Brownfield Ag News

Broiler placements stay ahead of 2025 pace

John Perkins — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 20:00:35 +0000

The 2026 broiler hatchery pace continues to run ahead of 2025, implying a year-to-year rise in chicken production. The USDA says 256.232 million broiler-type eggs were set into incubation, rising 1.994 million on the week and 2% on the year, with average hatchability holding at 79.2%. Placements of broiler-type chicks into incubation were 198.74 million […]

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Beef-on-dairy breeding continues to limit dairy replacement heifer supply

Nicole Heslip — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 19:54:20 +0000

A livestock economist says a shift is underway in how farmers are balancing replacement heifers with breeding more beef-on-dairy animals. Abbi Groves with CoBank tells Brownfield nearly 800,000 fewer heifers are expected to enter the milking herd through next year before the herd rebuilds. “By 285,000 head more heifers year over year, and then for […]

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Kansas agronomist warns of rising corn disease pressure

Kellan Heavican — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 19:52:45 +0000

An agronomist says excessive rainfall, humidity and hail damage are setting state for another year for heavy disease pressure in the U.S. corn crop. Teal Mills covers eastern Kansas with Hogemeyer Hybrids tells Brownfield proactive scouting could be a game changer. “Are we having a lot of rotten growth points or not? Checking your corn […]

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USMEF: Protecting Mexico market a priority during USMCA review

Kellan Heavican — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 19:42:10 +0000

The U.S. Meat Export Federation says the Trump administration’s announcement not to extend the USMCA didn’t come as a surprise. But, Joe Schuele, senior vice president of communications, says there’s an opportunity to expand market access in Canada but any disruption with Mexico is problematic. “We’re moving a lot of product there now as center […]

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May soybean crush, corn for ethanol use both up on year

John Perkins — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 19:38:38 +0000

The domestic soybean crush continues to hang around some lofty levels. The USDA says 213 million bushels of beans were used for meal and oil production in May, down 5 million on the month, but up 9 million on the year, with producers trying to respond to demand while maintaining margins. That faster-than-last-year production has […]

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Heat stress could impact cattle gains as summer temperatures rise

Erin Anderson — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 19:24:06 +0000

A beef cattle specialist at Ohio State University Extension says high temperatures this summer could create challenges for cattle producers. Garth Ruff says heavier cattle are more vulnerable to heat stress. “This could be our heavy feedlot cattle or cattle that have high energy diets,” he says. “For our younger calves, I think the concern […]

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Heat and rain are impacting some cattle buying decisions

Meghan Grebner — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 18:51:39 +0000

The owner of one of the largest sale barns in the country says the heat has had an impact on some cattle sales. Jackie Moore is with Joplin Regional Stockyards in Missouri. “Those slick-haired yearlings, slick-haired calves, all those cattle that got no hair on them, they bring a premium because they get along good with them,” he […]

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Scouting for disease pressure

Meghan Grebner — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 18:46:20 +0000

A central Ohio farmer says he’s monitoring his corn and soybean crops for any sign of disease pressure. Allen Ett of Ashville says, “We don’t just fungicide every acre of corn, every acre of beans, we don’t do that.” When it comes to corn, he says he waits until pollination. “We’ll start sticking our heads in the fields about every three or four days and kind of […]

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USDA launches new $500 million program to expand U.S. fertilizer production

Erin Anderson — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 18:40:53 +0000

The USDA is investing $500 million to increase domestic fertilizer production. “We want fertilizer plants built in America,” she says. Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins says the Fertilizer Investment and Expansion for Long-Term Domestic Supply (FIELDS) Program will help finance new and expand existing U.S. fertilizer facilities. “It will prioritize project readiness,” she says. “It will […]

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Seed treatments critical piece of crop protection

Jared White — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 18:22:02 +0000

A technical field representative with BASF says advancements in seed treatments are bringing farmers additional ways to protect their investment into their crops. Nick Tinsley says the company’s newest offering, Bamquist, is a prime example, offering protection from both diseases and insects. “This is a complete pre-mixed fungicide and insecticide product.” He says, “It is […]

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Purdue agronomist says heat wave is raising concerns for corn ahead of pollination

