In response, more agricultural businesses are turning to technology to help offset the labor gap.

“The key to addressing labor scarcity always lies in innovation,” Fox says. “AI and robotics are no longer limited to the factory floor. They are increasingly being used in fields, dairies and food plants.”

A recent Gallup poll found that nearly one in five workers already uses artificial intelligence in some form each week. At the same time, the cost of robotics has dropped by nearly half in the past decade, making automation more accessible for a broader range of farms and agribusinesses.

CoBank’s report notes that many farm supply customers are using new tools to increase efficiency, improve decision-making and free up time for employees to focus on higher-value responsibilities.

Planning for What Comes Next

As producers look toward 2026, a combination of labor constraints, volatile input costs and shifting policy landscapes will continue to shape decision-making. Fox thinks adaptability will be essential.

“Technology will be critical to agriculture’s future,” he says. “AI and robotics can help farmers do more with fewer workers, boosting efficiency and margins. But investment decisions must be made carefully, especially in this uncertain economic environment.”

Until clearer policies emerge on trade, labor and energy, rural America will need to prepare for continued pressure.

“This is a pivotal moment,” Fox concludes. “Farms that plan ahead, embrace innovation and stay flexible will be best positioned to succeed.”

Tar Spot Disease Pressure Is In the Forecast Now

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 17:40:04 GMT

As farm country heads into pollination season, weather conditions have Ken Ferrie concerned about tar spot erupting into a significant yield robber this season. He says he is fielding a lot of grower calls from across the Midwest on the topic.

“Farmers are asking, ‘Is it here, should we spray, when should we spray?’” Ferrie says. “My response is, ‘Do you see tar spot in your fields.’ Finding it is where you need to start.”

As you scout and think you’ve found the disease, an easy way to confirm what you’re dealing with is to take your hand and try to wipe the tar spots off the corn plants (gloves are recommended). If it’s truly tar spot, it won’t wipe off the plants. If you can remove the spots, you’re likely dealing with insect poo.

Ferrie predicts that many farmers in the geography his business covers will encounter tar spot to varying degrees this season. That concern is extended to farmers in northern Iowa, southern Minnesota and central Wisconsin – areas where he says the rains just keep coming.

“Locally (central Illinois), the low humidity in June I think has suppressed the tar spot, but I do expect later infections if this moisture and humidity continue,” says Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist.

The more difficult prediction for Ferrie at this point in the growing season is how much damage tar spot will wreak in crops.

“Our biggest threat is from what we call homegrown tar spot. The infection comes from within our fields, triggered by the presence of the disease still there,” he says.

“Homegrown tar spot will be more prevalent in your corn-on-corn and in no-till and strip-till fields that still have corn residue from previous crops in them. Everyone under irrigation needs to be on top of this issue, due to the higher humidity,” he adds.

Because very few corn hybrids offer resistance to tar spot, Ferrie advises growers to check all their hybrids for presence of the disease.

“Homegrown tar spot will be the easiest to find below the ear right now. Later, when the disease is windblown around like a morning fog, you’ll find it high on the corn plant,” he says.

Identify Your Group

This season, given commodity prices and the range in crop quality, Ferrie is hearing a variety of different perspectives from farmers on how they plan to deal with tar spot. Farmers are fitting primarily into one of the following four groups.

Group 1 is not going to scout or spray a fungicide at all, because the growers believe products are too expensive and corn is too cheap. This group has probably not lived through the wrath of tar spot yet, in Ferrie’s opinion.

Group 2 is not going to scout, but the farmers plan to make a one-pass fungicide application.

Group 3 will scout fields and pull the fungicide application trigger if needed, based on disease pressure in their fields, pressure in surrounding fields, weather patterns and hybrid type.

“This group is mainly spraying what we call D hybrids, those hybrids that count on depth of kernel fill to get their yield punch,” Ferrie explains. “This group will spray twice if need be.”

Group 4 farmers are not going to scout but plan to spray twice for tar spot, no matter what or if anything shows up. This group has lived through the wrath of tar spot and doesn’t plan on enduring extreme losses from it again.

“They have learned in the school of hard knocks that homegrown tar spot that starts at the bottom of corn plants in late June or early July will eat your lunch at the tune of about 60 bushels per acre, along with down corn,” Ferrie says.

Get Aggressive With Tar Spot

Ferrie offers the following specific recommendations for addressing tar spot this season, given that it’s early July.

For farmers in wet areas where tar spot has been confirmed:

If you’re not going to scout the crop but you have one fungicide application planned, spray the corn at tassel.

“If your corn is uneven due to water damage, wait for the later corn to get tasseled or consult with your supplier on fungicides and surfactants to reduce pinched ear syndrome in corn pre-tassel,” Ferrie advises.

For farmers who are scouting and plan to spray, depending on what they find in the field, Ferrie offers several considerations:

If you see homegrown tar spot low on the plant, spray it. If the corn is not tasseled, take precautions to not get pinched ear syndrome.

“I would plan a second fungicide pass around R3, based on scouting. If no tar spot is present, but other diseases like GLS and northern leaf blight are present above the ear, I would also spray pre-tassel,” Ferrie says.

“If no tar spot is present and other diseases are on the leaves below the ear, our plot results would suggest waiting to spray until brown silk – 10 to 15 days or more after tassel, pull the trigger.

“If your plan is to spray for standability and to protect kernel depth, you’re looking for back-end protection from a fungicide,” he adds.

For farmers who don’t plan to scout fields but plan to spray twice, Ferrie recommends pulling the trigger after all the tassels are out and then a second time about 21 days later.

“On that first spray, I would add an insecticide to make sure you don’t have trouble getting the crop pollinated,” he says.

Key Takeaways on Application Practices

Ferrie says farmers and retailers need to drive their fungicide products deep into the canopy during applications to get optimum results.

If you’re going by airplane, helicopter or drone, he encourages narrowing up swath widths to prevent streaking.

“The bigger droplets that penetrate the canopy are under the aircraft, and the finer droplets tend to stay at the top of the plant, at the outer edges. Flying aircraft closer to the canopy doesn’t give us better penetration, as the air that is bouncing off the ground will catch the spray on its upward lift,” Ferrie explains. “You will most likely have to pay your applicator more to narrow up your swaths.”

On the other hand, if there’s no homegrown tar spot present low on the plants, Ferrie advises “sticking with full-width spraying to keep as much of the product as possible at the top of the plant, protecting those money-making leaves.”

Interested in learning more agronomic insights and practical information from Ken Ferrie? Be sure to join us for the annual Farm Journal Corn & Soybean College, fast approaching on July 23-24 in Heyworth, Ill. Here’s the full details.

