At the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, live and feeder cattle were higher, ahead of widespread direct business.  December live cattle closed $2.22 higher at $244.75 and February live cattle closed $1.80 higher at $247.20.  November feeder cattle closed $.82 higher at $376.72 and January feeder cattle closed $1.77 higher at $373.72. ...

A group representing farmers, processors, and other businesses is pushing for reforms to allow reliable and highly skilled workers to stay on the job in the U.S. James O’Neil is the Director of Legislative Affairs and Agriculture for the American Business Immigration Coalition.  He says the Secure America’s Workforce campaign...

A southeast Iowa livestock producer says economic conditions have been favorable for his turkey operation. Tim Meyer says this follows what he calls a volatile 2024. “Turkeys are relatively healthy right now and that market seems to be better than it was six months to a year ago,” he said....

A central Wisconsin farmer is pleased with the 2025 crops.  T.J. Draeger operates a dairy farm near Marathon City, Wisconsin.  Brownfield caught up with Draeger while he was chopping snaplage or earlage. “I’m in some really nice corn. A little dry. It got away on us a little bit but...

The 2025 harvest season is winding down for northwest Iowa farmer Kelly Nieuwenhuis. “Well, it’s been fast,” he said. “Bean harvest went quickly. We’ve been done with them for about a week. We’re probably not quite half done on corn.” He tells Brownfield the quality of the crop has been...

Dec. corn $4.10 and 3/4, down 2 and 1/4 centsNov. soybeans $10.07 and 3/4, up 1 centDec. soybean meal $274.10, down 90 centsDec. soybean oil 50.60, up 63 pointsDec. Chicago wheat $4.96 and 3/4, down 1 and 3/4 centsDec. live cattle $244.75, up $2.22Nov. feeder cattle $376.72, up 82 centsDec....

The CEO of R-CALF USA says strong antitrust enforcement is needed from President Trump to help restore competition in the livestock markets. Bill Bullard says the organization recently joined a letter to the president regarding the issue, which was signed by hundreds of independent businesses across 43 states and nearly...

Soybeans were modestly higher on short covering and technical buying. Beans continue to wait for end-of-the-month tariff talks between the U.S. and China. The renewed optimism followed social media activity by President Trump over the weekend that dampened some of the concerns following an earlier social media post by the...

Two Illinois farmers say the end of their 2025 harvest is in sight. Christian County farmer Ken Franklin says he’s two-thirds complete. “We got our beans done.”  He says, “Happy to be back in corn. Yields are average, maybe a tick above or below, depending on where you’re at in...

Soybean harvest is wrapping up in some parts of Michigan. Shiawassee County farmer Mark Senk tells Brownfield he started harvesting the last week of September. “We had good weather for nine straight days, and we were able to finish up our soybean harvest,” he shares. “We got our wheat planted,...

The CEO of an ethanol plant in southern Minnesota is pleased with the corn being delivered during harvest. Brian Kletscher with Highwater Ethanol in Lamberton says moisture ranges from 13 to 18 percent. “Most of the corn has been between 14 and 15 and-a-half (percent), so really good quality corn...

The market manager for the Missouri Department of Agriculture says he continues to see strength in the bred cow market. Tony Hancock says tight supplies and strong demand are a factor. “The market there, if guys want to take them home, they have to bid more than the kill cow...

An extension soybean agronomist with Purdue University says low moistures weren’t the only harvest challenge for soybean growers this year. Shaun Casteel says green stems have also plagued many farmers. “We’ve had a lot of dry conditions across the Midwest and the latter part during seed fill, and so a...

A northwest Indiana farmer says this year’s crop has exceeded her expectations.  Denise Scarborough tells Brownfield, “Given how dry we’ve been this year, we did not have very high expectations for our crops.” But, she says, “After completing soybean harvest, we expect to have above average yield results overall, which...

A market advisor says nonfat dry milk prices continue to reflect reductions on the Global Dairy Trade auction. Katie Burgess with Ever.ag tells Brownfield, “When we look at global milk powder prices, they’re very highly correlated, so what happens at the GDT auction in milk powders in New Zealand definitely...