Photo: Black cutworm moths, Courtesy-Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection Wisconsin ag officials say black cutworm moths have arrived in the state, and in big numbers. The Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection says it’s the second straight week their pheromone traps have collected a significant numbers of moths.  As of April 25th, the 50 traps have caught 126 moths.  The earliest flight this year was recorded March 31st ..read more

Planting has started in pockets of Ohio based on soil conditions Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Brian Baldrige tells Brownfield drier weather in the southern part of the state has helped farmers. “A lot of guys are kind of putting some crops in,” he says. “Down home this week we only got 1/10 of an inch of rain so there are a lot of planters in the field down South. It’s sporadic, but it’s a normal spring.” Ohio State University’s Carl Zulauf says the north-central region is wet ..read more

A Wisconsin pet food manufacturer is expanding. Nestle Purina has announced a 195-million dollar project in Jefferson, Wisconsin, where Purina will increase production of wet pet food brands by nearly 50 percent, including Pro Plan, Fancy Feast, and Beneful IncrediBites, and add 35,000 square feet to the facility. Nestle says facility will serve the northern United States. The expansion is expected to bring another 100 jobs to the Jefferson plant, where they’ve operated for nearly 115 years ..read more

May corn closed at $4.41, up 3 and 1/4 cents May soybeans closed at $11.63 and 3/4, down 3 and 1/4 cents May soybean meal closed at $343.90, down $2.10 May soybean oil closed at 44.82, up 16 points May wheat closed at $6.02 and 1/4, up 7 and 3/4 cents Jun. live cattle closed at $177.80, up $2.55 May feeder cattle closed at $246.25, up $2.15 Jun ..read more

Soybeans were mixed.  The market continues to monitor ongoing harvest in Brazil and Argentina’s harvest pace, which is expected to be quite large. The U.S. has been able to make more planting progress this week, with an update out on Monday.  But rains are starting to develop.  This week’s export sales were down sharply and the prior 4-week average.  Soybean meal was lower on Thursday, while soybean oil and crude oil were both higher.  The USDA’s next round of supply, demand, and production numbers is out May 10th, with CONAB’s updated outlook for Brazil on May 14th ..read more

At the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, live and feeder cattle ended the day higher, watching direct cash business develop.  June lives closed $2.55 higher at $177.80 and August lives closed $2.67 higher at $176.05.  May feeders closed $2.15 higher at $246.25 and August feeders closed $2 higher at $258.30.  There was another round of direct cattle business Thursday following Wednesday’s light trade.  Live deals in the South were at $182 to $183, fully steady to $1 higher than Wednesday and the prior week’s weighted averages.  ..read more

Central Illinois farmer Jeff Brown is satisfied with his spring so far.  He tells Brownfield… “Planting season has been, I would say, great so far.”  He says, “We’ve been able to pick and choose and maybe have a soft start.  Kind of nice to spread our risk out on the planting dates. So far, we’re probably about 80% done with beans, and we got just a little bit of corn in the ground.” Brown, who grows corn, soybeans, and wheat in Macon & Christian Counties, says the April showers have provided needed subsoil relief ..read more

The President of the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association says many farmers are cutting back on vegetable crop acreage this year because of reduced demand caused by imported canned vegetables. Tamas Houlihan tells Brownfield it’s also affecting farmer income. “We’re seeing anywhere from a ten to a twenty percent decline in acreage, and a similar decrease in price.” Houlihan says vegetable canners have full warehouses, and the high cost of tin plate steel due to tariffs gives foreign canners an advantage.  ..read more

A recent survey of Ohio farmers shows a wide adoption of agricultural best management practices and technology in the Sandusky watershed. Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Brian Baldrige tells Brownfield, “That is the beginning process to making sure our nutrient management plan, our nutrients that we’re putting on our fields are precise.” “That initial soil testing and the way we grid sample and pull those soil samples, that’s the beginning,” he says ..read more

A southern Illinois pecan grower says the season is starting off well. Ralph Voss, who grows 200-acres of pecans in Clinton County, tells Brownfield… “We’ve been sweating out freezes!”  He says, “So far we’re lucking out. The trees are greening out, probably in 10 days or less we will have nuts on the trees.” Voss, who’s vice president of the Illinois Nut Growers Association, says this year’s crop is ahead of schedule ..read more