Crop production

An industry push is moving camelina from a niche cover crop toward a potential feedstock for renewable diesel, biodiesel and sustainable aviation fuel in the United States. Farmers and agribusinesses point to improved seed lines and emerging demand from energy firms as the reason for renewed inte...

The Hoosier Ag Today Podcast covered planting progress, markets and trade developments in a new episode released this week. Hosts C.J. Miller, Greg Allen and Andy Eubank led the discussion and recapped field conditions and market moves from the Corn Belt on May 14, 2026 . The epis...

U.S. corn suppliers and Thai buyers signed a memorandum of understanding this spring to support future corn trade, creating a potential new outlet for American corn growers. Ryan LeGrand, president and CEO of the U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council, said Thailand currently buys no U.S. corn, a stat...

New USDA crop progress numbers show U.S. farmers moving quickly through the 2026 spring planting season, with plantings for major row crops running ahead of recent averages. 57% corn planted nationally, the agency reports, compared with a five-year average of 52 percent. Soybean ...

Chris Weaver is testing a cluster of new technologies on his 1,000-acre row-crop operation near Finksburg, Maryland, aiming to cut input costs and sharpen nutrient decisions. He combines in-furrow biologicals and foliar boosters with data collection tools as he balances rotation, weather risk and...

Bayer and BP announced a collaboration in 2026 to develop camelina seed varieties and build an oilseed value chain for biodiesel, renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel. Industry leaders say the move targets growing demand for low-carbon feedstocks in large transport sectors where electri...

Scouts on the hard red winter wheat tour reported a discouraging start to the fieldwork, with widespread drought stress and visible damage from recent freezes. “It's not a great picture. It's a very drought-stressed crop,” Aaron Harries of the Kansas Wheat Commission told Brownfield after the fir...

The USDA’s most recent weekly crop progress report shows planting and early emergence moving ahead of normal in many areas. 57% corn planted nationwide, above the five-year average of 52%, and 23% of the corn crop has emerged, up from 13% the prior week. The report covers plantin...

Illinois farmland sales in 2026 remain unpredictable as weak on-farm returns and rising costs push buyers and sellers into a cautious stance. University of Illinois farmdoc corn and soybean budgets are showing losses for crop enterprises, placing pressure on operator balance sheets. Negat...

The Wheat Quality Council’s Hard Winter Wheat Tour will cross Kansas May 12–14 as the crop faces widespread moisture stress and an early-May freeze in the western third of the state. Participants will drive set routes to evaluate crop condition and measure potential yields across historic wheat a...

Drought is putting significant pressure on the U.S. winter wheat crop, with some fields reportedly turned to grazing in the hardest-hit Southern Plains. Traders and state analysts say crop ratings have slipped sharply in several areas, and the USDA's most recent Crop Progress Report shows <strong...

The Illinois Department of Agriculture will distribute more than $796,000 over the next three years to expand access to fresh, locally grown produce and strengthen the state's specialty crop sector, officials said. An application will be available this week on the IDOA website and must be returne...