Y101.3 FM Sioux City

Colombia has become the first country to ban imports of U.S. beef and beef products from states where dairy cattle have tested positive for avian influenza. Ethan Lane with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association says the move isn’t science-based. “It’s disappointing to see a country like Colombia, which has been seeking access to the U.S. market for 20 years now, play games like this in this type of circumstance,” he says. He tells Brownfield this isn’t a beef industry issue. ...     

Cash rental rates have been climbing over the past decade, but the biggest increases have happened outside the Corn Belt. David Widmar, managing partner at Agricultural Economic Insights, tells Brownfield… “We had really big changes, 50% changes, in cash rental rates,” he says, “in the northern Great Plains, in the western parts of say, Kansas, and parts of Missouri, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, and even southern parts of Kentucky and Tennessee.” He says it’s the result of farmers cropping decisions. ...     

New research is looking into the relationship between cover crops and soybean cyst nematode. Southern Illinois agronomist John Pike says initial findings are promising. “Where we’ve got both cereal rye and annual rye grass that we’re using as cover crops.”  He says, “And we’ve seen some responses to those cover crops. On the positive side of suppression of soybean cyst nematode, but it’s been variable.” He tells Brownfield the study looks at the issue in full-sized fields compared to past plot-sized research. ...     

Direct cash cattle trade has been pretty quiet through midday.  A few bids have surfaced at $184 live in the South and $294 dressed in the North.  Asking prices are around $184 live in the South and $296-plus dressed in the North. Some business could still take place this afternoon, but it’s likely limited to cleanup trade.  There was a light to moderate trade reported this week across all feeding areas.  Dressed business was at mostly $294, generally $2 higher than the previous week’s weighted average basis in Nebraska.  ...