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Montgomery wins 2025 International CCA of the Year

A central Illinois-based agronomist with Beck’s Hybrids has been named the 2025 International Certified Crop Adviser of the Year. “Really, really blown away. A little humbled in some ways to be standing with a crowd like that.” Matt Montgomery, who’s spent decades serving Illinois... Read More.

U.S. hog inventory below a year ago

The U.S. hog herd got a little bit smaller over the past year and could see further declines. The USDA says the domestic hog and pig inventory on March 1st, 2025 was 74.512 million head, slightly below March 1st, 2024, when many analysts had... Read More.

U.S. export inspections up from a year ago

The USDA says corn export inspections as of the week ending March 20th remain ahead of the pace needed to meet expectations for the current marketing year. The 2024/25 marketing year got underway June 1st for wheat and September 1st for corn, sorghum, and... Read More.

February cattle placements drop on the year

The USDA says the placements of cattle into U.S. feedlots fell sharply in February. 1.554 million cattle were placed onto feed in February, a drop of 18% on the year. That was despite the U.S. reopening the border to imports of live cattle from... Read More.

New marketing year lows for pork, wheat export sales

U.S. pork export sales notched a marketing year low for the second week in a row. The USDA says most of the usual weekly buyers made purchases during the week ending March 17th, with Mexico leading the way, but there were some reductions to... Read More.

Broiler sets drop on week, but stay ahead of last year

Broiler hatchery numbers were mixed on the week while maintaining their faster than 2024 pace. The USDA says 249.95 million broiler-type eggs were set into incubators, falling 2.344 million on the week, but rising 1% on the year with average hatchability at 78.7%. 191.677... Read More.

Could a federal E15 solution become a reality this year?

There’s optimism among some ethanol supporters that a permanent fix for year-round E15 could become a reality this year. “I think we’re as close as we’ve ever been to getting this across the finish line,” said farmer Kelly Nieuwenhuis from northwest Iowa. Nieuwenhuis is... Read More.

Corn, wheat export inspections up on year

The USDA says corn and soybean export inspections as of the week ending March 13th remain ahead of the respective paces need to meet projections for the current marketing year. The 2024/25 marketing year began June 1st for wheat and September 1st for beans,... Read More.

Pork export sales notch marketing year low

U.S. pork export sales fell to a marketing year low during the week ending March 6th. The USDA says most of the key regular U.S. pork customers showed up, but bought less than during the previous week, and there was a net reduction by... Read More.