December 18, 2025

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning, Valley. This is aglife. My name is Bob Quinn,
with you for the next hour talking about agricultural production
here in the valley and all across the country. Well friends.
Although crops and come outities in drought are few as
winter season begins, there are some conditions worth noting. In
the latest US Drought Monitor map. Rod Bain starts us off.

Speaker 2 (00:21):
The first US drought Monitor of December showed improvement from
just two weeks prior. Add from mid October. USDA b
urologist Brad Rippey says for the US Drought Monitor for
the period ending December second, we.

Speaker 3 (00:35):
Are seeing about forty one point four percent of the
country still in drought. We are seeing drought coverage down
approximately five percentage points. We were greater than forty six
percent both on October twenty first and November eighteenth.

Speaker 2 (00:49):
Rippy acknowledges the forty one percent drought coverage remains a
formidable number.

Speaker 3 (00:54):
We have seen US draw coverage greater than forty percent
each week since mid September of twenty twenty five, so
it certainly has been an autumn where we have been
dealing with considerable drought on the landscape.

Speaker 2 (01:07):
Yeah, precipitation in recent weeks has chipped away at the
drought number over the fall. What does this mean for
those crops and commodities view this type of year? In
drought coverage, rippy starts with winter wheat now at the
dorbency stage in several parts of the country.

Speaker 3 (01:23):
Currently, we're seeing just about thirty five percent of the
US winter wheat production area in drought. That is actually
down ten percentage points from an autumn peak of forty
five percent, so we have seen improvement in the right direction.
A lot of that is due to beneficial precipitation that
has fallen across the lower Midwest and the Northwest into

(01:44):
a lesser degree some of the rain that has recently
fallen across the Southern Plains. Adversely, sixty five percent of
the winter wheat production area is not in drought, and
that does include a lot of the key heavily cropped
areas across the central Great Plains, including much of top
producer Kansas.

Speaker 2 (02:00):
As for drought coverage for hay and cattle, as of
December second.

Speaker 3 (02:04):
Thirty percent of US hay production area currently in drought,
down from a peak just two weeks ago thirty seven
percent and US cattle inventory and drought. Just one quarter
of US cattle currently experiencing drought. That is down from
thirty three percent two weeks ago.

Speaker 2 (02:21):
Courted soybean growing season is long pass God, but what
about growing areas going into the winter season.

Speaker 3 (02:28):
We are going in thirty percent of both the corn
and soybean production areas in drought. That is down from
peaks a few weeks ago, thirty two percent for corn,
thirty nine percent for Soybean's Remember, we did have that
late developing drought that did have some impact in some
of the later developing crop areas.

Speaker 2 (02:47):
I'm Broadbane, reporting for the US Department of Agriculture in Washington,
d C.

Speaker 1 (02:52):
Well, friends, coming up, Crude oil prices have been steadily
dropping over the past month. That translate into lower prices
at the pump. Well gas prices follow oil prices down.
Ask the question, we'll answer coming up. You're listening to
ag Life Bob Quinn back of some farm news this morning. Friends,

(03:13):
Oil prices have been on steady downward trajectory for much
of the past month, and that trend looks to continue
in the final days of this year. And that drop
in oil prices means American motorists start benefiting. Matt McClain
is with gasbuddy dot com.

Speaker 4 (03:29):
We are looking at for the third straight week, the
national average price of gasoline falling to a multi year low.

Speaker 5 (03:38):
Just ahead of Christmas.

Speaker 4 (03:39):
The average standing at its lowest level since March twelfth
of twenty twenty one, sitting at two point eighty five
a gallon as of this very moment, and that is
about a weekly savings of nearly four hundred million dollars
nationwide compared to just this time last year, when prices

(03:59):
on average we're about twelve point eight cents per gallon.

Speaker 1 (04:03):
Hired McLain says investors are encouraged by the potential of
a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, as well as
OPEC production increases. Now. On top of that, he noted
refineries in the US are running peak capacity. McLain added
gasbuddy dot Com expects oil prices and fuel prices to

(04:23):
continue moving lower into mid January.

Speaker 4 (04:26):
We don't see an issue with a big asterisk that
anything geopolitically can always create a jitteriness there which could
throw the whole forecast out the window, But for the moment,
we don't see anything out there in the horizon that's
going to start driving prices upward.

