Harvest

Can Cash Feeders Lead Cattle Back to New Highs? Corn and Soybeans See Harvest Pressure

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 14:57:30 GMT

Cattle started mixed Monday but quickly moved higher in both live and feeder cattle futures. Hogs are lower, grains are mostly lower early.

Live Cattle Bounce After Lower Weekly Close

Brad Kooima of Kooima Kooima Varilek says live cattle futures closed lower for the week in the face of lower cash and cutouts.

Cash trade in the South was mostly $237, down $3 from last week. The North traded $233 midweek but $231 on Friday and $365 dressed, down $6 from last week’s weighted averages.

He expects cash to be lower again this week as he says producers have lost their leverage and now are holding cattle and feeder longer which will increase weights.

Boxed beef cutout values also continue to slide with Choice values now at $371.43, nearly $40 off the highs.

Only 4 Day Kill Schedule

Kooima says the packers have further cut kills and many majors will only have a four day slaughter schedule this week.

Last week’s slaughter was just 555,000 head, which is down 62,000 from last year.

Feeders Post a Higher Week, Can They Lead Live Cattle Higher?

Feeder cattle are still the bright spot of the cattle market and the futures posted a higher weekly close last week.

Kooima says the feeder cattle cash index continues to climb and is up another $2.57 today at $367.61.

So can cash feeders lead the entire futures complex back higher?

Kooima says they feeders have been the leaders and so he is hopeful they can eventually pull the market back up since supplies have continued to stay tight.

“You have the border closure to Mexican feeders likely being prolonged with the cash of New World Screwworm only 70 miles from the border and that should keep the supplies of feeders tight,” he says.

Lean Hog Futures Correct From Contract Highs

Lean hog futures are lower early Monday with some profit taking and hedge selling after the market his new contract highs again on Friday.

The bullish Hogs and Pigs Report supported last week’s higher weekly close but the funds are also record long in the market.

The key will be how long do the funds support their long position?

Corn and Soybeans See Harvest Pressure

Corn and soybeans are slightly lower on Monday seeing some hedge and harvest pressure with dry weather over the weekend and an open week for combining across the Midwest.

Kooima is concerned that corn and soybeans are setting on critical support areas that need to hold or the markets could take another leg lower.

There is some positioning ahead of the USDA reports on Tuesday but Koomia is not expecting much change from expectations.

One positive for the corn market is private exporters reported 5.3 million bu. of corn sold to Mexico for the 2025-26 marketing year and 4.4 million bu. of corn to unknown destinations, also for 2025-26.

New 2026 Balers and Hay Tools Launched By Case IH, John Deere, New Holland, And Vermeer

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 17:01:14 GMT

Case IH’s new RB6 series variable chamber round baler offers durability and less maintenance with triple seal bearings throughout the machine. This ensures contaminants stay out while lubricants stay in to maintain optimal operation.

The RB566 model includes several enhancement options:

(Matthew J. Grassi)

New double roller windguard increases compression and control for OSF pickups, allowing for increased capacity and ground speed.
The new Bale Weigh capability allows operators to monitor and record individual bale weight on an ongoing basis via in-cab monitoring. This capability weighs the bale in chamber without pausing the machine.
Pro 700 Plus display or Pro 1200 display compatibility.
FieldOps machine and telematics data via mobile and web apps have the ability to monitor individual bale data such as drop location, weight and moisture content.

“Another thing we’ve done is, on our pickup, we’ve went to a double roller windguard on the 566. Our customers who are bailing a lot of corn stalks, they’re dealing with some big windrows,” says Brian Williams, livestock product specialist, CNH Industrial. “And what this does is it pushes those windrows down and smashes them out and allows them to feed into the baler more fluidly so they can go faster.”

The RB6 series is manufactured in the U.S. in New Holland, Penn. , and order writing is open now. Orders signed this fall will begin shipping in March 2026.

John Deere intros V452M Round Baler with stepped-up automation features

(John Deere)

John Deere says its new V452M round baler provides enhanced productivity and precision ag tech integration for hay and forage operations.

The V452M headlines a newly updated lineup of VR and CR round baler models, introducing a new naming convention and advanced features purpose-built for heavy crop and silage conditions, while the current 1 Series round balers will continue to serve customer baling needs.

Expanding the versatility of John Deere’s round baler lineup, the VM, VR and CR lineup updates include variable-chamber and variable-wrapping combination models.

Key features of the V452M include:

Advanced Bale Chamber Technology: Three starting rolls and two belt drive rolls ensure consistent bale rotation.
Larger Bale Chamber: 4-by-5½ feet chamber width to maximize bale weight.
High-Density Silage Capability: Produces silage bales up to 11.7 pounds per cubic foot.

