Latest News From Midwest (U.S.)

New Purdue Report Says The Number Of Dust Explosions Is Unchanged
New Purdue Report Says The Number Of Dust Explosions Is Unchanged

There was a total of nine reported incidents in the U.S. last year – the same number as 2022. Those nine explosions led to 12 injuries with no fatalities.

Farmland Values Are Holding Up, But There Are Hints of a Reset At a New Level
Farmland Values Are Holding Up, But There Are Hints of a Reset At a New Level

While resilient farmland prices were the theme in 2023 and farmers were in the driver's seat in most sales, Jim Rothermich with Iowa Appraisal has recently noticed a couple changes in the market.

Farmland Values Remain Strong, Expected To Stabilize In 2024
Farmland Values Remain Strong, Expected To Stabilize In 2024

In their January 2024 land values report, Farmers National Company shared that the sharp increase in farmland values has slowed, and values are holding strong.

Ceres Solutions and Co-Alliance Merge to Form Keystone Cooperative
Ceres Solutions and Co-Alliance Merge to Form Keystone Cooperative

The merger will be effective March 1, 2024.

Three Midwestern Farm Credit Associations Announce Collaboration
Three Midwestern Farm Credit Associations Announce Collaboration

Combined, the organizations have a reach of over 85,000 producers in eight states.

Alliance Ag & Grain Launches Apprenticeship Program Through Kansas Farm Bureau
Alliance Ag & Grain Launches Apprenticeship Program Through Kansas Farm Bureau

KFB will assist Alliance Ag and the Kansas Office of Registered Apprenticeship in the administration of this program – which will provide training and technical instruction to those hired. 

2024 Land Value Influencers in Your Region
2024 Land Value Influencers in Your Region

Peoples Company has released its fourth annual land values report with data broken into geographical regions across the U.S.

Ceres Solutions and Co-Alliance to Vote on Merger
Ceres Solutions and Co-Alliance to Vote on Merger

If approved during the member vote, the companies hope to complete the merger in early 2024.

FS Agronomists Collect Corn Yield Data in Midwest
FS Agronomists Collect Corn Yield Data in Midwest

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

Missouri Farmer Discovers Startling Reality of Drought: Entire Cornfields Never Pollinated This Year
Missouri Farmer Discovers Startling Reality of Drought: Entire Cornfields Never Pollinated This Year

Drought is creating a dreary outlook for Missouri farmers, but it wasn’t until mid-July that some realized just how bad it was. Farmers in pockets of severe drought now say they have widespread pollination problems.

What Would a Neutral Weather Pattern Mean for Harvest?
What Would a Neutral Weather Pattern Mean for Harvest?

UNL says heavy rains across the nation this week may have eased the drought conditions in the short-term, but they won’t be enough for the long run.

Did Frost Bite Your Corn Or Soybeans? Use These Tips to Assess Damage
Did Frost Bite Your Corn Or Soybeans? Use These Tips to Assess Damage

Pay attention to the low-lying areas, sandier soils and no-till fields and scout soybeans to evaluate stands and determine final plant population, advises Missy Bauer, Farm Journal Field Agronomist.

Top Producer of the Year Winner: ‘Without Values Our Business is Like a Ship at Sea Without a Rudder’
Top Producer of the Year Winner: ‘Without Values Our Business is Like a Ship at Sea Without a Rudder’

Congratulations to Todd, Louise and the Malecha family for being named the 2022 Top Producer of the Year. Pay a virtual visit to their dairy farm in Villard, Minn., to learn how they stay focused on goals and values.

Some Farmers Cut Silage the Earliest Since 2012
Some Farmers Cut Silage the Earliest Since 2012

Some areas received a shot of rain early in the week too. However, it’s been so dry in some places that farmers are cutting silage the earliest they have since the drought of 2012.

ProFarmer's Inputs Monitor is watching the fertilizer supply issues, and says the pent-up demand could continue to be an issue through June.
Fertilizer Availability Issues Could Linger Through Summer

Fertilizer availability issues are creating a frenzy this spring. While various fertilizers are seeing limited availability, anhydrous ammonia is in the shortest supply, and supply issues for all fertilizer could linger through summer.

How did the soybean become such a common crop in the U.S.?
How did the soybean become such a common crop in the U.S.?

Farmers in the U.S. grew more soybeans in 2017 than ever before, according to USDA data. Nearly 89.5 million acres were planted this year, an increase of more than 25 million acres over the last decade.