Legislation introduced Tuesday in the U.S. House would prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from retroactively reducing ethanol blending requirements. Ethanol groups are praising the Defend the Blend Act, which would prohibit the EPA from reducing the minimum applicable volume of biofuels into transportation fuel once renewable volume obligations are finalized for any given year. The…… read more
A dairy checkoff group says holiday demand for butter is strong this year. Suzanne Fanning with Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin tells Brownfield sales have not fallen since the start of the pandemic. “Still, they’re definitely up from 2019. We’re seeing like slightly lower than in 2020, just right at the boom of the pandemic, but…… read more
Wisconsin’s ag secretary says applications for the state’s third round of farm support payments continue to come in. Randy Romanski tells Brownfield the need for assistance following the pandemic is still there. “We have so far seen over 15,000 farmers apply for the Farm Support Program, so that’s a strong start to the program. It’s…… read more
Wisconsin’s harvest is mostly complete after another week of favorable weather for fieldwork. USDA reporters say 92% of corn for grain is now harvested and only some scattered soybean fields remain unharvested. Fall tillage is now 83% finished, and manure application is continuing across the state. Topsoil and subsoil moisture levels are right around 71%…… read more
Wisconsin’s farmers had good weather for fieldwork before the weather changed and brought snow to parts of the state Saturday night. USDA reporters say just under five days were suitable for fieldwork last week with temperatures from two to eight degrees above normal for this time of year. Fall tillage is now 73% finished, which…… read more
The chief appraiser for Compeer Financial does not expect farmland values to weaken next year. Mike Morris says that’s because commodity prices should remain high. “We’ll see at least a stabilization, if not an increase in values.” He tells Brownfield there’s still a lot of momentum despite more farmland coming on the market. “And with…… read more
The Biden administration’s mandatory COVID vaccination order for all companies with more than 100 employees is getting both acceptance and pushback in the agriculture sector. John Umhoefer with the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association tells Brownfield he expects few if any problems within his membership. He says, “Right now, I’m sure our members are looking at…… read more
A veterinarian says the basics for calf care haven’t changed. Dr. Scott Earnest from Lodi Veterinary Care in Wisconsin says, “The fundamentals of calf care haven’t changed. It’s colostrum. It’s calories. It’s cleanliness. It’ consistency.” Earnest talked with farmers about managing calves and ways to execute those fundamentals during a recent Professional Dairy Producers calf…… read more
The USDA has made a month to month cut in its soybean production estimate, while raising the outlook for corn slightly. As of November 1st, this year’s U.S. soybean crop is seen at 4.425 billion bushels, 1% less than October following a cut in yield to 51.2 bushels per acre, but 7% more than 2020.…… read more
Ag Secretary Vilsack and Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow announced eighteen new conservation innovation projects through USDA to support climate-smart agriculture and soil health. The announcement happened during the recent climate meetings in Scotland. Vilsack says one of those projects involves a study of dairy cattle. “We’re announcing twenty-five million dollars that’s going to fund eighteen…… read more