Speaker 1 (04:40):
Matt McClain with gasbuddy dot com this morning, Well, friends,
the twelve billion dollar bridge assistance payments announced recently were
good news for farmers across the country in these challenging times,
but with eleven billion of that going to row crop producers.
US Representative Dan Neuhaus, a farmer himself, talked about the

(05:00):
specialty crop growers who feel a little left out.

Speaker 6 (05:04):
I sympathize. I have that same exact feeling. In fact,
I think due to the fact that me and several
other members of Congress have raised the issue that especially
crops typically get left out of things like this, and
so the fact that we got a billion out of
the twelve well not enough. It's sorely inadequate. It was

(05:25):
progressed to get included in the package.

Speaker 1 (05:28):
And new how says he knows they understand as he does,
that producers would prefer selling their goods over direct payments
from the federal government.

Speaker 6 (05:36):
And so market certainty along with the agricultural labor issues.
They're from the center, and we're doing all we can
to make sure this administration understands the need to make
some positive changes in both those areas, and they do
that the good news as they do, and we're working
hard to get some of these things done.

Speaker 1 (05:55):
USDA says farmers who qualify for the farm Bridge Assistance
program can expect payments to be released by the end
of February. Well friends were now about a month out
from Tyson's planned closure of its Lexington, Nebraska beef plant.
Steve White has more from Congressman Adrian Smith on a
path forward.

Speaker 7 (06:16):
Congressman Adrian Smith tells us he told Tyson CEO to
avail the property for someone else to operate.

Speaker 8 (06:24):
The last thing we want is a shuttered facility falling
into disrepair. Now, I would think that Tyson would want,
would want a better scenario than that as well.

Speaker 9 (06:34):
And so given the.

Speaker 8 (06:35):
Fact that there's still shortages in the labor force, workforce,
other dynamics here that this, you know, I'm hoping can
turn into an opportunity rather than such the challenge that
it currently is right now.

Speaker 7 (06:50):
Smith said the plant closure is a blow to Lexington
and said it was puzzling to him why the company
would shudder this plant given the volume of cattle available.
Reporting I'm Steve White, Well friends.

Speaker 1 (07:04):
The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the Whole Milk for
Kids Act of twenty twenty five. The legislation provides schools
with the flexibility to offer flavored and unflavored whole milk
and two percent options, helping to make sure children get
the nutrition they need to grow, thrive, and succeed in
the classroom. Quoting now, I've worked for a decade to

(07:29):
restore whole milk to our school cafeterias, which have been
limiting healthy choices for students. But that changes today, so
said bill author G. T. Thompson of Pennsylvania, quoting him again.
Whole milk is an essential building block for well rounded
and a balanced diet, and students should have the option
to choose the milk they love. Farm News this morning,

(07:53):
you're listening to ag Life.

Speaker 10 (07:55):
It's another agnews update, higher crop prices shifting next shorts,
and fresh USDA data shaping producer expectation.

Speaker 11 (08:05):
As farmers and ranchers, the stewardship of the land comes naturally.
Your work keeps our water clean and improves the soil
and enhances wildlife habitat. It also provides countless benefits, not
just for you and your family, but for millions of
Americans who depend on this region every day without even
realizing it. Thank you for being stewards of America's prairie

(08:28):
for all of us. Take a moment to find out
how conservation pays. Visit conservation pays dot.

Speaker 10 (08:34):
Orger farmer's sentiment improving in November. Is rising CROMP prices
and a more optimistic outlook for US exports lifted the
University ag Economy Barometer to its highest levels since June.
Producers reporting stronger financial expectations even as investment caution persists.

(08:59):
USDA's latest livestock slaughter reports showing red meat production down
three percent from last year. It's driven by an eight
percent drop in cattle slaughter and despine heavier weights, while
pork volumes hold steady on firmer carcass weights. In Washington,

(09:20):
EPA issuing a detailed clarification debunking claims that newly approved
pesticides are forever chemicals, reaffirming that single fluorinated compounds do
not meet the definition of peafoss and remain fully compliant
with FIFFRA safety standards. Dairy markets softening in October, butter,

(09:43):
cheese and powder prices sliding, even as exports of high
value products like American type cheeses and butters surged during
the summer. It's another agnews update.

Speaker 12 (09:56):
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see a warrior mom, an endurance athlete.

Speaker 13 (10:06):
Someone with a lot of fights.

Speaker 14 (10:08):
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Speaker 13 (10:12):
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Speaker 12 (10:16):
Look closer, My spirit is astaable.

