McClain Family Farms LLC of Phillips County submitted the highest-yielding entry in the contest with a new state record 126.6 bushels per acre. The previous state record of 114.3 was set in 2020 by Sam Miller of Reno County. McClain’s Channel 2823RFX soybeans were entered in the statewide no-till, irrigated division of the contest.

Haug Family Farms LLC, Nemaha County, submitted the top dryland entry of the yield contest. The Golden Harvest 3913XF soybeans made 96.9 bushels per acre.

Lyle Longenecker of Dickinson County, a familiar name at the top of the value contest, took home the top prize once more with an entry of Beck’s Hybrids soybeans that earned a premium of $0.96 over cash value.

In the north-northeast conventional-till dryland division, Jesse and Kaley Clark, Brown County, submitted a 96.7 bushel-per-acre entry to take first place. Kyle Jeschke, Doniphan County, earned second place in the division with 96.2 bushel-per-acre soybeans. Gary Diveley, Doniphan County, took third place with 90.7 bushels per acre.

The north-northeast no-till dryland division had a lone entrant. Henry Farms, Inc., Brown County, entered 81.9 bushel-per-acre soybeans to claim first.

Earning first in the northeast conventional-till dryland division, Wilson Family Farms, Atchison County, submitted a 79.1 bushel-per-acre entry. Rod Bigham, Jefferson County, followed in second place with a 78.2 bushel-per-acre yield.

The northeast no-till dryland division had seven participants vying for the top spot. The Haug Family Farms LLC entry that took top dryland honors claimed first in the division. In second place, Parallel Farms of Jackson County entered a yield of 95.5 bushels per acre. John Koelzer, Nemaha County, submitted a 90.6 bushel-per-acre entry to earn third place.

In the east central no-till dryland division, Robert Litch, Osage County, earned first place with 69.2 bushels per acre. Brandon Litch, Osage County, took second place with 67.6 bushel-per-acre soybeans.

Hudson Farms, Neosho County, submitted a 60.8 bushel-per-acre yield to claim the top spot in the southeast conventional-till dryland division. Bellar Brothers, Labette County, took second place with an entry of 55 bushels per acre.

The southeast no-till dryland division’s top spot went to Geffert Farms, Allen County, with an entry of 53.2 bushels per acre. Jared Nash, Labette County, earned second place with 50.6 bushel-per-acre soybeans.

Don Applegate of Sumner County, the sole entrant in the south central conventional-till division, submitted a 37.4 bushel-per-acre entry for first.

In the south central no-till dryland division, Aaron Pauly of Sedgwick County submitted 89.5 bushel-per-acre soybeans to claim first place.

In the north central conventional-till dryland division, Stewart Family Farms/Rod Stewart, Washington County, earned first place with 62.5 bushel-per-acre soybeans.

Stewart Family Farms/Ryan Stewart, Washington County, took the top spot in the north central no-till dryland division with an entry of 63.5 bushels per acre.

Rounding out dryland entries in the 2024 Yield Contest, Lauren Kats of Phillips County won the northwest no-till dryland division with 31.9 bushels per acre.

Irrigated entries fall into a statewide no-till or conventional-till division. The entry from McClain Family Farms LLC earned top honors in the no-till irrigated division. Robbie Yost, Gray County, took second place with a yield of 96.4 bushels per acre. Olson Family Farms, Brown County, received third place with a yield of 95.1 bushels per acre.

In the conventional-till irrigated division, Tri H Farms of Meade County submitted an entry of 104.2 bushels per acre to earn first place. Arganbright Farms, Marshall County, took second place with a yield of 101.6 bushels per acre. Craig Gigstad, Jefferson County, rounds out the division at 96.2 bushels per acre.

The Value Contest analyzes a 20-ounce sample of soybeans and calculates a premium over-cash-value price based on protein and oil content and other value-added qualities.

Following Longenecker’s top value entry, two entries tied for second place. Kathy Heiniger, Brown County, and Stewart Family Farms, Washington County, submitted soybeans with a $0.92 premium over cash value.

The Kansas Soybean Commission provides monetary awards to finalists each year. The highest dryland and irrigated yields in the state each receive a $1,000 award. In each district and the value contest, first place receives $300, second receives $200, and third receives $100.

Placement prizes are set to be awarded at the inaugural Kansas Soybean Celebration January 31 in Salina. Full contest results are available at www.kansassoybeans.org/contests.

