March 12, 2026

Cash dairy prices were steady-to-higher Thursday at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.    Dry whey was up $0.01 at $0.65. No sales were recorded.  Forty-pound cheese blocks were up $0.0025 at $1.5125.  Ten sales were recorded, ranging from $1.50 to $1.5125.  Cheese barrels were unchanged at $1.5125.  No sales were recorded.  Butter was unchanged at $1.8525.  No sales were recorded.  Nonfat dry milk was up $0.0425 at $1.7650. Two sales were recorded at $1.75 and $1.76.  The post Cash dairy prices steady-to-higher Thursday appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

A crop insurance specialist says farmers are facing another year of tight margins and selecting the right risk management tool is crucial. Tony Jesina, senior vice president insurance and consumer lending,with Farm Credit Services of America says farmers need to start with knowing their actual cost of production. “Input costs have stayed sticky,” he says.  […] The post Farmers face tight margins in 2026, making the right crop‑insurance strategy more important than ever appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

A crop insurance specialist says farmers are facing another year of tight margins and selecting the right risk management tool is crucial. Tony Jesina, senior vice president insurance and consumer lending,with Farm Credit Services of America says farmers need to start with knowing their actual cost of production. “Input costs have stayed sticky,” he says.  […] The post Farmers face tight margins in 2024, making the right crop‑insurance strategy more important than ever appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

Beef export sales soared to a marketing year high during the week ending March 5th.  The USDA says the leading beef buyers were the key global markets of South Korea and Japan. Pork sales fell to a marketing year low, with a number of the usual customers purchasing below average amounts. Soybeans, wheat, sorghum, and […] The post Beef export sales notch marketing year high as pork falls below average appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

A member of the U.S. House Ag Committee says continued lack of action on year-round E15 is disappointing. “It would be done by now.” Illinois Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski says Congress missed opportunities to pass the legislation with appropriation measures late last year, and now the Rual Domestic Energy Council has missed deadlines. “We don’t need […] The post Budzinski disappointed in lack of E15 progress appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

A first-generation dairy farm family has been recognized as Compeer Financial’s Groundbreaker Award recipient. Dylan and Bryanna Handel farm near Barnaveld, along with their five young children.  Bryanna tells Brownfield her family leverages niche markets to make their 60-cow operation profitable. “Getting people to the farm really helps them just learn about agriculture and want […] The post Handel family wins Groundbreaker award appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

An eastern Iowa farmer says fertilizer prices have been climbing for years, with the latest spike adding even more pressure on producers. “We’ve had a problem with fertilizer prices for quite some time now and it hasn’t been dealt with,” Benton County farmer Lance Lillibridge said. Lillibridge, who raises corn and red angus cattle near […] The post Iowa farmer calls for transparency in fertilizer pricing appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

U.S. agriculture needs the certainty of a full five-year farm bill. Ohio Farm Bureau’s senior director of state and national policy Brad Bales says some farm programs have been operating under extensions since 2018 and it’s time for a change. “There are some forestry aspects, conservation, research, and interstate commerce,” he says. “We really need […] The post Farm bill uncertainty continues to frustrate OFBF and farmers appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

Ohio Farm Bureau members are concerned growing energy demand could impact rural communities. Richland County, Ohio farmer Dale Hulit says additional demand is adding pressure to the farmland market. “It can inflate land values and if anything comes up for sale, those large tech companies will be trying to buy,” he says. Last week, President Trump […] The post OFBF voicing concerns about data center development and rising energy needs appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story