Article excerpts:

“Stabenow unveiled 1,397-page details of her long-awaited farm bill Monday morning. This comes as early Sunday evening Pro Farmer broke the news that Senate Ag Chairwoman (D-Mich.) had briefed Democrats but not Republicans on her coming farm bill text, which was expected to be released Monday.

Stabenow said in a news release and summary of the bill, “The foundation of every successful farm bill is built on holding together the broad, bipartisan farm bill coalition. This is a strong bill that invests in all of agriculture, helps families put food on the table, supports rural prosperity, and holds that coalition together…”

“… “Though America’s pork producers appreciate Chairwoman Stabenow’s efforts to publish Farm Bill...

Article excerpts:

“One of the biggest anticipated changes that could impact farms across the U.S. is the possible change to the tax policy under a second Trump administration.”

“While anticipated changes continued to be weighed by political analysts, one agricultural tax expert thinks farmers can count on one major thing.

“I think we’re definitely going to see no tax increases. That’s for sure,” says Paul Neiffer, Farm CPA and contributor to AgWeb.”

“According to Neiffer, 100% bonus depreciation could also make a comeback under Trump.

“We think, perhaps, 100% bonus depreciation might be coming back for farmers,” says Neiffer. “When they buy equipment or buildings, farm buildings, etc., they’ll be able to deduct 100% of that in the year of...

Article excerpts:

“Integrating livestock into crop production is a must on the Taylor Farm in central Iowa near Bouton. By adding cover crops, they have increased cow numbers and seen multiple benefits, including nearly year-round grazing and soil health enhancements.

"We are using livestock to add income to our crop ground, and when Noah wanted to return to the farm, we knew the cover crops was a big part of why we could have another family here," pointed out Dan Taylor, Noah's father. He said cover crops boosted income -- without much added expense -- because they were able to add more cattle thanks to a longer grazing period.

A CAUTIOUS START

The Taylors began using cover crops in 2016. They started cautiously, aerial seeding rye into corn and hoping it would...

Article excerpts:

“Charles and Heather Maude, indicted separately with felony criminal charges of theft of federal property will attend their first court hearing Nov. 19, 2024, in federal court in Rapid City, S.D.

Criminal proceedings are public unless otherwise ordered by the court.

The official wording on the grand jury indictment against the Caputa, S.D., farm and ranch couple, said that the couple both “did knowingly steal, purloin and convert to their own use, National Grasslands managed by the United States Department of Agriculture… approximately 25 acres of National Grasslands for cultivation and approximately 25 acres of National Grasslands for grazing cattle, having a value in excess of $1,000, and did aid and abet each other, all in violation of U.S.C. §§...

Article excerpts:

“Total acreage enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is now the highest level in a decade as the program evolves and focuses more on grazing acres than at any time in its history.

Checks for CRP should have been issued over the first two weeks of October at roughly $1.8 billion total in payments.

CRP acreage under the Biden administration has grown 5.36 million acres since early 2021 to hit 25.86 million acres, a 26% increase in enrollment. The Farm Service Agency is getting close to its 27-million-acre cap from the 2018 farm bill.

This year's enrollment programs added 199,214 acres in the general signup -- the traditional program -- while the Grasslands CRP contracts added another 1.44 million acres.

Rolling back the number...

AFBF: 230,000 Farms Affected by Beneficial Ownership Reporting Rules

Article excerpts:

“The American Farm Bureau Federation is warning farmers and other rural businesses about the approaching Jan. 1, 2025, deadline to provide business ownership information to the U.S. Treasury Department.

AFBF estimates more than 230,000 farmers are affected by the Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) provisions of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA).

Passed in 2021, the CTA requires business ownership interests to file a report with Treasury. The law was created through a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act to reduce financial crimes such as tax fraud and money laundering. It was also passed coming out of the pandemic when there was a great deal of fraud --...

Article excerpts:

“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ real estate arm is acquiring more than 41,000 acres of land with the intention of leasing it to farmers.

Farmland Reserve, a nonprofit arm of the Mormon Church, is buying 46 farms from real estate investor Farmland Partners. The farms encompass 41,500 acres of land and include sites in Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma and the Carolinas.

The Mormon Church has for decades gobbled up farmland across the United States, quickly becoming a major landowner in areas like Florida and Nebraska.

The LDS Church owns approximately 1.7 million acres of land primarily used for agriculture, according to Landgate, a commercial real estate advisory service, making it one of the...

Article excerpts:

“How much private land can the federal government access without probable cause, search warrant, or consent? Almost all of it, as in 1.2 billion acres, or at least 96% of all private holdings in the United States.