About Kansas Soybean:

The Kansas Soybean Association, headquartered in Topeka, is the voice and advocate on local, state, national and international issues of importance to Kansas’ 16,000 soybean farms. Founded in 1973, its advocacy efforts are made possible through the voluntary memberships of farmers and industry supporters. It also is the primary, administrative contractor to the Kansas Soybean Commission.

The Kansas Soybean Commission, established in 1977, includes nine volunteer farmer-commissioners who are elected by their peers. They oversee investments of the legislated “soybean checkoff” assessment in research, consumer information, market development, industry relations and farmer outreach to improve the profit opportunities for all Kansas soybean farmers.

— Kansas Soybean

The post Top Entry in 2024 Kansas Soybean Yield Contest Breaks Previous State Record by Double Digits appeared first on Morning Ag Clips.

Some of those questions will include:

• Soybean seeding rate continues to be a very important topic for farmers according to grower surveys.  Trials were conducted over 7 years at 66 locations from 2015 to 2021, and 11 additional sites were included in 2024.  What seeding rates produced the highest yields, and which were most profitable?
• Early planting date had been studied in on-farm trials from 2019 to 2023 at 14 locations, but in 2024 we included two maturity groups at two planting dates.  Did a longer maturity group variety do better at either planting date?
• Yield was significantly higher at 8 of 10 locations in 2023 when Delaro Complete was applied at R3 for a “plant health” effect.  The same trial was conducted at 11 locations in 2024 — did we find the same yield differences?

Michigan Soybean Committee and Michigan State University Extension invite soybean growers and agribusinesses to attend regional meetings in January 2025 to hear results of the 2024 soybean on-farm research projects. Participants will learn about historical climate trends that are impacting our growing season in Michigan. They will also have an opportunity to provide input into the research projects to be conducted in 2025. Time will be available for questions and discussion.

When and where:

• January 3 (Southeast Michigan): Lenawee Christian Center Auditorium, 111 Wolf Creek Hwy, Adrian, MI 49221 (part of the Center for Excellence Crop Day)
• January 9 (Central Michigan): AgroLiquid, 3055 M-21, St. Johns, MI 48879
• January 14 (Bay region): Uptown North Main, 975 N Main St., Frankenmuth, Michigan 48734
• January 15 (Thumb region): Beagio’s Pizza, 5795 Sanilac Rd., Kingston, MI 48741
• January 21 (Southwest Michigan): GreenMark Equipment, 16700 Heimbach Rd., Three Rivers, MI 49093
• January 22 (West Michigan): Zeeland Farm Services Inc., 2525 84th Ave., Zeeland, MI 49464

Time:  All programs begin with registration at 9 a.m. (except Adrian which will begin at 8 a.m.)

Agenda:  The following agenda is for all locations (except Adrian which will follow the Center for Excellence Crops Day agenda)

• 9 a.m. Registration and coffee
• 9:15 a.m. Soybean Checkoff and Association Updates — Local Michigan Soybean Committee/Association board members
• 9:30 a.m. 2024 Soybean On-farm Research Trial Results — Eric Anderson, MSU Extension Soybean Educator
• 10:40 a.m. Break
• 11 a.m. Climate Trends and Agricultural Impacts in the Great Lakes Region — Jeff Andresen, MSU Climatologist
• 11:45 a.m. Identify Potential 2025 Research Projects and Discussion — Mark Seamon and Eric Anderson
• 12:15 p.m. Complimentary lunch (courtesy of Michigan Soybean Committee)
• 1 p.m. Credits, evaluation and adjourn

Cost and registration:  Through farmer investments in the soybean checkoff, Michigan Soybean Committee is pleased to partner with MSU Extension and cover all meeting costs. However, pre-registration is requested to ensure an accurate count for lunch and materials. You can register online by clicking the link below. For help registering for any of the regional meetings, call the St. Joseph County Extension office at 269-467-5511. Please pre-register seven days prior to the date for each location.

Register for Michigan Soybean On-Farm Research Update Meetings

(https://events.anr.msu.edu/SoybeanResearchUpdate2025)

Credits:  This program has been approved for two pesticide applicator recertification (RUP) credits. Credits in Adrian will be offered by the Center for Excellence.

