Farm Progress

Get the latest on the interest rate hike, Ukrainian grain exports, Kansas cattle deaths and more.

Rachel Schutte, Content Producer

June 17, 2022

3 Min Read
Collage with corn harvest, capitol building and angus beef cattle

Did you miss some agricultural news this week? No need to worry. Here’s a roundup of the top headlines in agriculture from around the country.

Heat stress kills Kansas cattle

Extreme heat and humidity killed thousands of cattle in Kansas in recent days, the state said, and sizzling temperatures continue to threaten livestock. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment knew of at least 2,000 cattle deaths as of Tuesday, spokesperson Matthew Lara said. The toll represents facilities that contacted the agency for help disposing of carcasses, he said. – Reuters

Claas to unveil new equipment

Claas recently announced the arrival of a new Trion Class 7 combine and the addition of tracks to two of its Axion 900 Series tractors for 2022-23. The machines are now available for dealer order and will be unveiled to the public at this year’s Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa, from Aug. 30 to Sept. 1. – Farm Progress

Ukraine grain exports

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said the amount of grain waiting to be shipped out of Ukraine may reach 75 million tons in the autumn after that harvest. Government and intelligence officials say UN-facilitated negotiations with Moscow and Kyiv are still struggling to make progress toward an agreement to allow Ukraine grain exports. Putin has directly tied the unclogging of Ukrainian grain shipments to getting sanctions lifted on Russia, and his officials continue to perpetuate the claim that food shortages are the result of those sanctions. – Bloomberg

Ranchers share optimism about proposed beef plant

Regarding the proposed processing plant for western South Dakota, James Halverson of the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association says producers are hopeful for what the plant could bring to the region. The plant will bring more competition in the packing industry and potentially allow for expansion of feeder cattle herds in the area. The project is expected to be completed in three years, and will add over 2,000 jobs to the region. – Dakota Farmer

 

Fed hikes interest rate

The Federal Reserve increased the benchmark interest rate on Wednesday by .75 percentage points. This is the most aggressive hike since 1994. The Fed’s benchmark rate will end the year at 3.4%, according to the midpoint of the target range of individual members’ expectations. See why the Fed’s interest rate strategy could backfire on farmers. – CNBC

House passes Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act

The House of Representatives passed the Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act on Thursday, which lead Democrat authors say will help address supply chain risks, lower the cost of food and gas prices, strengthen the food supply chain and ensure robust competition in the meat and poultry sector. The package includes bills to allow year-round E15, establishes a special meat investigator and incentivizes better nutrient management for farmers. – Farm Progress

Cover crops aren't enough

A long-term study at the University of Illinois shows short-term use of cover crops can’t undo decades of soil microbial dynamics in response to continuous corn and heavy nitrogen fertilizer use. “In the Midwest, our soils are healthy and resilient, but we shouldn’t overestimate them. A soil under unsustainable practices for too long might reach an irreversible threshold,” Nakian Kim says. – University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

About the Author(s)

Rachel Schutte

Content Producer, Farm Futures

Rachel grew up in central Wisconsin and earned a B.S. in soil and crop science from the University of Wisconsin - Platteville. Before joining the Farm Futures team, Rachel spent time in the field as an agronomist before transitioning to the world of marketing and communications. She now resides in northeast Iowa where she enjoys raising bottle calves and farming corn and soybeans alongside her husband and his family.

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