Farmers across the Corn Belt are running into supply bottlenecks at a time when they can ill afford to wait. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration declared a regional emergency in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin. At the end of last week, governors in Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin issued emergency declarations to lift restrictions on carriers for the transportation of heating fuel, including propane. This is expected to help alleviate supply issues in the region. (DTN)

After a year of record planting delays due to heavy rain and flooding, Midwestern farmers have been dealing with additional weather challenges during the harvest season. USDA on Friday lowered its estimate for 2019 corn production by 1 percent from last month’s projections. The department is forecasting 13.7 billion bushels of corn for grain in 2019, a 5 percent decline from last year. (Politico)  

Harvest delays and a warm start to October didn’t give farmers many opportunities to apply fall fertilizer. But it appears applicators still have time to catch up this month, weather permitting, to hopefully avoid a repeat of a shortened fertilizer season last fall, according to Jean Payne, president of the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association. Payne advises farmers to contact fertilizer applicators to be ready to apply dry fertilizer as soon as the crops are out. (FarmWeekNow)

Women serve as active advocates for agriculture and successful business owners interested in filling leadership roles, according to a new American Farm Bureau Federation survey. A majority of those surveyed, 91%, also believe there should be more women in leadership roles in the industry. (FarmWeekNow)

With solar and wind power systems getting cheaper and coal prices steadily rising, America’s rural areas are, often with the help of grants, loans, and tax breaks, getting in step with the global pursuit of renewable power. (Agri-Pulse)

“Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil, and you’re a thousand miles from the corn field.” It has been 63 years since President Dwight D. Eisenhower delivered that quote in a memorable speech in Peoria, Illinois. In the 1950s, farmers made up more than 12% of the workforce. Today, farmers and ranchers make up just 1.3% of the U.S. labor market. In a time where consumers are truly curious about where their food comes from, farmers have a massive opportunity to reach those who truly are a thousand miles from a corn field. (Farm Bureau)