Disaster Aid- Farm Bill; USDA Reports; Climate Issues; Biofuels; and Food Safety
09/01/10

John Lyon reported earlier this week at the Arkansas News Online that, "A recent spate of editorials in the national press knocking U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln's efforts to secure $1.5 billion in disaster aid for farmers [Washington Post, New York Times, Wall Street Journal] shows how the East Coast media misunderstands the importance of agriculture, Lincoln said today."

Crop Conditions Holding Steady
09/01/10

With a quiet end to the meteorological summer USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey says the condition of the corn and soybean crops hasn't changed much in the last week. But he says the crops are definitely progressing.

Market Outlook
09/01/10

Relatively few cash sales have been made on 2010 corn as advisers and farmers alike were not happy with prices early in the marketing window.

Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Statement on Strength of Rural Economy and Growth of Farm Exports
09/01/10

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today released the following statement in response to two USDA reports that show the strength of the overall rural economy and growth in agricultural exports:

"Today's reports are encouraging news. They show that while American agriculture has struggled through difficult economic times, the 2008 Farm Bill, the efforts of the Obama Administration - such as the Recovery Act - and the hard work and resilience of America's farmers and ranchers have helped put American agriculture on the road to recovery."

Survey Finds Acreage Increases for 2011 Crops
08/31/10

An early survey of farmers' planting intentions for 2011 indicates increased plantings of corn, soybeans and wheat for next year.

Farmland, Cash Rents Bump Up
08/31/10

Despite a 35% drop in farm income in 2009, U.S. farmland values rose slightly based on the potential for increased profits this year, according to USDA's annual Land Values and Cash Rents summary released this past month.

Farmers Anxious About USDA's New Policies
08/26/10

Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack knows that Farm Belt protocol requires paying respect to the Butter Cow. During a visit to the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 17, he made the pilgrimage to the 600-pound bovine sculpture carved from pure creamery butter. Now that he is Agriculture Secretary, however, Vilsack wants to take a chunk out of another far more sacred cow: the $15.4 billion in federal farm subsidies.