The recent detections of H5N1 in dairy herds highlight the need for robust biosecurity measures for all species. Dr. Marisa Rotolo, National Pork Board’s Director of Swine Health emphasizes the importance of on-farm measures to keep it that way.

USDA livestock analyst Michael McConnell discusses some of his takeaways from the latest Cattle on Feed report.

USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey discusses the expected transition of U.S. climatic patterns from an El Nino to a La Nina over the summer.

A recent USDA study looks at how cover crop production integrated into cattle operations might provide economic benefits for producers as well as resource conservation benefits.

CattleFax CEO Randy Blach spoke at the U.S. Meat Export Federation Spring Meeting in Kansas City, Missouri. Blach commented on the current state of cattle markets. NAFB News Service

The House Agriculture Committee has passed their version of the next five-year farm bill, but Congressional leaders are less than hopeful the bill will get across the finish line before a new fall deadline. NAFB News Service

Firestone Ag, a business of Bridgestone Americas, will close entries for the 2024 Rock the Crop Sweepstakes on June 6. This year's sweepstakes is open exclusively for chapters of the National FFA Organization. NAFB News Service

As the weather warms, it’s time to get out and get cooking. Neal Hull, director of domestic market development with the National Pork Board, talks about ways to pair fresh flavors with pork this summer.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack last week announced USDA is investing in domestic fertilizer projects to strengthen competition for U.S. agriculture.

In this month's episode of Auction Talk with Steffes Group, Director of Real Estate Max Steffes and Rusty Halvorson visit about current commodity prices, an adjustment in land prices, some highlights of the Rural Mainstreet Index, planting progress, upcoming Steffes Auction events in June, and more.  Learn more at steffesgroup.com.

In this week's episode of the Agri-Biz show, the House Ag Committee passed a farm bill after sometimes contentious debate, the Minneapolis Fed Reserve tallied interest costs for 2023, CattleFax CEO Randy Blach talks about the cattle markets, and Auction Talk with Steffes Group.

USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says near to above normal temperatures and precipitation can be found in most areas of the country for the period of May 28 - June 3.

May is World Trade Month, and this is World Trade Week on the calendar.

Mac Marshall, the vice president of market intelligence for the United Soybean Board, talks about what the May numbers mean for the soy market.

Milk production in the 24 major milk-producing states during April reached 18.3 billion pounds, down 0.2 percent from April 2023. 

This Farm Talk segment is brought to you by North Dakota Corn.  NDSU Extension is hosting a Junior Crop Scout School at the Carrington Research Extension Center in June. The purpose of this program is to teach youth through a hands-on workshop basic crop scouting skills. Alicia Harstad is the NDSU Extension Ag and Natural Resources Agent for Barnes County.

Export markets are an important sales outlet for American food and agricultural production. Since 2008, an average of 20 percent of the value of all U.S. agricultural output has been shipped to destinations in other countries.

As drivers hit the road for the Memorial Day weekend, Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy, talks about the emergency E15 waiver and what it means for summer driving.

Nicole Wardner with the North Dakota Beef Commission offers some fun ways you can feature beef on the plate this summer season. 

Farmers have been getting some seed in the ground. According to the latest crop progress report from USDA, in North Dakota 33 percent of the soybeans, 71 percent of the spring wheat and roughly half of the corn has been planted.

The Economic Research Service reports that the cost of soybean seeds per acre has risen more than 260 percent since 1997, while total soybean production costs have risen 157 percent.

Frayne Olson, an agricultural economist with North Dakota State University Extension, says there’s a lot of old crop to move yet. NAFB News Service

Pork prices have pushed higher in California because of Prop 12, and the National Pork Producers Council is seeing consumer backlash against it. NAFB News Service

It’s no secret in U.S. agriculture how valuable trade is to multiple sectors. Daniel Whitley, administrator of the Foreign Agricultural Service. NAFB News Service

The Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank determined that farmers in the Ninth District paid approximately $840 million in interest payments during 2023.  NAFB News Service

The 2018 Farm Bill expired last year, and Congress passed a one-year extension of that bill. Joby Young, executive vice president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, says the time is now to get a new bill through Congress.

