April 24, 2026

A farm management specialist at the University of Illinois says cash rent averages did a few unexpected things in 2025. Gary Schnitkey says despite the slumping ag economy, some Corn Belt land rental rates increased. “We saw rents stay the same to increase slightly.”  He says, “For example, on excellent quality land, cash rent went […] The post Cash rent averages unexpectedly up slightly in 2025 appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

The vice president of sustainability at Farm Credit Services of America says a recent study is highlighting the economic benefits of conservation practices. Myriah Johnson says soil health practices are helping some farmers navigate tighter margins. “Yields could be boosted, which increases revenue,” she says. “Many of them also saw lower input costs. All of […] The post New study highlighting role of sustainable ag practices to boosting yields and lowering costs appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

U.S. poultry production was up sharply in March. The USDA says 4.652 billion pounds of poultry were certified wholesome last month, rising 10% on the year thanks to a faster processing pace and heavier weights. Chicken accounted for 4.21 billion pounds of total monthly production, 10% higher than last year, with turkey at 431.632 million […] The post Weights, processing pace push poultry production higher appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

A southwest Iowa farmer says securing fuel early helped him avoid recent price increases. Duane Aistrope (ay-strope) tells Brownfield, “I booked my fuel for all spring needs and half my fall needs back in January. That was one of the best moves I’ve ever done because I would hate to be buying fuel for the […] The post Securing fuel ahead of time helps Iowa farmer manage rising costs appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

U.S. Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, a member of the House Rural Domestic Energy Council, says getting E15 language in the so-called “skinny” farm bill was a critical need for farmers. “It’s an incredibly anxious time for our farmers. We know the ag economy has been troubling and getting squeezed by cost pressures from all sides.” The […] The post E15 provision a priority in “skinny” farm bill, Hinson says appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

A recent survey shows the growing use of drones is leading to more safety concerns for aerial agriculture applicators. Andrew Moore with the National Agricultural Aviation Association tells Brownfield their data shows a growing number of close encounters with airplanes and helicopters at low altitudes. “Last year, our 2025 survey indicated that 20% of our […] The post More drones, more need for airspace awareness appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

A member of the House Ag Committee says there will be plenty of work to do when lawmakers take up the skinny farm bill next week. Don Bacon, a Republican from Nebraska, tells Brownfield, “I support it…I hear there are a 1,000 amendments roughly, so we will have to work our way through that.” On […] The post Bacon: “plenty of work ahead” as House takes up farm bill appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

Nebraska is the first in the nation to pass a bill that helps safeguard the privacy of ag operations. Bruce Reicker, senior director of legislative affairs for Nebraska Farm Bureau, says the first of its kind law protects the information collected by farmers and ranchers. “Nobody can use that data or sell that data without […] The post Nebraska leads U.S. with new farm data privacy protections appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story