Speaker 15 (10:20):
Visit APDA Parkinson dot org to learn more and show
your support.

Speaker 10 (10:26):
Today American Cattle News Today we look at numbers from
USDA more after this.

Speaker 11 (10:37):
As farmers and ranchers, stewardship of the land comes naturally.
Your work keeps our water clean and improves the soil
and enhances wildlife habitat. It also provides countless benefits, not
just for you and your family, but for millions of
Americans who depend on this region every day without even
realizing it. Thank you for being stewards of America's for

(11:00):
all of us. Take a moment to find out how
conservation pays.

Speaker 16 (11:04):
Is it?

Speaker 11 (11:05):
Conservation pays dot org.

Speaker 10 (11:07):
Doctor Daryl Peel is, an Oklahoma state livestock marketing economists,
says it's good to start getting more information back from USDA.

Speaker 17 (11:20):
It's nice to get the weekly slaughter data back in
and all that, and that seems to have continued pretty
much on the track we were on when we last
got data. Cattle on feed numbers again really didn't change
things that much. We had the twelfth consecutive month of
year over year decreases in cattle on feed inventories, so
we're slowly pulling that inventory down. I do think it's

(11:41):
going to come down a little bit faster in the
coming months. And you know, one piece that we had
missed in the October catal on feed report that was
filled in in November was the heiferon feed number, and
so you know, that's kind of our most current look at,
at least the flip side of whether or not we're
retaining heifers, and it doesn't look like it yet. The

(12:02):
heiferon feed percentage stayed at thirty eight point one percent.
Heifer slaughter is down for the year, but so is
you know, total cattle slaughter. So when you look at it,
it doesn't look like there's any strong indications yet as
an industry that we are aggressively retaining heifers going forward.

(12:22):
And so you know, obviously we'll be anticipating late January
when we get the actual January one inventory numbers, that'll
be the direct confirmation of where we're at on cattle
inventories and replacement heffer inventories. But the indications are right
now that we have not really changed the general situation

(12:43):
as far as cattle inventories and where we're at from
a herd rebuilding standpoint, I think we're stabilizing at the
low level, but I don't think we're rebuilding yet.

Speaker 10 (12:53):
Doctor Darryl Peel, Oklahoma State American Cattle News.

Speaker 1 (13:01):
This is darry Radio.

Speaker 17 (13:02):
Now.

Speaker 18 (13:03):
I'm John Clark, traveling the countryside for Feedwick's USA, and
we're with Pennsylvania FFA State officers. First, Sarah Firestone, Sarah
your president, and Jayleen Everhart. You are state chaplain and
what does the state chaplain do?

Speaker 15 (13:17):
I'm very honored to be in this position. We kind
of do everything together as a team. We do a
lot of the same activities. We go to chapters and
visit with members. We also hold conferences, but also I
get to give invocations at some different events.

Speaker 12 (13:30):
It's very fun.

Speaker 15 (13:31):
We get to do a lot of different unique things,
but we get to do them as a team, which
is really great.

Speaker 18 (13:36):
Sarah. Back to you as president, you kind of lead
the group, but they also operate with you as a team.

Speaker 19 (13:42):
I have an amazing team that follows close in beside me.
You know, we travel the state together. Jayleen will actually
be able to give an invocation on the Senate floor
eventually here this year, and I'll be standing beside her
introducing the team.

Speaker 18 (13:54):
Talk just a little bit about something very special for
FFA called the opening ceremony, because that is always moving.

Speaker 19 (14:00):
Yes, So we have opening ceremonies at every conference and
convention that we hold. That essentially opens up the floor
for any of our members to receive degrees and awards,
I mean, for any business to happen there. So we
all have our elected positions, from the president to the
chaplain and everything in between. And it's really cool if
you'd never seen it before.

Speaker 18 (14:20):
So when you say positions, it's literally different positions throughout
the room which have to do with their office.

Speaker 19 (14:25):
Is that correct, yes, sir. So we have the reporter,
which is stationed by the flag, and they ensure that
the entire United States of America, from Alaska to the
Virgin Islands and from the state of Maine to Hawaii
sees exactly what FFA is and understands that everyone within
an agriculture education course can be involved.

Speaker 18 (14:43):
And FFA in general tell us a little bit about
that that thirty thousand foot view of what FFA is.

