The Land Investment Expo this week in Des Moines, Iowa, highlighted 2025 investment trends, emphasizing natural gas growth, U.S.-China tensions and global risks. Speakers spotlighted overall U.S. economic strength, infrastructure challenges, geopolitical instability and agriculture's vulnerability to trade policies.
EPA administrator nominee Lee Zeldin testified before the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Thursday, answering questions about the Renewable Fuel Standard, electric vehicles and waters of the United States.
Pushing back on some criticisms last week, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack released an interim technical rule for how corn, soybeans and sorghum producers could measure and lower their carbon-intensity scores on the farm. The rule addresses feedstocks for biofuels and how they could potentially qualify for the 45Z tax credit.
The Federal Trade Commission and attorneys general in Minnesota and Illinois filed a federal lawsuit on Wednesday, alleging John Deere's equipment-repair practices are driving up costs for farmers. The lawsuit filed in Illinois asks for a permanent injunction against Deere.
A state senator in the Iowa Legislature is introducing a bill that would allow Iowa to buy the bottom nine counties of Minnesota. In Indiana, the House speaker announced he wants 33 eastern Illinois counties to consider joining Indiana.
Average retail fertilizer prices are mixed in the first week of January 2025. Prices for five of the eight major fertilizers were higher than a month ago, while prices for the remaining three were slightly lower. Once again, none of these nutrients saw a significant price move in either direction, which DTN designates as anything 5% or more.
Foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land increased from 2022 to 2023, led primarily by the expansion of land use for renewable energy by foreign entities.
Outgoing Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack highlighted that the administration is finalizing its third regulation under the Packers and Stockyards Act to provide more fairness to producers. The last rule from the Biden administration on ag competition will restrict how chicken processors treat growers under the tournament system.
Shipping season will end on the Great Lakes for the winter as the last of the Soo Locks close on Jan. 15.
No matter how they're measured, sales of tractors and combines in 2024 were poor to more than poor.
Retail fertilizer prices were mixed for the fourth and final week of December 2024. Five of the eight major fertilizers were higher compared to a month ago, while the remaining three were slightly lower. None of these nutrients had a sizable price increase or decrease, which DTN designates as anything 5% or more.
