The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer declined 6 points to a reading of 119 in January. The Index of Current Conditions fell 13 points to a reading of 133, while the Index of Future Expectations changed little in January, down 2 points to a reading of 112. Rising farm input costs and...

Great strides have been made to encourage consumers to include pork as a part of a heart-healthy diet. There is good reason for that encouragement. According to the National Pork Board’s website, pork.org, besides being darn tasty, pork is also nutritious. Naturally low in sodium and a good source...

Rural communities and electric cooperatives could begin to aggressively close the energy transition gap over the next decade, pivoting from their role as underdogs to leaders on clean energy. Despite an absence of financial incentives, electric co-ops are already transitioning to low or zero-carbon...

Although China purchased a record amount of U.S. farm exports over the past two years, it wasn’t enough to comply with the “phase one” agreement that de-escalated the Sino-U.S. trade war, according to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “We obviously have some unfinished business with reference to...

After milk prices showed some promise early in 2021, falling milk prices and higher production costs led to fewer milk cows and milk production later in the year. Like just about all of the economy, the rippling effects of the pandemic led to more uncertainty and volatility in milk markets. This...

Americans are moving to rural areas in ever-increasing numbers, reflecting their increased desire to seek out more space, embrace entrepreneurial opportunities, and take advantage of a lower cost of living. 

U.S. beef export value reached another new high in November, topping $1 billion for the second time in 2021, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). For that month, beef exports totaled 123,641 metric tons (mt), up 7% from a year ago and the...

A deeper river will allow both larger ships to be utilized and current ships being used to be loaded with more revenue-producing freight. Average vessel loads will increase from 2.4 million bushels of soybeans (66,000 metric tons) to 2.9 million bushels (78,000 metric tons) – a 21% increase or...

Count cherries as another U.S. commodity that will benefit from recent talks with India. The two countries have agreed to new phytosanitary protocols that will greatly expand U.S. access to the Indian market, according to a report from USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).

There was a time when the notion of getting married in a barn seemed like a crazy idea, but now barns and farms are the second-most popular wedding venue, according to a poll by wedding planning website The Knot.

The strong agricultural economy, fueled by high commodity prices, has reduced farmers’ reliance on farm lenders, despite concerns about rising input costs, according to a Federal Reserve survey of ag bankers. “Higher costs are likely to put upward pressure on demand for credit, but strong farm...

David Muth of Alternative Equity Advisors recently spoke at the 2022 Land Investment Expo about the asset classes in farmland investments and the farm market. He points to inflation, population, and digitization as key indications of growing land value.

When it comes to technological breakthroughs and innovation, farming equipment giant John Deere might not be the first name that comes to mind. But at the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Deere made one of the splashiest announcements of the event: unveiling the first fully autonomous tractor...

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) applauded the U.S. and Indian government’s announcement to allow imports of U.S. pork and pork products into India, the world’s second-most populous nation. 

A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been confirmed in a wild American wigeon in Colleton County, South Carolina, USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced late last week.