News
Today’s agriculture headlines and expert perspectives serving farmers, ranchers, crop consultants, livestock nutritionists and the entire U.S. ag community.
“You can begin at any point in the year, but the power of this is that by improving yourself first, others follow,” says Mark Faust, president of Echelon Management.
Control production costs through mindful input spending this year.
Consumer preferences can totter between fads and trends. For farmers to capitalize on consumer demands, they must be able to sort out which market opportunities to pursue, says Rob Dongoski with Ernst & Young.
Farm Journal’s 26th annual Top Producer Summit, agriculture’s premier educational and networking event, is set for Jan. 23-25, 2023, at the Grand Hyatt in Nashville.
The first step to winning the war for workers is to keep your star employees happy. Here’s how three farmers retain and attract employees.
Idaho operation builds niche business to complement core crops.
How do you approach transition planning when two of your children are on the farm and one is not? You must be intentional and communicate.
If you weren’t able to attend Top Producer Summit in Nashville, you can still watch the awards banquet.
Instead of writing down these big audacious goals, Jon Acuff, an entrepreneur, speaker and best-selling author, has better advice: Set micro goals.
During the Top Producer Summit, which was held Jan. 23-25 in Nashville, Top Producer honored five farm operations.
Define your goals and desired ROI for conservation practices on your farm.
High input costs, excessive disease pressure or commodity prices — any of these factors could be pushing you to plant back-to-back corn or back-to-back soybeans.
The 2023 farm bill may not be completed before it expires on September 30 but there is hope it could be done by year end.
From 2020 to 2021, Susan Weaver Ford gained 8,900 neighbors, as the population of her county jumped 4%. “I used to farm fields that now have 40 houses,” she says. “The city is meeting us pretty quick.”
You are about to plant the most expensive crop of your career. But just how much more expensive?
Since their inception in 2014, you’ve been choosing between Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC). You have until March 15 to make your choice this year.
The rural economy seems to be set on cruise in neutral gear. That’s according to the Rural Mainstreet Index (RMI) from Creighton University.
The sources of stress and uncertainty for the season ahead are plentiful. When uncertainty is plentiful, so is decision paralysis. To play offense and face the biggest risks to your farm, use this decision framework.
In 2022, the average interest rates on farm loans skyrocketed from record lows to decade highs. While that jump is remarkable and expected to continue, a little perspective is needed.
“Our CEO will always be the Chief Risk Officer – a task it is irresponsible to delegate,” says American investor Warren Buffett.
As a young Nebraska farmer, Maggie Holub is in a league of her own. She has a complete, but flexible, succession plan — in writing.
Could agriculture face a Southwest-type meltdown?
“What I look for as an agent and as a farmer is if I can get close to 2.5 times or more return on coverage versus extra premium,” says Jamie Wasemiller with Gulke Group and Wasemiller Insurance Agency.
Here’s what farmers should consider with this sometimes complex question.
While the drought of 2023 is straining crop conditions, there hasn’t been any drought concerns when it comes to auction prices on used farm equipment, including most types of harvest equipment.
Economic growth is stalling in rural America. That’s according to the Rural Mainstreet Index (RMI) from Creighton University.
Farmers can harvest incredible value by stress testing their business margins, says Chris Barron, a national financial consultant for Ag View Solutions and Iowa farmer.
While the fall of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank is unique, the situation does provide lessons for farmer’s financial management and risk management.
This year marks the second-largest increase in the market value of agricultural land in Nebraska since 2014 and the highest non-inflation-adjusted statewide land value in the 45-year history of the survey.
Rate increases can put a squeeze on farm profitability. Have you factored in how these cost-of-money increases affect your storage costs?