Nebraska

Soybean Gall Midge Emerges As Top-Tier Threat

Mon, 11 May 2026 20:19:03 GMT

Soybean gall midge is no longer just a curiosity or annoyance for many Midwest farmers. The pest is chewing into yield and profitability for soybean growers across parts of at least seven states – Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota.

Iowa State University Entomologist Erin Hodgson reports the pest’s footprint is significant, present in at least 42% of the 45.4 million acres of soybeans farmers harvested across the seven states in 2025.

“At least 19 million soybean acres are potentially impacted by this pest,” Hodgson says, noting that the pest continues to spread. Eight new counties were confirmed in 2025, with five of those being in Iowa .

According to a recent farmer survey led by University of Nebraska Entomologist Doug Golick, the pest has become a major threat in parts of Nebraska. “In the last year or two, soybean gall midge is approaching as near high of concern as herbicide-resistant weeds for survey respondents,” Golick says.

Since 2018, the soybean gall midge has spread to 185 total counties in seven states, including five new counties in Iowa this past year, according to Erin Hodgson, Iowa State University Extension entomologist and professor.

(Erin Hodgson)

Look For Small Orange Or White Larvae

Damage from the insect starts at the base of the soybean plants, largely out of sight. Adult midges emerge from the ground in May and June, then seek out tiny fissures in young soybean plants near the soil line to lay eggs, according to Thales Rodrigues da Silva, a master’s student at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

The larvae cause severe, localized yield losses from 20% to 100% loss along field edges and 17% to 50% reductions in entire fields average under heavy infestation, according to University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Extension. The larvae – small, orange worm-like pests – feed inside the base of the stem, causing plants to wither, die, and lodge (break), with damages sometimes extending 100+ feet into fields. Scouting for the pest should occur after the second trifoliate (V2) growth stage, according to the Crop Protection Network.

This damage in a soybean plant at the soil level shows the result of soybean gall midge larvae feeding.

(University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension)

Because the pest often feeds along field edges, the damage in affected plants is often mistaken for issues caused by compaction or herbicide injury, according to Stine Seed Company .

To confirm the pest’s presence, Stine agronomists recommend digging up compromised soybean plants and splitting open the stem. If white or orange larvae are found feeding within the inner layers, growers should check the Soybean Gall Midge Alert Network tracking system to determine whether the pest has been reported in their area. Next, they should contact their local Extension specialist to help confirm the diagnosis and report the finding if their county is not yet documented in their area.

Cultural Practices Show Promise

Unfortunately, there are few strategies to manage and control soybean gall midge, according to Tony Lenz, Stine technical agronomist.
With no labeled, consistently effective in-season insecticide program and no established treatment threshold, researchers are testing cultural and mechanical tactics that might give farmers at least partial relief.

Tillage ahead of planting — a tough sell in no-till systems — shows some promise in reducing early infestations in current-year soybean fields.

“Turns out that disking alone, at least in (our) study… did reduce infestation,” says Justin McMechan an entomologist and associate professor at UNL.

“There’s a significant reduction as we move from no-till to that… where it’s just disked and planted into, and then disking and hilling (a practice used in growing potatoes), which really is effective, because you’re covering up the infestation site,” McMechan adds.

He notes that even subtle changes in seedbed shape may help by covering fissures or altering microclimates at the stem base.

On planters running row cleaners, McMechan says adjustments at field edges might be one of the more accessible tools.

“There are not huge differences, but they are statistically significant,” he adds.

Field edge management has been another area of experimentation, including mowing or managing dense vegetation next to infested fields. Results are mixed, but McMechan says there are situations where mowing modestly cuts pressure.

“Nebraska saw on occasion where mowing would reduce infestation and lead to marginal yield benefit… we’re talking like 6-bushel differences,” he says, adding that weather and nearby corn canopy can override those gains.

There are no insecticides currently available to control soybean gall midge. A combination of cultural practices and mechanical efforts is likely the best option, for now, to stop or slow the pest.

(Justin McMechan)

Scientists Evaluate ‘Out-Of-The-Box’ Practices

Other work by researchers is pushing even further outside the box to find control measures. At UNL, graduate research assistant Kristin Heinrichs Stark is testing whether a biodegradable surface barrier called BioWrap can physically trap larvae in the soil and prevent emergence.

The work is early-stage and raises reasonable questions about cost and field-scale application rates, but it points to the kind of layered, non-chemical tactics Extension researchers say will likely be needed to address the pest.

Even as these cultural and physical strategies are developed, Hodgson reminds farmers that the ag industry still lacks any clear control option once larvae are inside the soybean stem.

“We really don’t have a treatment threshold, or a rescue treatment option at this time,” she says. “We know that the soybean gall midge certainly can cause yield losses, plant death, and that directly relates to yield. But we don’t really have great answers on like, how many plants does it take? How many larvae per plant (causes yield loss)?”

For now, farmers dealing with soybean gall midge are being asked to combine careful field scouting, crop rotation, and targeted cultural tactics to address the pest as the research community races to find answers and close those gaps.

Specialists from three Midwest universities provided the latest updates on soybean gall midge (SGM) this spring in a webinar, available at the link below:

Through the Flames: Miracles, Heartbreak and the Fight for Nebraska’s Cattle Country

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 22:26:17 GMT

Ranchers Julie and James Hawkins were at the dentist, two hours from their Arthur, Neb., ranch, when they got the call. The smoke was encroaching.

With Julie behind the wheel, and little regard for the speed limit, James was on the phone with their children — Annie, 17, and Ward, 21 — talking them through how to ready the tractor, disc, trucks, trailers and water rig for battle.

When Julie and James arrived back at the ranch around 5:30 p.m., they could see a massive plume.

“It looked like a storm front coming in, and then I realized it was all smoke,” James recalls. “The fire line was several miles wide.”

Frantic calls to the neighbors and the Garden County Sheriff revealed the wildfire was already “2 miles east of Racket Road,” a key landmark that meant it was close.

It was go time. Ward left with the tractor and disc to cut a firebreak around their hay yard. James took the fire truck. Annie followed with a pickup and trailer loaded with horses. Julie hopped in another truck to find their cows.

She expected their cows to be sheltered beneath a hill, but they weren’t there. She took out over the rough terrain to keep looking.

“I topped this ridge, and there’s fire and there’s my cows,” she recalls. “I honked the horn, ‘Come on, girls, let’s go.’ The fire was on my northwest, it was on my west and it had already shot past south, underneath Ward Hill.”

The panic set in because she had left her husband and daughter at Ward Hill filling the water tank on the fire truck.

Julie coaxed the cows to safety down into the valley where her son disced a firebreak to protect their hay yard. James and Annie had outrun the wildfire and made it back to the hay yard. The family turned on its irrigation pivot and moved the horses, trailers, saddles and other valuable equipment behind the pivot for protection.

When Julie Hawkins found her cow herd she also found the fire. She recalls the fire was on her northwest, west and it had already shot past south, underneath Ward Hill.

(Hawkins Family)

A Fire Wall Several Miles Wide Leaves Destruction

The Hawkins family was one of the many ranchers impacted by the historic Morrill Fire that burned more than 642,000 acres.

The “fast-moving, overwhelming event” that started on March 12 devastated pasture and hay resources, describes Dusty Wilson, a fourth-generation cow-calf producer from southwest Arthur County, but it also revealed the strength and generosity of the ranching community.

Northwest winds up to 75 mph meant firefighters’ efforts were no match for the west-to-east threat that escalated quickly, he explains.

Wilson and his 84-year-old father, Delwin, stayed behind to move cattle and fight fire while his wife and kids evacuated.

The father-and-son duo drove to the calving pasture blaring the horn, trying to locate and call the cows in the dark and smoke.

“We had already tried to move a few other bunches, opening gates to give them areas of exit,” Wilson says.

They were unable to locate the cows when they noticed the fire was moving closer and it was time to evacuate. They left the pasture, praying the cows could find protection from the fire.

When the fire reached Wilson’s place he describes the wall of fire was several miles wide, and it “boiled over the hill” right behind his dad’s house, his barn and their shop.

“We almost got trapped,” he recalls. “We were able to find a safe spot, a sandy spot, around a windmill to park and shelter until that wave got around us.”

Both the Hawkins and Wilson families spent Thursday night fighting fire along with their neighbors and volunteer firefighters. Generations of family members, including kids, worked together to help move cows, horses, equipment and pets while other family members scouted fire location and wind shifts.

After the fire at Hawkins’ ranch.

(Hawkins family)

Miracle in the Sandhills: Wilson and Hawkins Herds Survive

The Hawkins family lost more than half the ranch’s summer grazing land. They were able to save their home, hay and cattle.

“It pretty much took most everything, pasture-wise, from all of our surrounding neighbors, as it did us,” Wilson explains.

He lost 13,500 acres of grass and all the hay supplies he had allocated to get the ranch through calving, until turnout, and also for some carryover.

“We were able to save our home valley — our main hay meadow,” Wilson says. “We were able to save our two houses — it burned right up next to each of those. Thankfully, we were able to save our structures. Our cattle, thankfully, were safe.”

He describes the cattle’s survival as miraculous as the pasture around them was charred.

The Wilson family’s cow herd found safety under this big sandhill.

(Wilson Family)

“I fully expected to find a great amount of death loss,” Wilson says when he went to check on the cows the next morning. “I was just amazed when I saw they were safe and unharmed. They were able to tuck under one big sandhill and were in one spot under that hill where the fire didn’t burn. There was a halo or arc that remained where it didn’t burn.”

He’s not sure if the cows heard the horn or if they simply relied on their instincts to find safety.

With no grazing for the coming season, Wilson says the biggest need for Sandhills ranchers is hay and feed.

“We’re going to have to supplement these cattle every day for quite some time now. Our hope is that we can keep everything that’s going to calve here.”

(Adam Grabenstein)

Across the Miles, More Acres Burn Due to Wildfire

On the same day, more than 100 miles away, the Cottonwood Fire was burning in Lincoln and Dawson counties south of I-80.

Adam Grabenstein lives 10 miles south of Gothenburg along Highway 47, where the Cottonwood Fire began. Between 8:30 and 9 p.m., the fire crossed Highway 47 and within 45 minutes, it was on his doorstep.

The Cottonwood Fire approacing Adam Grabenstein’s home near Gothenburg.

(Adam Grabenstein)

“The wind was horrible,” he recalls. “Fifty to 60 mph sustained winds. You couldn’t see for the dust or the smoke, extremely, extremely dangerous conditions.”

Thanks to the efforts of local farmers, they were able to stop the fire about 4 miles north of the Highway 23 and 47 junction, east of Farnam.

“A lot of farmers hooked up their tractors and discs and hightailed it over there to help us stop the fire,” he explains. “When the wind switched out of the north, all the valley farmers brought their tractors and discs. When the wind switched again, it was kind of a reversal with guys from the south country going north. That demonstrates the heart and grit of rural America.”

Fighting fires all night, Grabenstein recalls how neighbors were helping neighbors, stressing the loss could have been much worse.

“There were points when you just felt helpless because the conditions were so ripe for fire — it was out of control,” he recalls of the emotions of that night. “You’re doing all you can, but it’s an extremely dangerous environment.”

His farming and ranching headquarters and feedlot are 10 miles south of his house.

The view from Adam Grabenstein’s home after the fire.

(Adam Grabenstein)

“My house is safe, but obviously we had a lot of smoke damage,” he says. “We’ve lost more than 2,500 acres of grazing lands.”

The difference between the Cottonwood and Morrill fire is terrain and fire fuel. Much of the Cottonwood fire included cedar trees and other wooded areas. To date, the Cottonwood Fire has burned more than 129,000 acres.

The Loss of a Neighbor

The Morrill wildfire claimed the life of 86-year-old Rose White of Arthur County.

Both the Hawkins and Wilsons called her a beloved neighbor who loved Halloween and hosting her neighbors and their children.

“Across the hills from where we were gathering cows, she lives about 3.5 miles southwest,” Julie explains.

White got stuck trying to leave her homestead, which had stood for more than 100 years. Reports say they found her about 15 feet from her vehicle. The whole place — the barn, house and vehicle — all burned.

Wilson says White lived 2 miles north of his ranch. Knowing her his entire life, he recalls the devastation he felt when he heard she died when he was still fighting fire on Thursday night.

“She’s a longtime family friend and was a longtime neighbor. We loved Rose,” he says. “She was a sweet, dear lady, always very friendly, happy and had a joyous personality. We’ll definitely miss her.”

When the Adrenaline Fades: The Hidden Toll on Ranchers

With little spring or summer grazing land left and most of their hay inventory burned, numerous Nebraska cow-calf ranchers are leaning on donated feed, disaster aid and tight-knit ranching communities to overcome the tremendous loss due to wildfires. The fires that ignited on March 12 continue to burn at 98% containment.

“We’ve had just terrific response from ranchers in other communities donating hay and fencing supplies or offering to come help with labor,” Wilson says. “The outpour of generosity has been amazing.”

There’s no doubt split-second choices and the grit to fight for their land and livestock defined how producers survived the recent wildfires.

“God is a big God, and he can send rains and heal our land, yet the damage that has been done is going to take time to heal,” Julie summarizes.

Reflecting on past blizzards, droughts and fires, Wilson adds: “There’s always challenges, there’s always loss. But I think the heart of the Sandhills people, and with the grit of the Nebraska Sandhills rancher, we’re going to continue that heritage and tradition, accept this head on and rebuild what we can and keep moving forward.”

Your Next Reads:
Ranchers Rally as Nebraska Faces Historic Wildfires
Historic Wildfires Continue to Scorch Western and Central Nebraska
After Wildfire: Livestock Care, Documentation and Recovery
Using the D.A.R.T. Method to Identify Smoke-Stressed Calves

Ranchers Rally as Nebraska Faces Historic Wildfires

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 20:01:49 GMT

With more than 800,000 acres of Nebraska scorched, ranchers are rallying together to overcome loss and support one another. From grass to hay to structures and water tanks, the loss across the state is monumental.

The rally of ranchers began when the fires sparked a week ago, as neighbors helped neighbors working to slow down the tornado-like wildfires as they tore across the Sandhills in the Morrill Fire and through the canyons of the Cottonwood Fire .

There are multiple stories of local fire departments, neighbors and family members creating fire breaks and helping move livestock and equipment out of danger zones.

1 of 4:

Van Newkirk Herefords

2 of 4:

Van Newkirk Herefords

3 of 4:

Van Newkirk Herefords

4 of 4:

Van Newkirk Herefords

“We’ve had a remarkable, unprecedented response to stop this fire and we will come up with an equally innovative solution for recovery,” says Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) Director Sherry Vinton.

Vinton had a chance to fly over the fire-charred area Tuesday.

“It was blowing sand,” she says. “It looks like the Sahara.”

Nebraska Sanhills after the Morrill Fire.

(Hawkins Family)

Oshkosh, Neb., rancher Joe Van Newkirk of Van Newkirk Herefords describes the former lush Nebraska Sandhills like a moonscape.

While no official livestock death losses have been reported, NDA says the scale of the impact is significant. Vinton explains the burned acreage represents a major hit to the state’s cattle capacity, particularly in the area of the Morrill Fire.

“If we say it’s roughly 600,000 acres, that’s a grazing resource for 35,000 cows,” Vinton says.

Vinton frames the recovery as a statewide promise to keep multigenerational ranches and their herds together even after hundreds of thousands of acres of rangeland have burned, plus the loss of hay, fence, structures and so much more.

Containment Improves, Yet 4 Fires Continue

Crews made a lot of progress containing the fires Wednesday. As of Friday morning, the approximate acres burned and current containment (according to Watch Duty ) include:

Morrill Fire (Keith, Arthur, Grant, Garden and Morrill counties, near Lake McConaughy)
- Acres burned — 643,361
- Containment — 98%
- Origin — downed power pole and line in gusty winds near Angora on Thursday, March 12
- Watch Duty link
- This is the largest fire in Nebraska history.
Cottonwood Fire (Dawson, Lincoln and Frontier counties, south of Interstate 80, near Brady and Gothenburg)
- Acres burned — 128,036
- Containment — 80%
- Watch Duty link
The Road 203 Fire (Thomas, Custer, Logan and Blaine counties, south of the communities of Halsey and Dunning within the Nebraska National Forest)
- Acres burned — 35,912.6
- Containment — 80%
- Watch Duty link
The Anderson Bridge Fire (Cherry County, in the northeast portion of the Samuel McKelvie National Forest southwest of Valentine)
- Acres burned — 17,400
- Containment — 60%
- Watch Duty link

A warming and drying trend will peak on Saturday, with 90-degree temperatures and single-digit relative humidity expected. The Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team managing the fires reports that these extreme weather conditions have potential to increase fire activity within fire perimeters as unburned vegetation ignites and readily burns. The team stressed in its Thursday morning update any new fires would likely spread rapidly.