Coming soon to a mailbox near you…

Each year the Michigan Soybean On-Farm Research Report is published, printed and mailed to over 9,000 soybean farmers throughout Michigan.  The 2024 edition should be arriving in mailboxes around the first week of January.  The report includes all information that will be presented at the regional meetings along with a few “bonus feature” articles.

If you are not a soybean farmer in Michigan but would like to read the results from the 2024 season—or if you want to review results from the past several years—you can view the reports online(https://www.michigansoybean.org/on-farm-research.html) by visiting the Michigan Soybean Committee website and clicking on On-Farm Research under the For Farmers tab.

— Michigan State University Extension

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Brent Gatton, who farms in Bremen, Kentucky, was elected Vice-Chairman by his peers. He has previously served multiple terms on USB as treasurer and as Chairman of the Audit and Evaluation Committee, helping to ensure that farmer checkoff dollars are invested in compliance with federal law. 

He joins Chairman Philip Good of Mississippi, Treasurer Matt Gast of North Dakota, and Secretary Susan Watkins of Virginia on USB’s officer team. At-large members of the Executive Committee are Ed Lammers of Nebraska, Don Wyss of Indiana, Robb Ewoldt of Iowa, Thomas Frisch of Minnesota, Carla Schultz of Michigan, and Todd Hanten of South Dakota.

Gatton began his service to his fellow soybean farmers in 2014, when he was elected by farmers in his area to serve as a director on the Kentucky Soybean Association Board. He was appointed as one of Kentucky’s USB directors in 2018 and also serves as Secretary/Treasurer of the Kentucky Soybean Promotion Board. 

The United Soybean Board’s 77 volunteer farmer-leaders work on behalf of all U.S. soybean farmers to achieve maximum value for their soy checkoff investments. These volunteers create value by investing in research, education and promotion with the vision to deliver sustainable soy solutions to every life, every day across the three priority areas of Infrastructure & Connectivity, Health & Nutrition, and Innovation & Technology. As stipulated in the federal Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soy checkoff. 

–Rae Wagoner, Kentucky Soybean Board

The post Brent Gatton Elected Vice-Chairman of the United Soybean Board appeared first on Morning Ag Clips.

With record soybean and corn harvests, profitable storage options and recovering export demand, the landscape is shifting. Learn how ethanol production and renewable diesel demand are driving the market, despite challenges from trade policies and global competition.

This webinar is part of Farm Credit East’s Insights and Perspectives series, which includes webinars and outlook papers for the diverse sectors of Northeast agriculture and forest products. Visit FarmCreditEast.com/CashGrain to read the 2025 grain and oilseed outlook report.

This outlook webinar taking place on January 6 is free to attend. You do not need to be a Farm Credit East or Horizon Farm Credit customer to attend. Learn more at FarmCreditEast.com/Webinars. Contact Chris Laughton at (800) 562-2235 or Chris.Laughton@farmcrediteast.com for more information.

Farm Credit East is a member-owned cooperative serving businesses involved in agriculture, forest products and commercial fishing throughout its eight-state territory of New York, New Jersey and New England. In addition to loans and leases, the organization offers a full range of specialized financial services. Farm Credit East is governed by a 16-person board of directors, comprised of 13 customer-elected, one customer appointed and two outside appointed directors. For more information, visit FarmCreditEast.com.  

Horizon Farm Credit is a member-owned agricultural lending cooperative, providing short-, intermediate- and long-term financing and related services to full- and part-time farmers, agricultural-related businesses and rural landowners. It serves Delaware, Pennsylvania, and parts of Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. The Association has more than 22,600 members and over $7.0 billion in loans outstanding. Learn more at horizonfc.com.

–Farm Credit East

The post Farm Credit Presents 2025 Grain and Oilseed Outlook Webinar appeared first on Morning Ag Clips.

Currently, soybean and disease specialists know of no cure for red crown rot, which can reduce yields by an estimated 80% in severe cases. Seed treatments may reduce symptoms and infection, but these treatments cannot eliminate the fungus, which persists in the soil.

In the summer of 2024, MU Extension confirmed Missouri’s first cases of red crown rot: in Marion County in northeastern Missouri and Audrain County in central Missouri.

This disease was first identified in the southern U.S. in the 1960s and was confirmed in Illinois in 2018. Although it’s not fully known how red crown rot spread to the north-central U.S., there is speculation that exchange of used equipment has hastened the spread. Equipment used in fields with the pathogen could transport contaminated soil and spread the disease.