Be sure to get all of Ferrie’s recommendations on how to deal with tar spot in this week’s Boots In The Field podcast:

Farm Journal Live: Olympic Gold Medalist Katie Ledecky Relies on Milk

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 18:44:12 GMT

Monday on Farm Journal Live:

Olympic swimmer Katie Ledecky shares how dairy is a key part of her training regimen.
Katie Schmidt talks about the tough decision to cancel World Dairy Expo for 2020 and how plans are already in the works for 2021.

Watch a recording of the live broadcast below.

Registered for Dairy Week? Great! If not, REGISTER HERE!

Don’t forget to check out the Exhibit Hall and talk with some of our elite sponsors on their new products! >>> Exhibit Hall

See Dairy Week Content On Demand!

Packer Antitrust Lawsuit Dismissed

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:57:13 GMT

The antitrust class-action lawsuit alleging America’s largest beef packers conspired to fix cattle prices has been dismissed. Federal Judge John R. Tunheim of Minnesota’s U.S. District Court issued his ruling Monday and gave plaintiff’s 90 days to file an amended complaint.

“Because plaintiffs have not pleaded their direct evidence with sufficient detail and because they have not pleaded parallel conduct sufficient to support an inference of a price-fixing conspiracy, the court will grant defendants’ motions to dismiss,” Judge Tunheim said in the order.

The ranchers and consumers who brought the case “do little to allege how the individual defendants acted,” instead “arguing that the market did this or that,” Judge Tunheim wrote. That made it impossible to evaluate the “alternative economic explanations” offered by the meatpackers, he said.

Multiple lawsuits were filed in 2019 against the beef packers alleging price fixing between 2015 and the present. The original suit was filed by R-CALF USA and four ranchers in April of 2019 against Tyson Foods, Inc., JBS S.A., National Beef Packing Company, LLC, and Cargill Inc., alleging the companies conspired to depress the price of fed cattle they purchased, thereby inflating their own margins and profits.

Three days later in a Minneapolis court the same packing companies were accused in a consumer class action lawsuit of a similar price-fixing scheme. That suit claimed the packers forced consumers to pay inflated prices for beef products. In May a third lawsuit was filed by a cattle futures trader who claimed he “suffered damages from a manipulated live cattle futures and options market.” The suit alleged, “Plaintiff suffered monetary losses by transacting in live cattle futures and options at artificial prices directly resulting from packing defendants’ conduct, including their suppression of fed cattle prices.”

In July 2019, a judge ruled the three lawsuits could be consolidated into one.

The lawsuits alleged beef packers colluded to suppress beef prices in part by agreeing to reduce slaughter volumes and curtailing purchases. The plaintiffs said the collusion caused an unprecedented drop in fed cattle prices in 2015.

Other price suppression tactics the meatpackers allegedly have deployed include importing large numbers of foreign cattle, purchasing cattle during a narrow 30- to 60-minute window on Fridays and slashing slaughter volumes.

Plaintiffs’ lawsuit provided testimony of two confidential witnesses – one a packing company employee and the other a feedlot manager. But in dismissing the case, Judge Tunheim said the confidential witnesses and their claims were not sufficiently detailed.

“Because of the lack of detail regarding the firms by which the confidential witnesses were employed, plaintiffs do not adequately explain their jobs and how their interactions in those jobs would lead to them acquiring the knowledge they allegedly possess,” Tunheim wrote. “In all, the lack of detail about the confidential witnesses, combined with the mismatched nature of what they allege, lead the court to conclude their claims are not sufficiently detailed to survive defendants’ motion to dismiss.”

Related stories:

R-CALF Sues Tyson, Cargill, JBS and National

Packer Lawsuits Will Be Consolidated Into One

Beef Packers Face Another Antitrust Lawsuit

Why There’s Downside Risk for Milk Futures, But Upside Risk for Feed Prices

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 03:07:43 GMT

Milk futures saw a solid start to 2020. As futures rose to $20/cwt, optimism about pricing opportunities in 2020 sprouted. However, COVID-19 caused prices to change course, with milk futures spiraling lower.

Milk futures have stabilized since spring, but with uncertainty still in the picture, some market analysts warn downside risk could be ahead.

“I think there’s more risk. The caveat being plenty of room for upside as we’re just living in a crazy world with loads of government support and new trends when it comes to you know just how to get food to the consumer,” says Ryan Yonkman, Vice President, Rice Dairy . “In short, from the dairy farmer’s perspective, our risk is to the downside, that’s where we get hurt the worst, and we’re currently propped up at prices that guys can manage around.”

Yonkman says considering that, Rice Dairy’s focus right now is to focus on managing prices by setting floors. Yonkman thinks that will give a dairy producer the opportunity to keep as much as the upside as possible, as volatility is still alive in the milk market.

As Yonkman mentioned, part of the reason milk futures saw a boost was due to government support. Matt Gould, Chief Market Analyst with Rice Dairy, says once USDA announced the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box program, block cheese prices went from the lowest prices seen in years, to near record highs. So, are government programs artificially propping up prices? The answer isn’t simple.

“Absolutely the farmers to family food box program has had a direct price supportive impact on dairy prices, particularly cheese, but then as we look forward and we look into 2021, where we presumably will have less government intervention, where we’ll hopefully have a vaccine will return to more closer normalcy, you start to wonder about the opposite impact where you had all this government intervention in the forms of product purchases, but also direct payments,” says Gould. “As you carry into 2021, what does that mean in terms of milk supply? We certainly did not have the consolidation that we would have had otherwise, because of the government support.”

Will Feed Prices Climb Higher?

As milk futures have trended higher, feed prices have remained relatively low. So, will feed prices remain low? Mike North of Commodity Risk Management Group cautions higher corn prices may be ahead after USDA’s latest report showed old corn stocks as of September 1, were lower than expected , indicating the 2019 corn crop was smaller than USDA originally stated.

“It really does underpin the market with a bit more support,” says North. “It kind of fuels the fire for anybody that still believes the 2019 crop was overstated in terms of yield. And it really puts more pressure on the U.S. crop to perform as the USDA has pegged it in previous reports with record yields.”

North says as USDA prepares to release an updated look at 2020 crop expectations later this month, the market will keep a close eye on any adjustments to not just sticks, but adjustments to 2020 yields.

“It’ll put a lot more pressure on yield to be there and to hold up, and f not, smaller balance sheets are going to continue to create a stronger bid in this market,” adds North.

North says if you’re a seller of corn, this adjustment to old crop stocks may give you a “gift” to look at selling into next year. However, if you’re a buyer of corn, North says it may be time to act.

“If you’re a buyer of corn, it really puts the owner of the onus on you to jump into this market and protect yourself against any potential pitfalls in a South American crop and any changes to the demand environment as we go forward,” says North.

So, has the corn market put in its lows for the year? North thinks the answer is “yes.”

“Given Wednesday’s report, it would be tough to imagine going below $3.20 on corn,” says North.

With Explosive Dairy Exports, Could Increased Demand Drive the Dairy Markets Higher into 2021?

