Latest News From Sara Schafer

Farm Journal Field Days is a combination of virtual and live programming to take place  Aug. 25–27. The more than 100 informational sessions align with key interests and needs of the crop and livestock sectors. 

The annual Acreage report in June tends to have a few surprises. This year’s edition definitely delivered.

The next mark-moving round of USDA reports will be here on Tuesday, June 30. USDA will release its annual Acreage and quarterly Grain Stocks reports on Tuesday, June 30 at 11 a.m. CDT.

Between 2001 and 2016, 11 million acres of farmland and ranchland were converted to urban and highly developed land use or low-density residential land use.

“It’s friendly because it wasn’t more bearish,” says Alan Brugler, president of Brugler Marketing & Management. 

On Thursday, June 11, USDA will release its monthly Crop Production and World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates. What surprises could the data hold?

Short videos can showcase your work environment and attract top talent when included in job postings.

Every team has one. That employee who is not contributing his or her fair share. As the boss, you must coach this employee to be an all-star — or show them the door.

A new tracking tool developed at the University of Missouri provides a continuously updated 14-day snapshot of new cases of COVID-19 in every county in the nation.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis has broken all the rules. What the world is facing is something economist David McWilliams likes to call a “pandession.”

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause economic pain and pessimism in rural America. The Rural Mainstreet Index sits at 12.5 for May 2020.

You can find both good news and bad news in the latest report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

The list of stressors in farming is broad and deep. How can you stay positive in the face of so many challenges? David Kohl shares some time-tested advice.

Prices are significantly below breakeven levels for most farmers. But, you could actually be sitting in a better financial position than you think.

Well, it wasn’t as bad as it could have been. The May 12, 2020, World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) reports show increased supplies and some increasing demand.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is causing market volatility across the globe. How will that trickle down to the farmland markets?

How will the COVID-19 pandemic transform agriculture? David Kohl, professor emeritus of agricultural finance at Virginia Tech University, has a few ideas.

The list of stressors in farming is broad and deep. How can you stay positive in the face of so many challenges? David Kohl shares some time-tested advice.

In rural America, lenders expect it to push their local areas into a recession, according to the Rural Mainstreet Index.

The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer hit 96 in the April survey. 

Here are just a few of the ways COVID-19 is recasting the supply chain.

The future will definitely look different from the past. In the long run, what opportunities could farmers harvest?

You have an opportunity to come back better and stronger than ever.

To inspire your team, find the time to acknowledge their work, contributions and achievements. This is especially true during a crisis.

Ask any leader at Belstra Milling what their No. 1 asset is and the answer will be the same: our employees.

Commodity prices have dipped down to levels that haven’t been seen in more than a decade.

A 360-degree assessment can amplify your success as a CEO.

After five years of declines, the value of an average acre of Nebraska farmland rose 3% versus a year ago.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is covering the globe and creating market volatility. How will that trickle down to the farmland markets?

Take steps to balance physical and mental wellness, which is vital to staying healthy and less accident-prone.

Let’s face it, trying to forecast the future just became much, much harder. Yet, taking the long view at agriculture can provide some guidance.

Analyze why employees leave your farm. Many times, their departures fall into these nine categories.

Use this 30-day checklist as a framework for onboarding success.

Farmers connect, learn and share ideas in Chicago at the 2020 Top Producer Summit.

Indigo Agriculture's David Perry talks industry disruption, leadership and innovation.

Be an employer of choice in a transitional labor market

For Kristjan Hebert, farming is an ongoing puzzle of challenges and solutions.

Whether she’s meeting with potential buyers in China, weighing a new crop option or sitting at a table surrounded by her family council, Becky Meeuwsen Berger knows tough times don’t define you – they propel you.

Sam Ross plants much more than corn, soybeans and cotton. His goal is to sow, grow and cultivate an operation that supports his team, family and community.

A behind-the-desk perspective on farm finances.

Create a simple, viable and active strategy for your farm.

You can still register and join us in Chicago!

Goal setting can pay dividends in employee engagement.

Tired of losing good employees? Adopt these best practices.

Connect with women across agriculture who are making a difference at the 2020 Executive Women in Agriculture conference.

Here’s how to start, continue and succeed in your farm’s transition plan.

Both of these speakers will provide attendees valuable insights and fresh perspectives on adapting to changing environments and achieving success by learning how to lead through change.

Here are just a few of the forces pushing and pulling the U.S. farmland market.

Understand the risks and rewards around the future of food and farming

For 2019, Iowa’s average farmland is valued at $7,432 per acre. That’s an increase of $168, or 2.3%, from 2018 farmland values, according to the 2019 Iowa State University Land Value Survey.