You've no doubt heard about all the rains and crop planting delays that Midwest farmers have been struggling with. And I've seen a lot of the damage during the last couple days of driving I-70 across Ohio and Indiana, I-74 across Illinois and across Iowa. USDA was right in cutting back projected corn and soybean yields. Wet spots and standing water damage increased gradually as we drove westward from western Ohio. I've never seen so much erosion damage or so widespread…

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June is dairy month – one of agriculture's most celebrated public celebrations. It's right up there with Mom, baseball and apple pie. It's when politicians have no fear of being seen with milk "moostaches". It's when baseball players sport them while pitching "Milk. It's good for you!" None the less, there's a dark side to milk's public exposure, one I've been wrestling with for years – and one certain to draw harsh criticism…

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By now, you likely know I lean to the right – and it has nothing to do with the slope I'm standing on. During recent meetings with farmers, I’ve seen a growing negative reaction in just about all I meet when the word "Obama" arises. Rural people have a right to be frustrated with federal government intervention into their lives, and it has clearly ramped up with the current administration. After all, most are smart business persons. Otherwise they wouldn't…

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 Yes, this is an unusual thing to be blogging about. In recent months, I've gone to funerals of two farm friends, and came away from both thought-filled and inspired. That's as it should be. Like most of you, I'm not fond of funerals. I don't even want to attend my own! But a funeral or wake can be a wake-up call with redeeming value. That's why I'm writing this. I was reminded of a few things, none of which the preachers preached. The "few things"…

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It's hugely important that we, the people of agriculture, understand – and meet – the biotech challenge coming at us head-on. Anti-GMO activists want to ban or at limit biotech's most important tool – genetically-engineered ingredients or genetically-modified organisms. GMO'ers didn't just crawl away after California's Proposition 37 died. They regrouped and focused on Washington, D.C. And in April, legislation to require GMO labeling of whole…

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I'm betting that you don't munch down Corn Flakes or Post Toasties for breakfast as much as you used to. So you or your family's chief food shopper may just might be a 'cereal killer". As a farm kid, I grew up in the Corn Flakes era. And in my first Animal Science class at college, my animal nutrition professor said: "Breakfast is your most important meal. That's true for animals, too." Too many of today's generation (farm and non farm…

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At peak cherry blossom time in Washington, D.C., I risked life, limb and vehicle damage to venture into our nation's capital city. Making it unscathed to the National Mall, I breathed a long sigh of relief. I looked forward to revisiting the wonderfully familiar monuments and records of our great heritage. The cherry and tulip trees were in full bloom, posing for multitudes of camera-toters. After wheeling into one of the few-remaining public parking lots deep beneath the Holiday…

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 Last week's blog highlighted some of the coming farm changes that I shared recently with a farmers club. This is the exciting sequel, and the reason I'd love to be farming over the next 10 years. Soon, 300-bushel corn numbers are likely to pop up on your combine yield monitors. And, you're going to discover new ways to make those numbers pop up more and more frequently. Here are five farm technologies that'll make that once mythical high-yield mark a whole lot…

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At a recent farmers' club, I confessed that I sold our family farm to my cousin. So credential-wise, I was a former farmer – but still a wanna-be. My proudest accomplishment was in 1989, when we had a whole farm average corn yield of 209 bushels an acre. While it was on only 190 acres, it was one of Iowa's highest whole farm averages. And there were solid agronomic reasons for it. Our management scheme was simple: My cousin did all the work. And, I helped him manage the…

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This week, the Web was awash with news releases thanking America's farmers for feeding the world. It was only fitting as we celebrated Ag Day and Ag Week. Trouble is, most of the appreciation came from within – ag organizations and ag trade groups – the choir, so to speak. I didn't spot even one grain of gratitude coming from environmentalists or those critical of "industrial ag", "big farma", "corporate agriculture" or other derogatory…

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