News, Insights & Interviews Archive

President Donald Trump's moves to further escalate his trade war will once again test the patience and resolve of his optimistic supporters while causing others further angst as they brace for costs to continue to climb and some supplies' availability to lessen.

A new report lays out the value of agriculture in North Carolina: nearly one million jobs and $117 billion in economic activity.

There is no land value crash, far from it, actually, but the author of a statewide survey of land values in Indiana would not be surprised if slight depreciation takes place in the final months of 2026.

Sure, Lou Jewell could be sitting on a beach. Others his age, 77, may be doing that or wishing that they could. Jewell doesn't. He is in his fourth decade as a rural North Carolina land broker, and he is committed to helping others learn the land business.

A 481-acre farm in Dallas County, Iowa, sold at auction in early August for a combined $5,849,610, averaging $12,154 per acre.

Daily high temperatures in Wichita may not top out cooler than the high 90s for the next week, following the first all-90-degree August in recorded state history, as a prolonged drought grips much of Kansas.

Numerous agricultural organizations are sorting through the Environmental Protection Agency's confirmation that it will nearly double the number of exemptions for smaller oil refineries from Renewable Fuel Standards blending requirements.

Every farmer knows that most of the future value is the land, but more may be realizing that what is in the dirt may grow extra value. Section 180 in the federal tax code allows farmland owners to recognize residual soil fertility for a potential tax deduction.

When Larry Consbruck retired from farming in 2014, he decided not to sell the 1,100 acres he owned and operated just outside the south central Nebraska towns of Juniata and Roseland. Instead, he leased the land to his nephew, a young farmer who wanted to farm but didn't have land of his own.

What would it take to change the mind of the president of the United States? That is what numerous agricultural organizations, ranchers, farmers, and elected officials are trying to figure out after President Donald Trump announced that he would temporarily drop tariffs on ground beef imports to try to provide cost relief for families.

Nevada became the first state to sue the Trump administration after federally mandated water usage cuts due to decades of drought that diminished the Colorado River. It is the latest example of a regional water crisis that threatens agricultural vitality.

Beekeepers have felt the sting of a substantial decline in colony numbers, but they aren't the only ones who can help solve the problem. The future of beekeeping, and domestic honey production, may depend in part on what happens on farms, along roadsides, on public lands, and anywhere else agriculture can find room for flowers and forage.

The American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) is collecting information from members to help with the investigation into how imported lamb may be harming domestic production. This follows the launch of an investigation by the International Trade Commission in July, an investigation triggered by ASI’s request. There are approximately 100,000 sheep farmers in the United States. But they are part of a much different industry today that generations past. Demand for wool and lamb

Every three months, the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank releases a snapshot of farmland values and agricultural credit conditions across its Seventh Federal Reserve District, which includes Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan. The latest survey shows farmland values were essentially unchanged during the second quarter of 2026. Are Farmland Values Staying Flat in the Midwest? According to the Chicago Fed, farmland values across the five-state region were unchanged in

There has been added attention on the financial strain on many rural farmers, questions about whether diminished incomes will eventually weigh down increases in land values, and whether the Trump administration will eventually find trade deals that make finances better – not worse – for America’s farmers and ranchers. All those issues are critical, no doubt. But as many rural towns shrink in population, they don’t just lose growth potential. They also lose the potential workf

The problems facing U.S. potato growers could fill a 10-pound sack. They have added up to mounting financial pressures on some farmers and a pullback in planted acres in Idaho, America’s potato capital. Drought Impact on Potato Growers The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Integrated Drought Information System’s drought map shows two troubling colors for Idaho: crimson and red. Crimson, a color that illustrates on the map the area considered “exceptio

Alaska’s fishing industry may find new demand for an abundant fish that swims in obscurity for many consumers. For years, Alaska pollock has been hiding in fish sticks, fast-food sandwiches, and California rolls, often without consumers even knowing exactly what they were eating. Now, a very different force could help bring Alaska pollock into the spotlight: the growing popularity of GLP-1 medications.

For farmers and ranchers, deciding to sell a piece of land is much more than a business decision, especially if the land has been in the family for generations. This isn’t just selling a piece of property.

Carroll County, Iowa, farm that sold in July for $16,900 per acre. Photo courtesy: Adam Pick, Farmers National Company. An 80-acre tract of farmland in Carroll County, Iowa, sold in mid-July for a price that topped many recent comparable sales in the area. The 79.2-acre farm brought $16,900 per acre, or $1,338,480 total, during a live auction on July 14. Adam Pick of Farmers National Company said the property, located just outside Glidden, had several factors working in its f

Some farm families in Minnesota now know that nitrate levels in their wells could be higher than levels deemed acceptable by health officials. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) tested water quality for 125 families at FarmFest 2026 last week. The department laid out this information about nitrate levels: “Nitrate levels above 1 mg/L are considered elevated, and those above 10 mg/L are known to be harmful, especially for infants and pregnant women. Recent studies a