Kansas

For the beleaguered winter wheat crop in some of the southern drought areas, "It's quickly becoming the point of no return," according to USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey. He added the current crop raitings are just terrible for this time of year ...

The wheat crop nationwide is facing a variety of challenges this year. "For weeks now we've been watching the status of winter wheat and the poor condition across the central and southern great plains and despite a fairly stormy week last week, it's not surprising that we still have some significant issues with winter wheat condition," said USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey ...

Dry conditions are expected to continue in several areas of the country. “We do have some limited updates from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.  Weekly state reports for the week ending March 6th indicating that topsoil moisture is rated 81% very short to short in Kansas and Texas," USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says Oklahoma is also notably dry. “In those st ... Read Mor

What does the La Niña weather pattern have to do with condition ratings for the current winter wheat crop? "La Niña does not particularly bode well for the outcome," said USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey. "We oftentimes see dry spring weather across the central and southern great plains.  They would ...

Meat companies and union officials tell Reuters that rising COVID-19 infections among workers are forcing meat plants to slow production and the government to replace slaughter inspectors. Meatpacking was an early epicenter of COVID in 2020 and is now the latest sector to be disrupted by the Omicron variant ...

President of the National Grange, Betsy Huber, says the organization is looking to recapture its role as the voice of rural America. During the 155th Annual Session last month in Wichita, KS, Huber pointed out that a couple of generations ago the Grange was the premier advocacy group in D ...

A spokesperson for Deere and Company says there will not be a third contract offer to striking union workers. The UAW John Deere members voted to reject the second proposal from Deere this week, leaving more than 10,000 workers on strike. In a company statement, Deere said, “With the rejection of the agreement covering our Midwest facilities, we will execute the next phase of our Customer Service

Deere and Company employees this week again rejected a tentative contract agreement. By a vote of 45% to 55%, United Auto Workers John Deere members voted down the agreement Tuesday night. UAW said the strike will continue as they discuss next steps with the company ...

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is pleased that the Cattle Contract Library Act introduced last week by South Dakota Republican Dusty Johnson and Texas Democrat Henry Cuellar. Tanner Beymer the Director of Government Affairs and Marketing Regulatory Policy with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, said this bipartisan piece of legislation is good news for the industry. “Wh ... Rea

A fire at the JBS Grand Island, NE, processing facility halted beef packing production Monday. Local firefighters said the blaze burned the roof of the facility’s rendering section. The JBS Grand Island facility is a two-shift, beef-processing plant employing more than 3,600 people. The ...