Speaker 19 (14:48):
Yeah, so FFA is an intracurricular organization and any member
that is taking an ag course can be involved within
the FFA program. So as state officers, is our goal
to help develop their potential for premier leadership, personal growth,
and career success through agricultural education.

Speaker 18 (15:04):
And with that FFA name, agriculture is first and foremost
for you. That really is at the.

Speaker 15 (15:09):
Heart of it.

Speaker 19 (15:09):
Absolutely, we're wanting to create better and more progressive leaders
when ones that are going to essentially lead our industry
in a positive manner and make the change and impact
that is driving forward each and every day.

Speaker 18 (15:21):
Pennsylvania has a large FFA membership.

Speaker 19 (15:24):
Yes, we have over sixteen thousand FFA members a little
bit over one hundred and sixty three chapters.

Speaker 18 (15:29):
We're here in a spud in January very special program
the Midwinner Convention and tell us about what's happening with
blue and gold jackets there.

Speaker 19 (15:37):
So we will actually be giving out over one thousand
brand new FFA jackets. I think this past year we
set a record of over thirteen hundred jackets, and so
for the first time, first year FFA members will gather
around the huge New Holland arena and they will put
it on for the first time. My freshman year, I
was a recipient and it was really cool to be
able to do it, but I think it's even more

(15:58):
beautiful to come back and watch it. It gives me
goosebumps every single time.

Speaker 18 (16:01):
There's a lot of emotion about FFA, and that Midwinter
Convention is one of those emotional.

Speaker 19 (16:06):
Times absolutely, because you see the first year members full
on those jackets, and then you see our juniors and
seniors getting their highest state degree, that keystone degree. We
gave out over five hundred last year, so we're opening
stories and for some we're closing some out. So it's incredible.

Speaker 18 (16:20):
Jileen, let's come back to you for a second, because
when you go through the FFA process of being an officer,
it really must be heartening to you to look back
and think where you came from and now to be
able to live the life of.

Speaker 15 (16:31):
A state officer one hundred percent. I started my sophomore
year of high school and it had always been a
dream of mine to become an FFA State officer. So
throughout high school I was able to go to different
conferences really look at those past state officers as mentors
and as leaders of the FFA and also the agriculture industry.
So it's really heartening to be able to sit here

(16:52):
in this position and be a face for FFA for
others as well.

Speaker 18 (16:56):
Sarah, I have a foundation that is always looking for support.
Where can they find information about that?

Speaker 19 (17:01):
So if you go on too PIFFA dot org, you
can go under tabs to find our foundation. And we
have the give FFA Day so you can give money
to the FFAY program, which essentially is going to help
our members have better experiences and essentially create better leaders
for tomorrow to cure a better future in agriculture.

Speaker 18 (17:18):
Janleen, there's someone within the sound of your voice. It
is maybe thinking about joining FFA.

Speaker 15 (17:23):
If you're thinking about it or if you're not sure
if you want to join FFA. My advice to you
is to just take that step forward and take every
opportunity that comes available, because no matter where you come
from or what your background is, there's a spot for
you in FFA. And if you have the passion to
run for an FFAY state officer, I say do it
because you get a great experience out of the election process,

(17:45):
but then you also get to meet the other candidates
that run as well, really start to become friends with them.

Speaker 18 (17:50):
Jayleen Everheart, State Chaplain for Pennsylvania FFA and Sarah Firestone,
President of Pennsylvania FFA, thank you so much for being
with us. I'm John Clark traveling the country. Sorry for people.

Speaker 20 (18:04):
Having a clear focus on goals in the AHMA industry.
I'm Patrick Cavanaugh with the California Trade Nutt Report, part
of the VASTAG Information Network. Clarice Turner is the President
and CEO of the Alma Board of California.

Speaker 14 (18:20):
Success in our industry depends on collaboration, innovation, and a
very clear focus on our goals and those are driving
global demand and ensuring of a stable trade and regulatory environment,
and increasing industry value. So a few highlights around that
is economic impact. We are eighty percent of the world's

(18:42):
supply more or less done. A lot of calculations about
where that goes over the next ten years, not materially
going to change, which is great for the state of
California because we are five point eight billion dollar crop.
We're the number one export out of the state. Believe me,
I remind people of this a lot when I feel
like we're not getting our fair share resilience amid challenges.

Speaker 20 (19:03):
One of the big challenges is increased costs for growers.

Speaker 14 (19:06):
We commissioned Davis to do a study on costs twenty
seven to forty percent escalation and input costs in the
last five years. That's significant. So part of the role
that we play is trying to figure out how can
we bring more value to those growers.

