Farm Bill 2.0

Farm Bill 2.0 Passes out of Senate Agriculture Committee

The Farm Bill 2.0 has passed out of the Senate Agriculture Committee. Senator John Boozman posted on X saying, “Farm country is hurting and needs results now. Advancing this bill out of committee is a critical step toward getting a fully updated Farm Bill signed into law. While this is clearly welcomed progress, we need more of our colleagues’ votes …

nppc

NPPC Expresses Support for Farm Bill 2.0

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) is welcoming movement on the Senate’s Farm Bill, saying the legislation brings agriculture one step closer to the certainty of a five-year Farm Bill reauthorization. Following action by the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, pork producers are now urging lawmakers to address one of the industry’s top priorities, preventing what they …

Franklin King organic farming

Franklin King: A Pioneer of Sustainable Agriculture

The Wisconsin Agricultural Scientist Who Helped Shape Organic Farming Long before organic farming became a familiar concept to American consumers and farmers, agricultural scientists were exploring ways to improve soil health and develop farming practices that worked with natural processes. One of those largely overlooked figures was Franklin King, a Wisconsin agricultural scientist whose work helped lay foundations for practices …

beef export

Beef Export Value Strong while Pork Exports below Year-Ago

U.S. beef exports delivered another strong month in July, according to data released by the USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation. Export volume held steady at just over 89,000 metric tons, while export value climbed 6% from a year ago to nearly $797 million. Strong demand from Taiwan, Mexico, Japan, the Middle East, Colombia, the Caribbean, and …

peanut crop

Updates on Peanut Crop Numbers

USDA in Washington has lowered the estimate on the peanut crop. Crop production report from Federal State Inspection Service and USDA has cut the 2026 U.S. peanut crop from 5.27 billion pounds, cut it 152,000 pounds since August because of lower yield and lower planted acres. The smaller crop points to lesser forward balance moving into next year. Overall, planted …

Grain trade

A Look at the Recent Grain Trade

The grain trade looks to have found some support levels that look to hold longer term. Looking at the grain trade today, December corn holding the 5.15 level or better into next week. November soybeans 12.75 or better. And looking at the wheat trade in Chicago, December 7.18 or better. Elsewhere, that VIX or fear index on Wall Street, back …

Joseph Dart grain elevator

Joseph Dart and the Birth of the Grain Elevator

How Buffalo Helped Transform the Grain Trade The movement of grain from farms to markets has always depended on transportation and efficient handling systems. In the early 1840s, a major innovation emerged in Buffalo, New York, that would dramatically change the way grain was moved, stored and loaded onto ships. The story of the modern grain elevator can be traced …

Corn

U.S. Supply and Demand Estimates for Corn

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has released its September supply and demand estimates, providing an updated look at the nation’s corn outlook. In this report, World Agricultural Outlook Board Chair, Mark Jekanowski discusses the latest changes in the domestic corn balance sheet. “Looking ahead to the new marketing year, reduction in yield by about 2.2 bushels per acre, and it …

Étienne de Boré

Étienne de Boré: The Pioneer Behind Louisiana’s Granulated Sugar

A Little-Known Figure in American Agriculture American agricultural history is filled with innovators whose contributions helped shape regional economies and agricultural industries. One of those lesser-known figures is Étienne de BorĂ©, remembered for his role in the early development of Louisiana’s sugar industry. Born in 1741 in a small village along the Mississippi River in what is now Illinois, de …

cover crops

Reasons You Should Consider Cover Crops

Cover crops can do more than protect soil between growing seasons. USDA Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation Richard Fordyce explains some of the ways farmers are putting cover crops to work on their operations. “A cover crop is a crop that’s planted after the cash crop is harvested. They’re species of plants that introduce plant biodiversity into the soil, …