May 7, 2025

Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig says water quality continues to be a major focus in the state. He tells Brownfield the state has been restoring some abandoned coal mine properties. “We’re working with landowners and restoring them to more useful productive ground like hay ground or pasture ground. They can really be beautiful sites and […] The post Water quality efforts continue in Iowa appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

An agronomist with Bayer says accurate weather forecasts are vital for modern agriculture. Lance Tarochione, who covers west central Illinois, says farmers rely on weather data, especially during planting season. “Farmers are more obsessed with weather than weather men are I think.”  He says, “We can’t help but look at it because so many of […] The post Accurate forecasts vital for farmers appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

There were minimal changes to broiler sets and placements over the past week. The USDA says 249.275 million broiler-type chicks were set into incubation, down 225,000 on the week, but up slightly on the year, with average hatchability improving just a little to 79%. Placements of broiler-type chicks into meat production were 192.428 million head, […] The post 2025 broiler placements stay ahead of 2024 appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

Photo by Brownfield’s Erin Anderson. A lack of policy for sustainable aviation fuel has created some industry challenges.  David Cobb with Clean Fuels Alliance America says SAF production is taking shape.  “It’s underway, but it’s very small,” he says. “Once we get policies right, and I think we will eventually, that will help to get […] The post Policy uncertainty creating some SAF challenges appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

U.S. ethanol production trickled lower last week. The U.S. Energy Information Administration says the average daily output of 1.02 million barrels a day was down 20,000 on the week, but up 55,000 on the year. Iowa State University’s Center for Agricultural and Rural Development says the estimated operating margin for the average Iowa plant did […] The post Ethanol production, supply down on week, up on year appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

 A rancher in the Nebraska Sandhills says recent moisture has brought significant relief to drought conditions. “It was just about the perfect rain. I couldn’t have asked for a better rain.” Jaclyn Wilson of Lakeside tells Brownfield the half inch to inch rain Tuesday night was desperately needed. “It was one of those slow moving, […] The post “Million dollar” rain brings some relief to ranchers in Nebraska appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

An east central Nebraska farmer says it’s been an unusually quick planting season. Chris Clausen of Schuyler tells Brownfield it’s been warm and dry. “Corn is probably 80 to 85 percent finished in our area, and soybeans are in the 50 percent range. We just haven’t gotten any moisture in the last 5 weeks.” He […] The post Nebraska farmer eyeing the finish line for planting appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

The deputy director of the Illinois Stewardship Alliance says a proposal gaining momentum in the state legislature would expand on-farm processing exemptions for poultry producers. Liz Rupel tells Brownfield it would increase the state’s exemption from 5,000 chickens per year. “We are asking for it to increase to 7,500 to process those chickens on farm […] The post On-farm poultry processing bill advancing in Illinois appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story