Speaker 20 (19:20):
They're looking at the value of amined holes for possible
human food.

Speaker 14 (19:24):
So turning holes into human food, and what does that
supply chain look like, and how do we bring it
to life? And it can't compete with kernels.

Speaker 9 (19:32):
And you've probably been told that to reach a millennial
farmer you have to go digital hmmm, Facebook, Vimeo, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest,
LinkedIn and online publication or maybe a podcast hmm. But
which one, Oh, and how receptive is this age group
to your sales pitch during non work social time. Maybe

(19:54):
the best place to reach a farmer with a farming
solution message is when they are well, quite frankly farming.
You know, it's easy for us to find them during
the day, as most farmers are behind the wheel of
a pickup truck or farm equipment with the radio on,
listening to this station for the AG Information Network of

(20:14):
the West News. If you'd like to deliver information about
your terrific product or service, give us a call and
we'll connect you directly with our community of loyal farmer listeners.
Reach real farmers right here, right now, as they listen
to what is important to their farm operation. They trust us,
They'll trust you with the AG Information Network. I'm Patrick Cavanaugh,

(20:38):
Welcome to AG Life. I'm Dwayne Murley with your farm News.

Speaker 2 (20:43):
Significant improve its a drought coverage for the dation over
the past two weeks. USDA be urologist Brad Rippey says
the US Route Buditor for the period EDDI Deceber second shows.

Speaker 3 (20:54):
About forty one point four percent of the country still
in drought. We are seeing drug coverage down approximately five
percentage points. We were greater than forty six percent both
on October twenty first and November eighteen Rippyechnology.

Speaker 2 (21:10):
The forty one percent drought coverage number remains formidable.

Speaker 3 (21:13):
We have seen US drought coverage greater than forty percent
each week since mid September of twenty twenty five, So
it certainly has been an autumn where we have been
dealing with considerable drought on the landscape.

Speaker 2 (21:26):
Yeah, precipitation in recent weeks has chipped away at the
drought number over the fall. Region seeing significant rate and
snow include much of the west, South, Midwest, and northeast.

Speaker 3 (21:38):
But the highest level of drought, the exceptional drought as
indicated by the US Drought Monitor, is now confined to
just parts of three states.

Speaker 21 (21:47):
You've got a.

Speaker 3 (21:48):
Tiny sliver of D four or exceptional drought in West
Texas overall that encompasses just about one third of one
percentage point of the state of Texas, so a very
tiny sliver. Then, in the lower southeast, we had a
completely dry November in a number of communities across North
Florida and southwest Georgia, and for that reason we've seen

(22:09):
some dfour development there exceptional drought currently covers a little
over four percent of Georgia, all of that in the
southwestern part of the state, and almost six percent of
Florida and the d four there is in the northern
part of the Sunshine State. We have seen some improvement
across much of the Western United States during the last

(22:30):
several weeks, especially in southern California where we've seen some
two to three category improvements in the drought, and then
we have also seen significantly wetter conditions in a broad
area stretching from the southeastern Great Plains on through the
mid South and into the northeastern United States. That said,
there are still a few areas of concern we have

(22:51):
seen in the Deep South, from South Texas to the
southern Atlantic Coast. That's one area that they're getting some
rain now, so maybe we'll see some improvement next week,
but at the present time, as of December second, we
are still seeing drought worsening conditions in that Deep South
area along the Gulf Coast. A second area that has
trended a bit dry in recent weeks, stretching from the

(23:13):
Central Rockies into the Upper Great Lakes region including Nebraska,
and then a pesky area across northern Montana that has
been struggling with drought all summer and continues to dry
out as we move into the winter. Now, as we
move into the crops and commodities in drought, we are
obviously pretty much in the off season for agriculture. The

(23:34):
only active crop and it is largely dormant this time
of year is winter week. We do have it in
the ground, and you do have to consider any weather
extremes that may occur this time of year with regard
to that crop. Currently, we're seeing just about thirty five
percent of the US winter wheat production area in drought.
That is actually down ten percentage points from an autumn

(23:55):
peak of forty five percent, so we have seen improvement
in the right direction. A lot of that is due
to beneficial precipitation that has fallen across the lower Midwest
and the Northwest into a lesser degree some of the
rain that has recently fallen across the southern Plains. That said,
sixty five percent of the winter weet production area is
not in drought, and that does include a lot of

(24:16):
the key heavily cropped areas across the central Great Plains,
including much of top producer Kansas. As we look at
the livestock and the hay situation, we've also seen decreases
in drought coverage. Recently, there thirty percent of US hay
production area currently in drought, down from a peak just
two weeks ago of thirty seven percent, and US cattle

(24:38):
inventory and drought just one quarter of the US cattle
currently experiencing drought. That is down from thirty three percent
two weeks ago.

