April 20, 2026

A pair of agronomists say farmers need to utilize patience when evaluating newly emerged corn and soybean crops for potential freeze damage. Lance Tarochione, who covers western Illinois with Dekalb / Asgrow, says many areas of the Corn Belt dipped below freezing early Monday morning. “Soybeans are generally freeze tolerant down to about 28 degrees.”  […] The post Frosty temperatures threaten emerging crops appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

An ag engineering expert says artificial intelligence is becoming a key tool for farm management. Scott Shearer is the Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering chair at Ohio State University. “The current climate in terms of agriculture is not necessarily conducive to significant investments, but I think there are producers finding it as a […] The post AI and drone technology boost precision, while lowering crop costs appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

U.S. egg production moved higher in March. The USDA says 9.224 billion eggs were produced during the month, up 5% on the year, with a 5% rise in the number of laying hens to 375.877 million head canceling out a slight decline in average production to 2,454 eggs per 100 layers. That year-over-year jump comes […] The post March egg production up on the year, placements mixed appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

A Wisconsin cranberry grower is addressing the farm labor shortage by using the fruit to teach about farming. Heidi Slinkman manages the Gaynor Cranberry Company west of Wisconsin Rapids.  She also co-founded Cranberry Learning, Inc., to educate students about cranberries and cranberry career pathways.  She tells Brownfield, “We recognize that there’s plenty of talent and […] The post Cranberry grower uses fruit to recruit appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

Soybean planting has started in Missouri, according to University of Missouri Extension specialist Andre Reis. Missouri farmers are closely watching conditions as the 2026 planting season gets underway. Learn more from Missouri Soybeans at mosoy.org. The post Soybean Planting Update: How the Season Is Shaping Up appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

Even amid recent geopolitical volatility, interest rates in agriculture remain relatively stable compared to a year ago. Drew Cox, vice president of commercial crop lending with FCS Financial in Higginsville, says while uncertainty has picked up in recent weeks, the broader trend shows more consistency. “We have obviously experienced some volatility with some of the […] The post FCS Financial Field Notes: Interest Rates Hold Steady appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

The agronomy education lead with Beck’s Hybrids says effective weed management can help control soybean cyst nematode. Matt Montgomery says more than 100 different types of weeds can host the pest. “Managing weeds matters, because it can help trim down some of the pressures from soybean cyst nematode,” he says. “Watch out and test those egg […] The post Beck’s agronomist says weed control is critical to managing SCN appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

Grain and oilseed export inspections were solid during the week ending April 16th. The USDA says corn inspections were below a year ago, but still above what’s needed to meet projections thanks to the ongoing strong global demand. Soybeans and sorghum were both larger than last year, as previous purchases by China left U.S. ports. […] The post Export inspections mostly larger than last year appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story