grain

Struggles Ahead For Grain Producers

A longtime axiom in the grain trade is follow oats. Oats knows. Well, if that’s true, there are struggles ahead for all grain producers. USDA’s March acreage report showed oat acres to be the third lowest on record, just 2.4 million acres. It would seem to follow them, fewer acres, reduced supply, that prices would be improving. July oat futures have been range …

seed planter

From Hand Planting to Innovation: The Early History of Seed Planters

A Turning Point in American Agriculture The history of seed planters is closely tied to the broader evolution of agriculture in the United States. Before mechanization, farmers relied heavily on manual labor to plant crops—an approach that was time-consuming, physically demanding, and often inconsistent in seed placement. The introduction of seed planters marked a pivotal shift, transforming the way crops …

non-tariff

Addressing Non-Tariff Trade Barriers Central To Agricultural Trade Negotiations

Addressing non-tariff barriers have been central to agricultural trade negotiations and we sat down with Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke Lindberg to learn more. Under Secretary Lindberg said, “To me it’s actually one of the best stories of the past year. We have had a remarkable shift in the way in which our team at the U.S. …

export promotion

Export Promotion Program Grant Awarded for Peanuts

It looks like the peanut industry is going to get a three million dollar grant. It’s a two-year implementation window and because of export promotion program. The Trump administration announced this week the recipients of the America First trade promotion program. The grant was 285 million dollars but only 165 million was awarded at this time. And they said the peanut industry and …

Federal Reserve

No Expected Rate Cut At April Federal Reserve Meeting

Next week’s April Fed meeting shows nearly a 0% chance there’ll be any change in interest rates. The Fed meets next Tuesday and Wednesday, and so a week from today we’ll announce any rate decision. CME’s FedWatch tool right now showing 99.5% chance no change. That’s the highest percentage we have ever seen and yet is understandable with current world events. Looking ahead, there’s …

California Trail

The California Trail: A Pathway to Agricultural Expansion

Introduction to the California Trail The California Trail stands as a significant chapter in American agriculture history, playing a vital role in the westward expansion of settlers seeking new opportunities. As highlighted by agricultural broadcaster Mark Oppold, this historic route helped shape the development of farming and settlement patterns across the western United States. Early Settlements Along the Missouri River …

Alabama Cattlemen’s association

Alabama Cattlemen’s Association Leadership Heading to DC

The Alabama Cattlemen’s Association is headed to Washington DC this week to engage with legislators on Captiol Hill and we caught up with Erin Beasley with the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association to learn more. Beasley said, “Excited to take our officer team this week back to the Hill. We’re going for our annual fly-in with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, so we’ll be …

florida beef council

Florida Beef Council Shares Beef’s Value at Dieticians Symposium

The Florida Beef Council shared the value of beef with dieticians at a recent event. We caught up with Jamie Lee McIntyre Registered Dietician Nutritionist who presented on behalf of the Florida Beef Council at the event to learn more. McIntyre said, “We spoke at the Florida Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics annual symposium to about 200 to 250 dietitians in …

Georgia Beef Board

Georgia Beef Board Highlighting May as Georgia’s Beef Month

The Georgia Beef Board is gearing up for next month as May is Georgia’s Beef Month. We caught up with Wyatt Doolittle with the Georgia Beef Board to learn more. Doolittle said, “ It’s a great time to celebrate the hardworking farm families who raise high quality beef across our state. From the mountains of North Georgia to the farms and ranches …

vietnam

Insights From the Recent Agricultural Trade Mission to Vietnam

The Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke Lindberg recently led a group of farmers to Vietnam on an agricultural trade mission and we spoke with Under Secretary Lindberg to get his insights on those discussions. Under Secretary Lindberg said, “The Vietnam one to me was a great story of opportunity. So the U.S.-Vietnam economic relationship is one that’s …