The staggering numbers, tabulated in research by Institute for Justice (IJ), highlight the scope of the Open Fields doctrine—the power of federal officials to enter and surveil private land with no limitations on frequency or duration.

Additionally, the report, ‘Good Fences, Good Luck’, puts a spotlight on an alarming acreage correlation for property owners: the more rural the land, the more accessible to government’s reach.”

Link to full article:...

Appeals court rules on environmental groups’ challenge to CAFO regulations

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit elected to toss a lawsuit filed by several activist groups aiming to force changes to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) regulations.

The court sided with the EPA’s current approach to regulating livestock production, which includes studying water quality through its Animal Agriculture Water Quality Subcommittee, with pork industry involvement.

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), which presented oral arguments before the court last month, praised the decision. The court emphasized that the EPA’s decision to gather information before enacting new regulations was “reasonable” and aligned...

Article excerpts:

“Denver voters will decide on Nov. 5 if current and future slaughterhouses should be banned in the city.

Currently, there is only one slaughterhouse in Denver, employee-owned Superior Farms, which has slaughtered, processed and packaged lambs and lamb meat at its location near the Platte River and Western Stock Show complex since the 1950s. About 300,000 lambs are slaughtered each year at the site, which would be forced to close if the ordinance passes.

Here’s what you need to know about Ordinance 309…

“…Who is spending money to support and oppose Ordinance 309?

Pro-Animal Future Denver had raised almost $244,276 through Sept. 30. The largest donors are listed on Pro-Animal Future’s website and include the Craigslist Charitable Fund,...

Article excerpts:

“A private landowner, CTM LCC, which owns just over 1,075 acres in northeast Iowa, sued USDA officials last April. With the help of the Pacific Legal Foundation and the Liberty Justice Legal, CTM LLC's case in the U.S. District Court of Northern Iowa argues that a 9-acre USDA wetland determination on a 71.85-acre tract amounts to an unconstitutional taking of land.

The 1985 farm bill created the swampbuster and sodbuster provisions that combine to create "conservation compliance" for farm bill programs. The swampbuster provision requires farmers to not drain identified wetlands for agricultural production. The sodbuster requires farmers to agree not to farm highly-erodible land…”

“…MOTION FILED TO INTERVENE

The Iowa Farmers Union, Dakota Rural...

Article excerpts:

“The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing the launch of the Distressed Borrowers Assistance Network, an initiative designed to provide personalized support to financially distressed farmers and ranchers across the nation. Through a series of Cooperative Agreements, this national network will connect distressed borrowers with individualized assistance to help them stabilize and regain financial footing…

“…I started my off-ranch career as a Farm Advocate, working hand-in-hand with other tireless farmer advocates. Having someone with experiences in ag finance help producers work through financial difficulties can be the difference between them losing the farm or prospering,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “The Distressed Borrowers...

Article excerpts:

“The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed the Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act introduced by Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash…”

The vote was 269 to 149 on HR 9456 with 214 Republicans and 55 Democrats backing the bill.

The bill adds the Agriculture secretary to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) for transactions, including land, biotechnology, transportation, storage, and processing. It also requires the secretary to report any transaction that can be considered a threat to national security.

"Today, the United States took a stand against one of our greatest foreign adversaries, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)," Newhouse said in a news release. "The CCP has been quietly purchasing...

Congressional Hearing Exposes Lack of Clarity on WOTUS Rules

Demonstrating to members of Congress how hard it is to get to know the new federal rules for enforcing Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS), a member of the American Farm Bureau Federation's government affairs team on Wednesday showed lawmakers 1,128 pages of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request that was largely blacked out.

Courtney Briggs, a senior director of government affairs with AFBF and chair of the Waters Advocacy Coalition -- a collection of industry groups -- said agencies such as the Army Corps of Engineers and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are largely trying to ignore the 2023 Supreme Court case, Sackett v. EPA. The Sackett case curtailed federal agencies from regulating wetlands as waters of the...

Recent farmland sales statistics and links in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, South Dakota compiled by DTN Progressive Farmer magazine.

Link to article: HERE

Article excerpts:

“A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plan to protect endangered species from the effects of weedkillers could require farms near vulnerable habitats to take additional conservational steps.

The EPA last week revealed its finalized strategy to safeguard over 900 federally endangered and threatened species from herbicides, a result of nearly two dozen lawsuits against the agency over its failure to meet Endangered Species Act obligations when approving pesticides. The new framework will be used to help determine which on-the-ground conservation measures farmers should take — and when — in order to offset any herbicide impacts…”

“…Farm groups have remained wary of the plan, saying it creates a confusing patchwork of rules that will likely raise costs...

