Did you miss some news this week? We’ve got you covered. Here’s a collection of the top headlines in agriculture.

Does corn really experience phantom yield loss?

Some farmers believe harvesting late will yield less dry corn per acre, but researchers have found it hard to prove this. Only one scientific study over that entire span points to decreased yield due to a loss in dry matter, but others can’t replicate it. Mark Licht, Extension cropping specialist at Iowa State University, offers four tips for farmers to limit corn harvest losses. – Wallaces Farmer

Nutrien shares hit 3-year low

Shares of Nutrien Ltd. fell to the lowest level in more than three years after the world’s largest fertilizer maker cut its outlook for 2024 retail profit amid an industry downturn. While second-quarter net income beat the average analyst estimate amid higher fertilizer sales, profit tumbled 13% from the same period a year ago. – Bloomberg

Tim Walz brings ag experience as V.P. candidate

Unlike the other three major party contenders for president and vice president, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has a history in agriculture policy making. In addition to representing a southern Minnesota district in the U.S. House of Representatives before running for governor, Walz served on the House Agriculture Committee and helped craft three farm bills. – Farm Progress

NBFA calls on Tractor Supply, Deere presidents to resign

John Boyd Jr., president of the National Black Farmers Association, issued a press release demanding that Hal Outlaw resign as president of Tractor Supply, citing its decision to work with other organizations typically not associated with DEI programs. Since then, the National Black Farmers leader has called for John Deere CEO John C. May to resign and for a boycott of Deere after the manufacturer announced it would no longer support “social or cultural awareness” events in response to customer feedback. – Delta Farm Press

Canadian rail strike looms

Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Kansas City will conduct separate contract talks Wednesday with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference in pursuit of a new labor deal. Discussions between the parties began last November but have failed to yield a new contract to replace the agreement that expired at the end of last year. Several industry groups, including those representing the U.S. and Canadian agricultural industries, are hoping for a quick resolution. – Agriculture Dive

Farm bankruptcies down – for now

Farm bankruptcies once again reached a record low in 2023. Coming off a year of record-high commodity prices and high net farm incomes in 2022, overall farm loan delinquency rates also dropped in 2023. According to the U.S. Courts, 139 farm bankruptcies were filed in 2023, down 18% from 2022. Unfortunately, this downward trend in farm bankruptcies is unlikely to continue. – American Farm Bureau

EPA issues emergency ban on specialty crop herbicide

For the first time in roughly 40 years, the Environmental Protection Agency used its emergency authority to halt the sale of a weed-killing pesticide. DCPA, or Dacthal, could cause irreversible damage to fetuses, including impaired brain development and low birthweight. The agency struggled to obtain vital health data from the pesticide’s manufacturer on time and decided it was not safe to allow continued sale. The chemical is used on broccoli, cabbage and certain other crops. – AP News