Jim Henry calculates that the payments expected by the end of February are a needed step toward easing financial strain in the farm economy, but will not cover the full extent of row crop losses during this prolonged period of elevated costs, low crop prices and weak margins.

We hope this new push for healthy red meat will convince more folks to go find out that good food is good medicine.

This year will mark the 10th anniversary of R-CALF USA’s successful legal effort to reform, albeit partially, the government-mandated beef checkoff program.

With cattle herds at historic lows and input costs high, Jim Henry predicts beef prices will remain elevated for the foreseeable future.

Dairy farmers are invited to the 2026 Indiana Dairy Producers regional meetings this winter.

Dairy calves are an investment in the future of the dairy operation and the treatment they receive early in life impacts their future milk production.

With lower grain prices, higher interest rates and increased production costs, some farms are facing a challenging financial situation.

The president didn’t return much affection to rural voters in 2025. Farm inputs, health care and food costs continued to rise; yo-yo tariff policies sliced ag exports; and cuts to several federal farm and rural programs clipped rural communities.

Meat production was the most commonly reported primary production type across all flock sizes in the National Animal Health Monitoring System Sheep 2024 study.

Farmers were less optimistic about the ag economy in December, especially when it came to their long-term outlook, according to the latest reading of the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer.

The 2026 Quad Cities Farm Equipment Show will showcase the latest tools and technology in agriculture — everything to help farmers get the job done.

The current economic environment for farmers is challenging with tighter margins and more volatility.

Per-acre payment specifics for the $12 billion Farmer Bridge Assistance Program were released on New Year’s Eve.

2025 was great for high cattle prices, but the risk and uncertainty of the cattle business is still there and I know many of us remain cautious about what the future holds.

My dry erase board in the office now has 15 projects listed for winter and spring and space for some more as they come up. It is just part of the continuous quest to leave the land and this place better than when my family landed here back in 1951.

The fact that it takes time to build a cow herd is reality and that reality is playing out in the cattle market.

The outlook for the four pieces of the demand pies that drive corn and soybean prices is anticipated to include some growth and a wild card in 2026.

When it comes to soybean demand, meat exports are a big part of the equation.

The Illinois Alternative Protein Innovation Task Force recently released its groundbreaking findings, revealing how the state can bolster its position as a national agricultural and biomanufacturing powerhouse.

From testifying to Congress to working on his fifth-generation farm in southern Illinois, Kenneth Hartman Jr. has dedicated the last three decades to advocating for corn growers.

The pollution from food is sneaky. Because the apple sitting on your kitchen counter isn’t really causing any harm.

Farmers say they are grateful to President Donald Trump and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins for providing resources that, for many, could make the difference between staying in business to plant another crop, or shuttering a family farm.

Working with a new administration during 2025 has been fast-paced and challenging for those dealing with regulatory and legislative policies.

People don’t buy into what you do or how you do it. They buy into why you do it.

The long days, unpredictable weather, volatile markets and rising input costs rarely factor into conversations at the grocery store or the checkout line.

The best action we could take in the coming year to better serve all Americans — farmers, ranchers and every food buyer — is to simply stop digging the deepening hole we’re already in.

As the Midwest agriculture sector faces another year of low profits, farmers need to take a closer look at their farm balance sheet, which is a snapshot of their financial condition on a specific day.

The 26th annual First State Bank Ag Conference, a special forum for area farmers, is scheduled for 10 a.m. Jan. 22 at the Mendota Civic Center.

It’s fair to say that 2025 has been a year of meaningful progress for agriculture, on top of some very big challenges. Farm Bureau helped farmers and ranchers across the country navigate the roller coaster ride.

Farmers were more optimistic about the ag economy in November, according to the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer.

Sixteen states and the District of Columbia are suing the Trump administration for what they say is the unlawful withholding of over $2 billion in funding for two electric vehicle charging programs.

Don’t let the prospect of ad hoc government support payments sway crop marketing plans in the current window of opportunities, according to an agricultural economist.

With season-average corn and soybeans prices in the new year projected to remain at current levels, agronomists recommend prioritizing nutrient management to improve the bottom line.

President Donald Trump announced plans to weaken rules for how far automakers’ new vehicles need to travel on a gallon of gasoline, set under former President Joe Biden.

These were the most read stories on the AgriNews website in 2025.

In addition to growing food organically, Marty Travis works with numerous Illinois farmers to provide marketing and distribution services that connect them to numerous buyers.

The marketplace, from the cattle producer all the way to the consumer, is fundamentally broken, and the only time it functions properly is when it is confronted with a significant market shock.

As 2025 draws to a close, Jim Henry looks back on some of the key moments that shaped the year in agriculture.

Agricultural conditions remained strained but slightly improved over the last six weeks, according to a survey across the Corn Belt’s Federal Reserve Districts.

Biofuels remain a cornerstone of U.S. agriculture, supporting crop prices, rural jobs and energy security.

Agriculture’s economic conditions, trade and uncertainty in the ethanol market were among the topics of focus at the Illinois Corn Growers Association annual meeting.

Whiskey Acres Distilling Company, where the corn is grown, harvested and distilled on-site, once again earned top honors at the Heartland Whiskey Competition as Best-in-State for Illinois.

Farmers can deduct the residual fertility value on newly purchased or inherited land. A soil analysis and records of past treatments are needed to claim the deduction.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture launched a $700 million Regenerative Pilot Program aimed at helping American farmers adopt practices that improve soil health, enhance water quality and boost long-term productivity, all while strengthening America’s food and fiber supply.

Farmer Tyler Everett had the ultimate “seat at the table” with President Donald Trump.

A $12 billion Farmer Bridge Assistance Program to help farmers offset trade disruptions and increased production costs was announced by the Trump administration.

President Donald Trump accused foreign-owned meat packers of driving up the price of beef in the United States and asked the Department of Justice to open an investigation.

Expanding demand to bring profitability back to corn farmers while being “at the table” working with legislators remains top priorities for the National Corn Growers Association.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service will conduct the 2025 Organic Survey.

Take advantage of these long nights to get rested up for spring. That’s our God-given advantage at this latitude.