The full updated Model Year 2026 Deere baler lineup introduces several features to boost productivity (capabilities vary by model):

Industry-Leading Gate Cycle Time: As fast as three seconds for more bales per hour.
Moisture Sensors and Bale Scales: Seamlessly connect to the free John Deere Operations Center for near real-time bale documentation and yield insights.
G5 or G5e Monitor for in-cab adjustments and data-driven decisions.
High-Capacity Feeding System: A 7.2-foot-wide five-bar pickup handles heavy windrows with ease.
Baler Automation With New Unplug Assist automatically stops the tractor when the target bale size is reached and manages the gate cycle. When needed, Unplug Assist automatically stops the tractor and disengages the PTO when a plug is detected.

The VM, VR and CR balers will begin shipping in November 2025. For more information, contact your local John Deere dealer

New Holland rolls out Roll-Belt 1 Series Balers

(New Holland)

New for model year 2026, New Holland is introducing three updated Roll-Belt 1 Series models designed to work smarter, bale faster and ensure producers stay connected.

New Holland says feeding performance gets a boost with its Roll-Belt 451, 461 and 561 models. A newly designed single roller windguard now comes standard on all OSF (OverShot Feeder) pickup models. And a larger 8.4" roller — 60% larger in diameter than its predecessor — helps better compress the crop mat and improve feeding into the chamber.

For those baling larger windrows, a new dual roller windguard is available as an upgrade option on the 561 model. The front and rear rollers pivot independently, providing adaptive control in variable crop and ground conditions. Operators can also lock both rollers together when compressing loose or fluffy windrows.

“Each of these three models has a distinct fit. Take, for example, the Roll-Belt 561. In corn stalks, it truly shines,” says Alex Berwager, livestock and dairy business manager, New Holland. “We’re seeing a 16% improvement in feeding capacity thanks to the dual roller windguard, jumping from 43 to 50 tons per hour. That means less plugging from the controlled crop flow and greater productivity to tackle more when your time is short.”

Vermeer launches fleet of new baler and hay tools for 2026

(Vermeer)

Vermeer’s new model year 2026 baler and hay tool launch is led by the all-new ZR-2200 self-propelled baler.

The launch fleet also includes:

604 S series balers
605S Rancher baler
ZR-2200 self-propelled baler with the Z604S bale chamber
3 new models of carted wheel rakes.

“We’ve taken feedback from dealers and hay producers to build equipment that’s intuitive, durable and designed to deliver results,” said Shane Rourke, managing director of forage, Vermeer.

604S Premium Baler

(Vermeer)

The new 604 S series balers come in three models: Rancher, Signature and Premium (shown above).

Vermeer says the machines are built to help producers get more 6’x4' (1.8-m by 1.2-m) bales put up in a day.

The 604S Rancher is a reliable, straightforward option for value-focused producers who want durable components and convenient operation.
The 604S Signature features enhanced driveline capacity and rugged components, ideal for high-volume operations.
The 604S Premium pulls out all the stops with smart automation, comfort-focused features and productivity tools that help operators work faster, smarter and with less effort.

All three models share common components — including the camless wide pickup with a hydraulic pickup lift, a mechanical netwrap system and the Atlas Pro control system with in-cab density adjustments.

ZR-4S self-propelled baler.

(Vermeer)

Since the launch of the ZR5-1200 self-propelled baler in 2017, producers have consistently asked for a 4' (1.2-m) model that delivers the same level of automation, comfort and productivity.

Vermeer says it is answering that request with the new ZR-2200 self-propelled baler with the Z604S bale chamber (ZR-4S). The ZR-4S (pictured above) features zero-turn maneuverability, integrated automation and a premium cab packed with operator-focused features.

From auto tie and eject to real-time bale data and TempSense bearing temperature monitoring, the ZR-4S self-propelled baler is built to keep operators productive, informed and comfortable.

VRC Carted wheel rake

(Vermeer)

Three new carted wheel rakes — the VRC820, VRC1022 and VRC1224 — offer robust construction, updated hydraulics, and simple adjustments to help producers get the most out of every pass.

With raking widths ranging from 20' (6 m) to 24' (7.3 m), these rakes are designed for longevity and ease of use for operators of all sizes.

Full availability on these new hay tools is expected in Spring 2026.

Your Next Read: Less Work, Better Bales - John Deere Intros Weave Automation

From Football Cleats to Dirty Work Boots: How Authentic Teamwork is Made in the Fields

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 19:56:07 GMT

It is that time of year when it seems like there are not enough hours in the day. Mostly because two-thirds of it is spent chopping corn. The next day is much of the same and so is the next and then the next, until the job gets done.

Last week, I watched outside my farmhouse window, my husband lowering the chopper’s head down to the ground. Then slowly, the corn began disappearing and the chopper-box wagons were being filled. One after another, five wagons were filled every hour. Like clockwork.

