Latest News From U.S. Farm Report

Rural areas are slowly gaining access to decent broadband speeds, and small towns are adding fiber-optic lines. However, the decline of the population in areas with fewer than 10,000 people is not improving much.

On October 8th, 2019, local farmer Jerry Schwarzrock was entrapped in his grain bin. His sons found him, and immediately called 911. That one call then sparked a new calling for the local fire department.

In early 2022, a possible trucker shortage grabbed headlines, but John Phipps says even today, there isn't much hard data to substantiate that alarm.

John Phipps says there are signs that water is the new oil as water rights turn into water fights across the western U.S. He thinks it's a battle that could only heat up in the coming years.

John Phipps says the rapid reduction in farmer numbers is a result of government efforts to raise money, since the government owns the land, and achieve modest economies of scale for added productivity.

CRISPR results are identical to results of conventional breeding, and it's nearly impossible to differentiate from conventional vs CRISPR. The breeding tool is also having an impact on the apprehension of GMOs.

High winds and dust proved to be a deadly combination last week on I-55 in Illinois. Proponents of no-till and cover crops say this tragedy could have been averted. John Phipps provides his perspective.

The causal link between the Federal Reserve discount rate and inflation is obvious to all serious armchair economists, but calls for an impending recession in the U.S. are missing a few details. John Phipps explains.

In April 2017, Ray Starling, Special Assistant to the President for Ag, Trade and Food Assistance during the Trump administration, received some important news. What happened next helped change the course of history.

For a developed country as large as the US, we are almost unique in our lack of robust rail capabilities. John Phipps answers a viewer's question about the possibility of updating the rail system to move grain faster.

What is the true cost of manufacturing green energies? John Phipps says in order to answer the question, it's important to first clear up confusion about what green even means.

Art Johnson’s farm has been in the family for nearly a century. What was once a tobacco farm in Kernersville, NC, is now a thriving agritourism business that attracts up to 1,000 people each day during the spring.

Farmers are starting to ask what artificial intelligence bots like ChatGPT can do for them. John Phipps went straight to the source, asking ChatGPT what it can do for farmers.

Russia badly needs to replace expended and outdated Soviet arms while China needs Russian energy. That is compelling math. This is bad news not just for the heroic people of Ukraine, but Europe and the US.

Morocco is sitting on 75-85% of proven global phosphate reserves, but projections of phosphate depletion span from 50 to 300 years. John Phipps explains why the concerns about peak phosphate production may be overblown.

For Ukrainians, the introduction of Starlink has been essential. As Russian barrages destroy cell towers and blow up landlines, satellite internet connection is not just an option, but it's now a lifeline.

Rural America, and farmers especially are skeptical to put it mildly about electric vehicles and tractors. John Phipps says this attitude is reasonable, but also myopic, and explains why in John's World.

More people are noticing the multi-year drought in the West, but is it spreading? John Phipps combs through the data and maps to answer a viewer's question on U.S. Farm Report.

Do tariffs fuel inflation? John Phipps's Customer Support segment explains why economists have struggled to come up with estimates of economic effects due to lingering COVID influence on world business.

Do tariffs fuel inflation? John Phipps's Customer Support segment explains why economists have struggled to come up with estimates of economic effects due to lingering COVID influence on world business.

How are small independent businesses like grain elevators, welding shops, independent seed dealers and other local businesses going to find labor at wages they can pay? John Phipps answers the looming labor question.

John Phipps says he was aware that the West and especially the southern Plains had high average wind speeds, he didn't realize the Midwest was also a good place to site wind turbines, especially the newer, larger ones.

Infuriating price increases are the topic of the day, and but like the 80’s, rising inflation is driven largely by energy and the price of oil. It's now less about the supply of oil, and more about refining capacity.

What advantages or disadvantages are there to leasing farm equipment? John Phipps walks through the many pertinent factors to making this decision, including current red-hot used equipment values and interest rates.

One of the biggest ag supply chain stories this spring has been pesticides. While my experience is these situations are usually overblown early, the situation could alter the way farmers do business in the years ahead.

The Right to Repair movement in agriculture is a popular cause with farmers, for various good and questionable reasons. As multiple states create Right to Repair rules, it looks like we may be watching the wrong battle.

John Deere has captured the spotlight with pictures and descriptions of an autonomous tractor. Just like six years ago, Case debuted a concept model of an autonomous tractor, leaving farmers intrigued.

From the Great Resignation to factors that fueled costs for farmers, John Phipps looks back and outlines some of the key lessons learned in 2021.

One result of the pandemic was a spike in savings rates. In the U.S. last April, Americans collectively saved a record 30% of their income. John Phipps looks at China's savings rate and what it's meant for exports.

John Phipps says not including younger generations in a moment to reflect on those who have who gone before and especially who risked much on our behalf, the custom of formal remembrance will slip away.

Take a ride down an elevator 650 feet below the surface of Hutchinson, Kansas and you’ll find endless miles of tunnels that lead to active salt mines dating back over a century. 

Summer-like temperatures could taper off in some growing areas this week. Cindi Clawson has your week-long forecast.