Red crown rot lookalikes

Red crown rot is often mistaken for sudden death syndrome (SDS), which causes similar symptoms in the leaves of infected plants. Yellow spots appear on upper canopy leaves and can progress into larger yellow and brown areas between leaf veins. In severe cases, wilting and death can follow. Distinguishing symptoms of red crown rot include reddish discoloration at the base of the stem and root near the soil line.

The fungus that causes red crown rot survives in plant residue over the winter and prefers wet conditions. It can infect seedlings, but symptoms often appear later in the season, usually when soybean plants enter the reproductive stage, says Bish. Cold winters may reduce fungi inoculum levels but won’t eliminate the pathogen entirely.

White fungal growth (mycelia) may be visible on the roots before red perithecia (round fruiting bodies) appear on the crown and root. Another fungus, Clonostachys, also confirmed in Missouri in 2024, can be mistaken for red crown rot. This fungus produces pink to orange perithecia that can resemble the red perithecia of red crown rot.

When scouting for red crown rot, dig up plants and inspect the crown and roots to distinguish it from SDS, says Bish. Split the stem open to help distinguish red crown rot from other lookalike diseases, including brown stem rot.

Fungicide seed treatments labeled for red crown rot may provide some protection against early-season infections. Soybean varieties may have different tolerances to the disease, but there are no commercial soybean varieties with resistance to red crown rot.

Good management is best option

The most effective way to manage the pathogen is to contain it, says Bish. However, this is difficult because it requires additional time and planning. Farmers should clean equipment thoroughly when moving from an infected field to an uninfected one, or work the infected area last to prevent further spread.

The red crown rot fungus thrives when soil temperatures are between 77 and 86 F, so the planting date and soil temperature may influence severity.

Rotating to a non-host crop like corn for two years is recommended. Additionally, improving field drainage can help manage the disease.

Red crown rot was first confirmed in peanut production in the U.S. in the 1960s and in soybean crops in the southern U.S. during the 1970s. The disease has now been confirmed in 11 soybean-producing states, including Missouri.

Contact the MU Plant Diagnostic Clinic at http://muext.us/PlantClinic to help with diagnosis of the disease. You can follow the spread of red crown rot and other plant diseases at the Crop Protection Network at https://CropProtectionNetwork.org.

–Linda Geist, University of Missouri Extension

The post Red Crown Rot: No Cure for This Soybean Disease appeared first on Morning Ag Clips.

Plant-parasitic nematodes feed on agricultural crops at their roots, reducing yields and profits for producers. In the U.S., soybean producers lose about 11 percent of their crops to soybean diseases, including the southern root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita, or SRKN as it’s commonly known. The nematode forms abnormal growths — or knots — in soybean plant roots that disrupt water and nutrient uptake, essentially starving the plants.

According to the Crop Protection Network, U.S. producers suffered approximately $172 million in damages due to SRKN in 2023. More than half of those damages occurred in Arkansas, where producers lost approximately $95 million.

Caio Canella Vieira, a researcher for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station and assistant professor of soybean breeding, is leading a new project to develop resilient soybean plants and prevent SRKN from gaining a foothold in producers’ fields.

“We want to develop soybean lines that are resistant to this pathogen so farmers have effective tools to manage SRKN and protect their crops,” Vieira said.

Vieira received a three-year, $791,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture grant to conduct this research. The experiment station is the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

Moving north

Soybean plants in Southern states have developed some resistance to these microscopic pests over time, Vieira said. However, these nematodes have recently been crawling northward into areas where soybean plants are highly susceptible.

“With changes in climate patterns and how farmers are adopting earlier planting dates and using earlier maturing soybeans, the problem has been expanding,” he said. “There are occurrences of southern root-knot nematode in Illinois, northern Missouri, and Indiana, for example. And this can become a serious threat over the next few years.”

Southern root-knot nematode is the second most destructive soybean pathogen, only behind soybean cyst nematodes.

“Historically, the research community emphasized the soybean cyst nematode because it was more broadly distributed across the country. But now, with southern root-knot expanding, it started to gain attention,” Vieira said.

Soybean plants affected by southern root-knot nematodes will show stunted growth, leaf wilting and discoloration, and deformation of roots. These symptoms can easily be mistaken for abiotic stress, such as drought or nutrient deficiency, leading to misdiagnosis and ineffective management strategies. Vieira says farmers may experience loss without ever seeing any symptoms.