Speaker 2 (24:47):
I'm Rod Bain, reporting for the US Department of Agriculture
in Washington.

Speaker 16 (24:51):
D C.

Speaker 5 (24:52):
Reuters reports that according to a shipping schedule, two cargo
ships were head of report terminals near New Orleans, louis
Ziana this week to load the first shipments of US
soybeans to China since May. A third ship is heading
to a Texas Gulf Coast terminal to be loaded with
Chinese bound US sorgum in the coming days. Now, that's

(25:13):
the first American shipment of feed grain to China since
the middle of March. China has booked almost two million
metric tons of US soybeans and a smaller volume a
week since a meeting between President Trump and the Chinese
president in late October. The White House said Beijing agreed
to by twelve million metric tons of soybeans by the

(25:33):
end of twenty twenty five. We speak farm. I'm Dwayne Merley.

Speaker 22 (25:39):
It's time for California add today on the ag Information Network.
I am Haley's ship. Well, we're talking numbers today, but
no meth homework is required and unless you want to
check the state's work, The California Department of Food and
Agriculture is a worthing about six point three million dollars
to support seven new projects. They're focused on reducing methane

(26:00):
emissions on dairy and livestock farms across the state.

Speaker 12 (26:04):
Five projects are.

Speaker 22 (26:05):
Funded through the Alternative Manure Management Program, receiving nearly three
point seven million dollars in grants along with about three
hundred and twenty five thousand dollars in matching funds. Two
additional projects are supported through the Dairy digest Research and
Development Program, receiving about two point six million dollars in

(26:25):
grants backed by nearly ten million dollars in matching funds
from Karen Ross, secretary of the CDFA. She says that
California's dairy and livestock farmers are among the most innovative
in the world. She goes on to say that these
investments help to speed at their efforts to cut methane
emissions while strengthening on farm sustainability. Now together, the projects

(26:48):
are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than
twenty four thousand metric tons annually, with added benefits for
nutrient management, air quality and compost production.

Speaker 23 (27:01):
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Speaker 9 (27:30):
For over forty years, the ag Information Network has been
providing news and information for the most important industry in
the world, agriculture. The Egg Information Network gives you worldwide
updates from local producers to regional organizations, from major crops
like wheat and corn, to animal agriculture to specially crops
like apples, almonds, and cherries. We report on stories that

(27:52):
mean the most to you online at aginfo dot net.
The a egg Information Network trusted and transparent journalism lasting
for the next generation.

Speaker 22 (28:01):
This is California AGG today on the ag Information Network.
I am Hailey Ship. For more egg news, check us
out online at egginfo dot net.

Speaker 1 (28:10):
Bob Quinn back with some farm news this morning. Friends.
Oil prices have been on steady downward trajectory for much
of the past month, and that trend looks to continue
in the final days of this year. And that drop
in oil prices means American motorists start benefiting. Matt McClain
is with gasbuddy dot com.

Speaker 4 (28:29):
We are looking at for the third straight week, the
national average price of gasoline falling to a multi year low.

Speaker 5 (28:38):
Just ahead of Christmas.

Speaker 4 (28:39):
The average standing at its lowest level since March twelfth
of twenty twenty one, sitting at two point eighty five
a gallon as of this very moment, and that is
about a weekly savings of nearly four hundred million dollars
nationwide compared to just this time last year, when prices

(28:59):
on average we're about twelve point eight cents per gallon.

Speaker 1 (29:02):
Hire McLain says investors are encouraged by the potential of
a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, as well as
OPEC production increases. Now on top of that, he noted
refineries in the US are running peak capacity. McLain added,
gasbuddy dot Com expects oil prices and fuel prices to

(29:23):
continue moving lower into mid January.

Speaker 4 (29:25):
We don't see an issue with a big asterisk that
anything geopolitically can always create a jittery neess there which
could throw the whole forecast out the window. But for
the moment, we don't see anything out there in the
horizon that's going to start driving prices upward.

