Tight margins, rising input costs, shifts in global trading and changing biofuels are all impacting U.S. corn growers.

The price of diesel is hitting record highs just when many U.S. farmers need it to power combines, tractors and other equipment to harvest two of the nation’s largest commodities, soybeans and corn.

Agricultural conditions across the Federal Reserve districts in the Corn Belt continued to be described as subdued due volatile commodity prices and a surge in diesel prices.

My niece, Eliza Gutierrez, is running the auger cart. My sister, Melissa Whalen Smith, is moving the header cart and drives one of the semis.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposes to reallocate 100% of the renewable fuel volume requirements recently waived via 29 small refinery exemptions.

Every cent matters when fuel bills are already stretching farm budgets, so being able to use tax-exempt diesel could make a real difference.

Jaron Black has put thousands of hours into his FFA supervised agricultural experience project for several years which has earned him national recognition.

Attendance to the Illinois and Du Quoin state fairs exceeded 1 million for the second consecutive year.

President Donald Trump issued an executive order that eases limits on the use of tax-exempt diesel fuel, and Indiana and Illinois governors made similar moves.

Farmers, truckers and economists say a move to cut taxes on diesel will provide little relief from record-high fuel prices that have soared since the United States attacked Iran months ago.

When it comes to midsize two-row SUVs, the best choices in the segment cover all of the bases.

A group of environmental organizations sued the Trump administration over its recent relaxation of key vehicle fuel economy rules, a decision that the group says will make vehicles less efficient, contribute to more pollution and increase gas consumption.

Buyers shopping for new wheels will have a lot of exciting options to choose from in the next few months.

The biggest surprise this season is how solid and consistent corn yields remain, despite experiencing extreme weather variations.

Legislation to permanently ban the sale of Chinese vehicles in the United States stalled out as senators struggled to seal an agreement, virtually guaranteeing that the bill will have to wait until after the November elections.

Higher fuel costs are compounding already tight farmer budgets.

Gov. Mike Braun extended the suspension of the collection of gas use tax and gasoline excise tax through harvest season.

State officials nationwide are focusing on rising gas and diesel prices tied to the war in Iran, offering gas tax holidays and other measures to ease costs as affordability remains a top voter concern in the critical midterm elections.

The Trump administration released new fuel economy standards that relax regulatory requirements for automakers to control pollution from gasoline-powered cars and light trucks.

From the outside looking in, the corn looks good. However, yield monitors are telling a different story.

Certified pre-owned vehicles cost more, but deliver added peace of mind through inspections by factory-trained technicians, automaker warranties and more.

The Trump administration relied on flawed logic to justify scrapping vehicle emissions standards this year, making errors in how it accounted for fuel savings, the price of technology and mileage, according to a new study by a group of economists.

During the harvest season, more slow-moving farm equipment is on the roadways. Motorists are encouraged to exercise caution and patience while sharing the road with these large vehicles.

There’s a reason the U.S. House passed the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act — and for those of us who live and work in rural America, that reason hits pretty close to home.

Even as the grain market rallies and crop revenues are projected to improve, increased production costs — especially higher fuel expenses — continue to keep major row crops below breakeven, reports Jim Henry.

The Internal Revenue Service has issued guidance on Section 45Z of the Clean Fuels Production Tax Credit, clarifying the tool and how it supports biofuel production.

Long-awaited actions by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and Department of Energy to clarify the 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credits in support of domestic biofuel production were welcomed by commodity groups.

Nothing sells better than bad news it seems. But consumers still want to buy the beef we have.

Hauling water across rugged landscapes has become a daily chore for many ranchers in the U.S. Rockies.

The general reaction to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s small refinery exemptions was both concern about the number granted, while also endorsing a plan to reallocate renewable fuel volumes.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency granted 29 small refinery exemptions from 2025 Renewable Fuel Standard blending requirements and included a proposed plan to restore the lost renewable fuel volume in the near future.

Due to driver shortages and other factors, a yellow school bus is no longer available to take many students to school, putting pressure on families to figure out transportation.

For Brad Shippert, driving his monster truck Against the Grain is not as smooth a ride as many might think.

Two Indiana staples — corn and racing — are crossing paths in 2027.

Rural America doesn’t ask for much — just a fair shot and a government that has their back.

Canada has pledged to roll out “dollar-for-dollar” countertariffs on scores of U.S. goods in response to President Donald Trump’s latest import taxes, which have plunged the North American neighbors deeper into a bitter trade war.

Honda’s profit for the fiscal first quarter more than doubled from a year ago, as the Japanese automaker continues to tackle a turnaround from the first full year loss in its history.

Toyota reported a nearly doubling of profit for the fiscal first quarter as solid demand in the United States and India combined with a favorable exchange rate to boost results.

Nissan Motor Corp. reported that it returned to profit in the first quarter of the fiscal year, helped by cost-cutting measures and improved sales in some markets.

Chad Bell takes samples of his corn and soybeans plants each week throughout the growing season to get a better idea of the fertility that the plants are utilizing to produce grain.

Farm calculators show that farming, like most fields of work, takes a good understanding of math.

Ken Kocher’s miniature farm display includes a working replica of the barn and crib that were on his family farm in his youth, along with tractors, trucks and other equipment.

The 2026 Illinois State Fair theme, “Miles of Smiles,” celebrates the 100th anniversary of historic Route 66.

American oil and gas giants raked in massive spring profits while fighting between Iran and the United States impeded petroleum shipments and consumers around the world paid more for fuel and confronted shortages.

Road deaths are declining in the United States and worldwide, but lower-income countries aren’t experiencing much of the improvement.

Led by its 77 farmer-leaders, United Soybean Board approved a $122.5 million budget for the 2027 fiscal year, strategically allocating funds across vital research, promotion and education investments.

Speeding in your car to work, to pick up your children from school, or go from one errand to the next not only wastes money in gas and sends harmful emissions into the air, it barely saves you time, new research says.

Subaru of America is recalling more than 541,000 of its Crosstrek, Forester and Ascent SUVs due to an inaccurate label attached to the vehicles.

Kia America has issued a new recall for nearly 463,000 of its Telluride SUVs, urging owners to again park their vehicles outside and away from buildings after several customers reported fires following previous repairs.

Volkswagen reported weak sales numbers, a day after the giant German automaker announced plans to slash the number of models by nearly half as sales plunged, particularly in China.