Landowners Win in SD Supreme Court in Summit Carbon Pipeline Challenge

Article excerpts:

“Lower courts in South Dakota erred in ruling Summit Carbon Solutions is a common carrier able to exercise eminent domain to acquire and inspect land for a planned 2,000-mile carbon pipeline, the South Dakota Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

In a 42-page ruling handed down in an ongoing legal fight mounted by more than 50 landowners in the state, the state's highest court said the company had not presented enough evidence to show it was a common carrier.

Under state law, a common carrier holds itself out to the general public as transporting a commodity for hire.”

Link to full article:...

Colorado Livestock Association (CLA) offers “Biosecure” signs to serve as a visual aid to those entering businesses where agriculture production takes place and that there are certain risks associated with entering your private place of business. CLA recommends that employers post signs at all driveways and other entrances to the property stating that all visitors must check-in at the farm or ranch office.

CLA has signs in English and Spanish available for members and additional signs available for purchase. “No Trespassing” signs are strongly encouraged, as well, as they too, still hold limited legal defensibility in court.

To request a set, contact the office at (970) 378-0500 or email office@coloradolivestock.org

“The dairy industry has entered one of the most unique market moments in a generation, according to Corey Geiger, lead dairy economist for CoBank.

“Feed prices are shifting to a five-year low, and beef-on-dairy calves are fetching top-of-the-market prices,” Geiger explains. “Those record values on calves are placing a lid on dairy replacement numbers, and that, in turn, has capped milk production.”

Link to article: HERE

Utah officials filed the lawsuit on Tuesday, asking the U.S. Supreme Court whether the federal government can indefinitely control public lands within the state’s borders.

Article excerpts:

Utah officials filed a lawsuit Tuesday asking the U.S. Supreme Court to answer a question: Can the federal government control public lands within the state indefinitely?

“It is obvious to all of us that the federal government has increasingly failed to keep our lands accessible and properly managed,” Gov. Spencer Cox said at a Tuesday morning news conference.

“Utah deserves priority when it comes to managing this land,” he continued. “Utah is in the best position to understand and respond to the unique needs of our environment and communities.”

Link:...

From 2017 to 2022, the average value per acre of all American farmland grew from $4,368 to $5,354, an increase of nearly 23%, according to USDA data on the market value of farmland and its buildings.

Article excerpts:

“As Jess Bray pulled up to a 21-acre farm nestled in an eastern Oklahoma valley, she instantly got a warm feeling. “This is the place,” she thought.

After attempting to buy two other properties before being outbid by cash buyers, Bray and her husband Jon began to wonder whether their dream of owning and operating their own farm would become a reality.

“We always wanted to farm, but we aren’t trust fund kids, we didn’t grow up in agriculture … we didn’t have a farm handed down to us, so it wasn’t something that was very accessible to us,” Bray said....

4 Management Practices to Help Your Pasture Recover From Drought Damage

Article excerpts:

“Decent rainfall across the Midwest this growing season has helped improve pasture conditions. But one season of good rains will not be enough to undo the damage to drought-stressed pastures after multiple years of dry conditions, according to forage experts.

University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist Carson Roberts and forage agronomist Valerie Tate said in a recent news release that mismanaged pastures may continue to see a drag in production despite the return of ample moisture.

Weakened plants and poor infiltration are two key factors in the continued decline in grass production. Weakened plants are a product of both overgrazing and drought, according to...

Article excerpts:

“After notifying a northwest Wisconsin town in October 2023 of their intent to challenge a local ordinance that regulates livestock farming, two residents made good on their promise last week.

Ben and Jenny Binversie, represented by the legal arm of the state’s largest business and manufacturing lobby, Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, are asking a circuit court judge to strike down the rules in the Polk County town of Eureka.

A ruling in their favor could set a precedent for all Wisconsin municipalities seeking to regulate agriculture, a $105 billion state industry.

“This ordinance is quite simply another case of government overreach,” the Binversies’ attorney Scott Rosenow, executive director of WMC Litigation Center, said in a news...

Article excerpts:

“Charles and Heather Maude, a farming couple from western South Dakota, have been indicted on theft of federal property, with charges brought against them in June 2024. But their case has sparked outrage from agricultural organizations nationwide and has earned the support of a U.S. senator.

The indictment accuses the Maudes of unlawfully taking and converting approximately 50 acres of national grasslands managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for their own use. The land in question was used for cultivation and grazing, and the property’s value exceeds $1,000. If convicted, they each face up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000, under a federal statute that addresses use of government land without permission.

The legal dispute...