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 03:07:43 GMT

Dairy exports are explosive. The latest data shows milk exports are up 14% in value compared to the same time last year. And considering one day’s worth of milking goes to the export market every week, this is welcome news.

“China is a great example of a of a market where there’s a lot of opportunity for dairy in general,” says Matt Gould, Chief Market Analyst with Rice Dairy. “Then, when you look at the different bids suppliers like New Zealand, Australia, Europe, and the U.S., there’s a lot of opportunity for us to grow market share.”

Gould thinks the biggest opportunity will come in the form of countries like China wanting whey.

“The two main producers of whey products are the U.S. and Europe,” he says. “China’s pork industry in particular has become very dependent on lactose as a way of increasing rate of gains for piglets. And our industry is well positioned to support their industry.”

Gould says the downturn in interest from China came when the trade war started. Then, African Swine Fever (ASF) wiped out much of China’s hog herd, so the country didn’t have as great of a need for whey anymore. However, now, Gould thinks the tables are turning.

“We now have a phase one trade agreement with China, which is kind of the opposite of the trade war and also rebounded hog herd, or a healthier hog herd in China, so there are all kinds of opportunity for U.S. dairy to grow our share, and also to take advantage of incremental new demand.”

While exports may continue to grow into China, Ryan Yonkman of Rice Dairy cautions the news may not drive milk futures much higher.

“We’ve put an immense amount of focus in 2021, on really setting floors, whether it’s buying CME put options, or using the DRP program, which we think is really the best play as you walk into next year, and a way to buy subsidized puts underneath your Class III or your Class IV milk,” says Yonkman. “[The] focus has really been on that class III market going into the first half, as it’s giving us a good look.”

Yonkman says on the flip side, due to the increased export interest, he thinks the fundamental for Class IV milk futures look strong.

“Fundamentally, as we talk about exports, we have a nonfat market that’s really poised well; it’s been competitive, really the cheapest in the globe all year long, along with our whey market, so it looks like it has fundamental strength,” he says. I’d be a little more patient on that part of the check.”

John Phipps: How Policy and Consolidation Continue to Impact Dairy Goat Farmers

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 03:07:39 GMT

This e-mailer’s name has been withheld by request, but I think it makes an important point.

“I have been in the goat business since high school. Then started a goat dairy in 2004 milking commercially and sending the milk to a creamery in Wisconsin. In recent years there has been a monopoly buy out of two of the largest goat milk cheese creameries in the Midwest. That has dropped the price I received for goat milk from an average of $37 or $38 per hundred to now under the monopoly to $32. Every government program or whatever you want to call it doesn’t help goats or goat dairies which with the monopoly and COVID-19, the goat dairies are going the way of the cow dairies – out of business. They are overlooked every time. Goats diets are mostly forage and hay is expensive.

We as dairy goat farmers in the U.S. have been told they can buy frozen goat milk curd cheaper from Europe and have it shipped in than they can pay us for our goat milk. Unlike most other livestock I don’t think dairy goat farmers have lobbyist out there or any real government officials keeping track of our situation.”

My expertise on dairy of any kind is minimal, but I would offer these points.

Looking at the dairy goat growth curve, it seems inevitable that trendline could not continue indefinitely. Dairies may have over expanded. While processor consolidation is certainly a factor, simple supply and demand may be as important. And as the writer noted, virtually all food supply chains are in upheaval from Covid-19 as demand has been shifted from institutions like restaurants to consumers cooking at home.
As I talked about earlier in the show, government programs have been notably ineffective in managing the problems described in this email. In addition, farm programs generate collateral damage. For example, hay prices are affected by massive corn and soy subsidies which attract acres that would otherwise not be row-cropped.
Monopolies are a significant and growing problem for all of agriculture on both the supply and market sides. Our intense opposition to REGULATION helps these monopolies arise and grow.
European imports may be subsidized and should be targeted in trade negotiations.

I appreciate the email and the reminder that there are kinds of dairy production in addition to cows. Like other non-program commodities, I respect goat farmers’ independence and self-reliance. We need more of that in ag.

Rooted in Research, Ohio State's efields Trials Show Yield Loss from Compaction Can be Costly

Sun, 15 Nov 2020 19:05:24 GMT

Farm fields just outside of Columbus, Ohio, may look like an equipment playground during planting and harvest, but the work rooted in these fields is driven with a purpose.

“ Efields is an on-farm research program that we really started out with in 2016 to bring together our industry partners – our farmers in Ohio and our researchers at Ohio State University (OSU) – to really drive and dig into questions that matter to farmers and can help them improve profit, profitability and efficiency on their farms,” says Elizabeth Hawkins, field specialist with OSU Extension.

From 39 trials in 2016 to 150 trials in progress today, the efields program is growing while digging into everything from high-speed planting to questions about compaction.

“We go back a few years and we did this study for a couple years looking at compaction effects of grain carts, and admittedly we did it under unfavorable conditions, but we were seeing yield reductions in the traffic lanes from the grain carts approaching 30% yield reductions,” says Scott Shearer, professor and chair, OSU Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering

He says the yield loss wasn’t just showing up the following year, but the research found the cut to yield continued to linger several years.

He says comparing tracks versus tires shows there’s a clear advantage for tracks when field conditions are poor, as he hopes the research OSU is doing today will help farmers make better decisions tomorrow.

“I’ll give you an example: IF and VF tires, both are great tire technologies, but one thing we’re learning now is you have to run them at the right inflation pressures,” explains Shearer. “So, it’s a tool that a farmer uses, and if they leave them inflated to 30 or 35 psi, they’re not going to see that benefit from that tire technology. And so, what we’re trying to do is get farmers to think about their situation, understand their axle loads, and then adjust the inflation pressures in the tire appropriately.”

He says the research found the new tire technologies allow the sidewalls of the tire to flex, which in turn, allows the tire to spread out over a larger area.

“There’s opportunities for fuel savings, but there’s also opportunities when we begin looking at what’s happening to the soil below the surface,” he says. “One of the things that we’re experiencing today are some compaction effects. They’re going as far into the soil as about 3’ or 3.5’, and we can come back in and mitigate with tillage but generally that’s only going to be 13” to 14” deep. So, what’s happening below that is what we’re getting very interested in right now and looking at the long-term effects.”

Shearer and the entire efields team goal isn’t to take data from one field or one area of the state. Instead, the team partners with farmers to do large-scale research and trials, allowing the team to dig up findings for all soil types.

“We’ve got farms that go from peat moss, to gravel, to black river bottoms all on the same pass,” says Dug Radcliffe, a farmer in central Ohio. “So rather than have flat, black fields where everything is consistent, we give them the opportunity to do things on farm with the variability that they need to make these tests work.”

Radcliffe and OSU’s partnership has grown over the past seven years, along with Radcliffe’s appreciation for the in-field research OSU continues to focus on.