The nematodes’ short life cycle and high reproductive rates also make management a challenge.

The root of the problem

Standard management practices such as crop rotation and chemical treatments have limited efficacy against SRKN, Vieira said.

In crop rotation, most flowering crops can still be hosts to SRKN. Chemical treatments can be expensive, require specialized equipment and can be toxic to the environment. Vieira said that a few options have been banned and the available options haven’t been very efficient.

“There’s no other management source for SRKN,” he said. “Genetic resistance is the most sustainable approach to managing the problem and sustaining soybean production.”

Previous research showed that yield losses in susceptible crops are 25 to 30 percent higher than in resistant crops. If extremely high pressure is present, meaning more nematodes in the soil, it’s a total loss.

But those earlier studies also had good news.

“Genetic resistance works as ‘crop insurance,’” Vieira said. “If nematodes are present, the resistant genes will protect the crop. If no nematodes are present, the yield is unaffected.”

Genetic ‘crop insurance’

Vieira’s research has three main objectives:

• Identify the soybean gene that regulates resistance.
• Search for and identify new genetic sources and different modes of resistance.
• Develop soybean populations with improved genetic resistance by combining multiple sources of resistance.

“We know there is a resistant gene because we use this genomic region in current soybean breeding efforts, but we don’t know exactly what gene this is,” Vieira said. “The first step will be finding the causal gene, understanding its function, and how it interacts with the pathogen.”

The team will screen hundreds of genetically diverse soybean lines worldwide to identify potential new sources of resistance, including from China, South America, Europe, and Russia. They will then develop soybean breeding populations combining different genetic sources of resistance, aiming to create improved soybean varieties resistant to southern knot-root nematodes.

“The goal is to have resistant and high-performing soybean lines,” he said. “We want to expand our knowledge of SRKN but also develop tangible products available for farmers ready to grow.”

Collaborators in this project include the Division of Agriculture’s Travis Faske, extension plant pathologist and professor; Joanna Kud, assistant professor in the entomology and plant pathology department; and Henry Nguyen, professor of plant genetics and biotechnology at the University of Missouri.

This research also relies on the support of the United Soybean Board, the Mid-South Soybean Board, and the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board.

This grant is part of the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative from USDA-NIFA. The project award no. is 2024-67014-43275.

To learn more about the Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website. Follow us on X at @ArkAgResearch, subscribe to the Food, Farms and Forests podcast and sign up for our monthly newsletter, the Arkansas Agricultural Research Report. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. Follow us on X at @AgInArk. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu.

About the Division of Agriculture

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.

The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

–Jenifer Fouch
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
via EurekAlert!

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Scott Metzger, Ohio Soybean Association (OSA) and Ohio Soybean Council (OSC) board member from Ross County, was elected to serve as the ASA vice president, a role that puts him in line to serve as the association’s president in 2026. He previously served as treasurer on ASA’s executive committee and as president of OSA.

“Scott’s dedication to the soybean industry and his extensive leadership experience have made a lasting impact both in Ohio and on a national level,” said OSA President Rusty Goebel, who farms in Williams County. “These qualities make him exceptionally well-suited to serve as ASA’s vice president.”

Metzger farms more than 3,100 acres of soybeans, corn and wheat. He received a B.S. in Agronomy and Agricultural Business at The Ohio State University. He has also participated in many leadership programs including Ohio Farm Bureau’s AgriPower and American Soybean Association’s Dupont Young Leader Program.

About OSA
The Ohio Soybean Association is governed by a volunteer farmer board dedicated to education and promotion, as well as to uniting producer interest through support of legislative activities beneficial to the Ohio soybean industry.

About the American Soybean Association
American Soybean Association (ASA) represents U.S. soybean farmers on domestic and international policy issues important to the soybean industry. ASA has 26 affiliated state associations representing 30 soybean-producing states and more than 500,000 soybean farmers. More information at soygrowers.com.

— Ohio Soybean Association

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Caleb Ragland, president of the American Soybean Association and soy farmer from Kentucky, said, “We urge congressional leadership to return to the negotiating table and find a path forward. A package that does not include both economic and disaster assistance for our farmers who have suffered significantly from unforgiving market conditions, disastrous weather phenomena and for many, a combination of both, simply does not meet the mark for what agriculture and specifically, our soy growers, need. We will oppose any supplemental spending package that does not provide meaningful assistance to farmers who need help now to stay afloat in 2025 and beyond.”

