Brownfield Ag News

The owner of one of the largest sale barns in the country says the heat has had an impact on some cattle sales.   Jackie Moore is with Joplin Regional Stockyards in Missouri. “Those slick-haired yearlings, slick-haired calves, all those cattle that got no hair on them, they bring a premium because they get along good with them,” he The post Heat and rain are impacting some cattle buying decisions appeared first on Brownfield Ag News.

A central Ohio farmer says he’s monitoring his corn and soybean crops for any sign of disease pressure.  Allen Ett of Ashville says, “We don’t just fungicide every acre of corn, every acre of beans, we don’t do that.”  When it comes to corn, he says he waits until pollination. “We’ll start sticking our heads in the fields about every three or four days and kind of The post Scouting for disease pressure appeared first on Brownfield Ag News.

The USDA is investing $500 million to increase domestic fertilizer production.  “We want fertilizer plants built in America,” she says. Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins says the Fertilizer Investment and Expansion for Long-Term Domestic Supply (FIELDS) Program will help finance new and expand existing U.S. fertilizer facilities. “It will prioritize project readiness,” she says. “It will The post USDA launches new $500 million program to expand U.S. fertilizer production appeared first on Brownfield Ag News.

A technical field representative with BASF says advancements in seed treatments are bringing farmers additional ways to protect their investment into their crops. Nick Tinsley says the company’s newest offering, Bamquist, is a prime example, offering protection from both diseases and insects. “This is a complete pre-mixed fungicide and insecticide product.”  He says, “It is The post Seed treatments critical piece of crop protection appeared first on Brownfield Ag News.

Purdue University Extension’s corn agronomist says this week’s extreme heat wave could impact the 2026 corn crop. Dan Quinn says the high temperatures are accelerating plant growth.  “It’s really helped get some of that stressed crop, where we’ve had a lot of water, up and moving,” he says. “A lot of the fields that were looking pretty rough, The post Purdue agronomist says heat wave is raising concerns for corn ahead of pollination appeared first on Brownfield Ag News.

An ag economist says some typical risk management strategies may not be as effective in the current volatile price environment. Brad Lubben with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln says forward pricing can be effective for commodities, but not necessarily for fuel, seed and fertilizer. “In some cases, there is still’s still some availability and some questions The post High input costs change the risk management playbook appeared first on Brownfield Ag News.

U.S. ethanol production rose to a multi-month high last week, propelled by margins and demand expectations. The U.S. Energy Information Administration says production averaged 1.117 million barrels per day, the highest since mid-April, and up 27,000 on the week and 41,000 on the year. The Iowa State University Center for Agricultural and Rural Development says The post Ethanol production up on week, with support from margins appeared first on Brownfield Ag News.

The USDA sent out more farmer surveys for the June acreage report, but Seth Meyer with MU’s Food and Ag Policy Research Institute says the response still wasn’t great. “They compensate on pure response numbers by asking more people. That’s what they’re doing. A 39 percent response rate is still well below what they would The post USDA boosts survey numbers, but farmer response rates still lag appeared first on Brownfield Ag News.

Cash dairy prices were mostly unchanged Wednesday at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.     Dry whey was unchanged at $0.68. No sales were reported.  Forty-pound cheese blocks were unchanged at $1.43.  Twenty-one sales were recorded ranging from $1.4100 to $1.45.  Cheese barrels were unchanged at $1.4750. No sales were reported.  Butter was down $0.0175 to $1.68. Twenty-two sales were recorded ranging from $1.66 to $1.68.  Nonfat dry milk was down $0.0950 to $1.5350. Nineteen sales were recorded, ranging from $1.5350 to $1.60.  The post Cash dairy prices remain mostly unchanged Wednesday appeared first on Brownfield Ag News.

Direct cash cattle trade activity remains relatively quiet.  A few bids have surfaced at $252 live in Nebraska, but the rest of cattle country has been quiet.  Asking prices remain elusive.  Packer inquiry is expected to improve as the day progresses.  Boxed beef was lower at midday with light demand for moderate offerings.  Choice is The post Midday cash livestock markets appeared first on Brownfield Ag News.