congress

Farmers Face Uncertainty as 2018 Farm Bill Extension Expires Without Replacement

Dan Agri-Business, American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), Economy, Farm Bill, Funding, Legislative

With the expiration of the extension of the 2018 Farm Bill, U.S. farmers and ranchers could already be feeling the impact. Key programs supporting agriculture have been disrupted, and uncertainty looms over the industry. Sam Kieffer, vice president of public policy for the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), highlighted some of the immediate consequences. “Most impacts won’t be felt until …

shorter trading week

Tracking Agricultural Commodities

Dan Cattle, Commodities, Economy, Marketing, Pork, Specialty Crops

In his continuing effort to track agricultural commodities, Mark Oppold looks at where some of them stand as we start the last quarter of 2024. Sponsored ContentFCEB Recurring Funding Provides Opportunity for Longer Term Research ProjectsOctober 10, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Advances Forage ResearchOctober 3, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Acts As Catalyst For Timely ResearchSeptember 26, 2025

decline

Farmer Sentiment Reaches Lowest Point Since 2016

Dan Economy

The September Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer reached its lowest readings since March 2016. Declining income expectations pushed farmer sentiment down as the barometer fell to 88, and the Index of Future Expectations dropped 14 points to 94. The Index of Current Conditions also fell seven points to 76, nearly matching levels seen in April 2020, during the height …

dock worker

Dock Worker Strikes Threaten U.S. Meat Exports

Dan Economy, Exports/Imports, General, Labor and Immigration, Trade, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF)

Dock worker strikes across the East and Gulf Coasts threaten to disrupt the U.S. meat and livestock industries significantly, according to Erin Borror, Vice President for Economic Analysis at the U.S. Meat Export Federation. The affected ports are critical, having facilitated nearly $3 billion in red meat exports during the first seven months of the year, averaging about $100 million …

hurricane helene

Hurricane Helene Causes Significant Agricultural Damage

Dan Agri-Business, Economy, General, Hurricane, Weather

Hurricane Helene, which made landfall on the eastern coast late last week, has left a trail of destruction across several agricultural regions. Farmers in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia reported extensive crop losses, particularly in corn, soybean, and cotton fields, as heavy winds and torrential rains battered the area. Several poultry operations faced significant losses as well. Cotton crops …

usda

Hurricane Helene Making Headlines in Many States

Dan Economy, Field Crops, Hurricane

Hurricane Helene has made headlines in many states. As Mark Oppold reports, the storm affected various crops. Sponsored ContentFCEB Recurring Funding Provides Opportunity for Longer Term Research ProjectsOctober 10, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Advances Forage ResearchOctober 3, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Acts As Catalyst For Timely ResearchSeptember 26, 2025

Debt Consolidation

USDA Launches Online Debt Consolidation Tool

Dan Economy, USDA

Last month, the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) launched a new Debt Consolidation Tool that allows U.S. agricultural producers to enter their farm operating debt and evaluate the potential savings that might come from debt consolidation. That consolidation could come from either a local lender or the Farm Service Agency.  “Providing producers with options to structure their debt in a manner …

hurricane debby

FDACS Announces Approval of First Loan for Hurricane Debby Impacted Florida Farmers

Dan Agri-Business, Economy, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS)

First loan approval comes just 15 days after Hurricane Debby made landfall in Florida (FDACS/TALLAHASSEE, FL/Sept. 27, 2024) — Today, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson announced the approval of the first Hurricane Debby recovery loan through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ (FDACS) Agriculture and Aquaculture Producers Natural Disaster Recovery Loan Program. Commissioner Simpson announced the launch of the …

Hurricane Helene

Georgia Cotton Commission: Hurricane Helene Devastates Georgia Farms

Dan Cotton, Economy, Georgia Cotton Commission (GCC), Weather

Friday afternoon, Georgia Cotton Commission (GCC) Executive Director, Taylor R. Sills, issued this statement concerning Hurricane Helene’s impact on the cotton crop in the state:  In the early hours September 27th, Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc on south, southeast, east and parts of central Georgia and made an exceptionally damaging impact on farms. Affected producers are reporting yield losses ranging from 35% to …

grain trade

Grain Trade Waiting on Quarterly Report

Dan Commodities, Corn, Economy, Field Crops, Soybeans

The grain trade is waiting on a quarterly report. Mark Oppold notes it is due to come out Monday morning. Sponsored ContentFCEB Recurring Funding Provides Opportunity for Longer Term Research ProjectsOctober 10, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Advances Forage ResearchOctober 3, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Acts As Catalyst For Timely ResearchSeptember 26, 2025