Conservation vs. Profitability on U.S. Farms
Farmers weighing conservation practices face measurable tradeoffs between soil health, greenhouse gas emissions and per‑acre net returns. Decision tools that score soil health and carbon intensity can quantify changes from adjustments in tillage, rotations and cover crop use, but those environmen...
ADM and Hill's expand regenerative agriculture
ADM announced a partnership with Hill's Pet Nutrition to accelerate adoption of regenerative agriculture across corn and soybean acres in Illinois and Minnesota and to extend practices into Europe. The collaboration targets a wide swath of row-crop acres tied to the pet food ingredient supply cha...
Texas Shrimpers Seek More H-2B Visas Amid Shortage
Texas shrimpers at Port Isabel say a persistent labor shortage is putting pressure on the Gulf shrimp fleet and prompting calls for more temporary visas to staff boats and processing operations. The Texas Shrimp Association says the industry needs 100 additional H-2B visas this y...
Trump delays move to lower beef import tariffs
The administration has delayed executive orders that would have lowered tariffs on imported beef, according to reporting in the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg. The measures were intended to expand imports and ease consumer beef prices as part of broader efforts to address food-cost concerns. <...
Taiwan Says U.S. Citrus Won't Hurt Local Growers
Taiwan's government is pushing back against concerns that lower tariffs on U.S. mandarins will damage its local citrus industry. Officials say a new trade agreement that reduces duties on American mandarins is unlikely to disrupt domestic markets because U.S. shipments are small relative to local...
BASF, Nutrien expand farmer access to low-CI biofuels
BASF and Nutrien announced a strategic collaboration to help U.S. growers capture more value from sustainable farming practices and participate in low-carbon biofuel markets. The partnership pairs Nutrien agronomy teams with BASF digital tools to document and verify crop carbon intensity for mark...
U.S. planting: 57% corn, 49% soybeans
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...
Winter wheat tour shows bleak crop outlook
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...
Whalens see gains from cover crops
When Jay Whalen started testing seed and cover-crop products on his own acres, the trials changed how the family farms in Livingston and La Salle counties. Today the Whalens run a 50/50 corn-soybean rotation with cover crops across their operation, and Jay says the practice has transformed field ...
Building resilient, profitable farms
In the hills near St. Louis, Big River Grain and Cattle has shifted practices to protect soil and stabilize production after both heavy rains and dry spells challenged the operation. Owner Daniel Bonacker uses no-till and cereal rye cover crops to hold soil, suppress weeds and maintain moisture b...
U.S. pork exports to outpace chicken and beef
USDA Economic Research Service projections show U.S. pork exports are expected to continue growing through 2035 and to remain ahead of chicken and beef in export volume. The outlook is based on the USDA Agricultural Projections to 2035 (February 2026) and the April 2026 World Agricultural Supply ...
Grains rebound as WASDE and fertilizer risks loom
Grain prices recovered late in the week as technical buying and short-covering pushed a broad set of contracts higher heading into the weekend. Corn gained roughly 0.75% and soybeans about 1.5% while winter wheat posted mixed, mostly modest gains as traders rotated back into long positions. Energ...
Live Cattle Futures Slip as Cash Prices Stay Firm
Live cattle futures lost ground on Friday, with the June contract finishing the week weaker after several session declines. Trading activity showed futures falling even as physical cattle sales held up, leaving packers and feedlot operators to weigh the disconnect between the cash and futures mar...
Cattle Futures Fall Despite Strong Cash Trade
Live cattle futures slipped on Friday, retreating 82 cents at the close as the June contract fell for the week. June down $4.10 this week even as cash trade held mostly in a $256–260 cash range , with southern deals reported at $256–258 and northern trade at $258–...
Pork Exports Surge; Beef Variety Meats Shine
U.S. pork exports posted one of their strongest months on record in March, according to USDA data compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation. 285,567 metric tons shipped, an increase of 6% from a year earlier, and exporters said demand was broad across key markets. Shipments wer...
Purdue places second at All‑East Livestock Contest
The Purdue University Livestock Judging Team returned from the All‑East Livestock Contest in Champaign, Illinois, with multiple awards and a second‑place team finish. Second high team honors reflected consistent scoring across market and breeding divisions and in oral reasons thr...
Purdue roadmap for sustainable ruminant production
Researchers at Purdue University have published a literature review laying out a roadmap for more sustainable ruminant production, stressing links between environmental goals, animal welfare and farm productivity. The team synthesized findings from 200+ publications reviewed and ...
Purdue review maps sustainable ruminant practices
Purdue University researchers published a literature review that lays out a roadmap for more sustainable ruminant livestock production in the United States. The paper argues that improving environmental outcomes can also boost animal welfare, production efficiency and the food supply. Nea...
Niqo Robotics expands US reach, eyes profit in 2026-27
Niqo Robotics is broadening its U.S. footprint beyond lettuce and plans to roll out an upgraded weeding robot later this year as it pushes toward profitability. Profitability in 2026-27 is the company’s group goal, founder and CEO Jaisimha Rao told AgFunderNews, as Niqo prepares ...
EPA Sets Record RVOs for 2026-2027
The EPA finalized record Renewable Volume Obligations for 2026 and 2027, setting the highest total renewable fuel levels in the program’s history and concentrating growth in biomass-based diesel and advanced biofuels. The agency set total renewable fuel volumes at 26.81 billion gallons
Minnesota pork leaders get inside look at processing
Minnesota Pork’s inaugural Activate leadership cohort spent a recent session focused on what happens to hogs after they leave the farm, connecting producers with processors and retail-facing teams. The program combines classroom-style training with facility tours and hands-on practice to give par...
How Superior Livestock Secures Top Dollar
Superior Livestock Auction outlined how it helps ranchers get the best price in a tight market. Representative Barrett Broadie spoke with market specialist Tony St. James about the company's approach, summarized under the banner “Marketing Your Cattle The Superior Way.” The conversation focused o...
Ethanol Production Edges Up as Demand Softens
U.S. ethanol production ticked higher in early May even as domestic gasoline use and exports weakened, according to EIA numbers analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association. Production rose 0.8 percent in the reported week to 1.02 million bpd , equal to about 42.71 million gallons ...
10 Common U.S. Beef Cattle Breeds
Among the most common beef cattle breeds in the United States are Angus, Hereford, Charolais and Simmental, which drive much of commercial beef production because of their growth rates, meat quality and adaptability. According to USDA NASS, the national beef herd stood at 27.6 million bee...
Tyson’s chicken business lifts Q2 fiscal 2026 results
Tyson Foods reported second-quarter fiscal 2026 sales of $13.65 billion, a 4.4% increase from the prior year, with gains led by its chicken business and market-share improvements in retail and foodservice channels. The company singled out chicken as the primary engine of momentum, and said the se...