1. The world's biggest agriculture companies are struggling to make money buying and selling corn, wheat and soybeans with surpluses in U.S., Russia and Argentina. – St. Louis Post-Dispatch

2. Nearly 325 advocacy groups have signed a letter urging the U.S. Department of Justice to conduct a thorough investigation into proposed mergers in the agricultural industry, including Dow with DuPont, Monsanto with Bayer AG and Syngenta with ChemChina. – Farm Futures 

3. Titan Machinery announced that it will close stores in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa. The company says it's a way for it to maximize efficiency and improve customer service in years to come. – West Central Tribune

4. Recent raids by U.S. immigration authorities targeting undocumented immigrants are sending a wave of distress through the nation's agricultural industry. – Farm Futures. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is considering mobilizing up to 100,000 National Guard troops to round up unauthorized immigrants. – AP News

5. Tax credits for land donations are being discussed in Iowa. Iowa Farm Bureau Federation says that land donations shrink local property taxes and idle acreage, making it difficult for beginning farmers to access land. The Iowa DNR says land is acquired for public use. The Iowa DNR and several nonprofits pay taxes on land donated to them. – The Des Moines Register 

6. John Deere's first quarter net income was down from a year earlier, but key agricultural markets show signs of stabilization. – Farm Futures

7. Median farm household income is expected to grow to $79,733 in 2017 from $76,735 in 2015, which is $20,000 more than the median income for all U.S. households. In 2014, farming generated 6% of all employment in non-metro areas. – Environmental Working Group's AgMag

Your bonus this week is a unique way to pass on the farm. Norma Burns has cultivated Bluebird Hill Farm in North Carolina for the last 18 years. Rather than pass the farm down to a child or employee, she is holding an essay contest. Burns wants to read why a couple would want to take over her farm in a 200-word essay. The entry package should include a resume detailing qualifications for running an organic farm. The entry fee is $300 and the contest deadline is June 1, 2017. – Wide Open Country