Last week, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen issued a statewide burn ban prohibiting burning until 11:59 p.m. March 27 to help reduce the potential for additional wildfires in Nebraska.

Ranchers Helping Ranchers

While the stories of ranchers helping each other during the intense fire danger on Thursday and Friday are moving, that commitment to helping one another continues long after the smoke cleared.

“That’s what ranchers do, right? They help each other,” says Sara Cover. “It’s too hard to do it alone ... that’s how they have functioned in this area for hundreds of years.”

Cover is one of the Sandhills ranchers who is helping with recovery efforts and the Nebraska Sandhills Rancher Fire Relief group, which is providing boots-on-the-ground assistance in coordinating donations of hay, supplies and financial support.

“Half these firefighters are volunteer firefighters that also had cows calving at home,” Cover explains. “So, it’s also the self-sacrifice of leaving your ranch during the busiest time of year to go help others.”

Many Sandhills ranchers have their own fire rig, so Cover explains in many cases the husbands would leave and go fight fire, leaving their wives and kids home calving cows. There are other examples of multiple generations — grandparents, parents and kids — all working together to fight the fires.

“It just takes everybody,” Cover says.

More than 150 truckloads of hay have arrived for ranchers who lost hay and grass due to the Morrill Fire.

(Provided by Van Newkirk Herefords)

Paul Cleveland is coordinating hay donations for the group.

As of Wednesday, Cleveland estimates the group has received 150 loads of hay and have four times that committed. The group’s goal is to get at least enough hay to get through calving season.

“The outpouring of support is phenomenal,” Cleveland says. “Hay is the immediate concern. We’re in the heart of calving season here, and the stress on these cows is off the charts. They truly know what it’s like to go through hell.”

He says the main challenge right now is not a lack of goodwill but rather information overload and logistics; he says he is “100 messages behind” responding to those who have reached out to support.

“Processing all the information is the biggest battle we have right now, and we need a lot of patience from people,” he stresses. “We’re not ignoring them, we’re trying to get back to them as fast as we can.”

The Nebraska fires follow February wildfires that burned more than 283,000 acres in northern Oklahoma and southern Kansas .

Cleveland says a rancher from Kansas, who was in the same role as he is now about a month earlier when fires hit that area, reached out to him and has been a strong emotional support and source of knowledge. Other ranchers report wildfire survivors, who have benefited from fellow ranchers donating hay and supplies, have reached out and offered to donate and pay the support forward.

It is those examples of care and concern from across the country that makes the beef industry so special.

Resources and Services Available

NDA is concentrating efforts on assisting farm and ranch families and their livestock. On the NDA website are lists of individuals requesting assistance and those offering donations.

Vinton shares her deep appreciation for what Nebraska ranchers do and says local, state and federal partners are actively working on solutions. She welcomes innovative ideas and invites producers to share their unmet needs directly with her team at NDA.

Those impacted by the fire are encouraged, before starting to repair or rebuild fence lines, to review federal aid requirements that could impact eligibility for assistance. Contact the local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office to understand qualification rules.

A portal to match grass and pen space with those in need has been developed. The platform was designed to help connect those needing to relocate livestock with those who have extra capacity.

There are numerous resources available as producers evaluate livestock after a wildfire. The danger to livestock doesn’t end when the flames are extinguished. While the immediate destruction is visible, the microscopic threat of wildfire smoke can linger in a calf’s lungs for weeks, triggering a cascade of physiological stress and immune suppression.

Craig Uden, Nebraska Cattlemen Association (NCA) president, was a guest on AgriTalk Thursday, sharing an update on the wildfires and how NCA is helping coordinate resources for ranchers in need.

How to Help

Nebraska Cattlemen Disaster Relief Fund

Mail monetary donations to: 4611 Cattle Dr., Lincoln, NE 68521-4309
Online donations: nebraskacattlemen.org/disaster-relief-fund

Nebraska Sandhills Rancher Fire Relief

Mail monetary donations to: P.O. Box 291, Oshkosh, NE 69154
Online donations: kearneyfoundation.fcsuite.com/.../create/fund...

Volunteer fire departments were central to the response, often stretched thin, needing more funds and equipment maintenance support after days of nonstop firefighting. Nebraska Athletics announced Tuesday it will donate all ticket proceeds from Nebraska’s spring football game on March 28 to aid Nebraska wildfire relief efforts to help provide support to Nebraska’s volunteer firefighters for equipment, resources and recovery efforts.

“Nebraskans always step up in times of need, and we want to do our part to help our fellow Nebraskans affected by these wildfires,” says Nebraska Athletic Director Troy Dannen.

Their Simple Request: Prayers and Hope

As individual ranchers report losing thousands of acres of grazing land, plus extensive fence and water system damage, they continue to speak of hope and optimism. They ask for prayers for snow or rain to help the Sandhills repair from the devastation. They all seem to share the determination to persevere.

“They’re the toughest, truest form of an American there is, and they’ll be fine,” Cleveland says about the Sandhills rancher. “They’ll persevere, but it’s going to be a long year for this area.”

Watch for rancher stories of resilience through the fires next week on Drovers.com, as we continue to cover this unprecedented wildfire season.

Your Next Reads:

Historic Wildfires Continue to Scorch Western and Central Nebraska

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 15:39:36 GMT

Four active wildfires in Nebraska — including the largest ever recorded in the state — continue to burn out of control. With containment efforts hampered by volatile weather, the fires grew beyond the capacity of local fire responders and firefighters; Saturday, the Rocky Mountain Complex incident management team, run by the federal National Interagency Fire ⁠Center, assumed management of the two largest fires, the Morrill Fire and the Cottonwood Fire.

High winds, low humidity and dry conditions triggered the wildfires Thursday, March 12. On Friday, the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) received 24 reports of wildfires in 24 hours. Crews have worked through the weekend to battle the four fires, but the weather hampered suppression efforts.

As of Tuesday evening, the approximate acres burned and current containment (according to Watch Duty ) include:

Morrill Fire (Keith, Arthur, Grant, Garden and Morrill counties)
- Acres burned — 643,360 acres
- Containment — 18%
- Origin — downed power pole and line in gusty winds near Angora on Thursday, March 12
- Watch Duty link
- This is the largest fire in Nebraska history.
  
  1 of 3:
  
  Photos courtesy by Morrill Fire Nebraska Facebook page
  
  2 of 3:
  
  Photos courtesy by Morrill Fire Nebraska Facebook page
  
  3 of 3:
  
  Photos courtesy by Morrill Fire Nebraska Facebook page
Cottonwood Fire (Dawson, Lincoln and Frontier counties, south of Interstate 80, near Brady and Gothenburg)
- Acres burned — 131,259 acres
- Containment — 40%
- Watch Duty link
The Road 203 Fire (Thomas, Custer, Logan and Blaine counties, south of the communities of Halsey and Dunning within the Nebraska National Forest)
- Acres burned — 35,912.6 acres
- Containment — 76%
- Watch Duty link
The Anderson Bridge Fire (Cherry County, west of Valentine)
- Acres burned — 17,400
- Containment — 60%
- Watch Duty link

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen on Friday issued an emergency proclamation to unlock state resources and support the response to multiple wildfires in central and western Nebraska . He also issued a statewide burn ban prohibiting burning until 11:59 p.m. March 27 to help reduce the potential for additional wildfires in Nebraska.

A high wind warning is in effect until 6 p.m. MDT Monday. High rates of fire spread are possible with northwest wind gusts in excess of 50 mph expected. It has snowed on the northwest side of the Morrill Fire, but with the strong winds it may not mitigate fire behavior. With low temperatures forecast to be under 10°F tonight, firefighters must take special precautions to protect their engines and equipment, such as draining water, parking inside and using antifreeze.

While temperatures are cold today, hot and dry weather is forecast later in the week with record temperatures possible. The area is experiencing significant drought, and fuels are cured and receptive to fire.

Resources Available

The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) is concentrating efforts on assisting farm and ranch families and their livestock.

Producers who have been impacted by the wildfire and need hay, feedstuffs, fencing materials, volunteer help or equipment, should call the Nebraska Department of Agriculture at 1-800-831-0550. Be prepared to share your name, contact information, location (including county), what assistance you are seeking and how urgent your need is.

A list of disaster relief resources for Nebraska farmers and ranchers is also available online at: https://nda.nebraska.gov/disasterresources . This website includes links to USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) programs including the Livestock Indemnity Program and information from the Nebraska Extension.

(Midwest Media by Melanie)

How Can Others Help?

According to NDA, Nebraska has been overwhelmed with the outpouring of support for its producers. If you have hay, feed, fencing materials, equipment or household supplies you are willing to donate, please contact the Nebraska Department of Agriculture at 1-800-831-0550. Be prepared to share your name, contact information and what you have that you are willing to donate and the amount, along with your location.

NDA staff will be gathering this information, identifying needs and sharing where resources can be obtained.

The Nebraska Cattlemen’s Association is also working to coordinate and gather resources for producers.

A Facebook page, Nebraska Sandhills Rancher Fire Relief , was created to support the ranching families affected by the wildfire.

Your Next Read: Tips for Care Following Wildfire

The Cattleman's Call That Never Fades: Scott Wolverton’s Journey From Farm to Fame

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 14:08:43 GMT

For Scott Wolverton , the path to Nashville didn’t begin under bright stage lights or inside a recording studio. It started on a cattle farm in southeast Nebraska — where early mornings, livestock chores and county fairs were simply part of everyday life.

Raised on a cow-calf operation in Seward, Neb., Wolverton grew up immersed in agriculture. He started taking guitar lessons when he was 10. He says music was always there, but it wasn’t always the priority.

“I grew up on a small cattle farm,” Wolverton says. “We have a cow-calf operation back home. I grew up playing music here and there, but it really took the back burner to football, baseball, wrestling, 4-H events, showing cattle and doing all that stuff.”

Agriculture wasn’t just something Wolverton participated in. It was embedded in his family.

“My dad’s a veterinarian back home in Seward. He has a small cow-calf operation, K.A.W. Red Angus, and that’s what we would show cattle through and do all that stuff, 4-H projects,” Wolverton says. “My mom works for 4-H Extension out of Seward County. She helps with after-school programs for kids. She helps the county fair set up, running this county fair, hiring judges, all the livestock shows. She does a lot of that.”

Wolverton, his older brother and twin sister were raised around livestock, showing both Red Angus cattle and horses. It was those experiences on the farm and showing livestock that prepared him for the challenges of building a career in Nashville.

“I feel like I learned a lot about responsibility and work ethic just through working with animals, working with my dad and my siblings on the farm and doing just everyday things out there,” Wolverton says.

(Provided by Scott Wolverton)

A Chance Introduction That Changed Everything

Growing up, Wolverton’s interests were split between 4-H and athletics. Baseball, in particular, became a major focus. In college, he majored in agronomy — a natural extension of his agricultural upbringing — while also pursuing baseball seriously enough that it eventually became his career. Wolverton coached at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas, and during that time, he quietly began recording music on his own.

What he didn’t expect was that a casual connection would open a door he never saw coming. The coaches he worked with introduced him to a man who would eventually become his manager.

That manager, Zach, happened to be in Hutchinson one night when an opportunity surfaced almost out of nowhere — a chance for Wolverton to open for country artist Riley Green in Salt Lake City the very next day.

“I was like, ‘OK, that’s awesome. I don’t know if I’m going to get there. That’s about 21 hours away,’” Wolverton says. “And he said, ‘We’ll just fly you out, and then fly you back on Friday.’ And so I flew out Thursday morning, played the show Thursday night, and flew back on a Friday morning. And I’m back in time for practice that afternoon.”

The experience was fast, surreal and life-altering for a farm kid from Nebraska.

“It was kind of surreal in the moment. The Riley Green thing kind of came out of the blue,” Wolverton says. “And it was one of those things where you’re kind of like, it happened so quickly. In the moment I was kind of like, ‘Is this really where I’m at right now?’ Because it happened in less than 24 hours. I was on a plane and back in Kansas.”

That moment set Wolverton on a new path — one that eventually led him to Nashville and a full-time pursuit of country music. But even as his career shifted, his connection to agriculture never faded.

(Provided by Scott Wolverton)

His Inspiration

Wolverton says his main inspiration as a songwriter comes from home and how he was raised — the work, love and lifestyle he learned growing up around cattle.

“A lot of my inspiration comes from home,” Wolverton says. “It comes from where I grew up, what I grew up doing, that west country life, I guess. It’s very simple, but a lot of it has to do with work ethic, my faith, that kind of lifestyle.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Scott Wolverton (@scottywolverton)

His Most Personal Song Yet

One of his most personal songs, “ Cattleman’s Call ,” draws directly from his upbringing and a sound that defined his childhood.

“My dad has always done that cow, the ‘come-boss,’ cattle call, and it’s always been such a fascinating thing to me because growing up as a little kid, you hear your dad scream and you’re like, ‘What was that?’” Wolverton explains. “And then you kind of learn about it, but it’s so amazing the cows always come right when he calls. They’ll perk their heads up and you can see them just start walking because they know they’re going to get taken care of.”

That cattle call became more than a memory. It became a metaphor and a message.

“My parents have been my rock throughout college baseball and just life in general,” he says. “My dad’s always called me and he’s always been very reassuring of, ‘Hey man, if anything ever happens, you fall flat on your face, you can always come home.’ And so, I tried really hard to relate that cattle call to that feeling, and that’s kind of where that inspiration really came from.”

Released last summer, “Cattleman’s Call” serves as both a tribute to his father and a reflection of the values Wolverton learned growing up in agriculture — values that continue to guide him in an industry that demands persistence and grit.

“Working in any branch of agriculture, a lot of it is hard work. It takes a lot of discipline, it takes a lot of hard work, it take a lot know-how or ‘figure it out,’” Wolverton says. “And the music industry is not a whole lot different from that. It’s really difficult. There’s a lot people doing it. You kind of got to find a way to stand out. And I feel very prepared in that way through the hard work and the dedication that I learned through working with animals, through working on the farm.”

From cattle country to country music, Scott Wolverton’s journey is rooted in the land and shaped by the lessons learned on a Nebraska farm. No matter how far the road takes him, the call of home is never far away.

Tyson's Lexington Beef Plant Shutters Early: No Shifts Scheduled This Week

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 15:19:05 GMT

In November, Tyson Foods announced plans to permanently close its Lexington processing plant on Jan. 20. The announcement shocked the beef industry and specifically the town of Lexington, Neb.

A University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) analysis estimates the annual statewide economic impact of the closure will be $3.28 billion.

The beef plant, which opened in 1990, was one of the largest in the nation. According to UNL the plant employs approximately 3,200 team members and has the capacity to slaughter 5,000 cattle per day, which equates to about 4.8% of total daily U.S. beef slaughter.

Read more:
What Does Tyson’s Announcement Mean to Beef Producers?

Sources told Farm Journal late last week, Tyson has not scheduled any shifts at the Lexington facility the week of Jan. 16.

Expected Economic Impact

The closure of the beef plant will be one of the biggest shocks in history for the small town Lexington, which is home to about 11,000 people. However, the ripple effect will be felt throughout the Nebraska economy.

According to the UNL analysis, total labor income losses from the closure are projected to be $530.43 million per year across 7,003 jobs. Of those, 3,212 are positions directly eliminated at the plant, with the remainder representing additional jobs that support the workers in other sectors

UNL expects a substantial reduction of tax revenues in the aftermath of the closure. Annual losses in state personal income tax revenue are estimated at $23.2 million. State sales tax revenues are projected to decline by $10.16 million per year, and local sales tax revenues accruing to Dawson County are expected to fall by $2.77 million per year.

