The stage is set for tighter and potentially more volatile milk markets ahead, reports Jim Henry.

A combination of higher beginning stocks and larger than expected production pushed up crop ending stocks in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s balance sheets.

More than 200 farmers and agricultural professionals attended this year’s Top Farmer Conference.

The surprising 1.3 million harvested corn acre jump from the November to the Jan. 12 U.S. Department of Agriculture crop production reports, combined with record quarterly stocks inventories, drew more questions than answers.

A veteran commodities economist called the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s crop production annual summary one of the most unusual January reports that he’s seen in the decades.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins signed a memorandum to establish priorities for this year’s research and development activities funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

U.S. corn exports continued at record pace through the end of 2025, while the future global demand potential for ethanol remains bright.

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

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.

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

Sampling in the top U.S. corn-producing states found farmers harvested the highest quality in at least 15 years.

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

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.

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.

Mark Gebhards, retired Illinois Farm Bureau executive director of governmental affairs and commodities division and chief strategy officer and adviser to the IFB president, was honored with the IFB 2025 Eagle Award for Excellence.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

A bump in corn exports pushed ending stocks lower than traders expected in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s supply and demand estimates report.

Robust foreign demand for U.S. corn was the lone move on the domestic agricultural supply and demand estimates report.

Developing a thriving soybean market in Africa doesn’t just represent a new crop in the rotation for smallholder farmers — it builds an entire ecosystem of seed companies, processors and trade partners ready to enter the global soybean market.

Jim Henry expects $12 billion relief package to make an immediate impact by providing a lifeline for farmers who work to ensure a healthy, safe and abundant food supply.

To truly experience the Trump tariff rollercoaster, hop on the ear-popping ride American cattlemen, meatpackers and U.S. beef eaters have been on over the past few months.

Farmer and agribusiness members of the U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council’s A-Teams continue to work diligently to develop new markets globally.

There was so much blarney and puffery flying around the Cabinet Room during the White House farmer and rancher gathering Dec. 8 that it became impossible to tell fact from fiction.

Farm families need lasting certainty, and we appreciate our partners in Washington for taking this important first step by delivering a $12 billion package. But the need is far greater.

The American Soybean Association, U.S. Soybean Export Council and ASA’s World Initiative for Soy in Human Health expressed strong support for the America First Trade Promotion Program recently announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service.

China is replacing its diesel trucks with electric models faster than expected, potentially reshaping global fuel demand and the future of heavy transport.

Philip Nelson is looking forward to getting to work after delegates at the Illinois Farm Bureau Annual Meeting elected him president to lead the organization for the next two years.

Indiana River & Rail Terminals has expanded its capacity for handling barge shipments of steel and general cargo shipments at Ports of Indiana-Jeffersonville by 40%.

Financial stress is severe and persistent across farm country, according to a new Market Intel report from the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Mark Bunselmeyer was elected president of the Illinois Corn Growers Association for 2025-2026 at its annual re-organizational meeting.

We must look internally — within the borders of the United States — not externally to foreign countries, to resolve our domestic beef production shortfall.

New data released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture created serious doubts about whether China will really buy millions of bushels of American soybeans like the Trump administration touted last month after a high-stakes meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping.

American Soybean Association President Caleb Ragland urged Congress and the administration to take immediate action to reduce farm production costs and prevent additional family farm closures.