“We always said that, if we do what we always did, we’re always going to get what we always got. So, we’re always trying to look towards a better return on investment,” he says.

From the research engineers to the other innovators at OSU, Radcliffe believes the research is already paying off on their farms.

“We’ve got some farms that we own south of here about 40 miles that is more black dirt and a lot of compaction from former owners,” he says. “We did some tiling work and we have some compaction issues. So, we did some variable depth, tillage with tires and tracks and really saw some neat things. And we see some improvement in our production from that.”

Radcliffe says he’s a believer in the OSU land grant system rooted in research.

“The respect that growers like me across the state have for things like this is tremendous,” he says. “We talk to people outside the university that ask questions about what we’re doing, what the results are, not only with the fields, but everything that efields is doing. I’m proud to be a part of that.”

It’s an efields success story, as Hawkins says OSU Extension’s goal is to help Ohio farmers prosper.

“Seeing the way Ohio farmers have embraced this program, and really partnered with us so that we can learn together to improve agriculture in Ohio, has been unbelievably exciting to see.”

The efields research is also digging into the most efficient planting speeds when planting with high-speed planters. Watch the U.S. Farm Report video to see Ohio State’s findings.

Jerry Gulke: Did the Stocks Report Set the Stage for Higher Prices?

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 15:35:45 GMT

Corn and soybean prices normally dive during harvest. This year, that’s not been the case. December corn prices were up 14.25¢ and November soybean prices were up 18.25¢ for the week ending Oct. 2. December wheat prices were up 29¢.

Moving the market this week was a quarterly Grain Stocks report , which USDA released Sept. 30. Highlights include:

Old-crop corn stocks on hand as of Sept. 1, 2020 totaled 2.00 billion bushels, down 10% from Sept. 1, 2019.
Old-crop soybeans stored in all positions totaled 523 million bushels, down 42% from Sept. 1, 2019.
All wheat stored in all positions on Sept. 1, 2020 totaled 2.16 billion bushels, down 8% from a year ago.

These stocks estimates came in significantly below the pre-report average trade estimates of:

Corn ending stocks at 2.250 billion bushels for corn
Soybean ending stocks at 576 million bushels
Wheat stocks at 2.242 billion.

“The report was a shocker, and we seldom get one in September,” says Jerry Gulke, president of Gulke Group. “Normally you can pretty much quantify things.”

In talking with grain elevator managers, Gulke says a few issues were at play such as the quality of the corn crop from last year. As such, the crop had higher amounts of foreign matter and shrink.

“The shrink factor was about 50% higher than normal years, resulting in a disappearance of grain,” he says. “That bad crop from last year came back to haunt us, but it turned out to help prices since this year’s harvest is coming in good but not as good as first thought.”

In soybeans, the book of exports has been higher than most projections. “We haven’t had these kinds of times in a long time,” Gulke says.

Will China continue to buy? What happens if La Nina clips South American crops? Could prices keep inching up?

“The market psychology is such that it’s going to be going to be kind of difficult to put this new bull market that we’ve had to bed, without a shock the other way again,” Gulke says.

On Friday, Oct. 9, USDA will release its monthly Crop Production and World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates reports. For the national average yields, Gulke thinks it will be hard to lower the soybeans yield much.

“We’ve been hearing lots of reports of yields that are good, but not as good as people thought they would be,” he says. “I think we reduce the corn a little bit, but not by much.”

Read More

Jerry Gulke: Is the 800-lb. Gorilla Back?

Jerry Gulke: Lessons Learned in 30 Years of Grain Marketing

Find more written and audio commentary from Gulke at AgWeb.com/Gulke

Check the latest market prices in AgWeb’s Commodity Markets Center .

Jerry Gulke farms in Illinois and North Dakota. He is president of Gulke Group. Disclaimer: There is substantial risk of loss in trading futures or options, and each investor and trader must consider whether this is a suitable investment. There is no guarantee the advice we give will result in profitable trades. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

With a Cut to Corn Stocks, Are the Lows Already In for Corn Prices?

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 15:35:45 GMT

As harvest races on across the country, the size of the 2020 is still a major unknown. However, after the latest USDA report was released this week , questions surfaced about the actual size of the 2019 crop, as well.

USDA’s latest grain stocks report released Wednesday showed old corn stocks as of September 1 were lower than expected, indicating the 2019 corn crop was smaller than USDA originally stated.

“It really does underpin the market with a bit more support,” says North. “It kind of fuels the fire for anybody that still believes the 2019 crop was overstated in terms of yield. And it really puts more pressure on the U.S. crop to perform as the USDA has pegged it in previous reports with record yields.”

North says as USDA prepares to release an updated look at 2020 crop expectations later this month, the market will keep a close eye on any adjustments to not just sticks, but adjustments to 2020 yields.

“It’ll put a lot more pressure on yield to be there and to hold up, and f not, smaller balance sheets are going to continue to create a stronger bid in this market,” adds North.

North says if you’re a seller of corn, this adjustment to old crop stocks may give you a “gift” to look at selling into next year.

“If you’re a buyer of corn, it really puts the owner of the onus on you to jump into this market and protect yourself against any potential pitfalls in a South American crop and any changes to the demand environment as we go forward,” says North.

So, has the corn market put in its lows for the year? North thinks the answer is “yes.”

“Given Wednesday’s report, it would be tough to imagine going below $3.20 on corn,” says North.

Related Stories:

Grain Stocks: Corn Down 10%

Empower Harvest Marketing Decisions With Real-Time Data

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 15:35:42 GMT

Empower Harvest Marketing Decisions With Real-Time Data

Growers will have access to state aggregated, from-the-combine, harvest data in a partnership between Pro Farmer and Farmobile. The first Pro Farmer Harvest Report^TM powered by the Farmobile Index^TM will be released to Pro Farmer subscribers Friday, Oct. 2, 2020.

“The farmers are the creators of this data, and … since they’re the first the first ones to see that data, how can we give them an advantage in the marketplace?” Farmobile Jason Tatge explained to AgriTalk Radio’s Chip Flory. “And so, what we’re doing is we’re streaming data out of cabs of our subscribers, and then we’re aggregating it on a nightly basis. So, we’re putting out a state yield number based upon actual ground truth data that’s been collected by the farmers who are subscribers to farm mobile.”

The data is aggregated on a state-by-state basis so that no individual user’s data is identifiable. Farmobile subscribers who provide data can access statewide numbers that are updated daily.

“If we can set out a product where you can start to see that yield number, versus what the expectations are, [if they are] a little bit higher or a little bit lower, it’s going to help you feel more confident in those decisions when it comes down to pulling the trigger on those extra bushels you’ve got during harvest,” Tatge said.

Pro Farmer will then use that statewide data on a weekly basis to produce the Pro Farmer Harvest Report, a first-of-its-kind harvest estimate using near real-time harvest data.

Get next week’s detailed Harvest Report with your free registration. Visit www.tryprofarmer.com to register.

