From drought and rising fuel costs to fertilizer shortages and shrinking margins, farmers across the country are facing mounting financial pressure. While commodity prices offer some hope, many growers still struggle to break even as confidence in the ag economy continues to decline.
From record crop yields to faster athletes, progress is everywhere but not on the racetrack. More than 50 years later, Secretariat’s legendary run still stands alone, untouched by time, technology, and genetic advancement.
Every farmer has a speed dial, trusted contacts you rely on when timing matters and things don’t go as planned. From service managers to the chow wagon, these are the people who keep the operation moving.
“Just in time” has become more than an application strategy; it’s now a purchasing strategy shaped by rising fertilizer costs and market uncertainty. As prices remain historically high and global pressures mount, farmers are being forced to rethink when—and how—they invest in nutrients. What started as a response to necessity is quickly becoming the new normal, but not without tradeoffs.
A great mentor doesn’t just teach you the job: they shape how you think, listen, and lead. Lessons from a legendary ag editor remind us why the right guidance can make all the difference.
Before apps, dashboards and precision tools, there was something simpler and just as powerful: a pocket notebook. Tucked into a shirt pocket, it held the story of every field, every decision and every season. For many farmers, it wasn’t just a record book. It was a diary.
A lot can happen in seven days. On the farm, seeds emerge, roots stretch deep, animals grow, and crops begin to take shape. This Holy Week is a reminder that growth—both in the field and in life—often happens faster than we realize. Sometimes, the biggest miracles unfold in the smallest windows of time.
What was it really like to farm in the 1990s? From the biotech boom and the rise of GMOs to GPS, consolidation, and the shift toward efficiency at all costs, the decade reshaped agriculture in ways we’re still living with today.
Today marks one of the most important deadlines in agriculture: Federal Crop Insurance enrollment. Used by more than 90% of commodity growers, this program provides a financial safety net that helps farmers manage risk in an increasingly volatile market. Here’s a closer look at how crop insurance works—and why it plays such a major role in planting decisions and the farm economy.
Global tensions are rippling through agriculture as fertilizer, fuel, and freight costs surge ahead of spring planting. With urea prices jumping and supply chains under pressure, farmers are once again facing rising input costs at the worst possible time.
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