Newsroom

Up to Four Regional Runners-Up and People’s Choice Pup Also Will be Recognized

July 1, 2020 | News Releases

Farmers are invited to submit nominations for the 2021 Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year contest, with support from Purina.
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July 2, 2020 | Newsline

Both chambers of Congress have voted to extend the application period for the federal Paycheck Protection Program.
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One-Third of CFAP Payments Now Out The Door

More Than $11 Billion Remaining in CFAP Support

July 2, 2020 |

USDA data reveals that as of the end of June nearly one-third, or $4.85 billion, of the $16 billion in CFAP assistance has been paid to livestock, dairy, crop and specialty crop producers. Of that total, $2.4 billion, more than 50%, has been paid to livestock (cattle, hog and lamb producers), $1.3 billion, or 26%, has been paid to non-specialty crop producers, $1 billion, or 22%, has been paid to dairy producers and $113 million, or 2%, has been paid to specialty crop producers.

Farming is a Calling

July 1, 2020 |

Who will fill my shoes?

Farming for All

July 1, 2020 |

We can expect Fourth of July gatherings to look a bit different this weekend than in recent years.

June Acreage Report Shows Sharp Decrease in Corn Planted Area from March Intentions

June 30, 2020 |

Following USDA’s March Prospective Plantings report, USDA’s June 30 Acreage report updated acreage expectations for the upcoming crop year. For the 2020/21 crop year, USDA now estimates corn planted area at 92 million acres, 3%, or 2.3 million acres, above prior-year levels. The revision is 5 million acres lower from March intended planting projections of 97 million acres, which was expected to lead to a record amount of corn production. Pre-report estimates had been calling for a reduction of 1.8 million acres, to 95.2 million acres of corn. Iowa leads the way in corn acres planted with 14 million acres, an increase of 4% compared to 2019. Illinois follows with 10.9 million acres of corn planted, up 4% from 2019, and Nebraska planted 9.8 million acres, down 3% from 2019. With 3.4 million acres, Ohio is expected to have the largest increase, 29%, in corn planted in 2020 compared to 2019. South Dakota follows with an increase of 24% in corn planting for 2020 compared to 2019 and Washington increases 18% in 2020 compared to 2019 corn planting. Figures 1 and 2 highlight USDA’s corn acres planted and the year-over-year change from 2019.

June 30, 2020 | Newsline

It’s been a long road to get here, but the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement takes effect on July 1st. Chad Smith has more.
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Negative PPDs to Offset Milk Price Rally

De-Pooling of Milk Also Likely

June 30, 2020 |

Recent price volatility related to COVID-19, though not a new phenomenon, and a modification to milk pricing rules in the 2018 farm bill are now likely to result in negative or very low returns from FMMO revenue sharing pools, i.e., negative producer price differentials. These negative PPDs are expected to offset recent price increases in the dairy farmers milk check to the effect of $5 to $7 per hundredweight. Subsequently, these negative PPDs are likely to lead to large volumes of manufacturing milk being de-pooled from FMMO revenue sharing pools. Today’s article reviews negative PPDs and the current economic conditions that have resulted in low or negative producer price differentials and the de-pooling of milk.

June 30, 2020 | News Releases

The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) goes into effect tomorrow, at a crucial time for farmers and ranchers struggling to recover from COVID-19 losses and a depressed agricultural economy. The expected $2 billion annual increase in U.S. agricultural exports and overall increase of $65 billion in gross domestic product will provide a welcome boost.
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The State: of the Tale of the Tape

June 26, 2020 |

In this article, the three authors of The State – Cody Lyon, Randy Dwyer and Michael Sistak – discuss a variety of factors that are likely to shape the outcome of the 2020 election.