I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. No surprise, the U.S. economy was primarily agriculturally based in the early 19th century. Westward expansion, including the Louisiana Purchase and the American victory in the War of 1812, plus the building of canals, the introduction of steamboats, opened new areas of opportunities for agriculture. Still, most farming was designed to …
Disaster Tax Relief Bill Passes in U.S. Senate
The U.S. Senate has passed the Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act (H.R. 5863). The legislation, in addition to providing much needed relief to victims of hurricanes, also provides tax relief for cattle producers who received payments due to wildfires. Previously, these payments counted as taxable income, meaning producers who already suffered from disasters were hurt again by having their relief …
Corporate Transparency Act Halted by Texas Court
This week, a Texas court halted the implementation of the Corporate Transparency Act’s (CTA) beneficial ownership reporting requirements that included America’s farmers, ranchers, and agribusinesses. Mark Oppold has more details. According to the National Association of Farm Broadcasters, the preliminary relief will remain in effect until the conclusion of legal proceedings, at which point the court may enter a permanent injunction. In …
Tyson, Cargill Announce Layoffs
A company letter released this week by the state of Minnesota says Cargill will permanently terminate almost 500 employees in the state, which is home to the company’s corporate headquarters. The terminations will begin on February 5. Cargill recently announced it would cut approximately five percent of its overall staff after revenue took a hit in its most recent fiscal …
USDA Provides Additional Flexibilities to Respond to 2024 Hurricanes
Expedites Emergency Conservation and Disaster Recovery Payments for Producers in Nine States Impacted by Hurricanes in 2016 to 2023 (USDA-FSA/WASHINGTON/Dec. 5, 2024) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it is taking steps to streamline and provide flexibilities for environmental compliance requirements for 2024 hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton allowing the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to expedite approval of payments …
Tariffs and Trade: Examining Potential Impacts on Agriculture
As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office, questions are rising about the potential impact his administration may have on agriculture, especially in the areas of trade and tariffs. Roland Fumasi, head of RaboResearch Food and Agribusiness North America, shared insights into these possible challenges and opportunities during a recent interview. “The most tangible and likely thing right now is …
Economic News Reflects Depressed Prices in Rural America
Looking back over the past year, recent economic news is reflecting depressed prices across rural America. Mark Oppold has more details. Sponsored ContentWhat Sets Provysol® Fungicide ApartJuly 8, 2025CIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2025Nuseed Carinata Covers New GroundOctober 1, 2024
Grain Traders, Wall Street Watching Various Factors
There are various factors that can affect both the grain trade and Wall Street over the next couple of weeks. Mark Oppold looks at those. Sponsored ContentWhat Sets Provysol® Fungicide ApartJuly 8, 2025CIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2025Nuseed Carinata Covers New GroundOctober 1, 2024
Economists Forecast a Drop in Land Prices
Lower returns to rented land and higher interest rates began signaling the potential for falling farmland prices in 2023. Farmdoc from the University of Illinois says those signals are continuing, with the current fundamentals suggesting land value reductions of approximately three percent in 2025. A three percent drop would be in line with observed adjustments since the 1980s as well …
Farmer Sentiment after Elections Reaches Highest Levels since May 2021
Farmer sentiment jumped again in November as the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer climbed 30 points to 145. Both the Current Conditions and Future Expectations indices increased in November, with the biggest improvement taking place in future expectations. According to the new report, the Future Expectations Index increased 37 points to 161, while the Current Conditions Index rose to 113, 18 points above October’s reading. November’s sentiment improvement pushed …