Tatge said he hopes to have harvest data covering 1.5 – 2 million acres by the end of the 2020 harvest season.

“The Pro Farmer Crop Tour has become an institution in agriculture,” said Joel Jaeger, Pro Farmer President and General Manager. “We’re excited to extend the perspectives from our boots-on-the-ground tour throughout the harvest season by teaming with Farmobile on the Pro Farmer Harvest Report. This partnership will allow us to bring weekly insights based on farmer-sources and straight-from-the-field data as combines begin to roll.”

The first Pro Farmer Harvest Report powered by the Farmobile Index is available with a free trial Pro Farmer account. Visit www.tryprofarmer.com to register.

Op-Ed: why Would American Ag Ever Go Back?

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 15:35:38 GMT

An eighth-generation farmer and rancher, Sid Miller is the 12th Texas Commissioner of Agriculture.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

“Who would have thought the hard-charging New York businessman, more familiar with office towers then grain silos, would become one of the strongest and most outspoken defenders of America’s farmers and ranchers our nation has ever seen? But that’s exactly what happened.”

As a new vocational agriculture teacher in the small Texas town of Gustine, I had the pleasure of teaching our state’s future agriculture leaders about the joys — and occasional discomforts — of agriculture. I reminded my young students that, while the agriculture industry was rewarding, it also came with its share of hardships.

Drought, insects, wildfires, flooding, tornadoes — and in my own home state, hurricanes — all can wreak havoc upon a crop or a herd and take a year’s worth of hard work with them. Even so, every farmer and rancher I know understands the score, and is ready to deal with whatever Mother Nature can throw at ‘em. It comes with the job.

While our hard-working farmers and ranchers expect to do battle from time-to-time with nature, they don’t expect to have to do battle with an oppressive and over-burdensome federal government. Yet, that’s exactly what they were forced to contend with during the eight oppressive years of the Obama-Biden administration.

Back in 2015, when I first took office as Texas’ Commissioner of Agriculture, I got my first lesson in just how oppressive Barack Obama and Joe Biden really were to the industry I had worked in and loved all my life, an industry I had just taken an oath to serve and protect.

That meant fighting back — fighting back against a Bureau of Land Management that abused our precious private property rights, an EPA that trampled upon our water rights, and a USDA that, instead of fighting for our nation’s agricultural producers, fought against them, making a tough job even more so.

That’s why I spent a great deal of my first two years of office waging war against the overreach of the Obama-Biden administration and filing lawsuit after lawsuit to seek some relief for the farm and ranch families hurt by their policies.

Had Hillary Clinton been elected president, I have no doubt I would have had to spend four more years in battle on behalf of the hard working men and women who help feed and clothe the world. But on November 9, 2016 America’s agricultural producers breathed a sigh of relief when Donald J. Trump was elected as our great nation’s 45^th President.

Who would have thought the hard-charging New York businessman, more familiar with office towers then grain silos, would become one of the strongest and most outspoken defenders of America’s farmers and ranchers our nation has ever seen? But that’s exactly what happened.

Instead of suing to stop the excessive and heavy-handed overreach of the Obama-Biden era federal government, I found myself working hand-in-hand with President Trump, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, and others in the new administration to stop the abuse, roll back the excessive regulations, and help institute policies that would help, rather than hurt, American agriculture.

Stopping the abuse and getting the federal government off the backs of our farmers and ranchers was just the start. Over the past three and a half years, President Trump has led the charge to put American agricultural producers and consumers first. One of his first priorities was negotiating a new trade agreement with our neighbors in Canada and Mexico that replaced the disastrous, outdated NAFTA deal that Joe Biden strongly championed. In its place, he gave us the USMCA — the most significant, modern, and balanced trade agreement in history.

Joe Biden’s NAFTA was a disaster for American farmers and ranchers, resulting in the loss of millions of American jobs and devastating rural communities across the country. Thankfully, the USMCA marked a tremendous victory for American agriculture — a victory with the potential to create nearly 176,000 good-paying American jobs, many in the agricultural sector, and to boost U.S. GDP by 0.35 percent, equivalent to about $235 billion dollars.

While Joe Biden continues to sell out America’s farmers and ranchers and put the interests of America’s adversaries first, President Trump pursues an America First trade agenda that puts our farmers and ranchers first, forcing our foreign competitors to play on a level playing field and holding them accountable when they don’t. President Trump has fought to ensure the free and fair trade that America’s agriculture producers deserve, and his efforts are paying dividends. Just last month, for instance, China made its largest purchase ever of American soybeans, corn, and grain sorghum. Even bigger and better trade deals are on the horizon — a horizon that’s promising and bright!

President Trump has proven to America’s farmers and ranchers — through actions, not just rhetoric — that he has our backs, that he understands and appreciates our value, and that he will never, ever let us down.

I don’t want to go back to the time when I had to wage war with an American president, his vice president, and the clueless bureaucrats who carried out their edicts, and I won’t have to if America’s agriculture producers do what they do best — roll up their shirt sleeves, and get to work on reelecting the best agriculture President of my lifetime. Why would American agriculture ever want to go back?

Op-Ed: Let’s Build Agriculture Back Better Together

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 15:35:38 GMT

Dawn R. Riley served in the office of US Senator Mitch McConnell and at USDA in the George W. Bush Administration.

Larry Elworth served at USDA and the White House in the Clinton Administration and EPA in the Obama Administration. They both continue to work on agricultural, food and sustainability issues.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the authors.

Let’s Build Agriculture Back Better Together

“The past six months have shown more clearly than ever that farmers and farm communities are critical to America’s well-being. Unfortunately, the impacts of the pandemic, as well as failures in national leadership, have exacerbated problems farmers have faced for some time: low prices, high debt, record bankruptcies, and suicide rates.”

Throughout our careers in farming and public service, having worked in Republican and Democratic Administrations, we have seen that when it comes to doing what’s best for agriculture, one’s political affiliation does not matter as much as a steady and serious commitment to farmers and their communities. We know that the wellbeing of the farm
community depends on stable leadership that takes responsibility for its actions, gives credit to all who have contributed, and shares benefits with those who have need. We believe that Vice President Biden can best provide that leadership for America.

The past six months have shown more clearly than ever that farmers and farm communities are critical to America’s well-being. Unfortunately, the impacts of the pandemic, as well as failures in national leadership, have exacerbated problems farmers have faced for some time: low prices, high debt, record bankruptcies, and suicide rates. Even as farmers have been called upon as essential workers, the mishandling of the crisis at the national level has increased risk to farm families, crippled supply chains, and resulted in lost jobs and access to health care in their communities.

Farm families and communities have always been resilient and enterprising. They have invested their own money in conserving natural resources and growing crops that produce renewable fuels to create economic opportunities and meet our nation’s energy needs. They have invested their resources in cooperatives that bring economic benefits to rural communities across the country and market value-added products around the world. For many decades, agricultural exports have been the bright spot in our country’s balance of trade, thanks to the hard work and dollars that farmers and their communities have invested in developing reliable markets and trading relationships.