Speaker 1 (29:40):
Matt McClain with gasbuddy dot com this morning, Well, friends,
the twelve billion dollar bridge assistance payments announced recently were
good news for farmers across the country in these challenging times,
but with eleven billion of that going to row crop producers.
US Representative Dan Neuhaus, a farmer himself, talked about these

(30:00):
specialty crop growers who feel a little left out.

Speaker 6 (30:03):
I sympathize. I have that same exact feeling. In fact,
I think due to the fact that me and several
other members of Congress have raised the issue that especially
crops typically get left out of things like this, and
so the fact that we got a billion out of
the twelve well not enough. It's sorely inadequate. It was

(30:24):
progressed to get included in the package.

Speaker 1 (30:27):
And new how says he knows they understand as he does,
that producers would prefer selling their goods over direct payments
from the federal government.

Speaker 6 (30:36):
And so market certainty along with the agricultural labor issues.
They're from the center, and we're doing all we can
to make sure this administration understands the need to make
some positive changes in both those areas, and they do that.
The good news is they do and we're working hard
to get some of these things done.

Speaker 1 (30:55):
USDA says Farmers who qualify for the Farm Bridge Assistance
program expect payments to be released by the end of February. Well, friends,
more reports are surfacing that a rising percentage of ag
lenders appear not to be renewing some farm loans for
twenty twenty six. Rob LaRue, the president of the National
Farmers Union, said the numbers are showing that unfortunate trend

(31:18):
to be true.

Speaker 21 (31:19):
Yeah, I think the dangerous thing right now is that
a lot of the data that folks in DC are
looking at has to do with kind of national averages
or even regional averages. But when you go down to
the community level, we just keep hearing directly from lenders
in a lot of parts of the country who are
predicting now not only a very very difficult conversation with
a lot of their farmers, but that they will be

(31:41):
seeing upwards of forty percent, fifty percent in some cases,
and even sixty percent of their current operating loan clients
not be renewed.

Speaker 1 (31:51):
He said, It's happening more than people may realize. We
are seeing this everywhere.

Speaker 21 (31:55):
I've talked specifically in Arkansas and in Oklahoma, and in
South Dakota and even in Minnesota. And I have a
strong suspicion that there are a lot of places around
the rest of the country, again where the regional numbers
may not look hugely problematic, but when you go down
to the more micro level, it's a massive problem. And
for a small community bank who may have been keeping

(32:18):
customers on because they've had losses over the last few years,
at some point you put the bank at risk if
you need to do that. So while they're tough conversations.
It's a problem that's going to have to be dealt with.

Speaker 1 (32:29):
The RUSSAID. The recent announcement of twelve billion dollars in
farmer financial assistance will help, but it's not a solution.

Speaker 21 (32:36):
The recent farmer Bridge payment, the eleven billion dollars and
the one billion dollars for especially crops, that's really important,
but it is absolutely only a band aid. And I
think you saw reporting like hours after the announcement of that,
already the calls for additional help because this isn't going
to be enough. This is why we keep making the
case that when we talk about a farm bill, it

(32:58):
is not a question about when a farm bill is
going to be done, but making sure that when we
get this next farm bill done that it actually truly
represents today's conditions, today's needs, and we don't find ourselves
needing to have these temporary mandates. Farmers don't like this.
They are essential right now. We need a safety net
program in a farm bill that can weather all of

(33:18):
this disruption and make sure that farmers have greater certainty
from one year to the next.

Speaker 1 (33:23):
National Farmer Union President Rob LaRue with US this morning.
Farm US. You're listening to wag Life.

Speaker 13 (33:31):
From the agg Information Network. I'm Bob Larson with your
agribusiness update.

Speaker 17 (33:36):
Well.

Speaker 13 (33:36):
JBS announced plans to close one of its facilities outside
of Los Angeles. Cattle Dodge dot com says the world's
largest meat company announced the closure late last week. JBS
is closing down it's Swift Beef Company facility in Riverside
on February second, which will eliminate three hundred and seventy
four jobs. The plant doesn't slaughter cattle, but processes beef

(33:57):
for the sale in grocers meat cases, which means the
facility isn't shutting down due to low cattle supplies. The
Fertilizer Institute praised the House of Representatives for passing HR
thirty eight ninety eight, the Promoting Efficient Review for Modern
Infrastructure Today Act. Its legislation designed to bring clarity, consistency,
and predictability to the Federal Clean Water Act. CEO Corey

(34:21):
Rosenbusch says the Permit Act provides the guardrails needed to
keep critical projects moving while maintaining protections for water quality
and natural resources. TFI members routinely face permitting delays that
cost time and money. Every five years, the dietary guidelines
are updated based on current recommendations from a scientific advisory committee.

