Agriculture News

TIGHT MARGINS FOR CORN, SOYBEANS IN 2018 – Average production costs for both corn and soybeans showed little change in 2018 compared to the year before. According to data from Illinois Farm Business Farm Management, all costs on average, combining both land and nonland costs, increased between 0 and 2 percent. (FarmWeekNow.com)

TRUMP ADMIN MOVES AHEAD WITH USDA RELOCATIONS – USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue is moving forward with plans to relocate USDA’s ERS and NIFA divisions outside of Washington D.C. The plan has drawn sharp criticism from lawmakers and USDA employees who fear the move would cause the agency to lose additional staff on top of employees… read more

U.S., JAPAN STARTING NEXT ROUND OF TRADE TALKS – U.S. and Japanese negotiators will begin a second round of trade talks in Washington Thursday as they aim to secure a speedy deal focused on ag and vehicles. Japanese Economy and Finance ministers will meet with U.S. officials before Japan’s Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, meets with… read more

ARGENTINA EYES FARM TRADE WITH CHINA – Argentina is pushing to increase ag trade with China, as Argentinian farmers prepare for what is expected to be a bumper soybean harvest. Argentina also has been pushing to export higher-margin domestically processed soy meal to China, though it has faced resistance from Beijing. (Reuters)

WALMART SKIPS MIDDLE MAN – Walmart has partnered with a Texas cattle rancher and other industry-related businesses to provide Angus beef to 500 of its U.S. stores beginning later this year. The move will allow the nation’s largest grocer to ensure supplies of quality Angus beef and meet demands from customers who want to know… read more

The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day April 27 – The American Farm Bureau Federation is encouraging rural communities to participate in the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day this Saturday, April 27. (Farm Bureau)

CropWatchers 2.0 – Stop and go planting Cold, soggy conditions continued to keep planters in the shed this week, with just 1 percent of the Illinois corn crop in the ground according to the USDA’s Crop Progress Report. (FarmWeekNow.com)

Vice President Pence in Michigan Today Talking USMCA – Vice President Pence will be in Dearborn, Michigan today to meet with auto industry workers and push the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which faces an uncertain path to ratification in Congress. Pence will tour a Ford truck plant in Dearborn and meet with auto suppliers in… read more

Farm Managers Weigh in on Farm Economy – Tim Fevold AFM, Hertz Farm Management, Nevada, Iowa said, “My primary concern is the ethanol industry and Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Ethanol accounts for 30% to 40% of the U.S. corn crop and provides thousands of jobs in rural America. Weakening or eliminating the RFS would have… read more

Missouri Disaster Assistance for Flooding – Missouri Farm Bureau president Blake Hurst says he’s not optimistic that the waters will recede in time for spring planting, especially for farmers in Holt and Atchison counties. (St. Louis Public Radio)