July 8, 2026

A member of the Agricultural Nutrient Policy Council (ANPC) says the latest U.S. EPA update on the hypoxia zone in the Gulf of Mexico is a mixed bag.   Adam Herges, sustainability agronomist advisor with The Mosaic Company, says efforts to reduce nitrogen levels in the Mississippi River are working. “Nitrogen is 28% below the […] The post Latest EPA update on Gulf hypoxia zone shows mixed results appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

Cash dairy prices were mostly unchanged Wednesday at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.     Dry whey was unchanged at $0.6725. No sales were reported.  Forty-pound cheese blocks were down $0.0050 to $1.5050. No sales were recorded.  Cheese barrels were unchanged at $1.52. No sales were reported.  Butter was also unchanged at $1.65. Thirty sales were reported ranging from $1.62 to $1.65.  Nonfat dry milk was up $0.0250 to $1.50. Eight sales were recorded, ranging from $1.48 to $1.50.  The post Cash dairy prices mostly unchanged Wednesday at CME appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

Weather has been the primary driver as corn and soybean prices climbed to start the week. U.S. Commodities president Don Roose says continued wetness is raising concerns in the Eastern Corn Belt. “That area down into Missouri and south, a lot of these roots are very shallow and you really can’t have a lot of […] The post China demand, weather risks boost grain market optimism appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

An ag economist says the strength in the cull cow market is one of the factors contributing to the slow expansion of the cattle herd.   Kenny Burdine with the University of Kentucky says producers have to carefully evaluate their options. “How likely am I to hang on to that cow who was kind of a borderline decision as she’s approaching the end of her productive […] The post Cattle producers face tough decisions as cull cow values remain historically strong appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

The director of the Illinois Farm Service Agency is reminding producers to get their acreage reports submitted. William Graff says July 15th is the deadline to file the report that maintains farmer eligibility for federal safety nets, disaster relief, and crop insurance programs. “The easiest way to do this is to call ahead of time […] The post FSA acreage reporting deadline approaching appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

An ag economist says now is the time for farmers to evaluate the best leasing agreement for their operation. Michael Langemeier, director of Purdue’s Center for Commercial Agriculture, says each arrangement comes with their own set of risks. “If you’re looking for stability of net returns, the fixed cash rent is the route to go,” he says. […] The post Fixed cash rent vs. flexible leases: Purdue economist explains key differences appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

New analysis by the National Corn Growers Association finds U.S. farmers are paying significantly more for inputs than their Brazilian counterparts. Economist Krista Swanson tells Brownfield the results bring to light the need for increased transparency from input suppliers. “What we really want to know is where are those price differences reflecting actual differences in […] The post NCGA calls for input price transparency as U.S. farmers pay more than Brazil appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

Over the Fourth of July holiday, I found myself thinking less about the fireworks and parades and more about the people who came before us. Not so much the ones who built the Constitution, but the ones who built the country. I’m talking about the “ordinary” Americans – the pioneers, homesteaders, farmers, ranchers, blacksmiths, coopers, railroad […] The post Cheers to the people who built America! appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

May was a solid month for U.S. ethanol exports. The Renewable Fuels Association says ethanol exports of 189.7 million gallons were up 11% from April, reflecting the generally good global demand. That included a six-month high in exports to Canada, strong shipments to the European Union, and the largest monthly volume of U.S. ethanol to […] The post Ethanol, DDGS exports rise during May appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

Across the Corn Belt, showers and thunderstorms extend southwestward from the upper Great Lakes region. Until recently, parts of the upper Midwest had been trending dry; currently, most Corn Belt summer crops have adequate to locally surplus soil moisture—and are experiencing favorable temperatures—as they move into and through reproduction. On the Plains, a weak frontal […] The post Hot weather on the Plains, seasonal temps across the Corn Belt; showers, t-storms return to the northwest appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story