Other News

By Steph Larsen Cuts in public spending lead to loss of services, especially for rural communities. While there’s little a community can do after it loses its school or post office to make up for that lost infrastructure, an NPR story set in Appleton, England tells of one town’s commitment to keep their “community shop”....
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By Lance Evans (Editor's note: We'd like to thank Lance for his hard work with us this spring and summer! Good luck, Lance!) Recently I was lucky to attended the Midwest Rural Assembly in South Sioux City, Nebraska. The Midwest Rural Assembly was a tw...
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Verasun was one of the larger US producers of ethanol until late in October of 2008, when the financial collapse of the company threw it into bankruptcy court and it sought protection from its creditors. But instead of just playing defense with creditors, it began playing offense, and Cornbelt farmers were the target.
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Thanks to Cornbelt farmers the US balance of trade is improving. Agricultural exports typically outpace exports, and the difference will be widening both for the balance of the present fiscal year and for the 2011 fiscal year. The opportunity results from the drought in Eastern Europe which opens the door for more...
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I’ve decided rain is either a stranger or an uninvited, intrusive guest. It’s been feast or famine this year – with a few exceptions. A couple weeks ago I found myself posting “Come on rain!” to my Facebook account. I know I am desperate for rain when I use a social...
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By Lance Evans A few weeks ago I attended the Nebraska Energy Fair. It was a fantastic event! There were presentations on everything from helpful household tips to conserve energy at home to how to support legislation for renewable energy standards. If...
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It is time to fess up. The secret is out. The jig is up. We now know why you did not sign up for the Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) program like Congress and USDA thought you would. They gave you the opportunity, but you said no, thanks, and now...
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Since the late 1800’s cowboys have complained that stockyards and packers were taking advantage of them. When Congress looked into the allegations periodically new regulations were imposed on the packing industry. But the beef industry has also been pushed and pulled by market dynamics, court decisions, transportation, feed prices, and many other...
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From day to day, different dynamics yank and tug on commodity markets, but in a larger perspective, many will have a positive push as others will have a negative pull. And from month to month those will change, creating a difficult task in making long term production and marketing plans for Cornbelt farms....
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From day to day, different dynamics yank and tug on commodity markets, but in a larger perspective, many will have a positive push as others will have a negative pull. And from month to month those will change, creating a difficult task in making long term production and marketing plans for Cornbelt farms....
Read more »