News Archives
Two Weather Systems Spreading Rain and Snow Through US
We are about to go through another weather pattern change as the run of extreme and widespread warmth will take a backseat.
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Farmer Sentiment Drifts Lower As Trade Uncertainty Hangs Over Agriculture
Farmer sentiment weakened slightly in December as the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer Index dropped just 3 points in December to a reading of 136.
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Ag, Biofuel Groups Continue Call for Year-Round Sales of Lower-Cost E15
In a letter sent today to congressional leadership, a coalition of more than 70 biofuel and agricultural organizations called for the immediate passage of legislation to allow year-round nationwide sales of the American-made E15 fuel blend, containing 15 percent ethanol.

2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans urge ‘eat real food’ approach
The USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services have rolled out the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Market expert predicts calmer fertilizer prices in 2026
A market specialist anticipates a less volatile year for fertilizer prices in 2026.

Specialty Crops Need Economic Aid
For specialty crop farmers, 2025 has offered little relief from mounting financial pressures. Markets that once delivered stable margins are now marked by volatility, while production expenses continue to rise faster than prices.

La Nina Brings a Dry Start to 2026 in Southern Plains Wheat Areas
One of the defining characteristics of a La Nina cool-water phase in the Pacific Ocean is its influence on dry conditions in the winter wheat areas of the U.S. Southern Plains. And as January 2026 gets underway, most hard red winter wheat areas are starting the new year on a very dry note after a parched month of December 2025.
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The People Behind the Machines: Precision Agriculture and Farm Service Technician Demand
To assess the potential skilled labor shortage related to new technologies in production agriculture, this article examines precision agriculture adoption across US states and how the use of these technologies correlates with employment and wages for farm service technicians.

Venezuela developments could reshape global nitrogen fertilizer markets long term, analyst says
The vice president of fertilizer with Stone X Group says recent events in Venezuela could have a long-term impact on the nitrogen market.

Cattle Prices Launch Higher Into 2026
After a truly unprecedented year in 2025 where live cattle, feeder cattle and boxed beef prices all ran to prices unfathomable at the year's start, 2026 is also off to an aggressive rally as the market's bullish sentiment for the year ahead is undeniable.
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USDA Announces Dr. Justin Benavidez as Chief Economist
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today congratulated Dr. Seth Meyer for his years of service to our country and announced Dr. Justin Benavidez as the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Chief Economist.

Farmer Bridge Assistance Program Payment Rates
The USDA recently announced payment rates for row crops eligible for the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program. Acres planted to corn ($44.36 per planted acre), soybeans ($30.88), wheat ($39.35), and 16 other eligible commodities should expect to receive FBA payments by the end of February.

Warm, Quiet Start to New Year
1. Marketing in the new year: We're watching for any momentum in the grains markets ahead of the Jan. 12 World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report release.
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Labor Standards
This article examines labor hours per acre and labor efficiency for crop farms using FINBIN data from 2007 to 2024.

Waterhemp resistance to Group 15 herbicides may be more common than expected
A weed science professor at the University of Illinois says the extent of waterhemp resistance to Group 15 residual herbicides is likely more common than previously thought.

Agri-Pulse Newsmakers: Jan. 2, 2026: Newsmakers 2025 year in review
It's been a big year for farm policy. President Donald Trump was inaugurated in January and quickly followed through on many of his campaign promises: an aggressive trade agenda, renewed focus on food inflation, and the use of a Republican-controlled House and Senate to enact a sweeping budget reconciliation bill that included major agriculture spending.

Rancher Creates Skin Care Products From Beef Tallow
A passion for the beef industry and health care led Katie Biggins to add a new enterprise using a beef byproduct -- tallow -- to her family's already-growing ranch-to-retail beef business.

Northernmost New World screwworm detection reported less than 200 miles from U.S. border
New World screwworm has been confirmed 197 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border. This is the first reported case in Tamauliapas, and the northernmost active detection to date.

Utah State Researchers Introduce Healthier Alternative to Antibiotics in Livestock Production
Humans and farm animals share a common affliction: Inflammation.

USDA announces commodity payment rates for Farmer Bridge Assistance Program
The USDA has announced the per-acre payment rates for the $12 billion Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program.

Secretary Rollins Announces New Priorities for Research and Development in 2026
(Washington, D.C., December 30, 2025) – Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins, signed a Secretary’s Memorandum (PDF, 909 KB) that puts forth a focused effort to establish new priorities for future research and development activities funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to strengthen national security, protect U.S. agriculture, and support American farmers and consumers.

RMI survey: Farmland prices highest in 20 months
The latest Rural Mainstreet Index says farm and ranchland prices have reached their highest level since April 2024.

Erratic Weather Keeps Brazil Coffee Growers Cautious Ahead of 2026
2025 was a roller-coaster year in Brazil coffee production. USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) estimates that this year's Brazil coffee production will total 63 million 60-kilogram bags, according to the latest semi-annual report from the FAS (dated Dec. 2, 2025).

GROWMARK plans new biological crop input facility to meet rising demand in agriculture
The senior vice president of strategy and logistics with GROWMARK says the cooperative’s planned state-of-the-art biological crop input manufacturing facility is aimed at meeting the demands of one of the fastest-growing sectors in the industry.

7 Fertilizers See Lower Prices, Including DAP Down 6% From Month Ago
Retail fertilizer prices continue to be mostly lower, according to prices tracked by DTN for the fourth week of December 2025.

Strengthened crop insurance coverage eases outlook for 2026
A crop insurance expert says growers can head into the 2026 season with increased confidence in federal coverage.

Oklahoma State Extension raises alarm regarding New World Screwworm threat
The last recorded outbreak of the New World screwworm (NWS) -- a parasitic fly that once devastated livestock, pets and wildlife -- in Oklahoma occurred in 1976.

Analyst: modest tweaks expected in USDA’s next supply/demand report
A market analyst says she’s expecting the USDA to make little tweaks to the U.S. supply and demand picture in the January report.