A new report from The Hill says that pharmaceutical, manufacturing, and agriculture interests have combined to spend over $400 million lobbying Congress on a new farm bill.

In this week’s headlines of Agri-Biz with Rusty Halvorson and Sarah Heinrich - a recent Minnesota Soy mission to Uzbekistan pays off, Minnesota's legislators were working hard ahead of a deadline on Monday, new faces on the Board at ND Corn, and agribusiness news with PTx Trimble.

A new tool helps farmers track tar spot and researchers to learn more about the disease.  NAFB News Service

USDA Outlook Board Chairman Mark Jekanowski says he expects the world will produce a record large 798 million ton wheat crop this year.

This Farm Talk segment is brought to you by North Dakota Corn. Brenda Elmer is the Executive Director for the North Dakota Corn Growers Association and talks more about growing a healthy animal ag industry in North Dakota. 

USDA meteorologist Mark Brusberg says a mixed bag of temperatures and mostly above normal precipitation are part of the nation's weather forecast for the period of May 21 - 27.

Tait Berg, senior agricultural coordinator for the Minneapolis Federal Reserve, says farmers in the Ninth District have seen interest rates double in the last couple of years. Story Credit : NAFB News Service

The May WASDE Report contained the first look at the new crop year’s supply and demand balance sheets.

There’s a lot of other work to be done when planting finishes. The temptation may be to let it sit there until next season. Planter experts say that could mean a risk of problems next spring.

U.S. Meat Export Federation, or USMEF, says March exports of U.S. pork were steady with last year’s volume but were slightly higher in value, according to data released by USDA. 

During the next several weeks, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service will conduct two major mid-year surveys, the June Agricultural Survey and the June Area Survey.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack discusses the latest on federal efforts to monitor, prevent, and study a form of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza found in dairy cattle.

The USDA strongly encourages eligible conservation partners to submit proposals for $10 million in available funds to research the Conservation Reserve Program’s environmental benefits.

The 2024-2025 U.S. corn outlook calls for larger supplies, greater domestic use and exports, and higher ending stocks.

The newly appointed CEO of the Soy Checkoff, Lucas Lentsch, has been hitting the road to visit soybean farmers across the nation.

Representative Dusty Johnson (R-SD) introduced legislation to streamline the permitting process for broadband infrastructure projects. Story Credit: NAFB News Service

The American Farm Bureau Federation’s seventh annual Farm Dog of the Year Contest, co-sponsored by Nestle Purina Pet Care, celebrates farm dogs and the many ways they support farmers and ranchers.

Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy, talks about policy development in D.C. and how it could impact consumers' pocketbooks.

In this week's episode of AGRI-BIZ, Rusty Halvorson and Sarah Heinrich share audio from the field regarding planting progress ranging across the region from Williams County, North Dakota to the Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative in Renville, Minnesota.  Also, trade delegations from Africa and Cambodia visited the area this week to learn more about the region's corn and soybean production.

The Dakota Resource Council will host a "Conversation about Ranching" on Tuesday, June 4th at the Kennedy Center in Bismarck, ND.  Rusty Halvorson talked with DRC's Ag and Food Field Organizer Sam Wagner and cow/calf operator Cory Hart of Chaseley, ND, about the event.  Topics will include electronic ID tag requirements for cattle, country of origin labeling of beef, North Dakota's beef checkoff program, and programs within farm bill.

A recent Rabobank report says the global pork industry is starting to shift as sow herd numbers begin to plateau after declining for some time.

Low commodity prices, high input costs, and disappointing 2023 growing season results are influencing farmer decisions in 2024.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service announced in April that it would cancel the July Cattle inventory report, and discontinued county yield and production estimates for crops and livestock for 2024.  Troy Joshua, NASS director of the statistics division, says that the budget forced NASS "to make decisions that are very uncomfortable."  However, Joshua says the county level data could return if the funding was restored.

Rusty Halvorson talked with Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative's Ag Strategy Manager Cody Bakker about planting, weed control and the slicing campaign of the '23 crop for the Renville, Minnesota, cooperative.