Challenges Ahead
That is until the clock breaks. Two things that cost time and money are breakdowns and Mother Nature. This year, Mother Nature just didn’t want to cooperate for us. With the heat index topping 107 degrees, the forecast showed a slight chance of a pop-up shower. With the corn turning quick, we decided to keep going.

Then, during the night, that slight chance of rain turned into a 100% chance, and the pop-up shower equated to nearly an inch of rain. Others in our area received double the amount, so I guess we considered ourselves lucky.

But, truthfully, we just felt sick to our stomachs, knowing how many endless hours of work unfolded only to get rain on it. But, what else can you do besides move forward?

Shifting Focus
The next day, we turned our attention back to the cows and the dairy, as the fields needed to dry out. The following day, I heard diesel engines roar up, as seven tractors started their engines for a full day of work. On the pile, the blade began smoothing over freshly dumped corn silage again, while additional tractors went back and forth over the pile, packing it down for endless hours—too many to count. The other tractors raced down the roads, hauling chopper boxes and filling freshly chopped corn silage.

With a lot of windshield time, my husband, who is the master mind behind our chopping crew and the operator of our chopper, thinks about when the pile will be ready to cover. Any of you that have had the luxury of joining in this job, understand that it certainly isn’t for the faint of hearts. This job is a full cardio workout.

Thankfully this year, we were once again able to count on our local high school varsity football team, who traded in their cleats for work shoes and tossed tires and pulled plastic to tightly seal up 2024’s crop.

Teamwork is what spells dream work. This couldn’t be truer than what it takes to chop 4,000 tons of corn over the span of a few days. I encourage you to extend an invite to your local football, FFA Chapter or whomever to offer a helping hand. Don’t run on empty this harvest season—recruit some young blood to build up your team to get across the finish line.

The El Niño Effect: Is El Niño to Blame for the Historic Heat and Drought that Gripped the U.S. in 2023?

Tue, 02 Jan 2024 22:10:01 GMT

2023 was a year full of weather impacts on crops and livestock. From the intense heat in the South to the drought that parked itself across the South and Midwest, USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says those are the two weather events that stole headlines this past year.

“When we look back at 2023, I’m actually going to break heat and drought into two separate categories,” says Rippey. “Really, when you look at the extreme heat this past year, it was focused across the deep South from Arizona to Florida, and pretty much everywhere in between. And that was certainly a huge weather story that affected parts of the cotton belt.”

From wiping out a large part of the cotton crop in west Texas to hitting sugar cane production in Louisiana, Rippey says nearly the entire deep South saw impacts of the year’s extreme heat.

“Of course, that came with drought in many cases. But when you look at these overall temperatures, the hottest summer on record and a lot of hottest months on record, that was a big story in the deep South,” says Rippey.

While other parts of the U.S. still had drought, in some areas it didn’t pack as big of a punch because it came without the heat. That was the case in much of the Corn Belt. The drought hit last year without the extended intense heat, which had a big impact on crops.

“We were very fortunate, especially in the Corn Belt, that we did not see the combination of extreme heat and drought at the same time. And that actually led to some of those better outcomes than expected for U.S. corn,” explains Rippey.

With USDA currently projecting the 2023 U.S. corn crop to be the largest on record, Rippey says the mild temperatures are what helped save the crops.

“You do see that things actually turned out better in states like Iowa. When you look at the rainfall numbers, they were abysmal, almost as dry as 2012. But then the heat just wasn’t there. And today’s varieties are little bit more tolerant of drought and heat. And the outcome was a little better than we expected,” says Rippey.

It wasn’t all good news. While crop yields turned out better than expected for some farmers, the lack of moisture continued to dwindle grazing conditions and hay stocks in 2023. Those created additional hurdles in rebuilding the shrinking U.S. cattle herd.

So, what was the culprit that caused the intense heat that suffocated the South during the summer months? Rippey says while it’s still being studied, he thinks it’s tied to one major weather event in 2023, in particular.

“I will go out on a limb and say that that may have been an early sneak attack from El Niño ,” says Rippey. “The reason I say that is that because we did have an early onset El Niño. It was pretty much in place by late spring, early summer. It’s pretty consistent with El Niño to have a big ridge of high pressure that comes out of Central America. And at times, we’ve seen it before, that does sometimes extend all the way into the southern tier of the United States.”

He says El Niño can also be tied to the shipping crisis that wreaked havoc on exports in 2023, causing massive shipping delays, as well as forcing shippers to carry lighter loads.

“And certainly what happened in Mexico and parts of Central America, think about the Central American drought that’s causing shipping problems in the Panama Canal. A lot of that, I think, could be tied to the heat in the atmosphere related to the early onset El Niño,” says Rippey.

According to Rippey, the drought in the Midwest can be attributed to the blocking high pressure that wouldn’t budge across Canada this past spring, summer or fall.