Conducting the analysis was Eric Thompson, UNL economics professor, and Elliott Dennis, UNL associate professor livestock marketing and risk management.

“These impacts would be larger if a greater share of cattle processed at the plant were purchased from Nebraska feedlots or if cattle accounted for a larger proportion of total plant costs,” they explain. “Conversely, the estimated impact would be smaller if the total value of beef sold were lower. Tax rates are based on historical tax data and may vary from year to year depending on employee deductions and other factors.”

Profit Meets Purpose: A Rancher's Guide to Sustainable Success

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 15:43:31 GMT

Grazing the best and leaving the rest for the benefit of soil health — this is the philosophy of the Pribbeno family, who has been ranching in the Nebraska Sandhills for 140 years. The cow-calf, stocker and grain operation thrives in western Nebraska near the Colorado border despite the arid climate and fragile sandy soil.

At any given point, 95% of the Wine Glass Ranch land is resting. This practice has increased plant diversity and the return of native grasses.

Jeff and Connie Pribbeno and their son and daughter-in-law, Logan and Brianna, own and operate Wine Glass Ranch near Imperial, Neb. The ranch is an example of how innovative agricultural practices can simultaneously improve ecological health, animal welfare and financial sustainability.

They let cattle do the work of harvesting. With limited water resources and challenging weather, it is even more important to protect and preserve the land growing the crops and feeding the cattle.

(NCBA Environmental Stewardship Award Program)

Ranch Transitions

Spanning generations, the ranch has transformed to a sophisticated business that challenges conventional ranching wisdom.

In 1888, Sherman McCoy, Logan’s great-great-grandfather, left Iowa by train and walked 30 miles from the westernmost stop in Elsie, Neb., to what is now the ranch. Once McCoy arrived at his destination, he filed for a homestead while Nebraska was still part of the frontier and established Lonestar Ranch.

Through good stewardship and thrifty living, the operation grew to almost 8,000 acres under his care. Following the McCoys, Lone Star Ranch was owned by their son-in-law and daughter, A.O. and Mary Stenger. The Stengers raised their only daughter, Babette, on the land, who registered the wine glass brand.

Babette and her husband, Bill Pribbeno, were the next generation to own the ranch. They passed it to their son and daughter-in-law, Jeff and Connie, who changed its name to Wine Glass Ranch to match the brand. In 2012, the fifth generation — Logan and Brianna — assumed management duties of the Wine Glass Ranch.

Read more about Logan and his philosophy managing Wine Glass Ranch:
I’m a Drover: An Innovator Redefining Ranching

(Photo: NCBA Environmental Stewardship Award Program)

For the first 100 years of the ranch, cattle were left to fend for themselves year-round on the native range, much like any other ranch or farm on the Great Plains. Cattle often traveled four to five miles between windmills to get a drink, and thus the areas around the mills were over grazed while other areas remained practically untouched.

The fourth generation became the first generation of conservationists. Jeff and Connie began the operation’s environmental stewardship journey in 1976 when Jeff pioneered no-till-eco-fallow in the area to add production by converting to three and four-year crop rotations and preventing wind erosion.

(Photo: NCBA Environmental Stewardship Award Program)

Cattle and Grazing

“We try to keep it pretty simple, and we try to make the cows survive on their own,” Jeff explains.

The Pribbeno family uses a 365-day grazing system without traditional hay feeding.

“We do not own a feed wagon and we do not feed any hay,” Logan explains.

Jeff devoted significant time, money and training to improving range management. This involved building extensive cross-fencing and adding multiple water sources, which allowed them to run more cattle on the same pasture while maintaining land health. The ranch’s management approach is hands-on, with daily monitoring of cattle and pastures throughout the entire year.

The cattle herd has been carefully developed, with Jeff’s breeding strategy to create “an easy keeping cow that can thrive in a non-selective, rotational grazing system.” This approach focuses on low-milk, low frame score cattle specifically adapted to their challenging environment.

One of the ranch’s most significant strategies is its extensive rotational grazing system. The Pribbeno family has installed “200 miles of fence, creating 90 paddocks.” Cattle typically stay in a 300-acre paddock for five to seven days, allowing for significant grass regeneration.

“I want that pasture to look like it looked 1,000 years ago before man showed up,” Jeff says.

ESAP Photography

(NCBA Environmental Stewardship Award Program)

Cover Crops

Cover crops play a crucial role in the ranch’s sustainability strategy. Logan describes their approach as unique, growing warm season mixes that can reach “14' tall and dense, like a jungle.”

They incorporate diverse crops like sorghum, pearl millet, brassicas and soybeans, then graze cattle through the field, leaving behind natural fertilization.

Logan explains he treats covers crops like a silage crop. He harvests approximately 25% of the crop’s weight and leaves remaining crop as natural fertilizer and ground cover.

The cover crop strategy reduces input costs, minimizes herbicide use and improves soil health.

This approach is displayed in innovative practices like precise input management. During a challenging year, he reduced nitrogen application on corn to just 20 lb., achieving remarkable yield efficiency.

“We need to cut inputs,” he explains. “There’s a fine line between deficient and efficient.”

(Wine Glass Ranch)

Wildlife Haven

The ranch has become a wildlife haven, with one survey documenting 80 bird species in just 48 hours. By creating prairie strips, protecting wetlands and implementing strategic habitat management, Logan says agricultural production and ecological preservation can coexist.

“We took the worst part of the farm and focused it on habitat,” he explains.

The ranch prioritizes habitat preservation, with Jeff planting more than 10,000 trees and shelter belts. They’ve created prairie strips around wetland areas and participate in state walk-in hunting programs.

Partnerships are crucial to the Pribbenos’ management model. Father and son both work closely with NRCS and FSA, viewing these relationships as strategic opportunities for innovation that have been crucial in implementing sustainable practices.

“Whenever we have something going on, we’ll call the NRCS office and say, ‘Hey, we’re thinking about this. How can you help?’” Logan explains.

Covers crops are treated like a silage crop at Wine Glass. They harvests approximately 25% of the crop’s weight and leave remaining crop as natural fertilizer and ground cover.

(Wine Glass Ranch)

Focus on Sustainability

By integrating advanced grazing techniques, strategic crop management and a long-term perspective, the Pribbenos are writing the next chapter in their family’s agricultural legacy.

“Sustainable means that if we can continue what we’re doing today, in 1,000 years, the land will look the same,” Jeff says.

Logan agrees, sharing his philosophy of leaving the land better for future generations and explaining “sustainability tends to be more profitable in the long run.”

Recognized for their focus on the environment and sustainability, the ranch was awarded the prestigious Nebraska Leopold Conservation Award in 2022. In 2025, the family was recognized as the 2025 region VII winner of the Environmental Stewardship Award Program (ESAP) .

“Wine Glass Ranch believes we cannot carry out our tradition of producing world-class beef without approaching sustainability with an open mind,” says Steve Hanson, owner of Hanson Family Farms & Sillassen Ranch. “The Pribbenos’ successful rotational grazing and no-till-eco-fallow practices prove our industry can uphold traditions while paving the way to an even stronger and more resilient future.”

Your Next Reads:
I’m a Drover: An Innovator Redefining Ranching
Sustainability Isn’t a Bad Word

Nebraska Urges Action on Canal Fight with Colorado

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 13:52:06 GMT

Claims and counterclaims come in and out like seasonal stream flows in the ongoing fight between Colorado and Nebraska over the Perkins County Canal.

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and State Engineer Jason Ullman met with the state legislature’s Joint Water Resources and Agriculture Review Committee on Oct. 29. The hearing was to update the legislators on Nebraska’s lawsuit against Colorado, launched July 16, over a proposed canal on the South Platte River, an important source of irrigation water for both states.

“Our position is there is no case that’s yet ripe,” Weiser told the committee. “We’ve told the Supreme Court that this case is not ready for prime time, and the court should decline to hear it.”

Just minutes before the hearing began, however, Nebraska’s Attorney General Mike Hilgers issued a request to the U.S. Supreme Court , urging them to pursue the lawsuit and reject Colorado’s request for denial.

These are just the most recent events in a fight over water rights on the South Platte River that started July 16 when Nebraska sued Colorado .

On the one hand, Nebraska claims Colorado is violating the South Platte River Compact , which governs water sharing on the river between the states, is stealing water owed to Nebraska, and is hurting Nebraskan agriculture as a result.

On the other hand, Colorado claims Nebraska’s lawsuit is “meritless,” and has threatened the state and its agricultural property owners along the proposed canal path with unprecedented use of eminent domain.

Backstory Behind the Current Back-and-Forth

The compact, signed between the two states in 1923, outlined the right for Nebraska to create the Perkins County Canal in Colorado “for the diversion of water from the South Platte River within Colorado for irrigation of lands in Nebraska” during the non-irrigation season. Nebraska’s lawsuit asserts that Colorado has blocked its efforts to build this canal.

In the lawsuit’s bill of complaint , Nebraska says it initiated the building effort in 2022, including initial land acquisition talks with Colorado landowners in the projected canal area and “communicated no fewer than ten times between October 2022 and June 2025” with Colorado’s legal and technical representatives.

“Despite Nebraska’s best efforts to secure cooperation, Colorado has stonewalled and opposed Nebraska at every step,” the complaint reads.

Meanwhile, Colorado says there’s been no canal effort to block.

“For the century plus that this compact has been in place, Nebraska has declined to build such a canal,” Weiser said. “They have taken only the most preliminary steps thus far and there is a significant permitting process they will have to go through if they are serious. Many of these steps they have yet to do.”

Nebraska’s Oct. 29 request to the Supreme Court calls earlier such claims made Weiser and others untrue.

“Nebraska has spent millions of dollars on designs, permitting, legal and consulting fees, right-of-way investigations, and infrastructure engineering for the Canal,” the request document reads. “The design is substantially developed, and all major engineering decisions have been made. Nebraska has already acquired 80 acres in Colorado to facilitate Canal construction.”

Question of State-to-State Eminent Domain

Those Colorado acres came from one landowner who sold to Nebraska after it reached out to landowners along the proposed route in late 2022. While the lawsuit document characterized this initial outreach as amiable with Colorado landowners, saying it offered six Colorado landowners 115% of fair market value for their properties, Colorado characterized Nebraska’s later interactions — which included threats of condemnation — as threatening.

Ullman told committee members, “We are aware that [Nebraska] made these offers and threats of condemnation to a limited group of landowners at the location where the head gate of the canal was going to be, not along the 13 additional miles of canal that is necessary.”

Colorado state Sen. Byron Pelton (R-District 1), who represents the area where the Perkins County Canal would go, said the situation has been hard on those in his agriculture-dependent district.

“They are concerned about where their water is coming from,” he said. Pelton added that “$4.6 billion is generated with agriculture just in my district alone, and that’s because of the South Platte River and the Republican River basin.”

But he also questioned the seriousness of Nebraska’s negotiation efforts in light of the threats of eminent domain against Colorado farmers, ranchers and growers.

“It has been my experience growing up farming and ranching my entire life that whenever you walk into somebody’s property, walk into somebody’s place of business, and threaten eminent domain, everything shuts down — there is no more negotiation,” he said. “[Nebraska has] done nothing but threaten eminent domain from the very beginning.”

With some limitations, however, the compact grants Nebraska “the right to acquire by purchase, prescription, or the exercise of eminent domain” lands and easements necessary for the canal. In its lawsuit, Nebraska recognized that element of the compact as “exceptional.” It nonetheless asserts that it had moved to exerting this right only after meeting with Colorado landowners and met with “little success.”

Even though the right of eminent domain is in the compact, Weiser described it as potentially opening up “some novel, unprecedented territory” should the canal effort move forward.

“If this process is to get started — the eminent domain process, the condemnation process — that will generate some legal question,” Weiser said. “Our position is Colorado’s law of eminent domain is the only eminent domain law that applies in the state of Colorado.”

Pete's Pick: 21-Year-Old John Deere Tractor Almost Hits $150,000

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 17:40:07 GMT

This week’s Pete’s “Pick of the Week” is a 20-plus-year-old tractor that came in just south of $150,000, but you can argue the buyer actually secured a nice bargain when you put it in the context of how much a new high-horsepower row crop tractor will run you.

At a farm auction in Asbury, Mo., a 2004 John Deere 8420 tractor with only 1,053 hours on it sold for $146,250. Pete says it’s the 16^th highest auction price of all time on an 8420, and nine of the past 10 high auction prices have all been recorded within the past four years. It’s a trend line that continues to show farmer preference for older, good conditioned, pre-DEF used tractors.

“It was one owner, so it checked all [the boxes],” Pete says. “And to push $150k, 21 years old … it was interesting when I posted this across social media, you get a lot of discussion and people were saying ‘Yeah, it’s a big check, but again for the horsepower and given it’s good condition [used] with a little age on it … the belts are tightening, and it’s sort of indicative of … the gap between a brand new and a good used one, those price increases on the new have gotten so high the past three to four years, you’ve opened this chasm.”

Pete also notes a “beautiful 1980s tractor” from Nebraska that sold last Tuesday in a DPA Auctions online sale.

A 1986 Versatile 1150 with what Pete calls that “beautiful orange and yellow color combo” sold for an even $50,000. It had 8,117 hours on it.

One of the more noteworthy transactions from last week, according to Pete, was a 2025 John Deere 616R sprayer with 127 hours selling for $309,000 in the DPA online sale. This sprayer was noted as “severely damaged – driven into a creek.”

(DPA Auctions)

“Driven into a creek and hard cash, it still goes over $300,000,” Pete says. “For comparison, our good friends at the Steffes Group sold a ‘24 model 616R sprayer with 464 hours in June and that went for $450K. The one that sold Tuesday, if it had not been driven into a creek, it’s going north of $450K. So, if you wonder what does that cost, driving into a creek? Well, you’re talking $150K to $160K. So, now you know.”

As far as rare, unique machinery selling over the past week on the auction circuit, Pete highlights a couple pieces of iron there as well.

A New Holland 1283 self-propelled baler — Pete says you just don’t see many of them around anymore — sold for $6,200, which is the highest auction price Pete can recall on that particular machine.

And in the same Big Iron online auction, an Allis-Chalmers 60 pull type combine with a two row corn head sold for $4,510.

(Big Iron Auctions)

Your Next Read: Machinery Pete’s 5 Pointers For Equipment Auctions

How Nebraska is Tackling the Critical Rural Veterinarian Shortage in a New, Unique Way

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 14:32:19 GMT

A critical shortage of food-animal veterinarians is unfolding across rural America. A 2023 Farm Journal Foundation study found more than 500 counties across the U.S. lack enough veterinarians to care for livestock. The pipeline of new graduates simply isn’t keeping up; only 3% to 4% of today’s veterinary students choose to practice food-animal medicine, compared to about 40% four decades ago.

Experts warn the shortage poses risks beyond farm gates. Veterinarians are a front-line defense for animal health, and without them, food production and U.S. food security could be at risk.

And even though USDA announced plans to address the shortage by announcing their own Rural Veterinary Action Plan in August , Nebraska was ahead of the curve, launching their own program last year.

Nebraska’s Homegrown Solution

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), in partnership with Gov. Jim Pillen and state leaders, is working to reverse that trend through the Nebraska Elite 11 Veterinary Program .

“Through the governor and a lot of our state leaders who recognize the need for production animal health DVMs out in rural Nebraska … they partnered with us to identify and develop a scholarship program for these students,” says Deb VanOverbeke, head of UNL’s department of animal science.

The program specifically targets Nebraska students who aspire to practice large-animal veterinary medicine in rural communities.

Scholarships That Start Freshman Year

Unlike most programs that support students late in their training, Elite 11 identifies and supports them as soon as they step on campus.

“These cohorts start as freshmen in college … They’ve identified that they want to go down the path of practicing veterinary medicine in rural Nebraska with production animals,” VanOverbeke explains.

Each year, up to 20 incoming animal science or veterinary science students are accepted into the program. During their first two years, they receive scholarships covering 50% of tuition. After that, 11 students and two alternates are selected for full tuition scholarships during their junior and senior years.