Farm communities have a legitimate reason to expect that their work and that of everyone involved in the food production chain will be valued. They have reason to expect that the nation will recognize how important a vital farm economy is to our society and reason to expect that markets will be expanded, not decimated. Farmers also have every reason to expect leadership at the national level that does not jeopardize years of investment in production capacity and critical markets by acting recklessly, heedless of the consequences and costs borne by our country.

Just as importantly, they have reason to expect leadership that values civility, human decency, and mutual respect; leadership with a record of personal commitment to working across the political spectrum in the best interests of agriculture and farm communities. Leadership, in other words, that values the work of those who have made our agricultural bounty possible.

Vice President Biden clearly embodies these values. No one is better suited to further the interests of American agriculture and preserve the immense value that farmers and ranchers provide to our country as a whole.

New App Aims to Ease Farm Labor Bottlenecks

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 15:35:38 GMT

Here’s the conundrum: You really need an extra set of hands to help take out a fence this weekend. Or, your long-time employee is taking a much-deserved vacation, and you need two semis of corn delivered to the elevator.

Wouldn’t it be awesome to fill your spur-of-the-moment farm labor needs quickly and easily? Enter AgButler , the just-launched app that connects employers to laborers — one click at a time.

Three years ago, Kevin Johansen started seeing producers use social media to find part-time help. As a fifth-generation Missouri producer, he had felt the labor pinch himself. Through a little brainstorming, the idea for a mobile app was born.

“We discussed the idea with a small circle of folks and then put a simple survey together and kicked it out to a big group of friends and family in the industry,” he says. “That gave us a lot of information and validation to take the next step forward.”

Johansen’s years of working on cattle operations and experiences in 4H, FFA and the American International Charolais Breeders Association, armed him with first-hand knowledge of the “why” of the project. But the technical “how” was beyond his skillset.

In sharing the idea with those in the industry, Johansen started building vital connections. “The biggest thing to know in creating products like this is you can’t do everything yourself,” he says.

Johansen formed an LLC for the company, rounding out the team with:

His brother, Dustin, as the chief operating officer.
Mark Allison as CFO.
Charlie Nguyen as chief technology officer.
His wife, Jamie, and sister-in-law Joanna Wilkinson as the marketing group.

They connected with the National Center for Beef Excellence, which led them to a developer group in Kansas City. Once the AgButler team knew the idea was feasible, they built a demo in September 2018 and started raising funds.

In early 2020, the AgButler team competed in the Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge , which is a national agtech competition that showcases U.S. startups from rural entrepreneurs.

“Of the 10 semifinalists, we were the only the startup that was pre-revenue; we just had the demo at the time,” Johansen says.

Next, the team competed in the Ag Tech Innovation Competition by FCS of America at the Iowa Power Farming Show in Des Moines and won People’s Choice. Between those two competitions, they interviewed and were awarded a grant with the Missouri Agriculture and Small Business Development Authority.

“All of this catapulted us to build the technology,” Johansen says. “The MU Commercial Ag group worked on the feasibility study and we are finalizing the business and marketing plans for the grant.”

In August 2020, three years after the idea was first hatched, AgButler hit app stores. Similar to other ride-sharing or short-term-rental technology, the app connects those who need work done with those who can do it. It draws from a national pool, but for now the greatest participation is in Missouri and some surrounding states. The industries served are crops, livestock, transportation and construction.

Employers can post specifics and requirements for a job, and then laborers can filter jobs by location, type, price etc. Both parties can set up profiles for free. The only cost is a flat $20 fee paid by the employer once a connection is made.

“Our goal is to make the ideal connection,” Johansen says. “Young agriculturalists who want to be involved in production agriculture can be connected with the older demographics who need part-time help. We want to make connections in agriculture and help rural communities.”

Bayer XtendFlex® Soybeans Tolerate Three Major Herbicides, Now Approved for Import in the EU

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 15:35:38 GMT

Bayer Crop Sciences received good news Monday when the European Union approved XtendFlex soybeans for import. This is the first soybean on the market that has a tolerance to three major herbicides: glyphosate, dicamba and glufosinate. “Farmers will see a lot of different flexibility in the herbicide program that they can put together based on the needs of their individual farm,” Lisa Streck, North America soybean launch lead said about producers using XtendFlex soybeans, which are multi-biotech traited.

This EU approval was the final piece of authorization needed for XtendFlex soybeans. Bayer plans a full commercial launch in the United States and Canada for the 2021 growing season with the expected supply for soybean farmers at 20 million acres. Streck said that growers will have access to XtendFlex technology “from a group 0 to 7 maturity group.”

Lisa Safarin, president of Crop Science North America, said that this 2021 upcoming launch “highlights the strength of the Bayer soybean pipeline, as well as the investment that Bayer continues to make in our soybean portfolio and the Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System.”

This newest soybean approved by the EU is built upon Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybean technology, but it has the additional tolerance to glufosinate herbicides, which is what makes it the first of its kind on the market. This will provide farmers with the flexibility they need to manage weeds that have become hard to control and resistant.

Bayer conducted a robust XtendFlex soybean field-trial plan across the country this growing season, so producers can be looking soon for harvest results. Growers can reach out to their Bayer reps to learn more about the harvest and this product in their area.

Known for their strong commitment to the soybean industry, Bayer’s release of XtendFlex soybeans is the second major trait launch in the past five years. “This really highlights Bayer’s continued commitment to soybean innovation and bringing products to the marketplace that help farmers solve the tough challenges on their farms,” Streck said.

Bayer wants producers to plant with confidence and is committed to making that happen.

Farmers are wondering if they make seed purchases that include dicamba tolerance, will they be able to apply dicamba on these fields? A decision has not been made yet by the EPA on whether or not dicamba will be approved for over-the-top use.

Alex Zenteno, Bayer dicamba product manager, said that Bayer plans to continue to support farmers who use the system and that they will receive seed unit price reductions if they purchase Xtend seed if XtendiMax isn’t available for use in 2021. The guarantee will be there for farmers if the EPA doesn’t approve XtendiMax before Feb. 20, 2021.

New Tank Mixes to Reduce Off-Target Damage from Dicamba

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 15:35:38 GMT

BASF and Bayer are each creating a new tank-mix partner for their dicamba products. Both company tank mixes focus on reducing volatility. These products will need EPA approval.

“We’re waiting for registration [for over-the-top dicamba] by the EPA, and we anticipate that they will require a buffering agent to be used in tank mixes,” says Tracy Rowlandson, BASF technical marketing manager. “So, if that happens Sentris will be available as a tank mix adjuvant.”

