Top Agriculture News

The pop in the grain market as the harvest kicks off was a bit of a “head scratcher.” Market advisor John Heinberg with Total Farm Farketing explains that sometimes the fundamentals of a market go out the window when other triggers come into play. He says the Federal Reserve lowering interest rates was one of […]

MEXICO CITY (AP) — California avocado growers are fuming about a U.S. decision to hand over pest inspections of Mexican orchards to the Mexican government. Inspectors hired by the U.S. Department of Agriculture have been guarding against imports of insects and diseases for decades, but they have also been threatened in Mexico for refusing to certify deceptive shipments. Threats and violence against inspectors have caused the U.S. to suspend inspections a couple of times in recent years. But California growers question whether there is any hope that Mexico’s own inspectors would be better equipped to withstand such pressure.

Milk production in the 24 major dairy states during August reached 18.1 billion pounds, up 0.1 percent from August 2023. Production per cow in the 24 states averaged 2,036 pounds for August, eight pounds higher than August 2023. The number of milk cows on farms totaled 8.8 million head, 28,000 head less than August 2023, […]

Consider nominating a farmer for the Farmer of the Year or Young Farmer of the Year for the state’s inaugural Farmer Appreciation Day on Nov. 14. The deadline for nominations to be received is Oct. 1.

South Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Hugh Weathers recently reached a major milestone. Yes, Mike. As of Sept. 14, I have been South Carolina’s Commissioner of Agriculture for 20 years. I was appointed by the governor in 2004. As a department and as an industry, we have accomplished some important things during these 20 years: These did […]

This is the SFN Market Report with Brooks Schaffer of Palmetto Grain. Reach him at [email protected] or 843-540-4540. Last week corn and soybeans went out with a whimper with soybeans testing support but holding over $10 and corn getting too close to support at $4 for comfort. Sunday night, corn and soybeans opened with a […]

WYOMING, Iowa (AP) — Taking a country drive in the Midwest means venturing into the corn zone. Snaking between 12-foot-tall green, leafy walls, the corn seems to block out nearly everything other than an occasional water tower. But soon, that towering corn might become a miniature of its former self, replaced by stalks only half as tall as the current green giants. The short corn offers farmers a variety that can withstand powerful windstorms that could become more frequent due to climate change. The smaller plants also let farmers plant at greater density, so they can grow more corn on the same amount of land and increase their profits. That is especially helpful as farmers endure low prices.

A coalition of 17 states filed a lawsuit this summer against the US Department of Labor to block a new rule allowing migrant H-2A workers to unionize. That’s a right Congress has not even granted to American farm workers. In late August, the 11th Circuit Court issued an injunction on the rule, but it only […]

The 2018 Farm Bill extension is due to expire on September 30, with no new legislation on the horizon. As the clock runs out, crop insurance is a huge piece of the puzzle. Mike LaFever, a board member of the Southwest Council of Agribusiness, talks about the urgency and significance of crop insurance for farmers. […]

The American Lamb Board is looking for 150 sheep producers to participate in its Climate Smart Sheep Program. Producers enrolled in the program will be paid up to $7,000 to develop and implement Climate Smart Sheep management practices and measure and report emissions and life cycle analysis. “Adding on-farm research and data collection in the […]