Those selected also earn automatic admission into UNL’s preprofessional veterinary medicine program, run in partnership with Iowa State University.

A Long-Term Commitment

Financial barriers are one of the biggest deterrents for veterinary students. By providing tuition support early and guaranteeing a pathway forward, UNL hopes to ease that pressure.

“It’s going to take us eight years to get these students to be practicing veterinarians in rural Nebraska,” VanOverbeke says. “But so much of the student burden is financial. This scholarship gives them a way to see a path forward.”

The program also includes a major incentive after graduation. Students who practice in a rural Nebraska community for at least eight years in food-animal medicine become eligible for 100% loan forgiveness.

Students Already Seeing the Impact

For students like Sydney Hutchinson of West Point, Neb., the scholarship program has already changed her trajectory.

“I always knew I was interested in doing something with an agricultural background,” Hutchinson says. “I’ve showed livestock, helped with routine stuff on the farm, like vaccinations, pulled a few calves. Those things got me interested in veterinary medicine.”

Originally, Hutchinson planned to attend Kansas State University, but when she learned about UNL’s program, she changed course.

“Nebraska is home to me. That’s where I’ve always seen myself coming back to,” she says. “Having this program show up at just the right time worked out great.”

Now in her second year at UNL, Hutchinson says she knows her calling isn’t in small animal clinics, but in rural, large-animal work.

“Finding large-animal veterinarians is a struggle in the state, especially those that want to come back and work in rural areas,” she says. “Addressing that problem first and foremost is great. It’s going to have a great long-term impact on Nebraska and its ag industry.”

Building a Future for Rural Veterinary Medicine

By investing early in students, providing financial support and creating a clear career pipeline, Nebraska hopes to strengthen its veterinary workforce for years to come.

For Hutchinson, the investment feels personal.

“To have them investing in the next generation — it’s huge,” she says.

If successful, the program could provide a model for other states facing the same critical shortage of rural food-animal veterinarians.

Sign of the Tariff Times? Claas Shifts LEXION 8000 Combine Production From Omaha to Germany

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 16:47:33 GMT

German farm machinery manufacturer Claas has issued a statement reading, in part, that “to remain competitive in the Canadian market under current tariff and trade conditions, CLAAS will transition production of 2026 model year LEXION 8000 Series combines destined for Canada to Germany.”

By implementing this production shift, Claas would avoid paying the 50% steel and aluminum tariffs currently in place between the U.S. and Canada. Products manufactured in Germany and shipped into the U.S. are subject to a 15% blanket tariff, with some exemptions.

Related - From the Factory to Your Fields: Where Farm Equipment Is Made

Claas says the change will only apply to machines that will eventually harvest grain on farms in Canada. LEXION combines built for U.S. customers will continue to be assembled in Omaha, Neb., with most parts sourcing remaining local to the U.S.

A bit of good news amid the bad is Claas also says it will maintain stable prices in the U.S. until Dec. 31, despite the impact of tariffs.

So, if you’re looking at buying a new Claas combine, tractor or forage harvester, it sounds like you should think about locking in that pretariff price before the end of the year.

A busy 2025 at Claas

(Claas)

Claas recently soft launched its new Jaguar 1000 series forage harvesters (shown above) for the U.S. dairy market. That machine will hit the dairy industry in time for the 2026 forage harvest season when the first units manufactured over in Germany hit dealer lots.

Earlier this month, the company hosted a groundbreaking on its Omaha campus for a new North American R&D Center. And it recently expanded its dealer-network throughout a handful of states in the Midwest.

Back in August, we talked with senior vice president Eric Raby at the manufacturer’s booth at the Farm Progress Show . He told Farm Journal that Claas was absorbing the extra expenses from tariffs and “not passing all that on to the customer” but that the new-at-the-time 50% aluminum and steel tariffs would pose a significant challenge going forward.

“We’re still trying to figure out what are the implications because that is going to affect our industry much more broadly than just the tariffs on a country of origin for a specific machine,” Raby said at the time.

The manufacturer says it is currently reviewing preorder sales data to determine combine production requirements in Omaha . The company “sees strong potential in the future of U.S. agriculture and, with it, opportunities for continued growth.”

Despite the decision to move some combine production back to Germany, CLAAS is also actively recruiting new hires for sales and service throughout the U.S.

Your next read: How Much Does It Cost to Run a High Horsepower Tractor?

First Look: Fendt’s New Autonomy Ready Vario Tractors, Split Fold Optimum Planter

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 17:51:57 GMT

AGCO is not sitting idly by waiting out the new farm equipment sales downturn. The manufacturer is launching new Fendt-branded machines with integrated technology for row crop farmers.

That means new for Model Year 2026 is a massive 1000 Vario Gen4 high horsepower tractor series featuring four models (426 hp to 550 hp) already setup for autonomous tasking via factory-integrated PTx OutRun autonomy kits. And its Optimum 12-row, Precision Planting tech-packed planter represents a significant milestone for the German brand: It’s the first Fendt stack-fold planter to hit the U.S. market.

(AGCO/Fendt)

We’ll start with the new 1000 Vario Series tractor (shown above), which Fendt says is powered by a 12.4-liter MAN engine featuring DynamicPerformance. The new adaptive power feature reportedly optimizes the engine’s horsepower output and improves fuel efficiency.

Fendt is also saying its Gen4 tractor “raises the bar” with new cab improvements and smart farming tech integrations that help operators feel less fatigue and get more work done.

Most notable overall though is factory integrated autonomous tillage and grain cart robotics. The technology was previously marketed by PTx Trimble as a retrofit-only kit, but now it’s available from the factory on select Fendt 2026 tractor series.

“For farmers that are struggling with labor, efficiency or just trying to do timely operations on their farm to enhance their agronomic outcomes, we’re announcing both Fendt tractor integration and tillage,” says Bryce Baker, North America tactical marketing lead, PTx. “So with that, OutRun becomes a retrofit, mixed fleet, multitask autonomy system with more to come in the future.”

(AGCO/Fendt)

Arthur Santos, marketing manager, Fendt, says the top takeaway he is excited to share about the new Optimum stack-folding planter (shown above) is how it enables ultra-precise seed placement in raised bed farming.

Stack-fold planters, Santos adds, are popular with farmers in the Mississippi Delta, across the southwest in Oklahoma and Texas, as well as in different pockets of Nebraska.

“Everything revolves around seed placement, right? And farmers understand that. Farmers can see how the row unit technology is important, but sometimes farmers don’t focus that much on where the row unit is, that environment that you create for the row unit technology,” Santos says. “This is what the Optimum planter will bring. That tool bar flex placing the row unit where it needs to be, and that adjusting hitch placing the row unit where it needs to be. That row unit technology can’t do its job if it’s not placed where it needs to be.”

Santos also points to the row units themselves on the new 12-row, split fold planter offering. He says the units are equipped with a full-suite of PTx-Precision Planting row unit technology.

“We’re taking the best of the best of the Precision Planting row unit technology — V-Set 2 meters, V-Drive, DeltaForce hydraulic downforce, Speed Tubes, and the latest FurrowForce and Reveal tech — and we’re putting it on a planter right onto the frame,” he says. “This is what will distinguish Fendt planters from any other planter, we’re taking that amazing row unit technology that all the brands are chasing and we’re bringing it right to the frame.”

Order writing for the 1000 Vario Gen4 tractor will open up later this year with first deliveries taking place sometime in 2026, AGCO reps state. And Optimum will be rolled out for interested buyers with an initial presale offering in spring 2026.

Fendt is also adding dry fertilizer spreading to its Momentum 30' planter for model year 2026, and the AGCO/Fendt RoGator 900 Series sprayer is also getting a suite of upgrades.

And last but not least, Fendt’s FarmEngage FMIS machinery data platform is now included with all new machinery purchases for three years at no additional cost. The program costs $600 per farm license if purchased a la carte and offers API compatibility with John Deere’s Operations Center and CNH’s FieldOps platform, along with other popular farm management digital tools from Raven, Topcon, and AgLeader.

PTx will also offer a Starlink mini connectivity bundle through its dealer network in the coming months, PTx representatives add.

To learn more about AGCO/Fendt’s 2026 Model Year updates and releases, reach out to your local Fendt dealer.

Your Next Read: Top Tier Story Telling Can Push Your Equipment’s Value Higher In A Roller Coaster Market

Southern Rust Set To Take Big Bite Out Of Midwest Corn Crop?

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 21:06:37 GMT

If one picture is worth a thousand words, then the video Iowa farmer Dan Striegel shot last week must be worth thousands more. In the video, Striegel is shown harvesting a field of emerald-green corn enveloped in a cloud of orangish-red southern rust.

“We were just getting that field opened up, and I looked over and saw that dust boiling up out of the chopper, so I shot the video,” Striegel says.

Southern Rust? Never heard of her.
What Cheer, Iowa. USA. #pftour25 #harvest25 pic.twitter.com/tiIsUc2CHl
— Dan Striegel (@djsinseia) August 21, 2025

To date, Striegel’s video has garnered more than 48,000 views on X, formerly Twitter.

“We’re in southeast Iowa, Keokuk County, and I think the southern rust is as bad here as it is anywhere,” Striegel adds. “Every field you walk in, if you’re wearing a white T-shirt, you’ll come out of there red.”

A Red Path Of Disease Mars The Midwest

Expect to see more red T-shirt-clad farmers walking out of cornfields across the upper Midwest, based on what the Crop Protection Network (CPN) southern rust map is showing.

The CPN continually updates its online, interactive map showing the counties by state where southern rust infections are confirmed. Now, in late August, the counties look like red steppingstones. They form a checkered path from southwest Michigan through northern Illinois and Indiana, into southern Wisconsin, across all of Iowa and nearly two-thirds of the way across Nebraska. Eastern South Dakota is also lit up with a string of red counties, as are parts of southern to central Minnesota.

The amount of southern rust present in the upper Midwest is worrisome to Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist. In severe cases, the disease can wipe out 45% of the yield potential in a field, according to the CPN.

“At most, one in 10 growers in northern Iowa and Minnesota have seen the kind of southern rust some of them are seeing this year,” says Ferrie, who was working last week with corn growers in both states.

“It was a problem in probably eight out of every 10 fields I was in, and they’d all been sprayed at least once,” he says. “Minnesota has a corn crop that’ll knock your socks off – yield potential of 250, 270. I encouraged every grower to spray their field a second time except for two fields. One had been knocked down by hail, and the other had a hybrid that was clean.”

I spoke with a good friend of mine from Iowa yesterday that is an agronomist and farmer. He said the southern rust in corn across Iowa and much of the Midwest will take 9 to 12 bushel/acre off corn yields on average from what his team and himself are seeing. pic.twitter.com/Ad1VJ9oQBg
— Captain Cornelius1 (@ISU145) August 26, 2025

Hybrids Have Little To No Resistance To Southern Rust

A combination of early-season moisture, heat and wind formed the perfect storm for southern rust this season, allowing the disease-causing fungal spores (Puccinia polysora) to move from southern climes up to the Midwest, according to Kurt Maertens, BASF technical service representative for eastern Iowa and western Illinois.

“We’ve seen it all – southern rust, tar spot, northern corn leaf blight, gray leaf spot. Our corn has been inundated with all these fungal diseases, and we started seeing them early,” says Maertens.

If there’s a silver lining to southern rust, it’s that it does not overwinter in corn residue like tar spot does. But like tar spot, southern rust takes advantage of hybrids that have no built-in resistance. For many growers, that was an Achilles heel this season.

“When you’re dealing with a 117-day hybrid like they grow in southern Illinois, Tennessee, and Kentucky, you don’t grow corn that doesn’t have good southern rust resistance, because they deal with it every year,” Ferrie notes. “When you move to Minnesota, and you’re planting 102- to 95-day corn, you’re probably not going to find hybrids with southern rust resistance.”

Striegel says that was true for his neighbor’s cornfield, which he custom chopped for silage. “That field had two hybrids in it, one was worse than the other, and the field had been sprayed with a fungicide,” he says.

He adds that he also sprayed his own cornfields with fungicide, but they are still inundated with southern rust.

“We’ve had southern rust before, and it’s not usually something we have to worry about, but this is really bad,” Striegel says. “I’m standing on my deck looking at the cornfield next to my house, and you know, all of the leaves from the ears down in that field are covered with it.”

Southern rust is real in eastern Nebraska. Fungicide 3 weeks ago, 2nd app today with some potassium acetate pic.twitter.com/WZubU6IBwz
— Trent Mastny (@TrentMastny) August 21, 2025

How Late Is A Fungicide Application Still Worthwhile?

Ferrie says the fields he scouted last week were at late R3 to early R4 and had already been sprayed with fungicide at least once, but the disease was rebuilding.

“Any field where farmers had sprayed two weeks previously, the southern rust and northern corn leaf blight, to a lesser degree, were coming back, especially the southern rust. It was resporating,” he says.

The intense disease pressure from southern rust, tar spot and others have kept fungicide use at high levels this season, despite poor commodity prices.

“Because of that [amount of disease pressure], we have seen increased demand for our fungicides this year,” says Maertens, who encouraged customers to get applications made at the beginning of tassel.

Maertens says he has fielded a lot of questions this summer from farmers, asking how late they could go with a fungicide application and still benefit.

“Our recommendation is to get in front of disease,” he says. “Generally, we stop applications before we get to dent (R5). That’s not to say a later application can’t have some benefit, but our best results have been before infection was able to take place.”

Southern rust is a yield enemy farmers routinely face in the Southeast, reports corn yield champion Randy Dowdy, Valdosta, Ga. He participated in the Pro Farmer Crop Tour last week and said on U.S. Farm Report he believes many Midwest farmers still have time to address disease.

“We need to implore the fungicides, the technologies out there and get after it and protect this crop, especially that crop that still has not reached dent,” he says.

Farm Journal Field Agronomist Missy Bauer likes to see farmers complete their fungicide applications on the front side of dough (early R4). “Once we get to early dent, I think it’s a little more challenging to get the payback consistently, though we’ve applied at early dent (R5), and seen a nice response,” says Bauer, who is based in south-central Michigan.

Under the tough disease pressure farmers are facing this year, Bauer is telling growers to scout fields and evaluate what growth stage their crop is in before they walk away or pull the fungicide trigger one last time.

She adds that farmers need to check the label to make sure the product used is able to address southern rust effectively. She describes these as “Cadillac” products containing the newest chemistry.

“When it comes to some of these diseases, especially southern rust and tar spot, I do believe a little bit of a Hail Mary pass can be effective,” she says. “Will it be as effective as an application you could have made on a more timely basis? Well, no, you could have made more money doing it timely, but you’re still protecting bushels and gaining ROI at the end.”

Ferrie adds that farmers might want to do the late-season fungicide application to keep their corn crop standing until they can put their harvest plan in place.

“Be doing the push test to check stalk quality,” he advises.

Southern Rust/Silage Alert!!

Southern Rust has been aggressively advancing in many fields, especially those without a fungicide treatment. In some situations the plants are shutting down prematurely and plant material is senescing rapidly.

While we typically want to get down… pic.twitter.com/aK3hGgZE19
— Pioneer Troy (@deutmeyer_troy) August 26, 2025

Striegel says some of the farmers around him are heading to fields to harvest their silage corn sooner than later, because of standability concerns. “Some of this corn got planted early, and we had a lot of heat. The crop matured quickly, and the diseases are kind of shutting it down. It’s just dying out, and guys are going to go get it,” he explains.

That’s the strategy Ferrie encourages farmers to use in regular production corn, too.

“Harvest the fields most at risk first. But if a field of corn goes down, go combine the fields where the corn is still standing and come back to that one later,” he recommends.

The reasoning is you don’t want to risk more corn going down while you’re harvesting the field of corn that already has.

“While I was driving through Iowa last week, I kept thinking that if I built corn reels to pick up down corn I’d bulk up my inventory, because I know where they’re going to get used,” Ferrie says, only half joking. “Yes, harvesting corn at 25% moisture is expensive, but down corn will kick your butt.”