(34:43):
Over fifty percent strongly agreed with the recommendations to eat
all types of vegetables and to choose food and beverages
with less added sugars. Recommendations most likely for descent are
eating fish or seafood twice a week and consuming low
fat or fat free milk or yogurt.

Speaker 23 (35:00):
Areasing your almond yield can seem like a tough nut
to crack, but it doesn't have to be. Protect your
crop with Maravon Funge's side a bloom for added resiliency
against frost, long lasting, broad spectrum disease control, and proven
yield results. See that wasn't tough at all. Maravon Funge,

(35:22):
just side number one bloom for all the right reasons.
Always read and follow labeled directions.

Speaker 24 (35:30):
Today we're talking with aphids and white flies about sefena
insecticide from BASF.

Speaker 23 (35:35):
We just get nailed with it. So tell us how you.

Speaker 12 (35:38):
Feeling really, really weird.

Speaker 24 (35:41):
And you still want to devour this field?

Speaker 20 (35:44):
No way, bro.

Speaker 23 (35:46):
There you have it, folks.

Speaker 24 (35:47):
Safena insecticide is specifically engineered to disorient aphis and wife flies,
so they can't eat, and when they can't eat, they
can't destroy.

Speaker 2 (35:55):
He'll protect your alfalfa from aphids with sephena insecticide.

Speaker 7 (35:59):
Always eat and follow label directions.

Speaker 1 (36:01):
Bob Quent back to wrap up baglife for today Friends. Well,
Disrupting the life cycle of the soybean cyst nematode is
easier now than ever. Chad Smith has our final report.

Speaker 12 (36:12):
Soybean cis nematodes have multiple life cycles throughout a single
growing season. Indigo has a brand new product called Nemora
that disrupts the life cycles before eggs hatch. Brian Randall,
the senior agronomy lead for Indigo, talks about the new
product and how it works.

Speaker 16 (36:31):
Nomora is a microbial sea treatment. It's a biodomat site.
It's brand new this year. It's a flowable powder or
planner box treatment, so it's really easy for farmers to apply,
and it works by preventing SCN eggs from hatching, which
is really important because SCN has multiple life cycles throughout

(36:52):
any growing season, and so by disrupting that life cycle
we can really reduce the overall pressure out there. SCN
is the number one one yield robbing pests and soybeans
one point five billion dollars yield loss every year, and
so we're excited to be able to offer such a
powerful tool to the American grower.

Speaker 12 (37:10):
Namura offers a significant reduction in SCN egg hatch, So with.

Speaker 16 (37:15):
Nomora, we're seeing a sixty eight percent reduction in egg catch.
If you're out there and digging those roots, you're going
to see larger tap roots, more healthy, robust root systems
in general. And what's really exciting over the synthetic alternatives
is that we're not seeing the phytotoxicity or the halo effects.

(37:36):
All of that helps contribute to that plant just being
healthier and more robust.

Speaker 12 (37:40):
Randall talked about how Nomura compares to chemical seed treatments.

Speaker 16 (37:45):
Nomora is a biological and so that makes it a
lot difficult for a pest like SCN to be able
to work around the active like we see in some
of the synthetic alternatives. So we don't have the phytotoxicity,
we don't have the halo effects, and overall we are
comparable or have yields or performance over what the chemical

(38:07):
control is offering, which is great when we're talking about
using a biological or We're also really tuned into how
it's helping the soil. So Nomura actually recruits plant growth,
promoting bacteria that helps with the overall plant development and
that also in turn helps with heald.

Speaker 9 (38:26):
He said.

Speaker 12 (38:26):
The product is ready to go for twenty twenty six.

Speaker 16 (38:30):
Growers can work with their local retailers to get Nomora.
It's an EPA register product. It's available this year. They
can also visit our website at indigoag dot com. On
that website you'll find your nurse, retailer and your local
Indigo representative.

Speaker 12 (38:48):
Once again, that's Brian Randall of Indigo. Chad Smith reporting
with that.

Speaker 1 (38:53):
Friends, out of time for today, thanks for joining us.
Back tomorrow morning with another edition, A Baglife