The contraction in the U.S. beef herd has opened opportunities for dairy producers to capitalize by delivering beef-on-dairy crossbred calves, according to a report from Purina Animal Health.

The firm’s recently released Beef-on-Dairy Industry Report cites Purina survey data showing that most dairy farmers are realizing a premium approaching $200 a head, with some netting double or triple that advantage.

The current market has about 3 million beef-on-dairy cattle according to the report, which includes chapters written by Purina staff as well as beef industry experts from academia and extension programs.

Kansas State University Professor Robert Weaber, department head for the Eastern Kansas Research and Extension Center, writes that adding beef genetics to breeding...

Cropland Values Average $5,570 Per Acre, USDA Land Summary Report Says

Article Excerpts:

“USDA said the value of all farm real estate increased 5% from 2023, averaging $4,170 per acre. This estimate includes buildings and other facilities.

Cropland values increased to $5,570 per acre from the previous year. That's $250 per acre more, up 4.7%.

The average pasture value was $1,830 per acre, a $90 per acre increase from 2023. That's a 5.2% change.

Farmers paid an average of $160 per acre to rent cropland, but rents on irrigated ground averaged $245 per acre while dryland rents averaged $146 per acre.

To compile its annual Land Values Summary, USDA uses a sample of 9,000 segments of land, each about a square mile in size. The agency's enumerators contact...

Article excerpts:

WASHINGTON (July 12, 2024) – Today, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and Public Lands Council (PLC) filed a lawsuit against the misguided Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) “Conservation and Landscape Health” rule. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming and seeks to overturn the rule which threatens generations of family ranching operations in the U.S. by undermining the long-held balance of multiple-use management.

“NCBA is suing the BLM to stand up for America’s western ranchers and push back on this harmful rule that only serves as a steppingstone to removing livestock grazing from our nation’s public lands,” said NCBA President Mark Eisele, a Wyoming rancher. “Under the Federal Land...

Representative John Curtis (R-UT) has introduced the Operational Flexibility Grazing Management Program Act, aimed at providing ranchers with greater flexibility to respond to environmental and market conditions affecting federal lands. Following a successful 2018 pilot program, this legislation seeks to alleviate bureaucratic roadblocks and enhance adaptive management for grazing permittees - including those who aren't participants in the BLM's Outcome Based Grazing program, but still need flexibility in grazing permit administration.

The bill expands and codifies the...

From an article in AGDAILY written by AGDAILY Contributors

Article Excerpts:

“Foreign investment in U.S. agricultural land is a hot topic, largely spurred by media reports raising concerns about bad actors from adversarial nations purchasing land for potentially hostile purposes.

For most, understanding of the formal processes for reviewing foreign investments and tracking existing ownership dynamics is limited. Under the authorities granted to it by the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978, USDA is required to track information pertaining to foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land. Succ essful monitoring of investments and enforcement of the law by USDA, however, has been challenging, and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently...

From an article in MeatingPlace By Peter Thomas Ricci on 6/20/2024

A lack of state funds from the Missouri state government is holding back local meat processors.

According to statements that Missouri Agriculture Director Chris Chinn made to Brownfield, seven processors are currently seeking state inspection, while “at least” eight have filed requests for Cooperative Interstate Shipping approval; however, four new state inspectors are needed for the additional workflow, and state lawmakers denied the funding for the inspectors.

USDA reimbursements also play a role. Chinn explained that USDA has historically reimbursed state...

Investing in undeveloped land can be an exciting venture, offering a blank canvas for various possibilities; however, like any investment, buying undeveloped land has advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages

Flexibility and Creativity:

One of the primary advantages of buying undeveloped land is the freedom it provides for creativity and flexibility, whether you are purchasing commercial, residential, rural, or agricultural land. Our consulting group at AGPROfessionals is made up of civil, agricultural, and environmental engineers, as well as land planners and surveyors. We have the expertise to help you turn your vision and creativity into a reality.

Potential for Appreciation:

Undeveloped land has the potential for...

Here’s some information from the Colorado Livestock Association

After a whirlwind 120 days, the 2024 Colorado Legislative Session officially ended in early May. The Colorado Livestock Association tracked many bills this session, ranging from water and wildlife to veterinary care and environmental practices. ⁠Join them next Friday, June 14, at 1:00 pm for a wrap-up session with CLA lobbyist Wes Skiles. He will discuss key legislation, the session's theme, and the potential impact on agricultural producers in the state.⁠

CLA Legislative Wrap-Up Webinar

Friday, June 14, 2024

1:00 - 2:00 pm

Link to Register:...

