Hoosier Ag Today

  • FCC App Helps Find Rural Broadband Coverage Gaps

    The Federal Communications Commission would like a more accurate picture of the broadband shortages in rural America, and rural America can help with the data collection. FCC has developed a mobile app to help gauge broadband coverage strength. Jean Kiddoo is Chair of the FCC’s Broadband Data Task Force, and she explains the app will […]
  • EPA Asking Corn, Oil for Input on the Next Phase of U.S. Biofuel Policy

    The Environmental Protection Agency wants industry groups to give input on where the future of U.S. biofuel policy is heading after the current phase finishes in 2022. Four sources told Reuters that this is a new opportunity for the oil, corn, and biofuel industries to reshape the Renewable Fuel Standard, the source of a bitter […]
  • NPPC’s In-Person World Pork Expo Set for June

    The World Pork Expo will be an in-person event scheduled for June in Iowa. The National Pork Producers Council says that all of the needed COVID-19 protocols will be followed, and they believe their members are getting vaccinated. The event is June 9-11 at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. “The decision didn’t come […]
  • Planting Forecast: Cooler Temps Remain, Chances of Precipitation Increase

    Cold or cool air is the main talking point of our first planting forecast of 2021. This past week was chilly, and we are set to do it all over again this week, and potentially next week too. The map shows temps for the 10 day period as they compare to normal. Precipitation remains mostly […]
  • More Conditions to Consider than Soil Moisture, Corn Seed Depth

    By R.L. (Bob) Nielsen Agronomy Dept., Purdue Univ. Choice of seeding depth for corn is often paid scant attention by growers during the rush of planting their crop. Human nature being what it is, we tend to simply leave the planter’s depth control setting at the same position as it was in previous years. While […]
  • Cold Temps Still the Story for Planting Forecast

    Cold air continues to be the story as farmers have planters about ready to roll. It’s time now for our planting weather forecast presented by Seed Genetics Direct: The Eastern Corn Belt’s fastest growing independent seed company. Visit seedgeneticsdirect.com for pricing and more information. HAT Chief Meteorologist Ryan Martin says we might see some slightly […]
  • Indiana Soil Temperatures Not at Ideal Planting Levels

    In last week’s new edition of the Purdue Crop Chat podcast, experts discussed the fitness of soils for field work and planting. Much of the focus was on soil moisture. USDA’s NASS reported Monday that topsoil moisture in Indiana is 87 percent adequate to surplus, and subsoil moisture is at 79 percent adequate to surplus. […]
  • HAT Market Analysis for 4/15/21 with Mike Silver of Kokomo Grain

    Ag markets were mixed Thursday but the morning export sales report did not do the markets any favors. Analyst Mike Silver explains. Click to listen.
  • KC Fed: Farm Lending Remains Muted in Early 2021

    Farm loan demand remained muted at commercial banks in the first quarter of 2021. The Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank reports that a reduction in the volume of operating loans led to an overall decline in total non-real estate lending. Financing activity also declined more notably at banks with relatively large farm loan portfolios, while […]
  • U.S. Drought Monitor: Tale of Two Regions

    The U.S. Drought Monitor shows a tale of two regions—the East and the West. The Western U.S., in the latest Drought Monitor released Thursday, shows much of the region in drought categories, with several areas classified in extreme or exceptional drought, the two most severe categories. Comparatively, the Eastern U.S. is mostly drought-free from the […]