Your next read: Revenge Applications: Why They Don’t Work, Cost You Money and Bushels, and Are Frankly Illegal

Indiana and Nebraska Crop Tour Numbers Reveal Variable Crops Due to Weather, Disease

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 22:41:49 GMT

As Pro Farmer Crop Tour scouts set out on day two, the western leg continues to show more consistency in yield potential than the eastern leg this year. It appears more than adequate moisture is pulling up dryland yields in Nebraska, while wet spots caused unevenness in Indiana.

At the end of today, crop scouts pegged the Nebraska and Indiana corn crops more than 10 bu. over the three-year averages, and both are more than 3% higher than last year.

(ProFarmer)

While Indiana measured lower kernels and grain length, its higher ear count added up to push it beyond Nebraska’s projected yield.

The in-field survey work in both states also led to above-average soybean ratings. Nebraska pod counts in 2025 beat the previous record from 2010.

(ProFarmer)

Both lead scouts from the two tour legs say the biggest takeaway from today’s work is disease. Southern rust in corn has “blown up,” and disease pressure in soybeans has the lead scouts questioning how the soybean crop will finish.

Doug Miller, Iowa farmer and eastern leg scout, says day two brought higher-yielding samples as they moved west.

“This last field we were in is the greenest I’ve seen the corn since we’ve been on it. Indiana’s going to have a good crop. Conditions to me look ideal here right now,” Miller says.

From disease pressure to too much rain, some scouts found a solid Indiana crop, while other routes exposed extreme variability, proving Indiana just may be a mixed bag this year due to excessive rain.

Last stop in Indiana. Looked good from the road. Never seen so much smut. Nearly every third ear will be lost to it. #PFTour25 pic.twitter.com/ZFvR5xV827
— Lane (@iwatchcorn) August 19, 2025

“Indiana’s got some tip back. Starting to see some of this. Some of this is population driven in that it was planted too thick with a lot of cloudy days with all the moisture that had,” says Randy Dowdy, host of the “Breaking Barriers” podcast and eastern leg scout.

Dowdy found a mix of mature and immature crops. That’s why he says there’s still risk for growers to lose yield potential.

“There’s potential out there, but it’s unrealized if we don’t finish. And when we have issues like ear shanks causing a problem, we have issues like disease that’s going to take yield from us, and we have issues where excessive rain has started leaching out some of the potassium and nitrogen and taking away yield potential because the plants are firing, no doubt about it. There’s potential out there, but there is a lot of potential for that yield to be lost as much as it is to be captured at this point,” Dowdy says.

On the soybean side for day two of the eastern leg, Richard Guse, Minnesota farmer and eastern leg scout, observed a crop that mimicked last year.

“In Indiana, it’s a pretty good crop. So far, actually, in both Ohio and Indiana, we took the same route as last year, and I would say the corn and beans are pretty identical overall to a year ago,” Gruse says.

Two states down three to go. These are today’s Indiana corn samples. Plenty of disease to go around. 7 stops averaged 188.3. #pftour25 pic.twitter.com/pZW4WE20R2
— Bruce Lantzky (@Lantzkyfarms) August 19, 2025

While the crop in Indiana shows some strength, scouts are quick to mention the flaws they see that will ding bushels on final yield.

Howard County Indiana - North of Kokomo. Lots of tip back in the field 🥴
Yield estimate came to 158 by/a. #pftour25 pic.twitter.com/BmCLwtxo5z
— Katie Bluhm (@bluhm1) August 19, 2025

“USDA numbers say a tremendous crop. In my opinion, it may be above what’s normal based on Pro Farmer tours and yield history. There may be a crop out there, but it is definitely random. It is definitely variable, and there is a lot of potential that can still be taken away due to the disease,” Dowdy says.

We have crossed the state line into Illinois.
2 stops in Vermilion County, yield checks 192 & 260. USDA was at 218 last year.
Weather check: down to a sprinkle #pftour25 #pftour2025 pic.twitter.com/ae5FMnnSCx
— Oliver - Blue Line Futures (@OliverSloup) August 19, 2025

While variability may plague the eastern leg, the western leg’s crop shows strength.

In Nebraska, crop scouts are finding both corn and soybean yield potential is above last year — mainly due to ample moisture in dryland areas. After back-to-back years of drought in Nebraska, this year crop scouts had mud on their boots.

“We have some areas that have had 30" of rain over the last two and a half months. So, it’s been amazing,” says Jeff Mueller, BASF, agronomic service representative.

Early assessments by scouts showed some routes up 8% to 10% compared to the past two years. Weed and disease pressure in corn was spotty. But scouts did find some green snap and tip back.

“We had one field that had pollination issues. We had another field [where] I think it was probably the warm nights that affected the grain fill in the ear,” says Brent Judisch, Pro Farmer crop scout and farmer from Cedar Falls, Iowa. “Which likely shaved some yield, but at least the kernels are filling in. I think there’s more kernel weight on the ear than we would have had otherwise.”

@ailworth coming in with disease, storm damage, and deficiencies on consecutive stops through SE Nebraska on #PFTour25. Looks like the scouts are finding more ‘yield-limiters’ today in the west. pic.twitter.com/CY0QWu1I2h
— Emily Flory Carolan (@emily_floryag14) August 19, 2025

Judisch says the corn will need some cool nights to finish, but with ample moisture, its possible yields could exceed last year and USDA’s record 192 bushel estimate.

“In my 13 years, this is probably one of the better crops I’ve seen. Mainly because the dryland is not bringing the average down. It’s pushing the average yield up this year,” Judisch says.

Nine stops in east central Nebraska on #pftour25. Mostly irrigated.

Avg corn yield: 200 bu/acre
That's down 3% from this same route last year, up 10% from 2023. Low ear counts.

Avg soy pod counts: 1259
That's down 23% (!!) from last year & down 7% from 2023. Beans disappointed. pic.twitter.com/wZ64oG4lLI
— Karen Braun (@kannbwx) August 19, 2025

Scouts also found a soybean crop in Nebraska with pod counts similar to last year.

“The pods in Nebraska were filled well. There’s a lot of three-bean pods. There’s going to be a lot of good, big heavy beans,” says Leon Dorn, Pro Farmer crop scout and farmer from Firth, Neb.

If rain continues, he thinks the statewide yield could exceed USDA’s 57-bushel prediction.

“We have really good potential,” he says. “We had really good potential last year, and it didn’t pan out. I’m going to reserve a little bit of judgment because we don’t know what next month’s weather is going to be like.”

Spray Drone Season Hits Full Throttle: 3 Service Providers Flying Acres and Boosting Yields

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 18:15:49 GMT

Nebraska native Andy Kreikemeier’s phone hasn’t stopped ringing all week, and it won’t go silent anytime soon.

That’s because his former hobby and volunteer side hustle, flying drones for the county emergency response team, transformed into a full-time gig as a spray drone operator. Kreikemeier is one-third of a team of spray drone pilots with business partners Brett Scheiding and Brad Eisenhauer. Together, the three local volunteer firefighters started Infinity Precision Ag, a custom drone application service provider in southeast Nebraska.

The Infinity team is in the crunch of the summer plant health application season, and farmers without access to a Hagie high-clearance sprayer or an aerial application service need the timely sprays these certified drone pilots provide to get their crop across the finish line and in good shape for fall harvest.

The trio is in their sophomore season offering per-acre spray drone application services to farmers, and the group learned “a ton” from last year’s rookie campaign.

“Spray drones are definitely a good tool because they can do a lot of specialized things, and it’s fun to see the old farmers come out and watch these things. They’ll tell me ‘Never in my day would I have thought this was something I’d be using’,” Kreikemeier says. “It’s a fun change, and it works. You can get more precise with your applications, and you get the stuff where you want it at all times.”

The team at Infinity exclusively flies Hylio spray drones, which are manufactured in Texas. Hylio was among the first U.S. service providers – Iowa-based Rantizo being one of the others – to receive FAA approval to swarm , or operate in concert, multiple spray drones in one flight mission. Swarming is exactly how Kreikemeier and his team prefer to operate the mostly automated quadcopters. By operating multiple spray drones together in a fleet, Infinity can cover more acres per hour.

Related: Trump Issues Executive Order Making Ag Drones More Efficient

Kreikemeier says the service requests from farmers this summer are “about 50-50” fungicide on corn applications and insecticide or foliar-applied biological sprays. There hasn’t been a lot of Tar Spot disease pressure in his area yet, but Gray Leaf Spot in corn is something farmers need to proactively spray for.

(Lindsey Pound)

While he won’t go as far as saying the drones are a superior application tool to a large ground rig or aerial application plane, he does see some advantages to using the technology.

“The drones can definitely get the products deeper into the plant canopy — at least that’s what I’m seeing right now,” Kreikemeier says, adding he’s also seeing improved application quality on end-rows and sensitive areas near buffers, streams and rural housing developments. An aerial applicator would usually have to pull up and gain altitude to avoid those obstacles, potentially leaving some spray to drift off-target. But an unmanned drone can stay low and keep blasting active ingredients directly into the canopy.

“Guys are definitely telling me they can see a difference between what the drones have done and what the planes have done,” he says.

From Photographer to Pilot-In-Charge

Drone shots of a drone spraying fungicide on corn field sprayer spray - By Lindsey Pound

(Lindsey Pound)

Over on the East Coast, Joshua Berry got his start in the drone world along the same lines as many early adopters: he built up a custom photography and videography business for years before making the decision to integrate aerial photography to stay relevant.

The first drone he purchased is widely considered one of the “OGs” in the drone world: DJI’s Phantom 1. Berry recalls his aerial photography service didn’t take off right away, but he always knew ag was an industry he wanted to join. The realization came fast and hard that he was facing an uphill battle to make that dream a reality, as his family didn’t own land or have a legacy in farming.

Berry’s big breakthrough came when he started using drones equipped with thermal cameras to help deer hunters locate fallen prey deep in the woods. The service gave him a foot in the door with local farmers – many of whom are avid hunters or at the very least friends with hunters – along Maryland’s specialty ag-rich Eastern Shore.

refilling drone spraying fungicide on corn field sprayer spray - By Lindsey Pound

(Lindsey Pound)

“A guy out in Ohio saw what I was doing and wanted to get into the deer recovery stuff, so he befriended me, and I helped teach him a couple things,” Berry says. “One day he calls me up and he’s like, ‘Yo, have you seen these agricultural drones?’ I was like, ‘Yeah, I have my eye on it.’ And he tells me it’s going to be the next big thing.”

Berry started doing research and soon enough he agreed with his buddy in Ohio that spray drones would be his ticket to a career in farming. He ordered a pair of DJI Agras T-40 models and started working on getting licensed to legally apply chemicals.

That took him a few months (today the FAA licensing process has been streamlined), and he was able to start flying and applying midway through the 2024 growing season.

“I did a lot of research and networking before I flew a single acre, so I felt like I set myself up for success (early on),” Berry says. “Even though it was a dry year – dry and hot means there’s not a lot of pressure on farmers to spray – I ended the season with between 2,500 and 3,000 acres. For a guy in his first half of a season, I was happy with that.

Related: How Spray Drones Revolutionize Corn Farming, Make Farmers More Efficient and Sustainable

This year, Berry’s acreage will double to about 6,000-7,000. That’s an impressive figure, considering how fields are laid out on the East Coast. This isn’t Iowa, Berry says, where a drone operator can park at an intersection and knock out 300 acres of flat, continuous fields without having to move the truck and tender trailer.

As far as the job mix this summer, he is putting on a lot of single pass fungicide-insecticide-liquid fertilizer applications across a diverse mix of crops. Berry is also hearing some farmers in his area are buying drones themselves and skipping the whole FAA licensing process to spray their crops themselves.

“That’s going to hurt us as an industry, big time. And also, it’s going to hurt the farmers eventually. Even though the enforcement wing of the FAA is almost nonexistent, there is enforcement out there,” he says. “They may not have the manpower (now), but if that changes, you’re going to see these unlicensed guys really start to get dinged.”

Tendering for Spray Drones

The Mitten State is a good proving ground for spray drone applications, says Leon Thelen, agricultural drone application specialist, On Point Application Group (Battle Creek, Mich.).

For one, there aren’t many options for custom aerial application services available to growers like there are in the western Corn Belt. And Michigan farms are often broken into collections of smaller, oddly shaped fields with power lines, tree stands and residential developments nearby. That makes plane applications dicey.

And finally, the state has a diverse crop mix that features a lot of high-value, specialty crops like cranberries, cherries, potatoes and sugar beets. There are a lot of farmers looking to make applications without running over expensive plants with a ground rig.

Related: 7 Expert Tips To Maximize Spray Drone Efficiency

Thelen says On Point Application Group is doing a lot of field border insecticide applications, spot spraying tough weed escapes like water hemp, and putting out full field broadcast applications of fungicides with its XAG P140 spray drones.

One critical aspect of the business Thelen and his team have sorted out over the past few months is tendering. He says the giant, bi-level prefab drone tender trailers you see around the Midwest are good for most operations, but a smaller footprint tender that can fit in the back of an extended pickup is ideal for the type of work he’s doing in Michigan.

“Being that I’ve backed a trailer into a lot of fields, I like lightweight equipment that’s nimble,” he says. “We’ve got a trailer with 1,000 gallons of water and a mix tank that we can leave at the field edge and unhook. Then we have this 200-gallon hot tank with our charging equipment , batteries and everything we can take into the field. This setup works well when you’re working off (irrigation) pivot lanes or back in behind the woods. I like to be close to the field.”

Your Next Read: Yes, Corn Sweat is Real, But Here’s Why the Humidity is So Thick This Year

Be Prepared: Intense Storm Cluster With 75+ MPH Winds Working Through Upper Midwest Monday Evening

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 19:51:00 GMT

A powerful cluster of storms is forming in the Upper Midwest with a chance for crop-damaging winds and potential tornados in central South and North Dakota as well as southwestern Minnesota, warns The National Weather Service and meteorologist Bret Walts with BAMWX.com.

Walts expects the cluster will release a lot of wind energy this afternoon and this evening as it gathers steam moving east through the upper Great Plains. It could even intensify into a rare derecho storm with hurricane force winds.

UPDATE: The Weather Channel is now reporting a “derecho is likely to strike the Northern Plains.”

“We’ve got a stronger (atmospheric) jet stream moving in with a lot of instability in place still with the heat and humidity across parts of Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and Minnesota,” he says.

Walts is paying close attention to how quickly the individual storm cells merge together. He says the faster that formation occurs the more intense the storm has the potential to become.

7/28/25: Intense severe storms are expected to form this afternoon in SD and spread southeastward into MN and IA through tonight. Swaths of damaging winds, potentially 75-90 mph, are the main concern. Be prepared to take action if watches and warnings are issued for your area. pic.twitter.com/wf2rH7eUdD
— NWS Storm Prediction Center (@NWSSPC) July 28, 2025

Walts forecasts the timing as 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. CT for parts of South and North Dakota, while 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. would be the time frame for the most intense winds in northwest Iowa and southwest Minnesota.

“If that initial cell to the north shoots out of a lot of boundaries it could lead to the setup becoming a little bit messier,” Walts says. “We’ll know by five or six o’clock that if this thing is not getting organized, then we have an idea it is not going to be that intense. But I don’t anticipate that happening because the environment is very, very unstable and there’s a lot of wind energy. That combination this time of the year normally is not a good thing.”

NOAA says it expects these storms will move very quickly, and it is important to take action when warnings are issued locally. Do not wait until you see or hear signs of a strong storm because by that time it might be too late.

Your Next Read: Insights From Seed Companies on Tackling Tassel Wrap Challenges

Pete's Pick: Used Equipment Trio Turns Heads

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 20:31:09 GMT

This week’s “Pete’s Pick of the Week” is a trio of used farm machines that sold at two separate auctions in the Dakotas.

And stay with us until the end as Machinery Pete has a line on two upcoming auctions that you need to check out if you’re in the market for some nice, late-model equipment.

Pete’s Pick of the Week for July 7, 2025

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

Last Wednesday, the team at Big Iron Auctions held a sale in Flandreau, S.D., where a “very sharp” 2020 Kubota M6141 tractor with a loader attachment (shown above) and just 846 hours on it sold for $85,000. According to Machinery Pete, that’s the third highest price all-time for that make/model of tractor on the used auction market.

