Latest News From Retail Industry

While ag economists continue to be at odds when it comes to the likelihood of a recession in the U.S., some doubt the country's biggest importers will be able to avoid a recession over the next 18 months.

Iowa farmers, get out your toenail clippers! Anna Proctor, a University of Iowa Ph.D. student, is collecting samples for a study she will conduct later this year using Iowa farmers’ toenails to assess chemical exposure.

Its first harvester was for strawberries, and last year it launched the apple harvester for use in Washington.

Nearly a quarter of corn and soybeans have been harvested for 2023.

Dave Swain draws on his experience from application equipment, ag retail and technology roles with his consulting business: Vision Technology Management.

After the government twice flooded a farmer’s home and 900 acres, killed his cattle, and insisted he foot the bill, the Supreme Court will hear the case.

Researchers from UNL, Iowa State University and the China Agricultural University have done what seemed impossible a decade ago: they finished sequencing the entire corn genome, a major breakthrough for yield.

With the government funding in place for now, work on a new farm bill can continue, with the same questions (timing, funding, Title 1 reform, etc.) still being unanswered. 

We are closely monitoring the phosphate complex as the U.S. Department of Commerce could finalize a new 53% countervailing duty (CVD) on phosphate fertilizers from Russia by October 31, 2023.

A calibrated monitor usually does a good job of telling you where yield is changing in a field within a hybrid, but it may not tell you exactly how one hybrid is yielding against another.

September is National Suicide Prevention Month. According to the CDC, between 2000 and 2020 suicide rates climbed 46% in rural areas. By comparison, the rate in metro areas climbed 27.3%. 

Brad Oelmann, president of Farrell Growth Group, shares how farmer-customers fall into three segments based on what they need from their ag retailers.

Allied Cooperative (Adams, WI) and ProVision Partners Cooperative (Marshfield, WI) announced the upcoming merger of their cooperatives in March 2023.  

Indiana-based agricultural cooperative, Superior Ag announced Richard Lloyd is President and CEO. This follows Barry Day’s retirement on September 1.

“This is the largest ag tech deal ever,” says Eric Hansotia, chairman, president and chief executive officer at AGCO.

If Congress doesn't pass stopgap funding, crop production and progress reports will probably stall. That won't bode well for markets. "Usually it means that we've got some selling pressure ahead,” says one analyst.

As labor shortages persist and extreme weather drives up property insurance costs, Ken Zuckerberg encourages agribusinesses to start asking the hard questions today.

Fall is a great time for farmers to plant cover crops to improve soil health.

Fractal pairs farmers wanting to expand their operations with hands-off investors who recognize the value of farmland.

Lack of genetic diversity in crops may lead to an outcome worse than COVID-19.

In total, $1.4 billion will go toward 70 projects in 35 states.

Here are examples of how Star of The West has built connections and expanded opportunities for farmers. 

A pair of plows crafted by the hands of John Deere, and possibly the first to break dirt west of the Mississippi, rest on an Iowa farm.

USDA's weekly crop progress report shows harvest progress slightly behind average for corn and soybeans.

There’s a new record farmland sale on the books. After a 15-min. bidding war between two area farmers, the gavel fell at $34,800 per acre, which is $4,800 more than the previous record set in November 2022 in Iowa.

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.

When the House and Senate returns on Tuesday, lawmakers will have just five days left to avoid a shutdown, which would impact several USDA services, including key reports. 

In short, the Fed’s monetary policy stance is still cognizant of the proverbial “fork in the road” which lies ahead.

Mark Faust discusses strategies business owners can use to find hidden profits and growth potential.

Surgeons have successfully transplanted a pig’s heart into a dying man – only the second patient to undergo such an experimental feat.

Specialists from Bane-Welker Equipment and Co-Alliance share adjustments to make during harvest to set up for a successful planting season.

The White City, Oregon facility will produce Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) utilized in agriculture, horticulture, turf and ornamental markets.

Now's the time to start making notes of tar spot pressure, field by field and hybrid by hybrid, says Missy Bauer, Farm Journal field agronomist.

By layering disciplines in agronomy, environmental sciences and data analysis, ag retailers are unlocking new opportunities to work with farmers.

Educating lawmakers on the value its members contribute to production agriculture is a main goal for NAICC.

Kansas faced drought again in 2023 but as the combines roll there are some farmers that are still finding some pleasant surprises.

Missouri soils unlocked a ‘golden’ antibiotic 75 years ago that’s still used in livestock today.

Nearly two years after close to 10,000 John Deere workers went on strike over a labor dispute, the company is indefinitely laying off 225 jobs from its Harvester Works location in October.

What if lawmakers and federal regulators didn't consider the voice of the ag retailer when making policy decisions that impact your bottom line?

With El Nino weather patterns, low water levels and the current hurricane season, what should be top of mind for agribusiness managers? 

As brent crude futures soar toward $100, it's creating a new battle in the Federal Reserve's effort to fight inflation. One money manager warns another rate hike is likely. 

The University of Missouri became the first college to land an electric autonomous tractor, a tool that will drive teaching and research into the future.

Members of Congress are currently in disagreement over how long it will take to get a new farm bill finished, which is why one ag economist fears it could take two years to finally see a new Farm Bill.

FMC's At-Plant product platform provides a way for growers to get the most out of every acre.

A fierce competition is unfolding in the American soybean market, with Corteva, a spin-off of DowDuPont, gaining ground against industry leader Bayer.

Todd Westerfeld says five technologies, from pocketknife to section control, are invaluable across his farm on a day-to-day basis.

The Anselmo, Nebraska facility opened in 2012. The Andersons will continue to own and operate their other locations in Nebraska.

The data collected by the FS agronomists, including estimated yield and number of locations sampled, is uploaded to the FS Agronomy Yield Analyzer.

Shutdown risk is back on the table for the U.S. Government on October 1, 2023.

Ken Ferrie expects yields to climb as Illinois farmers start harvesting more of their May-planted corn. Looking ahead, he says farmers will see some challenges from herbicide carryover in 2024.