CHICAGO (Reuters) – U.S. livestock producers are urging the Department of Agriculture to let them defer or adjust payments for government loans as the COVID-19 virus hits the already struggling farm economy, the largest U.S. farmer trade group said. The American Farm Bureau Federation’s request was made in a March 17 letter outlining a wide […] Read more
Stories by P.J. Huffstutter
ADM CEO says no ‘significant’ coronavirus business impact for now
CHICAGO, (Reuters) – The coronavirus that is quickly spreading across China and beyond is not expected to have a significant business impact on global grain trader Archer Daniels Midland at this point, Chief Executive Officer Juan Luciano said on Thursday. The company, which operates in China, however, could be impacted if the coronavirus outbreak impacts […] Read more
U.S. farm income expected to rise in 2019, but only because of government aid
CHICAGO, (Reuters) – Nearly one-third of projected U.S. net farm income this year will come from government aid and taxpayer-subsidized commodity insurance payments, according to a forecast issued last week by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA increased its net farm income forecast for 2019 by more than 10 percent, to $92.5 billion, driven […] Read more
Midwest farmers scramble for propane
CHICAGO — Months after historic floods ravaged the U.S. Midwest, farmers scrambling to harvest their crops face a new headache: finding fuel to dry their soaked grains. Normally, farmers use propane as fuel for grain dryers to reduce moisture levels in corn crops to ready for sale or to safely store the grain. But the […] Read more
High demand for propane challenging U.S. farmers
CHICAGO, (Reuters) – Months after historic floods ravaged the U.S. Midwest, farmers scrambling to harvest their crops face a new headache: finding fuel to dry their soaked grains. Normally, farmers use propane as fuel for grain dryers to reduce moisture levels in corn crops to ready for sale or to safely store the grain. But […] Read more
Many U.S. farmers fume at Washington, not Trump, over biofuel, trade policies
ROCHESTER, Minn./CHICAGO (Reuters) – American farmers helped elect President Donald Trump in 2016 on hopes he would shake up Washington and turn around a struggling agricultural economy, but many of his policies have actually stung farmers, notably his trade war with China and biofuel waivers for oil refiners. Many farmers are angry, and some are directing their anger […] Read more
Trump trade-war aid sows frustration in farm country
ROCHESTER, Minn., (Reuters) – The U.S. government is paying Texas cotton farmer J. Walt Hagood $145 an acre for losses related to U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade policies. But Minnesota soybean farmer Betsy Jensen will get just $35 an acre. Both farmers’ sales have taken heavy blows in Trump’s trade war with China. Neither understands […] Read more
Farm loan delinquencies surge in U.S. election battleground Wisconsin
WASHINGTON/CHICAGO, (Reuters) – Farm loan delinquencies rose to a record high in June at Wisconsin’s community banks, data showed on Thursday, a sign President Donald Trump’s trade conflicts with China and other countries are hitting farmers hard in a state that could be crucial for his chances of re-election in 2020. The share of farm […] Read more
U.S. corn yields improving as crop tour reaches west-central Iowa
NEW HAMPTON, Iowa, (Reuters) – Corn yield potential showed signs of improvement across west-central Iowa, scouts on an annual crop tour said on Thursday, but the area was still expected to produce a below-average sized crop after extreme weather delayed planting this past spring. Soybeans were also looking better on the fourth and final day […] Read more
Farmer’s threat prompts USDA to pull staff from crop tour
HENRY COUNTY, Ill./CHICAGO, Aug 21 (Reuters) – The U.S. Agriculture Department said on Wednesday it had pulled all staff from an annual crop tour after an employee was threatened, and three sources said the threat came over the phone from an angry farmer. Farmers have complained this month that a government crop report did not […] Read more
