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US-China tariff dispute puts soybean exports at risk, ag economist says

Tuesday, April 8

The United States and China have threatened to increase retaliatory tariffs on each other, and an ag economist says the trade dispute could put the US soybean market at risk. However, Ben Brown with the University of Missouri says it’s too early to know... Read More.

Ag economist encourages farmers to “control the controllables”

Friday, April 4

An ag economist who farms in southern Minnesota encourages farmers to control the controllables in the face of tight margins. Megan Roberts works for Compeer Financial and says there’s a lot of uncertainty right now. “And we don’t have a lot of control over... Read More.

Livestock economist says he continues to monitor beef cow slaughter

Thursday, April 3

A livestock economist says beef cow slaughter will be an area to watch in 2025. Kenny Burdine, with the University of Kentucky says, “We are not culling this cow herd as hard as we have been the last few years.” Burdine says he doesn’t... Read More.

Economist says producers shouldn’t focus solely on price per pound

Monday, March 31

A livestock economist says that at current price levels, cattle producers can become too focused on price per pound. University of Kentucky’s Kenny Burdine tells Brownfield, “If you get too focused on price per pound, sometimes you can miss dollars per head, and that’s... Read More.

Ag economist expecting additional disaster relief assistance

Monday, March 31

An ag economist at the University of Illinois is expecting farmers to see additional disaster assistance through the American Relief Act of 2025. Gary Schnitkey says the legislation includes $21 billion that was allocated for natural disasters. “This is a continuation of the WHIP... Read More.

Economist says there are headwinds slowing expansion of the cattle herd

Friday, March 28

An ag economist says costs have contributed to the slow expansion of the cattle herd. Kansas State University’s Glynn Tonsor tells Brownfield, “Our costs of running a cow are going up.” “That’s been the case for several years,” he says. “That actually slows down... Read More.

Ag economist concerned over ongoing tariff spats

Thursday, March 27

A longtime agricultural economist says he’s concerned about the industry’s outlook. Dr. David Kohl, professor emeritus at Virginia Tech University, says the ongoing threat of tariffs are weighing on agriculture. “I think we have to be very concerned about counter tariffs.” He says, “In... Read More.

Economist: Japan could seek more U.S. corn during HPAI recovery

Tuesday, March 25

An ag economist says he expects some upcoming export opportunities for U.S. corn into Japan. University of Missouri’s Ben Brown says Japan needs more corn for livestock feed usage. “They are a bit ahead of us with highly pathogenic avian influenza. They are about... Read More.

Economist says decline in placements expected to continue

Monday, March 24

The USDA’s latest Cattle on Feed numbers had placements down 18 percent in its latest report. Mississippi State University livestock economist Josh Maples says the February 2024 placement number contributed to the decline. “We had winter storms that really shifted cattle movements,” he says. “So... Read More.

Economist says risk management crucial as prices continue to hit record high levels

Thursday, March 20

A livestock economist says the unprecedented price levels cattle producers are currently seeing could move even higher in 2025. Oklahoma State University’s Derrell Peel says herd expansion will make a difference. “Once we start heifer retention, and depending on how aggressive it is, that’s... Read More.

Economist discusses USDA’s grain sorghum adjustments

Wednesday, March 19

An ag economist says changes to grain sorghum estimates were the biggest surprise in USDA’s most recent supply and demand report. University of Missouri’s Ben Brown says, “USDA acknowledged that grain sorghum exports are pretty weak, and that feed demand has been strong. They... Read More.

Will the Fed cut rates in March? Economist says not likely

Tuesday, March 18

An ag economist says he doesn’t expect any policy changes from the Federal Reserve during its March meeting this week. University of Missouri’s Ben Brown says several recent economic reports indicated weaker conditions, slowing consumer demand, and some softening in the job market. “My... Read More.