News
Today’s agriculture headlines and expert perspectives serving farmers, ranchers, crop consultants, livestock nutritionists and the entire U.S. ag community.
An International Harvester 856 diesel tractor, a Peterbilt 389 Glider kit day cab semi and a collection of John Deere 55 series tractors are just a few pieces of equipment that have caught Machinery Pete’s eye lately.
There’s now a 60% chance La Niña will develop between June and August and an 85% chance it’s in effect by November 2024 to January 2025, according to NOAA.
It’s not sharks, wolves, or bears that kill the most people—it’s wild pigs, and the numbers are trending up.
John Deere is seeking its first ever Chief Tractor Officer with a little help from a new friend - 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy.
Don’t let the rush to plant cause you to be filled with regret and utter these five words at some point: “I wish I had waited.” Chilled seed corn struggles to emerge and grow. It can cost you 10% of your stand.
To bring new ways to connect its agronomy insights with customers, Growmark and 29 of its member FS companies are launching the myFS Agronomy app in conjunction with Intelinair.
Unsure about soil conditions at planting? Smart Firmers can help with that.
After years of letting negativity and discouragement hold him back from full-time farming, the first-generation Kentucky farmer decided to take a leap of faith.
In addition to traditional row crops and cattle, Lindsay Baneck operates a direct-to-consumer produce business in Wisconsin. These days, her goals are geared toward success and sustainability.
Wayne Gehrke and Carolyn Brummel share how they diversified beyond corn and soybeans and made the most of what they already had so they both could farm full time.
As someone who enjoys technology, Kaden Sweeney says he’s geared toward numbers. New this year, the family operation plans to control the grain cart from the combine for ease and efficiency.
Marc and Meagan Kaiser are building their future — finding a way to be part of their families’ corn and soybean operation and soil testing lab while starting a precision ag business and being active in farm groups.
More than 20 farm groups support the new Federal Agriculture Risk Management Enhancement and Resilience Act. The bill does not require choosing between enhanced crop insurance coverage and commodity support programs.
At farm bill listening session in South Dakota members of the Senate Ag Committee expressed optimism about getting a farm bill done yet in 2024 and putting more farm in the farm bill.
Unrelenting inflation continues to weigh down the U.S. economy and agriculture. Still, CoBank says it believes the Fed will stick with its decision to cut interest rates three times in 2024.
USDA reports 3% of the country’s soybean crop is in the ground, the same as this time last year but two points ahead of the average pace. In all 10 states are reporting progress, and planting is ahead of average.
The U.S. Drought Monitor shows drought coverage is now at its lowest level since spring of 2020, but USDA’s topsoil moisture map shows it’s still extremely dry in areas of the west and too wet in the east.
This week Machinery Pete – Greg Peterson – takes a deep dive into used equipment auction data and what it might mean to the dealer network, and an auction up North nearly sets a price record on a two-decade old tractor.
Shipping may have been easier back in the days of Columbus
It’s a tale of two extremes this year. Some farmers report they can’t find soil moisture to plant into, while others are struggling just to get into their fields. Agronomist Ken Ferrie weighs in on both scenarios.
Along with too much moisture, high numbers of corn flea beetles are posing an early-season concern. Ferrie advises checking your Stewart’s wilt bacteria rating on hybrids. There’s no treatment option for infected corn.
A handful of planter manufacturer reps share several tips and lookouts to ensure the planter is working properly this spring.
Two consecutive years of drought has been devastating for farmers in West Texas, and with forecasts of a transition to La Niña, economists and cotton leaders say it will force even more cotton farmers to call it quits.
One of the biggest benefits from waiting to plant corn until conditions are ideal, is the crop emerges more uniformly and forms those picket-fence stands that deliver huge yields, says Agronomist Missy Bauer.
USDA is Discontinuing A Major Cattle Report, And it Could Now Spur More Volatility For Cattle Prices
USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) announced it’s canceling the July Cattle Inventory Report. In the announcement, NASS blamed budget cuts from the most recent appropriations bills.
Lance Honig, acting director of the NASS methodology division, says budget constraints led to the agency’s decision. The County Estimates data was used over the years, in part, to determine federal farm program payments.
This week’s Machinery News covers U.S. and Canadian tractor and combine sales figures for March 2024, Jorge Heraud’s new role at Rootwave, and John Deere’s upcoming appearance in Washington D.C.
South Dakota Dairy Producers encourages all dairy producers to closely monitor their herd and contact their herd veterinarian immediately if cattle appear symptomatic.
USDA’s April WASDE report showed larger wheat and soybean ending stocks, but smaller ending stocks for corn. More surprising, still, was the lack of changes to South America’s crop estimates.