“It’s kind of interesting,” Pete says. “The only two higher (prices) were both from back in ‘22, which as we have talked about often, that was clearly the highest watermark I’ve ever seen in the used farm equipment market.”

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

Another item that caught Pete’s eye in that same auction is a 2023 Schaffer 6680 T telescoping wheel loader (237 hours) that sold for $81,000.

And in a Steffes Group auction near Williston, N.D., that took place last Monday, a 2005 John Deere 8320 tractor (3,561 hours) sold for $122,000, which is the highest auction price on that make/model of tractor in 2025 thus far.

“I’ll be really interested to see (auction prices) from July and on,” Pete says. “I don’t think we’re going to see quite the heavy volume (we saw in 2024), but there are definitely some dealer auctions with more volume starting to appear.”

Bonus Video: Looking for a used combine for harvest this fall and want to find the price “sweet spot”? Check out this recent AgDay segment where Machinery Pete breaks down three harvester transactions:

Upcoming Auctions To Watch
On July 14, Machinery Pete will be making the drive out to Mandan, N.D., for the Burger Cattle Company/Freddie Burger Estate Auction. Brent Ulmer and Ulmer Auctions will be handling the bidding there. A quick video preview is available below if you’re interested:

“I’m sure many of you knew Fred. He passed away in January. He was only 67, but Fred had an amazing life,” Pete says. “Fred was well known throughout the country in the cattle sector and also in bull riding. I think he had been inducted into the Bull Riding Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas, last year.”

You can check out the auction docket and get registered for online bidding on that sale here.

The Adam Marshall Land & Auction Company is also holding its statewide sale loaded with used farm equipment pulled out of farms and dealer lots across Nebraska, Colorado and Kansas. That is a no buyer premium/fees, no reserves auction, Pete adds.

You can check out the details on that online sale here.

Your Next Read: More Than 25% of the U.S. Is Experiencing Drought Conditions

Machinery Pete and Casey Seymour Talk Used UTVs, Auction Bidding Styles and Fishing

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 17:21:17 GMT

While the big iron is undoubtedly the star of the show at used farm equipment auctions, there are often miscellaneous-but-still-useful machines that make their way onto the auction docket.

Utility Task Vehicles (UTVs), also known as side-by-sides, four-wheelers, etc., are one such machine that you’ll encounter, because farmers and ranchers use these versatile, lightweight Swiss Army knives for a wide range of tasks around the farm.

And even if you’re not farming, if you’re into outdoor activities like hunting, fishing or trail riding, UTVs are a great tool to get into some spaces and places where a full-size pickup truck can’t venture.

Machinery Pete recalls a pair of UTV transactions that stick out from his recent travels around the Midwest covering farm equipment auctions.

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

About six weeks ago, he says, a still-new-in-the-box 1984 Honda 250R ATC in New York sold for $200,000. And another Honda from the mid-80s, this one a 200 Series three-wheeler (shown above), sold for $14,500.

Besides Honda, Kawasaki, and John Deere with its iconic Gator series, Polaris is another manufacturer that Pete says is gaining traction selling four-wheelers to farmers and ranchers.

And if you consider yourself a bit of a UTV aficionado, you might be pleasantly surprised to learn MachineryPete.com tracks sales data and search traffic on used UTVs.

Pete says that data shows back in 2023, there was a big oversupply of the machines on the used market, but today that trend has flipped, and it’s actually a good time to sell a used side-by-side.

“One of the cool things about a side-by-side is that they have a big (depreciation) hit up front, but their mid-range life, that middle of the road dollar value that you see, it tends to linger a lot more than I think other pieces of equipment do,” adds Casey Seymour.

Pete has looked at the data on UTV sales and he’s found that sales and values at auction tend to spike when times are good in agriculture.

“If I were one of those ( UTV) companies, I would watch the price of corn and beans, and as soon as there’s a jump man, shift your ad spend into the ag space,” he says. “That’s what I would do, that’s my Machinery Pete recommendation.”

Our hosts then pivoted to a little fun and spent some time talking about anything other than used equipment values. If you’re into fishing, all of the different styles of bidding that farmers exhibit at auctions, or just having a laugh with two good ol’ boys like Seymour and Machinery Pete, you don’t want to skip the opening segment this week.

The Rest of the Episode
Economic analyst Rich Posson, RFPCO Group, gave an update on the state of the economy. He expects inflation to continue to trend higher going into 2026. Right now, we’re at about a 2.5% inflation rate compared to prices last year, Posson says.

Used equipment specialist Aaron Fintel, 21^st Century Equipment, took the last segment to take a deep dive alongside Seymour into the used farm equipment export market. The guys agree that one of the largest export markets for American machines, Ukraine, is down at the moment due to the conflict with Russia, while China is starting to come on strong as a buyer.

Head on over to YouTube to watch the full episode , and please give it a “Thumbs Up” and hit the “Subscribe” button to get new episodes as soon as they drop.

Your Next Read: Farmer Fred Pflugh’s Iconic Oliver 1855 Tractor Shines in Western PA

From Omaha to Georgia: Inside the Farm Machinery Reshoring Boom

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 19:04:17 GMT

After releasing our “Where Farm Equipment Is Made” 2025 update in February , we circled back with farm equipment manufacturers to get a read on how tariffs will affect where machines are made.

Many companies across a wide range of industries are considering or even moving forward with plans to reshore production from overseas back into the United States. We’ve learned this process involves long-term, strategic investments in new facilities and/or expanding factories already established here in the States.

Although each manufacturer shared differing visions for how, when and where it plans to build out additional manufacturing capabilities in the years ahead, a common theme did emerge: farm equipment builders are investing big dollars into reshoring, and many have been for quite some time now.

Let’s hear what the machinery companies are planning:

AGCO Corp.

(AGCO Corp.)

The Duluth, Ga.-based equipment manufacturer says its dedication to American farmers and its own strategic investment plans are “key drivers of our overall growth strategy,” according to an AGCO spokesperson.

The rest of the statement from AGCO, which builds the Fendt and Massey Ferguson equipment brands along with its own AGCO machines, regarding U.S. expansion plans can be found below:

Since 2020, we have invested just under $3 billion in the U.S. across new and expanded manufacturing facilities, product innovations and the largest ag tech deal in the history of the industry. Our commitment has extended across our various brands, locations and Research & Development (R&D) efforts, including the notable 2024 joint venture establishing Colorado-based PTx Trimble, the inauguration of Fendt Lodge – the North American headquarters of Fendt – in Minnesota, a new precision ag production facility in Illinois, modernization of systems and technologies in one of our Kansas plants, and U.S.-based R&D for new sprayer and planter technology.

These investments, AGCO says, will not only enhance production at its U.S. facilities for years to come, but also ensure AGCO remains at the forefront of ag innovation around the world.

Claas

(Matthew J. Grassi)

Claas is still a somewhat fresh face to the North American farm equipment market, but the company has deep roots in Europe. It was founded over 100 years ago in a small German farming town, and today the company has global headquarters in Harsewinkel, Germany.

But you may not be aware that Claas has also built a significant manufacturing operation in America’s heartland. The company opened its Lexion combine production campus, located just south of downtown Omaha, Neb., in 1997. This year marks 10,000 Lexion combines rolling off the main production line inside the 120,000 sq. ft. facility.

(Photos: John Deere, Matthew J. Grassi, AGCO, Kubota)

Claas has significant expansion plans in place for its Omaha campus, including doubling its overall production footprint for the main manufacturing building as well as adding a new training and apprenticeship building.

Here is the statement Matthias Ristow, president & managing director of business administration – Claas Omaha, shared regarding the company’s expansion plans:

Claas is investing significantly in its production hub in the United States, and not only recently. Over the last five years, we have added to our production facility to provide a better location for our rework and reconfiguration areas, as well as a dedicated work area for our quality control department for the pre-delivery inspections each machine must go through before being shipped. This is part of our comprehensive quality assurance program.

We also have built a new service academy where we train all the technicians from our U.S. dealer network (we have a similar location in Canada) so we can keep their skills up to date and make sure they have the proper certifications to work on our machines. Technology updates and changes are trained there as well.

Furthermore, our new service academy houses our apprenticeship program where we train the future assembly technicians in a three-year rigorous training program, managed by the German Chamber of Commerce. The program has several advantages. Technicians receive a regular paycheck (“earn while you learn”), receive an associate’s degree from a community college we partner with, receive a certificate from the German Chamber and have a job when they graduate from the program debt free.

Farm Journal recently had the opportunity to tour Claas’ Omaha operation, where we learned the manufacturer is also expanding its partnerships with domestic material and component manufacturers. For example, it recently began working with a finished parts supplier local to Nebraska to fabricate the grain spout for each Lexion combine.

CNH Industrial (Case IH and New Holland)

(CNH Industrial)

Although short on specifics, CNH Industrial (Racine, Wisc.) confirms it plans to “continue to expand our footprint through capital investments in our U.S. facilities, partnerships with local suppliers and programs that strengthen the communities where we live and work.”

CNH adds it currently employs more than 9,000 people across 17 U.S. states, with 14 manufacturing facilities and 22 R&D centers active throughout North America.

And approximately 70% of the components used in CNH Industrial’s U.S. plants are sourced from domestic suppliers while 95% its steel is purchased from U.S.-based mills. It says this approach to domestic material sourcing supports thousands of suppliers’ jobs and reinforces its investment in American-made quality.

John Deere

(John Deere)

The farm equipment manufacturer with global headquarters in Moline, Ill., was first to share its future investment plans with Farm Journal. Back in May, the company announced a 10-year, $20 billion outlay plan for its U.S. production base. This year alone, Deere says it will pour $100 million into its U.S. operations.

John Deere says this initiative includes:

A 120,000 sq. ft. expansion of the company’s remanufacturing facility in Missouri.
Construction of a new excavator factory in Kernersville, N.C.
Expansion of its Greeneville, Tenn., turf equipment factory.
New assembly lines for 9RX high-horsepower tractor production in Waterloo, Iowa.

John Deere plans to invest a total of $22.5 billion into its U.S. manufacturing network once the 10-year project is complete.

Kubota North America

(Kubota North America)

Kubota Tractor Corporation (KTC) established its North America headquarters in Grapevine, TX., in 2017. The Japanese equipment manufacturer shared the following statement regarding U.S. expansion plans.

North America is critical for Kubota, and the U.S. is our largest market. We firmly believe in local production for local consumption and have made more than $1 billion in U.S. infrastructure investments in the last couple years to meet the growing needs of our dealers and customers. For example, we recently announced the opening of a new loader facility in Gainesville, Ga., (invested $190 million), a new Western Distribution Center in California (invested $72 million), and an R&D facility (invested $100 million) that’s also in Georgia. We have other network investment announcements in the works, and we plan to continue to invest over the next five to 10 years as we respond to market demands. Today, we are more than 7,000 American workers strong who market and sell, and fabricate, weld and assemble equipment with domestic and global parts.

Want to learn more about where your favorite farm machines are made? Check out “From the Factory to Your Fields: Where Farm Equipment Is Made”.

Your Next Read: The 20 Embarrassing Problems that Make Your Farm Truck Unique

Agriculture in the Bull's-Eye: Raids Reportedly Resume on Farms, Meatpacking Plants

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 18:40:22 GMT

After President Donald Trump reportedly ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE ) to pause raids on farms and meatpacking plants last week, new reports say the administration is reversing course again. The on-again, off-again reports regarding ICE raids is sowing confusion for those who rely on immigrant labor and already causing labor shortages due to employees not showing up for work.

There was an update again late Friday, with President Trump saying he’s looking at new immigration policy steps that would allow farms to take responsibility for people they hire.

The Washington Post first reported Monday that ICE officials told leaders representing field offices across the country they must continue to conduct raids at worksite locations, which is a reversal from guidance issued just days earlier.

Officials with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) wouldn’t confirm the Washington Post’s report, but an agricultural association told Farm Journal the article is accurate based on their discussions with the administration.

Instead, DHS told us this:

“The president has been incredibly clear. There will be no safe spaces for industries who harbor violent criminals or purposely try to undermine ICE’s efforts,” says DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Worksite enforcement remains a cornerstone of our efforts to safe guard public safety, national security and economic stability. These operations target illegal employment networks that undermine American workers, destabilize labor markets and expose critical infrastructure to exploitation.”

By Friday, there was another update. Reuters reported President Trump said he was looking at immigration policy steps that would allow farms to take responsibility for people they hire.

“We’re looking at doing something where, in the case of good, reputable farmers, they can take responsibility for the people that they hire and let them have responsibility, because we can’t put the farms out of business,” Trump told reporters. “And at the same time we don’t want to hurt people that aren’t criminals.”

According to Farm Journal’s Michelle Rook, the recent ICE raids are already creating absenteeism and labor shortages that could severally disrupt the U.S. food supply. Ag groups are again calling for immigration reform with hopes the issue will finally come to a head.

Ripple Effect of Immigration Crackdown

Joe Del Bosque, owner of Del Bosque Farms in Firebaugh, Calif., is experiencing the rollercoaster with labor, saying the shifting policy strikes fear in farmers and workers.

“There’s so much uncertainty as to what the administration’s going to do,” Del Bosque told Rook on AgriTalk this week.

Del Bosque says the raids on California produce farms are disrupting the harvest of perishable produce.

“They haven’t been really huge sweeps. They’re usually picking up a few people. But it creates a lot of fear, and people don’t show up to work. That’s just as bad as if they were taken away,” he says.

According to an exclusive report by Farm Journal’s The Packer , the ripple effect of Trump’s immigration crackdown on agriculture could be far-reaching — if the administration revives its focus on ag.

Kevin Kelly is the CEO of Emerald Packaging — the largest flexible packaging supplier to the leafy greens industry. Based in Union City, Calif., the company has been in the packaging business for 62 years. Kelly says the immigrant workforce in California is feeling uncertain and afraid.

“We’ve certainly heard folks aren’t turning up to work in the fields, and we’ve seen it in our facility. We verify everybody, so we know everybody in our facility is documented and can legally work in the United States,” Kelly tells Jennifer Strailey, editor of The Packer. “In our case, it’s brothers and sisters being deported, and other family members being afraid. Our employees are staying home to help their family members move, to take care of them or to take them to see an attorney — that kind of thing.”

Dairy operations in several states have also been raided recently. Dairy producers say they rely on immigrant labor to provide a stable year-round work force and to keep the U.S. food supply stable.

“We need these people to take care of our animals so we can produce food. Without animal care, we won’t have milk, cheese, butter — nothing,” Greg Moes, MoDak Dairy in Goodwin, S.D., told Rook.

The recent ICE arrests at Glenn Valley Foods of Omaha, Neb. have also led to absenteeism at meat processing plants.

“At the beginning of the Trump administration, we had this same worry with the crackdown — whether this was going to impact absenteeism and things like that,” says Brad Kooima, Kooima Kooima Varilek in Sioux Center, Iowa. “So, hopefully we can put that in our rearview mirror.”

By the Numbers: A Heavy Reliance on Immigrant Labor
The news this week of the Trump administration putting a pause on raids of farms and meat processors is welcome news for those in agriculture. From dairies and produce farms, to meatpacking plants across the U.S., these sectors rely heavily on immigrant labor.

Immigrant labor makes up a substantial portion of the meat processing workforce, with estimates ranging from 37% to over 50%. However, states like South Dakota and Nebraska have even higher concentrations of immigrant workers in meat processing — reaching 58% and 66%, according to the nonprofit Migration Policy Institute.

And a large portion of U.S. dairy farms rely on immigrant labor, with estimates indicating that over half of all dairy workers are immigrants. Specifically, these workers account for 51% of the total dairy workforce and are responsible for producing 79% of the U.S. milk supply.

Farmworker Justice estimates 70% of the produce industry’s farmworkers are immigrants. USDA’s estimates are lower — closer to 60%.

Vintage Vibes: 4 Old Tractors Make Pete's Pick Of The Week

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 18:53:07 GMT

The vintage trend is hot in 2025, but who knew it goes for farm tractors, too?

Well, Machinery Pete knew, that’s who!

For this week’s “Pete’s Pick of the Week”, Machinery Pete highlighted a handful of vintage tractors as living proof that old machinery is still in high demand — especially when the price is right.

