Category Archives: Ag News

Agronomist says farmers remain cautious about crop spending

Agronomist says farmers remain cautious about crop spending

An agronomist says farmers are being careful about their crop investments. Travis Hofslien from Alcivia Cooperative tells Brownfield with margins tight and commodity prices low, farmers are relying on soil testing to make sure they’re not wasting money on fertility inputs. “There are definitely years to build up your fertility and there are years to,…read more

Hay harvested area expected to decline

Hay harvested area expected to decline

The USDA is projecting lower hay harvested area in 2024. That’s due to a decline in planted area caused by the ongoing drier than normal conditions in several states. The harvested area estimate for all types of hay is 51.562 million acres, 2% less than 2023, but still considerably more than 2022. Hay supply and…read more

USDA: corn acres down, soybeans up in 2024

USDA: corn acres down, soybeans up in 2024

The USDA expects farmers to plant fewer acres of corn and more acres of soybeans in 2024. Corn planted area is projected at 90.036 million acres, at the low end of pre-report guesses and 5% less than 2023, with acreage steady to lower in 38 of the 48 states used in the estimation. That includes…read more

Seed salesmen see no major rotation changes ahead of planting

Seed salesmen see no major rotation changes ahead of planting

Seed salesmen say there are no big shifts in planting plans.  With commodity prices low and margins tight, some seed salesmen tell Brownfield most farmers are sticking to their rotation plans.  Ben Puestow manages sales in Wisconsin for Beck’s Hybrids. He says, “When we really look at the seed purchase for this spring, we’re not…read more

Electrical safety is important on the farm

Electrical safety is important on the farm

A utility farm electrical consultant says when remodeling, building new, or just using what is there, farmers should keep electrical safety top-of-mind.  Corey Kutchka with utility provider Wisconsin Public Service tells Brownfield when any changes are made to a farm building, most states consider that a commercial building and they must be wired according to…read more

Weather stalls Wisconsin fieldwork

Weather stalls Wisconsin fieldwork

A late month snow storm and rain put a halt to early fieldwork in Wisconsin. The USDA says prior to that shift in weather, warm, dry weather allowed farmers to get in the fields, tilling and applying manure ahead of planting, with wheat and alfalfa starting to green in southern parts of the state and…read more

WPS Farm Show begins

WPS Farm Show begins

The 62nd WPS Farm Show gets underway Tuesday.  Matt Cullen from Wisconsin Public Service tells Brownfield the show began in 1961 with a handful of exhibitors showing farmers how to make farms more efficient using electricity. “Things like vacuum pumps and silo unloaders and milk coolers and now, we’ve gotten to the point in 2024…read more

Wisconsin Corn official resigns

Wisconsin Corn official resigns

The Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board’s Executive Director resigned Friday. In a statement, Board President Ryan Ripp says, “The Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board would like to thank Nicole Wagner for her years of service to the corn growers in Wisconsin.  Wisconsin Corn made great strides in her time with the organization.” Ripp says the board is…read more

Evansville Mayor comments on CHS crush plant project

Evansville Mayor comments on CHS crush plant project

An elected official says there has been progress towards building Wisconsin’s first soybean crushing facility. Evansville Mayor Dianne Duggan tells Brownfield the officials from CHS will soon come to Evansville to close the real estate deal, giving CHS ownership of the land, which has already been annexed to the city.  Duggan says several other steps…read more

Farmland values remain strong despite financial headwinds

Farmland values remain strong despite financial headwinds

Midwestern farmland values remain strong despite a weakening ag economy. Compeer Financial director of appraisal Adam Schmidt says a dramatic increase in interest rates should put downward pressure on the land market. “Land is more expensive to finance, that investor category has other attractive alternative investments to earn a higher return. So it starts asking…read more