While talks continue on an extension of the farm bill and a package to fund the government, soy farmers and other agricultural groups have expressed they do not support a package that fails to acknowledge the economic realities farmers are facing.

Soybean prices have dropped 40% over the past two years. Compounded by an already insufficient farm safety net, this has made it increasingly difficult for farming operations to remain viable. Without consideration for U.S. farmers, who provide feed, fuel, food and fiber for our country, rural communities and consumers nationwide will likely feel the residual effects of a mounting agriculture recession.

This plea from the American Soybean Association echoed a similar earlier one from the American Farm Bureau Federation and a number of other agricultural groups.

National Farmers Union (NFU) President Rob Larew issued the following statement today, expressing frustration and urging Congress to address the urgent needs of family farmers and ranchers before adjourning for the year:

“Family farmers and ranchers across the country are battling relentless challenges. Despite these mounting pressures, Congress has failed to act and appears ready to leave town without securing critical support for farmers. NFU has been fighting tirelessly to ensure Congress passes a farm bill extension with economic and disaster aid family farmers and ranchers need.

“Time is running out to secure a deal before the end of the year. Lawmakers must not walk away from their responsibility to rural America. Congress has already failed to finalize a five-year farm bill. I urge Farmers Union members to tell their elected representatives to not come home until they have delivered immediate support for family farmers and ranchers.”

National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC) President Chuck Conner said in a statement:

“Reports from the supplemental funding/continuing resolution packaged being negotiated today indicate that it fails to include critical economic assistance for American farmers facing the one-two punch of low prices and skyrocketing input costs. It would fall far short of what is needed to ensure the survival of thousands of producers across the country. We urge congressional leaders to rethink this approach, negotiate in good faith, and keep their promises to farmers. Without such action, NCFC can not support such a bill and would urge a ‘no’ vote on the measure.”

Kenneth Hartman Jr, president of the National Corn Growers Association, released the following statement:

“We are deeply disappointed that congressional leadership appears to be at an impasse over crucial economic assistance for farmers in an end-of-the-year legislative package. Corn growers are faced with low prices and high input costs and economic aid would provide them with critical relief during challenging economic times.

“While these developments are disheartening, we call on Congress to resume negotiations and pass legislation that includes economic assistance while there is still time.”

National Association of State Departments of Agriculture CEO Ted McKinney issued the following statement:

“Farmers and ranchers are encountering tremendous pressures under high input costs, elevated interest costs, deeply depressed commodity futures markets and poor local cash markets. Additionally, they have experienced powerful headwinds, ranging from extreme weather to uncertain global demand to supply chain disruptions. NASDA calls on Congress to put politics aside and find a resolution that provides the necessary economic aid and disaster assistance for the farmers and ranchers who work every day to provide food security to our country while also feeding the world.”

Tim Fink, American Farmland Trust Vice President of Policy said:

“The holidays are a special time when many of us gather with loved ones over meals. But before we turn to the holidays, we will not turn our backs on the very people who make those meals possible.

The suffering of many of our nation’s farmers and ranchers is all too real. Net farm income has declined by nearly a quarter since 2022. In addition to weak prices and increasing production costs, farmers and ranchers nationwide have faced weather-related disasters. This year alone, producers experienced destructive hurricanes in Texas and the southeast; devastating floods in the northeast; and catastrophic wildfires in the west. In the face of such headwinds, it comes as no surprise that the 2022 Census of Agriculture showed a loss of over 141,000 farms.

Right now, Congress has a chance to address these challenges as part of an end-of-year package by transferring remaining Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) conservation funding into the Farm Bill, and by providing producer economic assistance. The transfer of the IRA conservation funding will ensure increased long-term support for producers in implementing the very practices needed to improve their profitability and make their operations more resilient to extreme weather. The economic assistance will support farm income at a time of downturn and uncertainty, helping keep producers in business and food on our plates.

American Farmland Trust stands with our nation’s farmers and ranchers in opposing any end-of-year package that does not include both the transfer of the IRA conservation funding and economic assistance. We urge Members of Congress to do the same.”

