The U.S. Department of Agriculture released updated farm income numbers this week, and the outlook is still bleak, says Jim Henry.

Most of the U.S. crop balance sheet estimates were within the range of expectations, but questions remain on global side of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s supply and demand estimates report.

With lower projected year-end stocks, the U.S. Department of Agriculture bumped up price expectations in its supply and demand estimates report.

Less corn and a few more soybeans were forecast in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s crop production report.

A farmer survey across 25 states projects slightly smaller U.S. corn and soybean crops than the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s August estimates.

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

A rotational grazing system at Rincker Simmentals is designed to provide forage for the cowherd during the majority of the year.

The cost and commodity price squeeze continues as it nears time to plan for next year’s crop and correlating fertilizer strategy.

Higher values strengthen farm balance sheets and provide landowners with additional equity and collateral, but they also raise the cost of buying, renting and expanding an operation.

Total cattle inventory increased slightly for the first time since 2018, but the beef cow herd fell to 28.5 million head — a record low, indicating herd rebuilding remains limited, reports Jim Henry.

The yield average in the Prairie State’s top corn-producing county is estimated to be the lowest in five years.

Farmers and ranchers who own land will have a stronger balance sheet thanks to increased values, but there are still pros and cons to the cost of farmland going up, says Jim Henry.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced plans to purchase products, including pork, for distribution to various food nutrition assistance programs.

U.S. soybean exports — including whole soybeans, soybean meal and soybean oil — are projected to grow by 5% in the 2026-2027 marketing year.

Colleen Callahan’s moxie started to develop long before she became the first woman agribusiness director at WMBD Radio and Television and later the first woman to lead the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

The largest packers are reconfiguring their business models to emphasize a greater reliance on imports and deemphasize their historical reliance on domestic slaughter.

Farmland values in the Midwest were flat in the second quarter of 2026 compared to a year ago, according to a 7th Federal Reserve District report.

Fed cattle prices are near record highs. So, why aren’t cattle finishers necessarily making record profits?

Whether advocating on Capitol Hill, mentoring campers or preparing for the Illinois State Fair, the Illinois FFA state officer team is embracing every opportunity to serve.

Buying from your local farmers markets might be the best bet right now, until this cyclospora outbreak goes away.

The Great Protein Pivot isn’t about giving up food we enjoy. It’s about changing the proportions and making every delicious dollar pull its weight.

The United States has fully resumed Mexican avocado imports following a temporary suspension prompted by a security alert in the western state of Michoacán.

President Donald Trump announced on his social media account he is suspending import tariffs quotas on ground beef for three months.

Lower projected corn and wheat stocks bumped up anticipated season-average prices while soybeans were unchanged in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s supply and demand estimates report.

The nation’s second-highest average soybean yield and the second-highest corn production for grain on record were projected in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s crop production report.

The U.S. Soybean Export Council has increased its emphasis on global market diversification as the competitive focus for U.S. soy exports.

Farmers across the Midwest are dealing with a new problem — black vultures are attacking livestock. This scavenger species didn't live in the area previously; however, warming temperatures have expanded its range.

Farmers for Soil Health, the farmer-led initiative launched in 2022 to double cover crop acres on U.S. farmland by 2030, has reopened enrollment for 2026 with increased per-acre payments and a simplified one-year contract designed to remove barriers for growers.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the National Soybean Germplasm Collection at the University of Illinois.

Improving soil by increasing the biology results in more minerals in the feed grown on that land and fewer supplements necessary for the cattle that eat the feed.

Utilizing corn stalks for winter grazing is an option for cattlemen to impact their profitability.

More than 200 people attended the Ag Policy Summit, an annual policy-focused program presented by the Indiana Corn Growers Association and the Indiana Soybean Alliance Membership & Policy Committee.

At the Ag Policy Summit, two Indiana farmers discussed how the American Soybean Association and the United Soybean Board work together for U.S. farmers.

High-quality corn harvested last fall continued to maintain its high grades as it entered international export channels.

Additional financial support is critical to offset trade-related losses, rising input costs and the deep financial pressure facing U.S. row crop and specialty crop producers.

Virtual fencing systems remove the boundaries of where cattle, sheep and goat producers have the opportunity to graze their animals.

Bale grazing is a flexible system that can be utilized for various sizes of cattle herds.

As the country celebrates 250 years of independence, many Americans still remember the bicentennial celebration held in 1976.

Too many officials in the Trump administration and several farm-state Capitol Hill leaders believe that just saying something is true makes it true.

It’s been nearly a decade since Congress last passed a farm bill, making a new one long overdue.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed the presence of New World screwworm in Texas and New Mexico, sounding the alarm for producers across the country to be cautious and keep an eye out for the pest.

Indiana sits at the intersection of human health, animal health and plant science — a rare concentration of expertise where breakthrough science creates real-world impact.

Lawmakers are taking weeks away from Washington while many of the nation’s most pressing problems remain unresolved.

From supporting rural communities to marketing products internationally, the Illinois Department of Agriculture provides a wide range of programs.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the Strengthening Processing for U.S. Ranchers Program that will provide temporary support for eligible beef processing establishments.

Entries for the dairy cattle show at the 59th World Dairy Expo in Madison are now being accepted exclusively online at worlddairyexpo.com.

The Illinois Corn Growers Association and farmer leaders feel overwhelmingly positive after their review of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Regenerative Feedstock Rule.

Old- and new-crop ending stocks for corn and soybeans fell below trade expectations in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s balance sheet estimates.

Wheat harvest is underway in key states including Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas, although some farmers, particularly in far western areas of the Wheat Belt, have found little to no grain to gather.

With the updated data from the latest quarterly grain stocks and acreage reports, the U.S. Department of Agriculture made some slight adjustments in the crop balance sheets.