Erin Anderson — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 18:16:57 +0000

Purdue University Extension’s corn agronomist says this week’s extreme heat wave could impact the 2026 corn crop. Dan Quinn says the high temperatures are accelerating plant growth. “It’s really helped get some of that stressed crop, where we’ve had a lot of water, up and moving,” he says. “A lot of the fields that were looking pretty rough, […]

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High input costs change the risk management playbook

Kellan Heavican — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 18:02:51 +0000

An ag economist says some typical risk management strategies may not be as effective in the current volatile price environment. Brad Lubben with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln says forward pricing can be effective for commodities, but not necessarily for fuel, seed and fertilizer. “In some cases, there is still’s still some availability and some questions […]

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Ethanol production up on week, with support from margins

John Perkins — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 17:41:05 +0000

U.S. ethanol production rose to a multi-month high last week, propelled by margins and demand expectations. The U.S. Energy Information Administration says production averaged 1.117 million barrels per day, the highest since mid-April, and up 27,000 on the week and 41,000 on the year. The Iowa State University Center for Agricultural and Rural Development says […]

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USDA boosts survey numbers, but farmer response rates still lag

Carah Hart — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 17:34:11 +0000

The USDA sent out more farmer surveys for the June acreage report, but Seth Meyer with MU’s Food and Ag Policy Research Institute says the response still wasn’t great. “They compensate on pure response numbers by asking more people. That’s what they’re doing. A 39 percent response rate is still well below what they would […]

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Cash dairy prices remain mostly unchanged Wednesday

Erin Anderson — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 17:19:41 +0000

Cash dairy prices were mostly unchanged Wednesday at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Dry whey was unchanged at $0.68. No sales were reported. Forty-pound cheese blocks were unchanged at $1.43. Twenty-one sales were recorded ranging from $1.4100 to $1.45. Cheese barrels were unchanged at $1.4750. No sales were reported. Butter was down $0.0175 to $1.68. Twenty-two sales were recorded ranging from $1.66 to $1.68. Nonfat dry milk was down $0.0950 to $1.5350. Nineteen sales were recorded, ranging from $1.5350 to $1.60.

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Midday cash livestock markets

Meghan Grebner — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 17:05:00 +0000

Direct cash cattle trade activity remains relatively quiet. A few bids have surfaced at $252 live in Nebraska, but the rest of cattle country has been quiet. Asking prices remain elusive. Packer inquiry is expected to improve as the day progresses. Boxed beef was lower at midday with light demand for moderate offerings. Choice is […]

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Corn growers push back on Bayer petition for glyphosate duties

Brent Barnett — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 16:33:06 +0000

The president of the National Corn Growers Association says Bayer’s move to seek duties on Chinese glyphosate is frustrating for farmers. Jed Bower tells Brownfield, “What they are wanting to do is have the government put a tariff on the generic products coming in from China, which in turn obviously will drastically increase the price […]

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Overnight leaf wetness creates ideal conditions for gray leaf spot

Mark Dorenkamp — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 16:26:08 +0000

An agronomist is sounding the alarm as environmental conditions favor a foliar disease in corn. Ron Geis with Corteva Agriscience says gray leaf spot thrives in warm, humid, and wet weather. “The inoculum is here, it overwinters. So it’s already in the fields. It just needs that 11, 12 hours of leaf wetness before it […]

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Mexican tomato tariffs stay in place following ITC review

Nicole Heslip — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 16:00:31 +0000

The U.S. International Trade Commission has unanimously decided to uphold anti-dumping tariffs on Mexican tomatoes. Florida Tomato Exchange manager Robert Guenther tells Brownfield, “Grower after grower across the country, not just in Florida, that grows tomatoes, have been strapped because of low prices that they know are coming in below cost of production, which is […]

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USDA’s Feedstock Rule mostly positive for corn farmers

Jared White — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 15:08:58 +0000

The president of the Illinois Corn Growers Association (ICGA) says the USDA’s recently released Regenerative Feedstock Rule is generally good news for farmers. Mark Bunselmeyer, who farms in Macon County, says it’s a clear framework that offers producers a path to benefitting from the 45Z tax credits. “There is field level scoring that doesn’t just […]

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