And finally, a release from the United States Peanut Federation (USPF) expressed disappointment after the recent breakdown of congressional discussions on the inclusion of economic assistance for farmers in upcoming appropriations legislation. The USPF release continued:

Over the past few months, USPF members have participated in three separate fly-ins to Washington, D.C., urging legislators to provide financial relief after the multi-year impact of increases in costs of production paired with low prices on the agriculture industry. The current extreme economic conditions and low probability, in many cases, of accessing loan services for the next crop year, create a financially devastating situation for farmers going into crop year 2025, with many predicting the closure of their farms. Additionally, many southern growers were impacted by back-to-back hurricanes this year, only worsening their situation and increasing the need for economic assistance.

Congress returned to session on November 12, and USPF members were hopeful agricultural economic assistance would be included in the final appropriations legislation during the Lame Duck session. Unfortunately, recent Capitol Hill discussions have lessened their confidence for economic assistance to be included along with the expected one-year extension of the 2018 Farm Bill.

Congress has until December 20, 2024 to complete the Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations process, including the Farm Bill extension, and USPF members strongly oppose any supplemental appropriations legislation that does not include vital economic assistance for the agriculture industry.

Joe Boddiford, chairman of the Georgia Peanut Commission, said, “The current economic crisis has devastated the peanut industry, and Congress must provide economic assistance to support those who feed our nation. Most don’t realize the severity of this situation, and many farmers will be forced out of business if Congress does not act now. It is imperative Congress deny appropriations funding if assistance is not provided to the row crop industry.”

Carl Sanders, president of the Alabama Peanut Producers Association, said, “Many peanut growers are unsure how their families will continue farming in 2025 with the current financial struggles they’re experiencing. Financial assistance from Congress is needed to bridge the gap until a new Farm Bill is in place.”

— American Soybean Association
National Farmers Union
National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
National Corn Growers Association
National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
American Farmland Trust
United States Peanut Federation

The post More Ag Groups Call on Congress for Farm Economic Assistance appeared first on Morning Ag Clips.

The Soy Aquaculture Alliance is dedicated to expanding the use of U.S.-grown soybeans in domestic aquaculture diets. Soybeans and fish may seem unlikely partners, but bringing the land and sea together offers major opportunities for both. SAA supports research, promotion and collaboration that build this partnership.

Adam Hendricks, who farms in Russellville, was re-elected Chairman of the Southern Soybean Research Program (SSRP), a multi-state collaborative that invests checkoff dollars into research that benefits the Southern region. Current state members, in addition to Kentucky, are Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Texas. He is joined on the officer team by Vice-Chair Wendy Yeager of Alabama and Secretary/Treasurer Forrest Howell of North Carolina. 

Hendricks also currently serves as President of the Kentucky Soybean Association, as a director on the Kentucky Soybean Board, and as Kentucky’s representative to the U.S. Soybean Export Council – USSEC. 

Interestingly enough, both men are continuing the legacy left by the late George Martin of Nebo. Martin served as Chairman of both SAA and SSRP. Both men are the second Kentuckians (after Martin) to serve in leadership of their respective organizations. 

–Rae Wagoner, Kentucky Soybean Board and Association

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This year’s event collected non-perishable food items for the Central Missouri Food Bank and added another donation opportunity in partnership with the Capital City Diaper Bank. Attendees came together to celebrate the season, meet Santa Claus, and give back to the community.

“After the success of last year’s event, we were excited to bring Santa at Soy back for a second year,” said Gary Wheeler, CEO and executive director of Missouri Soybeans. “The holiday season is a time to reflect on our blessings and give back to those in need, and this event allows us to do just that while sharing the story of Missouri’s incredible soy industry.”

More than 100 families and friends attended the event, enjoying holiday activities, including photos with Santa and sampling homemade chocolate chip soy cookies and hot chocolate. The event also provided an opportunity to learn about the diverse applications of soy.

“Seeing so many familiar faces, along with new ones, was rewarding,” said Baylee Asbury, director of outreach and education at Missouri Soybeans. “Santa at Soy has grown into a fulfilling tradition, and we are thrilled to see the community come together to celebrate the holidays and learn more about how soy impacts their lives.”

In addition to festive activities, attendees toured CFSI to explore how soy is used in everything from renewable energy to industrial uses. The center aims to connect visitors with innovations that drive sustainability and economic growth in Missouri.

If you were unable to attend the event and would like to donate, please visit sharefoodbringhope.org and capitalcitydiaperbank.org.

For additional details about CFSI or upcoming events, visit www.mosoy.org or contact Baylee Asbury at basbury@mosoy.org.

–Samantha Turner, Missouri Soybeans

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