MEATINGPLACE WEBINAR

THU, JUNE 20, 2024, 10 AM CDT

We’ll explore the USDA grant program’s status: Successes and shortcomings

On July 9, 2021, the USDA grabbed headlines when it announced more than $650 million in grants and assistance to U.S. meat processors. Described as part of a “historic commitment to fight monopolization and promote competition across the economy,” the funds were intended to expand capacity in small and very small plants, and to address consolidation in the meat industry.

Three years later, more than $300 million of those funds have been distributed to more than 300 processing...

North Carolina State University on Friday announced the foundation of the Bezos Center for Sustainable Protein at North Carolina State University, a center of excellence and bio-manufacturing hub.

Established through a $30 million award from the Bezos Earth Fund, the center will unite academia, industry, chefs and policymakers to develop and commercialize alt-proteins, including cultivated, fermentation-enabled and plant-based products.

Meanwhile, cultivated meat maker Believer Meats on Friday announced it will partner with the newly established Center for Sustainable protein, which will form part of an international network of alternative protein centers supported through the Bezos Earth Fund’s Future of...

Article excerpts:

“We have reached the time of year when most our pastures have settled into adequate production enabling us to graze cattle on a more frequent basis. Recently, while discussing pasture/grazing conditions with producers, I’ve noticed three terms being used interchangeably: stocking rate, carrying capacity and stocking density. These terms are very similar in name but very different in meaning. Most producers have a general understanding and experience with some form of grazing management, and generally speaking, try to make the best management decisions they can to maximize the productivity of their pastures. Understanding the differences between stocking rate and stocking density will help producers make better, more informed management decisions.”

Link to...

Unlocking Agricultural Success: How Your Local Extension Agent Can Support You

Did you know you have a valuable resource in your community, and their services are free?

All universities engage in research and teaching, but the nation's more than one hundred land-grant colleges and universities have a third, critical mission — extension. Through extension, land-grant colleges and universities bring vital, practical information to agricultural producers, small business owners, consumers, families, and young people.

The Cooperative Extension System works in conjunction with the USDA, Land Grant Universities, and local, regional, or county extension offices. The CES system is wide-ranging, with an office in almost every county across the United States....

Ryan Hostetler, ALC Recognized as the 2023 RLI APEX Region 6 Broker of the Year in Ag Land Crop Sales

4/22/2024 (Greeley, CO) – Ryan Hostetler, ALC, with AGPROfessionals in Greeley, CO, has been recognized as the APEX 2023 Region 6 (AZ, CO, NM, UT, WY) Broker of the Year in Ag Land Crop Sales by the REALTORS® Land Institute as a part of the RLI APEX Production Awards Program, sponsored by The Land Report.

...

Ranching in the West - Yesterday and Today

Learning about grazing and water rights on federally managed public lands is essential to understanding some key factors impacting livestock production and the purchase of ranch land in the West. This is particularly essential information if you are considering a property with grazing and water rights as additional assets.

In the early days of the American West, land was settled through various government acts. Along with settlement, the land's natural resources, like grass, water, and minerals, were claimed. Over time, those same rights were sold or passed down through the generations, and the rights remain in place to this day.

Split Estates

These claimed resources are not “public”...

Call to Action by Colorado Farm Bureau:

CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATOR TODAY -

APPOINTMENTS GO TO SENATE FLOOR ON FRIDAY, MARCH 8-

CFB Message:

"Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) appointments go to the Senate Floor on Friday, March 8.

Tell them to oppose these appointments due to concerns about their qualifications, backgrounds, potential biases, and the public's trust in CPW's ability to manage shared resources today and for future generations.

WHAT THE MESSAGE TO LEGISLATORS SAYS:

Please oppose Colorado Parks and Wildlife's (CPW) appointments due to concerns about their qualifications, backgrounds, potential biases, and the public's trust in CPW's ability to...

Picturesque landscapes and vibrant ecosystems have long drawn those seeking a connection with nature and a piece of the American West. When it comes to owning land, the true key to prosperity often lies in the ownership of water rights. In the West, where water is a precious resource, having the rights to this liquid gold can significantly enhance the value and potential uses of your property.

A State Defined by Water Scarcity

The West is no stranger to water scarcity challenges. With a semi-arid climate and increasing demands for water across various sectors, having secure and reliable access to water is a game-changer. Land with water rights becomes not just a parcel of earth but a source of sustenance for agricultural endeavors and a foundation for...

Welcome to our site! We are in the process of building our blog page and will have many interesting articles to share in the coming months. Please stay tuned to this page for information to come. And if you have any questions about our business or want to reach out to us, we would love for you to stop by our contact page.

Thank you!