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

First up is a 1968 Oliver 1950T mechanical front-wheel drive tractor (shown above) with 5,040 hours that sold last week for $35,000 in a Steffes Group farm estate auction for farmer Bob Donowski. Pete says that is the highest auction price ever on a Oliver 1950T. The previous record high was $26,000.

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

Pete was also intrigued by a 1989 White 185 mechanical front-wheel drive tractor with 38,163 hours that brought $21,750.

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

And a 1984 White 2-155 2WD tractor with 31,181 hours that sold for $16,750.

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

Rounding out the Steffes Group auction was a 1997 White 6085 mechanical front wheel drive tractor with 21,135 hours that sold for $16,250.

And finally, at a Union, Iowa, auction helmed by Mid Iowa Auction Company, a 1972 John Deere 4020 front-wheel drive power shift tractor (above) sold for $45,500.

Auctions This Week
On Tuesday, June 10, Pete says it might be worth checking out the Adam Marshall Land and Auction no reserve, online equipment auction. The Nebraska-wide sale will also pull in used machinery from Kansas and Colorado.

Specifically, Pete is watching a 1987 Case IH 2594 2WD tractor with 44,145 hours on it in that sale.

Another promising sale on Tuesday is the Weiman Land & Auction Company annual summer farmers and dealers consignment sale. Pete says there are some nice, low-hour items as well as some interesting, hard-to-find machines in that sale — like a 1980 Big Bud tractor he says is “really sharp.”

There is also a retirement auction in Mapleton, Iowa, for Al Bruhn on Saturday, June 21, that Pete says you don’t want to miss. Iowa Machinery Man is handling the bidding for that sale.

And on the same day, a farm estate auction in Lime Springs, Iowa, for Harry and Lola Blackburn features low-hour John Deere equipment, including a 2009 Gold Key-certified, one owner JD 7230 tractor. Joel’s Tractor & Auction will handle the bidding there.

Your Next Read: Tennessee Farmer Penalized by County for Parking Ag Equipment in Soybean Field

Tariff Timeout? Farm Equipment Giants Scale Down Or Stall As Trade War Marches On

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 20:54:34 GMT

In times of uncertainty, it’s wise to slow down, take a deep breath and evaluate all options. That’s exactly how the farm equipment industry is reacting to President Donald Trump’s ongoing tariff saga.

On Wednesday afternoon, in fact, it came out that President Trump has decided to pause new tariffs on all countries except for China, who got hit with another increase.

That means a return to the baseline 10% tariff that is already baked into the final cost of imported equipment. But, again, that could all change in a minute with President Trump.

CNH Industrial, the global holder of Case IH and New Holland, was the first domino to fall. The manufacturer broke the ice last week, halting all shipments of farm equipment from its North America plants as well as all of its European Union (EU) imports into the U.S., calling it a “temporary move” to buy time to assess the situation.

UPDATE: As of April 10, CNH has reinstated shipments of all “presold” customer units. The company also says “impacts to shipments of inventory orders or future orders will be announced at a later time.”

Then on Tuesday evening, AGCO, which is headquartered in Duluth, Ga., but holds two mostly EU-based machinery brands in Fendt and Massey Ferguson, made a similar announcement. It will pause imports of finished equipment from its overseas production facilities into the U.S. but continue shipping equipment from its U.S. facilities into “non-tariffed countries” while the situation develops.

UPDATE: As of April 10, AGCO will resume shipping “certain products” into the U.S. from “most global locations” in light of President Trump’s 90-day tariff pause.

Meanwhile, John Deere, the equipment manufacturer with the largest market share in North America, has yet to publicly reveal its plan in light of the tariffs. John Deere is admittedly different from its rivals, though, considering 84% of its manufacturing network is based in North America. But the company does ship equipment all over the world, so it will likely face reciprocal tariff increases in many markets.

Related - From the Factory to Your Fields: Where Farm Equipment Is Made

As of late, there seems to be a bit of light at the end of the trade war tunnel. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told reporters on Tuesday she thinks there could be some new more-favorable-to-the-U.S. trade deals in place by the end of this week.

A (Mostly) EU-Based Perspective
And then there is Claas, which manufacturers its Lexion combine in Omaha, Neb., but hosts about 80% of its presence across manufacturing sites in the EU.

(Claas)

Eric Raby, Claas’ senior vice president – Americas, says the company’s plan is to continue shipping and delivering machines to U.S. farmers who ordered and paid for them prior to the tariffs taking hold. At the same time, Claas plans to scale down production of stock machines (i.e. machines that haven’t been earmarked for a specific customer).

“We’re looking at what is going to be fair for everyone, in light of rising costs, and you can take that in two extremes,” Raby says. “We could say we won’t pass along any of the costs, but that’s detrimental to our business, our ability to do R&D, provide parts, pay our people and all that sort of thing. On the other extreme, we can say we’re going to pass all those extra costs along to the farmer, and that’s problematic as well.”

Raby does caution the company’s plan could change overnight, or even hour-by-hour, based on what President Trump decides to do with EU tariffs. But there is a plan in place.

(Claas)

“We’re going to do everything possible to make sure we live up to our end of the bargain, that’s our ultimate goal,” Raby says. “I can’t say 100% for certain what’s going to happen, but our target is to hold prices for anybody who’s placed a retail order with us. It’s the right thing to do.”

Long term, if the EU tariffs stick, Raby says Claas has options. It could shift more production to its facilities in Canada, since it’s looking likely USMCA trading partners will not be hit as hard. Another option is expanding its combine plant in Omaha. Claas had been looking at that option even before talk of tariffs began.

“We have room to expand [in Nebraska],” Raby says. “The other thing we’re looking at is Argentina has gone the opposite direction. We used to have substantial import duties on machines shipped into Argentina. The current administration there has done a good job lowering that threshold and that is likely to continue. So, we may see an opportunity down the road to shift some production, instead of shipping from Europe into Argentina, from the U.S. into Argentina.”

However the Trump administration plays its tariff cards, Raby hopes U.S. farmers and ranchers will be dealt in and not left out in the cold. A new farm bill and a targeted scaling down of interest rates by the Federal Reserve are two ways the administration could offer relief.

“I would tell Trump to just stay the course,” he adds. “You have a lot of support, but don’t ever forget to reach out, as we do ourselves when we’re thinking about something. We go out and gut check it with the people who matter the most, and that’s the American and Canadian farmers.”

AEM Reaction to Tariff Situation
As the Association of Equipment Manufacturer’s resident “tariff guru”, Johan “Kip” Eideberg is tasked with providing guidance to the association’s members such as AGCO, CNH, John Deere, and others on global government and regulatory issues.

The senior vice president of government and industry relations is a former U.S. Senate employee with a long track record in global trade affairs. Eideberg seems to be, as the cool kids say, simply built for this.

“We support what the President is trying to do. He wants to strengthen manufacturing and bolster our global competitiveness, and we agree with that,” he recently told AgDay host Clinton Griffiths. “We want to build more tractors, more combines and more sprayers right here in America.

Johan “Kip” Eideberg

(AEM.org)

“But this is a global industry, and we rely on critical inputs that can only be sourced at scale from suppliers around the world. When the cost of those inputs goes up, the cost of building new equipment here in the U.S. will also go up, and that concerns us, and it concerns our farmers and ranchers.”

Eideberg says the farm equipment industry in North America supports 2.3 million jobs, most of them in rural communities. A lot of those folks also farm or ranch on the side. There’s a deep connection between rural communities and the equipment manufacturing industry, and stewarding that in a positive way is something he takes to heart.

“Their success is our success and we’re going to stick with them every step of the way,” Eideberg says. “We’re keeping a close watch on what’s happening in Washington and we’re pushing hard for a new Farm Bill. We’re hoping farmers will stand shoulder to shoulder with us and deliver that same message to Congress. We know President Trump cares deeply about our farmers, and we have to get a Farm Bill done so we can get on with our business of feeding the world.”

Looking for more tariff coverage? You can find it here .

Nebraska's New Feedlot Innovation Center: Leading the Charge in Research Revolution

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 13:42:26 GMT

Walk into University of Nebraska’s new Feedlot Innovation Center, and you’ll realize it’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen. While the buildings may be empty lots today, starting next week, cattle will start to arrive, setting the stage to revolutionize feedlot research for the entire industry.

“We thought this is the latest and greatest way for us to help the feedlot industry help the beef industry focus on performance, environmental issues and challenges that we can address, as well as animal welfare, cattle behavior and even precision technology,” says Galen Erickson, Nebraska cattle industry professor of animal science at University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL).

A New Approach to Feedlot Research

It’s all being done at the Klosterman Feedlot Innovation Center, a $7.2-million project that sprouted from an idea four years ago.

“We want to be a testbed for all of the latest innovations,” says Erickson. “Not only is it innovations that we would like to develop internally, but we also want to be a testbed for companies. So if there’s industry innovations that companies are developing, many of them need to be tested in the real world. And yet, when you test them in the real world, you want to be able to collect all the data and information on how well they work. That’s the role that we think we serve.”

Advancing Precision Technology in Beef Production

Erickson, who also serves as the feedlot Extension specialist for UNL, spoke to us from the Klopfenstein Feed Technology Center, one of four buildings that now call the Feedlot Innovation Center home.

“This is a 240-head individual feeding facility. It’s a facility we’re using for individual animal management research,” says Erickson “There’s a lot of interest in what can we do with precision technology to improve beef cattle production. We have a lot of research planned for this facility in the coming years.”

The Terry Klopfenstein Feed Technology Center has 36 commercial-sized pens, which will house 60 head of cattle across four different housing systems.

“The goal is to do individual management, individual precision technology, look at sensors we can use on cattle, as well as ways to enhance welfare, health or performance,” he adds.

Erickson says from small-scale research to larger pens, the research will be precise, but it will also uncover answers on a larger scale.

“Sometimes people say, ‘Well, that research was done on a smaller scale. That doesn’t apply to our operation.’ So, we’re really excited because we can do things now that are directly applicable. And frankly, some of the questions we’re asking need to be done on a larger scale and with larger groups of cattle,” Erickson says.

Nailing Down Answers About Nutrient Loss

One of the key answers Erickson says they’ll uncover here is ways to reduce nutrient loss from feedyard systems.

“We need to do a better job of conserving nutrients. The focus of that and on everybody’s mind is normally carbon and greenhouse gases,” he says. “Actually, much of our focus here will be that and also nitrogen management. Housing systems offers one of the greatest ways to change that.”

Erickson says a traditional open lot, which is the most common feedyard housing system today, isn’t particularly good at conserving nitrogen. He says placing cattle in deep pit barns is a good way to conserve nitrogen, while also revealing other essential answers.

“If you put cattle in these barns, you get to control the elements. So in the summertime there’s less heat stress, and in winter time we have less cold stress. But they’re also crowded in there pretty good. So, we’re looking at how do the cattle perform and behave in those systems, and how we can manage nutrients in those systems compared to traditional open lots,” says Erickson.

From cattle performance in the heat or the cold, to researching how to keep cattle out of the mud, Erickson says the research that will be done at the University of Nebraska will happen year-round.

“A lot of producers have been asking if we can put cattle on concrete, and traditional concrete is very expensive. But there’s a new approach for solid surface pens called roller-compacted concrete. From a research facility perspective, I believe we will be the first place in the world to be able to compare commercial performance in that type of setting,” he says.

Answering a Burning Question about Cattle Emissions

While the research will find answers for feedlots in the U.S., other studies ongoing here at the University of Nebraska are finding answers that could be valuable worldwide.

“There’s a lot of global concern about how much cattle are actually contributing to global warming. We’re trying to answer that question and get involved with actually quantifying those emissions, because there’s not a lot of research out there that actually tells us what the cattle are emitting. It’s a lot of predictions or estimates at this point,” says Rebecca McDermott, a PhD student in beef cattle nutrition at UNL.

Quantifying greenhouse gas emissions of cattle grazing pasture is the topic of her research, but her classroom is far from a traditional setting. Instead, her classroom is a 27-acre brome grass pasture where you’ll find cattle grazing with GPS collars.

“We have an eddy covariance system that actually measures methane and the CO2 that’s produced by the pasture and the cattle. Then, we can use the location of the cattle, and if they are in this footprint, we can actually determine what those cattle are emitting. So then, we can determine what their actual methane and CO2 emissions are,” she says.

The research is five years in the works, and McDermot says they’re already finding impactful insights, including what impact the weather is having on cattle emissions.

“When there’s drought, there’s less biomass or less forage on the field. So that pasture is actually taking up less carbon. Then, the cattle are carbon positive, meaning that they’re contributing carbon to the environment. Whereas, in years where there’s lots of rainfall, lots of forage, lots of biomass, then the pasture is actually taking up more carbon than what the cattle are emitting. So then that system would be actually carbon neutral,” she explains.

A Vision for the Future

From tracking cattle in the pasture, to now being able to track cattle’s feed consumption with individual ID tags in this feeding system, the UNL research could shape the cattle industry in the years ahead.

“When that tag is scanned by the reader, we can decide whether the animal has access to a specific bunk. We’ll also have different diets in these bunks that we can compare,” says Erickson. “So, once that animal’s ID is read, we can allow it to either have access to feed or not, and we can also control for how long.”

Between the Feedlot Technology Center, the two confinement barns in the middle and the processing facility on the end, this state-of-the art feedlot innovation center is truly one of a kind.

“Maybe most importantly, when we do experiments, we get to randomize cattle to different outcome groups. I always joke cattle to cattle can’t lie. So when we do our randomization correctly, however the cattle perform in these two different systems that’s what the two systems tell us, because the cattle can’t fool you,” says Erickson.

Bottom line, Erickson says the work researchers are doing at the new Feedlot Innovation Center will help cattle producers across the country, as the research has real-world application and impacts what producers can adopt tomorrow.

An Idea Out of This World: University of Nebraska Researchers Work to Launch Agriculture in Space

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 14:20:36 GMT

A team of University of Nebraska researchers have one major goal: to launch the first center for agriculture in space . Whether it’s Mars or the moon, if people will be there, they’ll have to eat, and so researchers are exploring how to take agriculture out of this world.

It may seem like a far-out idea, but it’s research with one burning question at its core.

“One of the thing we are looking at is how do we grow food in space,” says Santosh Pitla, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln professor of Advanced Machinery Systems who also leads Machine Automation and Agricultural Robotics (MAARS).

The team’s goal is to grow the first acre of corn on Mars’ soil, but today, the focus first is on growing leafy greens like lettuce. While the idea sounds like it’s worlds away, the work in the MAARS lab could revolutionize the future of agriculture.

Pitla has already cracked the ag engineering code on creating autonomous vehicles that can serve multiple purposes. One example is the creation of Flex-Ro, which is short for flexible robot. The autonomous Flex-Ro was built by UNL’s Biological Systems Engineering Department.

“When I say multi-purpose, our goal was to do planting and then spraying nitrogen application. And then we are looking at targeted weeding as well,” Pitla says.

It’s those creations that could level up what they’re trying to accomplish in space, revealing answers on earth that will then be transplanted in space.

“On Earth, we understand irrigation, but in space where there is zero gravity, we don’t know how irrigation works,” he says. “When the plant is deficient in, let’s say fertilizer, or it is stressed because of no water, we can do manual interventions here, but when you are on the surface of Mars or the Moon, it needs to happen robotically. So, it’s those types of scenarios we are envisioning and then trying to come up with this engineered system to address it.”

What started five years ago with Flex-Ro robot, is just starting to scratch the surface on what may be possible in space.

“In space, the environment is toxic. So, it takes a lot of effort for a person to go out and scout for resources, for example,” says Pitla “So then we can send these robots out, just like NASA has Rovers specifically aimed at looking for water and looking for other things. But what we can be looking at is what sort of resources can be reclaimed to support agriculture.”

One of the ways to unlock answers is with a small-scale version of a greenhouse. The researchers are looking into controlled environments as a way to grow food in space.

“We were thinking that in order to have some agriculture in the extreme environment of space, we need to provide an environment for plants so that they can grow in that condition. We have to provide that condition for them,” says Ehsan Fazayeli, a graduate research assistant at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Once the team decided a controlled environment with indoor agriculture made the most sense, they then started exploring sensors that can monitor the plants needs and manage those resources.