BASF’s new product, upon EPA approval, will be considered a buffering agent. It works in the mix to stabilize the pH of the dicamba product to help keep it above a pH of 5. If you can keep dicamba in an ion form, not acid form, it’s less susceptible to volatilization.

Bayer’s new volatility reducing product doesn’t have a name—or at least, the company has not announced it yet. The product may become part of EPA’s XtendiMax registration decision for 2021 and beyond.

“When you add this product to the tank, it further reduces the volatility potential of XtendiMax,” says Alex Zenteno, Bayer dicamba product manager. “This tank mix additive provides additional comfort of application to users and is an added enhancement to the Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System.”

Each of these tank mix adjuvants will help with the untraceable damage from volatility—which can happen hours to days after the initial application. However, it’s not a drift reduction agent so all drift mitigation measures need to be followed at application.

BASF adds new premix to dicamba lineup

Pending EPA approval, BASF is set to launch Engenia Prime, a premix with pyroxasulfone (Zidua), imazethapyr (Pursuit) and dicamba (Engenia). The premix includes three unique modes of action, one each from group 2, group 4 and group 15 herbicides.

“It will really give farmers a chance for some simplicity in terms of going out to the field but it will also make sure they’re making the right application on each acre,” says Scott Kay, vice president, U.S. Crop, BASF Agricultural Solutions. “Another characteristic of it is that we want to see it applied early—pre or very early post before the weeds are 4 inches tall.”

The premix will be registered for use in soybeans and has an 18-month plant back restriction for farmers who plan to grow cotton. Use rates and more tank prep information will be available upon EPA approval.

AMVAC to Introduce Two Herbicides

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 15:35:38 GMT

To help farmers in the battle against resistant and tough-to-control weeds, AMVAC is adding two new herbicides to their lineup.

Impact Core targets weeds and grasses with acetochlor and topramezone technologies.
Sinate, topramezone active, is for use in post emergent glufosinate-tolerant corn and controls key broadleaf species.

“Impact Core delivers postemergence control of the toughest weeds and grasses in corn with the active ingredient found in Impact herbicide, along with industry-leading acetochlor for extended residual control,” said Nathaniel Quinn, marketing manager for corn, soybean and sugar beets.

AMVAC says farmers can also expect more flexibility with Impact Core across a wide range of field conditions in corn.

“Sinate provides a needed on-two punch of the active ingredient found in Impact herbicide plus glufosinate on herbicide-resistant weeds like waterhemp, Palmer amaranth and giant ragweed,” Quinn continued.

Modes of action Impact Core include: group 27 and group 15. Sinate features group 27 mode of action and is meant to be paired with glufosinate, a group 10 herbicide

Op-Ed: Why Farmers Should Vote to Re-Elect Trump

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 15:35:35 GMT

Op-Ed by Charles Herbster, Chair of Farmers and Ranchers for Trump and owner and CEO of Conklin, Co. The opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

“The President’s team has negotiated more and improved trade deals by opening greater exports of beef to Europe. The Trump Administration has been responsible for freeing up other markets through trade deals with Argentina (pork), South Korea (rice and poultry), and Japan has cut tariffs by seven billion dollars. All these actions show the President’s deep commitment to farmers and ranchers. Many more arrangements will come in the President’s next four years in office.”

Make no mistake. I support President Donald J. Trump one hundred percent. I am a farmer. I raise corn, soybeans and dairy-quality alfalfa hay on my family farms in Falls City, Nebraska. I also raise Angus and Simmental cattle. I sell products to farmers and ranchers all over America and in 13 foreign countries. This President has done more for farmers and ranchers in just three years than any other president has in my lifetime.

I serve as the National Chairman of “Farmers and Ranchers for Trump” a coalition of agricultural professionals for the 2020 election cycle. I can say without qualification that agriculturalists throughout the nation continue to support this president in unprecedented numbers. As in 2016, rural voters will turn out in droves to re-elect President Donald J. Trump. Why do farmers and ranchers support our president? Let me tell you why.

We have been in trade wars around the globe for the past three decades and beyond. Since 2016, we had a candidate, and now a president, who has been willing to fight back against horrible trade arrangements. Since taking office, he has been relentless in getting America better trade deals with all our key trading partners. The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and China Phase I are already reaping huge dividends for farmers and ranchers across the United States.

The President’s team has negotiated more and improved trade deals by opening greater exports of beef to Europe. The Trump Administration has been responsible for freeing up other markets through trade deals with Argentina (pork), South Korea (rice and poultry), and Japan has cut tariffs by seven billion dollars. All these actions show the President’s deep commitment to farmers and ranchers. Many more arrangements will come in the President’s next four years in office.

President Trump has kept his promise in building an “all the above” approach to energy independence in the United States. One of the key elements of that approach is expanding the use of E15 ethanol and biofuels and sticking to renewable volume obligations year after year. This helps our grain growers and to diversity our national energy needs which continue to be more diverse than before President Trump took office.

The Trump administration, through its breathtaking deregulation efforts, have done more for farmers and ranchers than any other administration in recent history. First and foremost was the administration’s dismantling of the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) regulation that was unfairly taking land away from agricultural producers. The administration of the protocols of WOTUS were applied arbitrarily and capriciously. That has changed under the Trump Presidency.

Another factor that has helped farmers and ranchers has been the tax reforms shepherded into law. The income tax reforms put more cash in agriculture producers’ wallets. Further, changing the estate tax (death tax) allows family farms to be kept--in the family. Even during the Coronavirus disruption to the economy, farmers and ranchers rest a little easier each night knowing they are protected by the aforementioned legislation.

The Trump Administration has given an unprecedented resurgence in farm income. That income has increased by thirty-three percent since 2016. In the preceding four years—the last four years of the Obama Administration—farm income fell fifty-six percent. Even in tough times, the Trump Administration is stabilizing the economy for everyone but especially for farmers and ranchers.

President Trump has a lot to be proud of in making and keeping promises. No politician has been so bold, courageous or as forthright in wanting to drain the DC Swamp. He has kept his word to farmers and ranchers. That is why agriculture producers will continue to support his re-election and future presidency.

Residents of the United States need to remember that the agriculture industry may only be two percent of the economy, but one hundred percent of the people in the United States and many people of the world depend on that two percent to produce safe and affordable food. There will be nine and a half billion people on the earth in 2050, just thirty years away. The world will need every single one of America’s farmers and ranchers to stay fed.

Yes, I am all in for President Donald J. Trump. America’s farmers and ranchers are all in for President Donald J.Trump. Let’s help Keep America Great.

Op-Ed: Why Farmers Should Elect Biden

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 15:35:35 GMT

Tom Vilsack served as the 40th governor of Iowa from 1999 to 2007, and as the 30th U.S. secretary of agriculture, under President Barack Obama, from 2009 to 2017. This essay reflects Vilsack’s personal views, not those of the U.S. Dairy Export Council, where he is president and CEO, nor Farm Journal.

