Crop production

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...

Heavy spring storms dumped uneven but sometimes intense rainfall across Indiana, with totals ranging from about 0.5 inch in northern and far‑southwestern counties to more than 5 inches in parts of south‑central Indiana. One observer just south of Bedford recorded 5.80 inches of r...

A northeast Nebraska grower says this spring's planting has moved quickly, and recent rains have eased moisture concerns. Greg Anderson, who raises corn and soybeans near Newman Grove, told Brownfield his operation has about 75 to 80% planted back home. He described the season so...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released a draft Fungicide Strategy and invited public comment on measures intended to reduce harm to federally listed wildlife and plants. The agency says the draft recommends practical, science-based protections for more than 1,000 species

According to Purdue agronomists Jeferson Pimentel and Daniel Quinn, corn planting in Indiana made a rapid jump last week, reaching 30% planted as of April 26, 2026, up from 14% the prior week. That sudden move reflects a widespread window of field-fit conditions that allowed many...

Michigan State University’s Pesticide Safety Education Program has released a new self-paced online course aimed at Michigan pesticide applicators who need restricted use pesticide (RUP) recertification or who are preparing for the Category 1A applicator exam. The Field Crop Pest...