“With multiple sensors, we can monitor the light. When there is no light on the surface of moon or mars, it is dark, so we can provide the light and monitor it,” says Fazayeli.

The team is exploring what’s possible with leafy plants today, as agriculture in space may be closer than you think.

“I believe some day we can have some perfect platform for the surface of the Moon and Mars to provide food for crew members without making them busy, so they can focus on their own task, and we will provide food for them,” says Fazayeli.

It may be one small step for researchers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, but it’s one that could truly be a giant leap for mankind, and it’s all because the researchers are exploring and manufacturing tools that could create a new galaxy of possibilities.

“It is out of this world; it’s very exciting,” says Pitla. “I think it’s a very bold idea, but we know over the last decade we have done a lot of advancements in going into space and with large rocket launchings using reusable rockets. I see a day where we will have settlements on space, so I think it’s a very exciting.”

How Pro Farmer's 2024 Yield Estimates Compare to USDA Expectations

Fri, 23 Aug 2024 19:39:45 GMT

For four days this past week, more than 100 crop scouts sampled 2,000 to 3,000 fields in seven Midwest states as part of the one-of-a-kind Pro Farmer Crop Tour . Building on the boots-on-the-ground data and observations, Pro Farmer considers crop maturity and historical differences in Crop Tour data versus USDA’s final yields to release its national production estimates.

“One of the major questions heading into Crop Tour was whether the corn and soybean crops could live up to the lofty expectations,” says Brian Grete, editor for Pro Farmer. “Of the two crops, I was more impressed with soybeans than corn, and the corn crop is stellar.”

Here are the 2024 Pro Farmer National Production Estimates.

Corn Yield Estimates

“The first two days of the tour all we did was move bushels from South Dakota and Nebraska to Ohio and Indiana compared with USDA estimates,” says Chip Flory, host of “AgriTalk.” “We had laid the groundwork for a really good crop in Iowa, but in northwest Iowa, we ran into problems, which we anticipated after too much rain during the planting season. In our final day running the routes, we’ve got a nice crop in Iowa, but Minnesota is another story.”

On the eastern side of the Corn Belt, Grete and fellow scouts found a strong corn crop.

“USDA put a record yield on corn for five of the seven states,” he says. “Ohio isn’t one of those — but if we weren’t talking about last year’s record crop in Ohio, this year would be up there. This year is comparing to last year’s gold standard.”

Indiana: Trouble spots are few and far between. The corn crop posted higher numbers across the board for ear count, grain length and the number of kernels around the cob compared to the 2023 crop.

Illinois: While scouts saw variability in Illinois, the high-yielding fields far exceeded those that fell short, and the state is holding a big crop . Plant health looks good, and even the lower leaves are still green.

Iowa: Yield potential looks promising , especially in the southeast corner, the garden spot, of the state. The corn in east-central Iowa looks good, but the variability is more noticeable in the northeast.

Minnesota: The corn crop in Minnesota doesn’t look too good from the road, and it seems to have ran out of gas . Record rainfall during planting hurt the crop out of the gate, causing drowned out spots and yellow corn, followed by a dry summer.

Nebraska: Despite hail damage and fewer ears, the Nebraska corn crop looks promising with better numbers for grain length and kernels around the cob compared with 2023. Some dryland corn looks as good as irrigated acres thanks to cooperative weather.

Ohio: Despite drought conditions this year (59% of Ohio is currently seeing some level of dryness), the corn crop is proving to be resilient .

South Dakota: Historic flooding that occurred right after Father’s Day in the southeast part of the state left its mark. Scouts found fields with fewer ears , but grain length was up compared with 2023. It’s obvious the corn crop had two very different planting dates, so there’s two very different crops growing in the state.

Soybean Yield Estimates

“Soybeans could be spectacular as long as there isn’t a weather event that derails the crop ahead of harvest,” Grete says. “Typically, there’s some concern with either the corn crop, soybean crop or both coming out of Crop Tour. There aren’t concerns this year.”

Indiana: If soybeans can get a rain or two, yields should finish strong .

Illinois: Uniformity, heavily podded plants and good soil moisture — Illinois has all the ingredients for a big yield , which is a pleasant surprise. “For beans that don’t look that impressive, they certainly have a lot of pods on them,” says crop scout Mark Bernard.

Iowa: Soybean fields are consisten t and show minimal pest and weed pressure across the state, boasting big pod increases versus last year.

Minnesota: Soybeans seem to have handled the excess water better than the corn crop, but yield will be lucky to top 50 bu. per acre .

Nebraska: More pods and pods with three and four beans are good signs.

Ohio: The pod factory is still working. Plants are heavily podded and recent rains pumped moisture into the pods. The drought seems to have had little impact on yield potential.

South Dakota: Soybeans are inconsistent and could go either way this year. The crop is still filling out and has a ton of work to do to realize its potential, Flory says. If it doesn’t get it done, then it’s probably not going to be last year’s bean crop.

Tyne Morgan, host of “ U.S. Farm Report ,” sits down with Chip Flory and Brian Grete to recap the highlights and lowlights from the 32nd Pro Farmer Crop Tour.

Your Next Read — Take Our Poll: How Are Your Yields Shaping Up This Year?

Pro Farmer Crop Tour, Day 2: High-Yielding Indiana and Nebraska Crops Aim for State Records, Could Fall Short

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 01:11:04 GMT

As Day 2 of the 32nd Pro Farmer Crop Tour wrapped up on Tuesday, Indiana and Nebraska average corn and soybean yield estimates were coming in at higher levels than scouts saw in either state a year ago.

The results from day 2 were released Tuesday night . Scouts tapped the Indiana average corn yield estimate at 187.54 bu. per acre for the state, while Nebraska’s corn yield estimate was 173.25 bu. per acre.

Indiana’s Results

Pro Farmer Crop Tour estimates for Indiana corn crop.

(Lori Hays)

In Indiana, Pro Farmer Crop Tour scouts found a corn crop that posted higher numbers across the board for ear count, grain length and the number of kernels around the cob, compared to the 2023 crop.

Indiana corn yield estimate: 187.54 bu. per acre, up 3.68% from 2023
Ear count: 102.77, up 1.51% from last year
Grain length: 6.84%, up 1.18% from 2023

Pro Farmer Crop Tour soybean yield estimate results.

(Lori Hays)

Indiana’s pod counts were 1,409.02 in a 3’x3' square, which is up 7.56% from 2023.

Nebraska’s Results

Pro Farmer Crop Tour yield estimates for the 2024 Nebraska corn crop.

(Lori Hays)

In Nebraska, Pro Farmer Crop Tour scouts found corn fields had fewer ears, but the grain length and number of kernels around the cob were higher compared with the 2023 crop.

Nebraska corn yield estimate: 173.25 bu. per acre, up 3.61% from 2023
Ear count: 90.91, down 0.19% from last year
Grain length: 7.03, up 3.38% from 2023

Pro Farmer Crop Tour soybean yield estimates for the 2024 Nebraska soybean crop.

(Lori Hays)

Nebraska’s pod counts were 1,172.48 in a 3’x3' square, which is up 1.07% from 2023.

Nebraska Sees Corn And Soybean Yields Rebound From 2023

Just a year ago at this time, temperatures in parts of Nebraska were a withering 105 degrees F as Pro Farmer Crop Tour scouts on the western leg of the event stopped for the night to regroup, compare data and chart their yield estimates.

This season, Mother Nature did a 180, delivering sunny weather and a mild temperature that barely topped 75 degrees on Tuesday in Nebraska City, Neb., as scouts pulled off for their evening report.

The 2024 weather and overall crop conditions were a much-welcomed change from last year, said Chip Flory, host of AgriTalk and leader of Pro Farmer Crop Tour’s western leg. Flory said his initial dryland corn yield estimates from the first five stops of the day were unexpected, coming in at a low of 107 bu. per acre and a high of 141 bu. per acre. As his team headed east, however, dryland yield estimates improved significantly.

“The corn really came around as we went along. I had dryland corn estimates go (in order) 149.9, 162, 231 and 197,” Flory said.

Heading across northeast Nebraska, Brent Judisch, an Iowa farmer and scout on the western leg of the tour, said he saw good dryland corn yields on Tuesday, ranging from 180 bu. per acre to 200 bu. per acre.

“As we went south, it was a bit drier but we still had some good dryland yields for both corn and soybeans,” Judish said. “For the most part, the crops I looked at there were consistent.”

Stop 7. Butter Co, NE. Ok, I’ve been seeing ear worms on almost every stop of the tour but they seem to be getting worse. The yield check on this field was 230.9 but I also calculated an average of 70 ear worms in a 30’ row. #pftour24 pic.twitter.com/6GVnVZh3E7
— Ted Seifried (@TheTedSpread) August 20, 2024

Nebraska Record Yield Potential Tripped Up By Hail, Pests?

Whether the Nebraska corn and soybean crops will reach USDA’s record yield projections of 194 bushels for corn and 59 bushels for soybeans, based on August 1 conditions, Flory said it’s probably not likely, given what scouts saw in fields on Tuesday.

One of Flory’s main concerns for corn is the amount of Western bean cutworm pressure he observed in fields.

“Of the five fields we looked at this morning first thing, four of them had it,” he said. “If you’re in Nebraska and have not been out to check for Western bean cutworm, you should probably go out and scout for it. You don’t want to be surprised by that pest this fall.”

Judisch’s one concern regarding both corn and soybean yield potential was an area in southern Nebraska with extensive hail damage.

“There’s probably a 9- or 10-mile long area where we saw hail damage and there was nothing to sample,” he said.

Kevin Keller, Pioneer field agronomist, added that south-central Nebraska corn has endured several rounds of hail damage this season. “When you look at some of the key corn-producing counties that were hit hard by hail, like Phelps County, that’s going to have a significant impact on the state’s final yield results.”

Tour scout Leon Dorn, who farms near Adams, Neb., said the soybean crop in his area looks good to excellent.

“We are definitely up from where we were last year with soybeans,” Dorn said. “We’re finding more pods, and the pods look like they have a lot of three and four beans in them. The crop is coming along really well. I think the 59 bushels USDA projected is possible, but we’ll have a better sense of that in the next month.”

Indiana Corn And Soybeans Yields Are Coming On Strong

Brian Grete did crop estimates in crop district 5 in central Indiana and crop district 4 in west-central Indiana on Tuesday. He said he found really strong corn and soybean yield potential along his route.

“Our average for the dryland corn yield along my route was 201.3 bu. per acre,” said Grete, editor of Pro Farmer and leader of the eastern leg of the Tour.

Soybean plants were heavily podded with beans, Grete added.

“They didn’t have as much topsoil moisture as what we saw in Ohio yesterday and in eastern Indiana, but it wasn’t dire by any means,” he said. “If the soybeans get a rain or maybe two – and they don’t have to be all that great of rains – they could finish really well.”

USDA currently has Indiana’s state-wide corn yield projected at 207 bu. per acre, which is up 2 percent over last year. USDA has the state’s soybean yield pegged for 62 bu. per acre, which is a 1.6 percent increase from 2023.

Grete said if the rest of this growing season continues as well as it has up to this point, those new records could potentially be realized though it would likely be a stretch.

Tour Scouts Are Upbeat About Indiana Crop Potential

Richard Guse, a Minnesota farmer who is a scout on the eastern leg of Crop Tour this year, agrees with Grete.

“When we got into Indiana, our soybean pod counts went way up Monday afternoon. Then, this morning we were getting really good pod counts,” Guse said. “If the trend continues, and the other routes see what we’re seeing, Indiana has the potential for a record soybean crop, the way it would appear to me.”

Lane Aker in the field on the Pro Farmer Crop Tour in Indiana, explaining how crop predictions are made. #pftour24 pic.twitter.com/ow18t0N5aX
— Farm Journal (@FarmJournal) August 20, 2024

It was a similar story in the corn fields that were on Guse’s route.

“The corn that we measured this morning has been really good,” Guse said. I would say the consistency on the routes I’ve been on in Indiana is what stood out. On the corn, it’s been pretty consistent.”

Tour scouts measure not just ear counts, but also grain length and they count kernels around the cob. Guse said ear counts and grain length were both up in the fields he was in.

“The three ears in this last field were between 8” and 9” in length, and it had really good ear count,” he said. “The one thing that’s going to hurt it a little bit is they were only 16 kernels in diameter.”

This estimate of 231 in Cass county, IN has James dropping ears 😂 #PFTour24 pic.twitter.com/tOC2uqy8MN
— Kristi Goedken (@KristiGoedken12) August 20, 2024

While this route did produce a couple anomalies with giant ragweed in a corn field, those trouble spots were few and far between.

Scouts saw the potential for a large crop, and if you ask local agronomists, the stage is set for this crop to top last year’s yields.

“I’d say we’re better off this year compared to last year because we had that extended period of dry weather last year where things were almost going to start dying in the field,” said Phil Brunner, a senior field agronomist for BASF.

Bruner lives just outside of Noblesville, Ind. He said the weather has simply been more favorable this year compared to what Mother Nature delivered in 2023.

“We kind of always wait for that one part where something bad happens, and we’re not to the finish line yet, but fingers crossed, things have looked really, really good,” he said.

Other than some high winds impacting small pockets of corn fields, and a few cases of white mold starting to creep in, Brunner said 2024 looks like a banner year for Indiana.

“Everything’s set up pretty dadgum good right now,” Brunner said. “I think it’s a bumper crop.”

See the Day 1 Results from the 2024 Pro Farmer Crop Tour:
Pro Farmer Crop Tour, Day 1: Higher Pod Counts in South Dakota, Lower Yield Estimates In Ohio Versus 2023

For more than 30 years, Pro Farmer Crop Tour scouts have been providing the agriculture industry with insights into potential corn and soybean production, gathering scout reports from 2,000-plus fields across Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio and South Dakota.

This year’s event takes place August 19-22. Register now to attend in-person or watch results live each night at 8 p.m. Central Standard Time.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
For exclusive access to professional grade news, analysis and advice, subscribe to Pro Farmer here .

AGI Standardizes Grain Bin Materials, Closes Nebraska Manufacturing Site

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 20:01:44 GMT

On Tuesday, AGI announced it is standardizing its North America grain bin materials, and therefore closing the Grand Island, Neb., manufacturing facility.

The Grand Island site was part of AGI’s acquisition of Global Industries in 2017, which included brands MFS, York, Brownie, and Stormor. It primarily manufactured 2.66” narrow corrugated bin walls as well as material handling and engineered structures.

Going forward, AGI is expanding its 4” corrugated material across the North America product line, which was previously offered in the northern states and Canada.
“Our bin standardization is driven by market demand,” says Scott McKernan, AGI Sr. Vice President of U.S. Farm. “This strengthens our position in the US market. We have manufacturing all over the Midwest. AGI is here to stay and grow. We’re in this for the long game.”

He says the change in material will not lead to any kind of price increase for AGI grain bins, and he adds it will increase efficiency for the company in how it supplies its dealer network and fills customer orders. According to McKernan, dealers have been very positive on the change.

The shutting down of the Grand Island manufacturing site will be a gradual process through the summer and fall.

“We are continuing to take orders through the summer, and we foresee a wind down of operations for our grain bin materials at the end of the summer, and by the early fall for our material handling and structure lines because those are engineered to order and take a bit longer to go through the system,” McKernan says.

AGI employs 114 individuals in Grand Island 100 of which are affected by this transition. AGI does have a warehouse across the street from its manufacturing, and that warehouse will remain in operation.

“Our focus right now is on our employees—having group meetings and one-on-one meetings this week. We are committed to host job fairs, facilitated job search training, as well as making them aware of other opportunities with AGI across the Midwest,” McKernan says.

AGI manufactures its 4” corrugated materials globally, and for the North American market most is sourced from its Winnipeg, Manitoba site.

McKernan says the company has a positive outlook for its storage business.

“We’re in the middle of the year, and we know our growers are faced with challenges. However, we believe storage could be strong in the second half of this year. Growers will be sitting on more crop at the end of the year and need a place to put it,” he says.

Regarding a longer-term outlook, McKernan says the great opportunities are on-farm storage and commercial.