The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has lifted the quarantines on two Central California dairies associated with that BSE-positive cow found April 24th at a rendering plant. APHIS says tests performed by World Organization for Animal Health labs in Canada and England confirmed the cow had atypical BSE, a rare, spontaneous form of [...]

It’s one of the earliest springs anyone can remember.   Steve Johnsen, an agronomist for Monsanto in southeast Nebraska, says when he ran the numbers this week on heat unit accumulation for a plot near Bruning, they were about double the 30-year average. “From the planting date to until the 17th of May, we were sitting at 316 [...]

The U.S. is hosting a G8 summit at Camp David this weekend. Global food security was the main focus on Friday with emphasis on Africa. President Obama announced a new global partnership to improve food security between governments, donor countries and the private sector. The President said the food security effort which includes $3 billion [...]

Former US Senator, Congressman and lieutenant governor of South Dakota Jim Abdnor of South Dakota died this week at the age of 89. Abdnor was a farmer and rancher who is credited with getting oats included in the farm program. Abdnor’s funeral is Saturday morning in Pierre. Senator John Thune considered Abdnor a friend and [...]

The president of the American Soybean Association says he has concerns about the expanded trading hours at the Chicago Board of Trade. The new trading hours will be from 5 p.m. to 2 p.m. Central time, Sunday through Friday.  They go into effect this Sunday (May 20). ASA president Steve Wellman of Syracuse, Nebraska says [...]