The governor’s call to raise state taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products and impose a new 15% sales tax on vaping products and consumable hemp products has narrowly failed in a Senate Committee. Republican Senator Kara Warme of Ames, chair of the Health and Human Services Committee, started the discussion by echoing the governor’s […] View Full Story
Governor Reynolds and her fellow Republicans in the House and Senate have agreed to raise general state support of public schools by $160 per student, which amounts to a 2% hike. “The state is now going to allocate…almost $4 billion in funding to our public schools,” said Representative Dan Gehlbach, a Republican from Urbandale. “…Factor […] View Full Story
At the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, live cattle were mixed and feeders were down waiting on the week’s direct business and Friday’s On Feed report from the USDA. April live cattle closed $.90 higher at $243.42 and June live cattle closed $.45 higher at $238.87. March feeder cattle closed $.30 lower at $370.27 and April feeder […] The post Live cattle mixed, feeders lower ahead of On Feed numbers from the USDA appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story
Soybeans were higher on short covering and technical buying, along with the gains in soybean and crude oils. Overnight rainfall in Argentina was generally better than expected, with more in the forecast for some areas. There’s some talk that recent rain in Argentina has stabilized conditions. The trade’s also watching harvest activity in Brazil. The […] The post Wheat, soybeans see gains after USDA Ag Outlook Forum numbers appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story
A livestock economist says he anticipates another volatile year in the cattle markets. Derrell Peel with Oklahoma State University says the futures market will likely overreact when the U.S. resumes importing live cattle from Mexico. “The futures market will react negatively, at least for a couple of days,” he says. “But then I think we’re going to figure out that it’s a […] The post Ag economist expects cattle markets to face another year of volatility appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story
The Minnesota Senate Agriculture, Broadband, and Rural Development Committee held its first hearing of the 2026 Legislative Session this week. Chair Aric Putnam, a Democrat from St. Cloud, said farm bankruptcies are on the rise. “It’s hard to be a farmer anyway, given how you are subject to risks and vicissitudes beyond your control. But […] The post “Incredibly difficult time”: Minnesota lawmakers address growing farm struggles appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story
Mar. corn $4.25 and 3/4, down 1 and 1/4 centsMar. soybeans $11.41, up 7 and 1/2 centsMar. soybean meal $304.80, up 90 centsMar. soybean oil 59.68, up 109 pointsMar. Chicago wheat $5.59 and 1/2, up 12 and 1/2 centsApr. live cattle $243.42, up 90 centsMar. feeder cattle $370.27, down 30 centsApr. lean hogs $93.45, up […] The post Closing Grain and Livestock Futures: February 19, 2026 appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story
The executive vice president of the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association says several producers are picking up the pieces after a devastating wildfire this week. Michael Kelsey says the Ranger Road fire has destroyed nearly 285,000 acres in the Oklahoma panhandle and southwest Kansas. “There are some big ranches up there and they’re still going to find […] The post Nearly 300,000 acres burned in Central Plains appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story
U.S. red meat production dropped to start the year. The USDA says commercial red meat production in January 2026 was 4.58 billion pounds, 4% less than January 2025. That included 2.45 billion pounds of pork and 2.119 billion pounds of beef. That decline was due to lower cattle and hog slaughter levels for all types, […] The post Weather, ready cattle and hog numbers both impact January red meat production appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story
The USDA has raised prices for corn, soybeans, and wheat at its Ag Outlook Forum, partly because of acreage shifts. Chief economist Justin Benavidez reduced total planted acreage estimates by about 1.5 million acres for 2026. “The big story here, the swap between corn and bean acres, leaving us with about 94 million acres of […] The post USDA raises corn, soybean, wheat prices at Ag Outlook, expects acreage shifts appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story
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