Land, labor, records, succession, making it pay.
USDA wants the herd rebuilt. The market is paying you not to. A worked example of what a retained heifer has to be worth in 2028 to beat selling her in October 2026, and the three things that decide it.
1d ago
The Labor Department scrapped the USDA Farm Labor Survey basis and moved to OEWS data with two skill levels and a housing adjustment. Rates in 2026 run roughly $8 to $17 an hour depending on state and job, down from $15 to $20. What it means if you use the program or compete with it.
3d ago
With nitrogen forecast to hold at $750 to $800 a ton through fall and corn back near $5, the fall-versus-spring decision is closer than it has been in years. The agronomy has not changed; the economics have.
4d ago
The Chicago Fed's second-quarter survey shows land holding its nominal value while the real decline is the largest since 2016. Repayment problems are at their highest since 2020. Iowa and Illinois are up; Indiana and Wisconsin are down.
4d ago
The $16 billion Supplemental Disaster Relief Program has been extended one last time. Payment factor is now 70 percent. If you had a 2023 or 2024 weather loss, indemnified or not, the FSA office needs your paperwork this month.
Sep 2