Biden’s Plan will Build a Farm Economy Where Today’s and Tomorrow’s Farmers and Ranchers Can Succeed
by Tom Vilsack

“As farmers continue to rebuild from a disastrous trade war that has alienated both our allies and our largest customers, Joe will reverse course with a coherent, assertive trade policy that works for American farmers. He will expand new markets for farm products, and hold cheaters like China accountable without using our farms as collateral damage.”

Every business owner dreams of building something successful enough to be passed on to his or her kids. Nowhere is this more the case than on America’s farms and ranches, yet less than 30 percent of operations survive to pass to a second generation, and a mere 12 percent survive to a third . As farmers continue to struggle with depressed prices, lagging demand, tight credit, extreme weather, and other challenges, many of our best and brightest have left the farm to seek more opportunities in the city. For farms and small towns alike, this slow exodus of our young people is endangering the health of areas that are woven deeply into the fabric of our nation.

This week, Joe Biden launched “ Our Kids ,” an ad on rural radio stations around the country that speaks to the ability of vibrant rural communities to retain the young men and women who are so vital to their long-term success.

A successful farm economy is a civic engine that creates small-town jobs and drives commerce on rural main streets. As part of his plan for a vibrant rural economy , Joe Biden has a robust and common-sense plan to support and invest in the farms and ranches that help our rural areas thrive.

Important both for farmers and for our energy independence is Joe’s commitment to biofuels. He will uphold and enforce the Renewable Fuels Standard, and reverse the current administration’s tide of waiver handouts for Big Oil. He will invest $400 billion in clean energy research, innovation, and deployment, and he will use every tool at his disposal, including the federal fleet and the federal government’s purchasing power, to promote and advance ethanol, biodiesel, and other biofuels.

As farmers continue to rebuild from a disastrous trade war that has alienated both our allies and our largest customers, Joe will reverse course with a coherent, assertive trade policy that works for American farmers. He will expand new markets for farm products, and hold cheaters like China accountable without using our farms as collateral damage.

Because even the best trading relationships can’t be realized without a consistent and reliable supply chain, Joe will fund a complete revitalization of the infrastructure farmers need to move their products safely to market, including modernization of aging locks and dams; dredging, expansion and maintenance of ports; and much-needed repair and replacement of rural roads and bridges nationwide.

Joe will build on proven on-farm conservation practices—not ideology—to solve the climate crisis, giving farmers new sources of income in the process. He will expand and strengthen working-lands initiatives like the Conservation Stewardship Program to build healthier soil and cleaner water and help agriculture become among the first American industries to achieve net-zero emissions.

Also critical to meeting soil and water quality goals is making full use of precision agriculture tools, but that can’t happen without reliable broadband connectivity. Joe will invest $20 billion in rural broadband infrastructure to connect not just our farms and ranches, but our rural schools and hospitals and businesses too.

To keep young farmers on the land and attract new ones too, Joe will make it easier to access credit and capital by expanding the microloan program for new and beginning farmers, doubling the maximum loan amount to $100,000. Joe will also boost funding for the farm ownership and operating loans that help beginning farmers access the needed capital to get started. Off the farm, Joe will boost funding for Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program to help rural entrepreneurs, and expand the number of Rural Business Investment Companies to help rural companies obtain capital.

Joe will invest in growing the bioeconomy that provides such a valuable market for bio-based products made from soybeans, corn and other crops and byproducts, creating demand as well as good manufacturing jobs in the places where they’re grown. He will expand the programs that help farmers access and grow regional food systems and local markets. He will invest in agricultural research at our land grant universities and provide for four-year scholarships for rural kids, and tuition free access to community and technical colleges that may be a better fit for many young people. And he will protect family farmers by strengthening oversight and enforcement of federal antitrust laws to ensure that farmers still have options in a competitive marketplace.

This year, more than a third of farm income will be in the form of payments from the federal government as a result of fallout either from the administration’s trade war, or its disastrous handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Farmers know that one-time rescue payments, though needed in the moment, do not signal a healthy or sustainable farm economy in the long term. For that, farmers need certainty, and Joe’s plan represents the structural investments they need to be competitive in the long run.

In my time as Agriculture Secretary under Vice President Biden, he and I knew that for young people to stay on the farm, they had to see a practical pathway to their own economic success. We were proud to work on policies that led to record farm income, farm exports, and prices for corn, soybeans and other crops. But in the years that have passed, that success has faded, and young people are again faced with the agonizing choice to leave home in search of opportunities elsewhere.

Joe has a plan to turn that tide, to help our farmers and ranchers reach that record success again, and most importantly, to keep our kids on the farm.

Grain Stocks: Corn Stocks Down 10%, Soybean Stocks Down 42%

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 15:35:35 GMT

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Grain Stocks report released today showed that old crop corn stocks on hand as of Sept. 1, 2020 totaled 2.00 billion bushels, down 10% from Sept. 1, 2019. Old crop soybeans stored in all positions were down 42% from Sept. 1, 2019, and all wheat stocks were down 8% from a year earlier.

Corn

Of the total corn stocks, 751 million bushels were stored on farms, down 8% from a year earlier. Off-farm stocks, at 1.24 billion bushels, were down 12% from a year ago. The June-August 2020 indicated disappearance was 3.02 billion bushels, compared with 2.98 billion bushels during the same period a year earlier.

Soybeans

Old crop soybeans stored in all positions on Sept. 1, 2020 totaled 523 million bushels, down 42% from Sept. 1, 2019. Soybean stocks stored on farms totaled 141 million bushels, down 47% from a year ago. Off-farm stocks, at 382 million bushels, were down 41% from last September. Indicated disappearance for June-August 2020 totaled 858 million bushels, down 2% from the same period a year earlier.

This report also contains revisions to the previous season’s production for corn and soybeans. This has been the normal practice for soybeans for many years. Corn revisions were moved from January to this report to coincide with the end of the marketing season and align with soybeans. Production for 2019 corn was revised up fractionally while 2019 soybean production was revised down fractionally from the previous estimate.

Wheat

All wheat stored in all positions on Sept. 1, 2020 totaled 2.16 billion bushels, down 8% from a year ago. On-farm stocks were estimated at 705 million bushels, down 4% from last September. Off-farm stocks, at 1.45 billion bushels, were down 10% from a year ago. The June-August 2020 indicated disappearance was 695 million bushels, up 4% from the same period a year earlier.

The pre-report average trade estimates included:

Corn ending stocks at 2.250 billion bushels for corn
Soybean ending stocks at 576 million bushels
Wheat stocks at 2.242 billion.

NASS conducted separate surveys for on-farm and off-farms stocks during the first two weeks of September.

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Sponsored by Bayer

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Op-Ed: Why Farmers Should Elect Biden

Grain Stocks: Corn Stocks Down 10%, Soybean Stocks Down 42%

Corn

Soybeans

Wheat