February 24, 2025

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins says the USDA will unveil the department’s plans to address highly pathogenic avian influenza this week. She tells Brownfield it will be a multi-pronged approach. “It looks to include more biosecurity and greater aid to our farmers,” she says.  “We’re also looking at ways that we could perhaps even prevent […] The post Ag Secretary says USDA’s strategy to control avian influenza is expected this week appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

The assistant director of energy with the Illinois Farm Bureau says questions surrounding the 45Z tax credit are hampering the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry. Noelle Neef says much of the uncertainty involves the future of the Inflation Reduction Act, which created the credits. “That is something that President Trump has said might be repealed.”  […] The post 45Z questions weighing on sustainable aviation fuel industry appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

Cash dairy prices were mostly lower again Monday on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.  Dry whey was down $0.01 at $0.5350.  Two sales were recorded at $0.5350 and $0.54.  Forty-pound cheese blocks were down $0.02 at $1.88. Three sales were recorded at that price.  Cheese barrels were unchanged at $1.80.  Five sales were recorded, ranging from $1.7975 […] The post Cash dairy prices down again Monday appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

Poultry diseases are running rampant across several Midwest states. Minnesota Department of Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen says producers in his state are dealing with highly pathogenic avian influenza, H5N1, and avian Metapneumovirus. “Which has kind of been a tough go of it for our turkey growers. (Metapneumovirus) doesn’t necessarily kill the whole flock, but it […] The post Minnesota emergency response to poultry disease outbreaks appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

The USDA says corn export inspections as of the week ending February 20th remain well ahead of what’s needed to meet projections for the current marketing year. The 2024/25 marketing year got underway June 1st for wheat and September 1st for corn, sorghum, and soybeans. The USDA’s next round of supply and demand estimates is […] The post Export inspections below a year ago appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

A market analyst expects more than a quarter of Brazil’s second crop corn to be planted outside its optimal window. Michael Cordonnier with Soybean and Corn Advisor tells Brownfield 25 to 30 percent of Safrinha corn is going to be planted after the end of February. “And right now it’s still raining of course, and […] The post More than 1/4 of Brazil second-crop corn to miss “optimal planting window” appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

An ag banker says the ag economy is making the lending environment more challenging for producers. Jeff Rodibaugh with Indiana-based First Farmers Bank and Trust says it’s largely dependent on grain marketing decisions made in 2024. “Those that would have experienced the significant downturn in commodity prices with the 2023 crop are really the ones that […] The post The future of ag lending in 2025 appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

The CEO of the Kansas Cattlemen’s Association says he doesn’t expect recent layoffs within USDA’s National Bio and Agro Defense Facility (NBAF) to disrupt day-to-day operations. Matthew Steele tells Brownfield not much has been released publicly about the layoffs. “My understanding was there were some folks that were working with high path that they reassigned. […] The post Kansas Cattlemen CEO not too concerned about USDA layoffs at NBAF appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story