“The U.S. Midwest happened to be on the southern end of a lot of that high pressure over Canada. So when we think about that, think about the Canadian wildfires, all the smoke coming down. And we were just on the southern edge of that in the Midwest,” Rippey explains.

He says that, along with Northeasterly winds blocking moisture from the Gulf, is what caused the drought in the Midwest.

“At the same time, high pressure was far enough north that the heat and unusual warmth were actually focused across Canada. So, it wasn’t all that hot on the southern end of the high, but it was dry. And that led to that cool drought in the western Corn Belt,” he adds.

El Niño is still in play, as Rippey says El Niño made a splash once again to close out 2023.

“Now that El Niño has kicked in, it’s a strong event, it could be one of the strongest on record,” says Rippey. “We’re seeing that influence of El Niño starting to grab a hold of the reins of U.S. weather patterns. And that’s pretty normal and certainly should continue into early 2024.”

What’s on tap for 2024? Rippey forecasts the intense El Niño will lead to what he calls “pretty profound” impacts for the rest of the winter, and even into spring.

Lost and Found: Bottle Hunter Digs Extraordinary Farmland Treasures

Tue, 02 Jan 2024 03:01:48 GMT

Tom Askjem is a time traveler. Every May to November, he disappears into the bowels of the earth, descends to depths of 13’-plus, and returns to the surface with treasure—bottles and glassware from farming’s past.

After 1,800 pits and hundreds of thousands of relics, Askjem is equal parts archeologist, thrill seeker, and mole. Muscle on dirt, the North Dakota farm boy has turned an addiction into a career, multiple books, and a captivating YouTube channel with millions of views. However, Askjem seeks more than glass.

“I’m digging for adventure, history, and love,” he says. The past is in these holes and there are countless numbers of them across farmland.”

Time to hunt with a master.

The Infection

On the flats of extreme eastern North Dakota’s Traill County, Askjem, 32, prepares for a dig trip. “No mountains and no hills in the Red River Valley,” he describes. “You can see your dog run away for days. The land is mostly featureless, other than a few big cottonwoods and shelter belts where farms used to be.”

(Farm Journal)

A mop of blonde hair sits atop a 6’-tall, lanky frame as Askjem saddles his pony—a Honda Civic. At the current mileage rate, the Civic will be junkyard fodder before it has a scratch: 60,000 backroad miles added to the odometer in the past six months.

Askjem piles layers of gear into the trunk, including three of each tool for insurance: shovels, pronged garden forks, trampoline pads, probe rods, buckets, plastic scoopers, trowels, tents, sleeping bags, blankets, pillows, air mattresses, clothes, and waterproof, Redwing leather work boots.

“It never gets old,” he says, wearing a wide grin. “I caught the infection when I was a kid.”

Digging Bodies

Pushed from the Grand Forks area by the historic Red River flood of 1997, Askjem moved to a farm outside Buxton at six years young. The main property was an 1878 homestead—a progression from sod house to log cabin to the present standing 1898 farmhouse decked in Victorian-era woodwork and hardware.

(Farm Journal)

Surrounded by history, including the skeletons of old wagons and rusting machinery, Askjem explored a 5-acre patch of woods on the property, and chanced on a garbage dump: pop bottles and trash.

Askjem dug.

“I went deep and found stuff going back to 1898. When you’re a kid living in the country, there’s no going down the street and there’s no hanging with friends to play video games—you make your own adventure. I started hitting up all the farmers I could find for leads.”

Behind the wheel of a rattling go-cart, Askjem sought Buxton old-timers and collected tips on abandoned houses. “They all helped me,” he says. “Nobody cared where I hunted because I was just a little kid exploring for all the right reasons.”

“I’ve still got an elementary school journal with an assignment describing my weekend,” he adds. “I wrote, ‘Me and Mom dug up old bodies.’ The teacher marked my paper out of concern,” Askjem describes, with an easy, deep chuckle. “I meant to spell bottles, not bodies. But it shows I was truly hooked.”

Indeed. Wonderfully hooked.

Soft Landing

Why are bottles buried under farmland and old house sites?

(Farm Journal)

Prior to plastic and synthetics, glassware held everything: medicine, hygiene products, alcohol, soda, and beyond. Glass was it.

Additionally, prior to waste disposal services, homeowners discarded trash on-site—in back yard outhouses, trash depressions, burn pits, and wells or cisterns. In short time, the various ground receptacle spots were filled and forgotten.

“Let’s say, for example, a family moved in around 1880,” Askjem explains. “That site likely has two or three outhouse locations prior to World War l. The outhouse spots filled up at a rate according to family size. I dug one farmhouse site that had six outhouses in a 10-year span. Folks went into the outhouses and threw away bottles: medicine, opiates, beer, whiskey. It was convenient and private, and had a soft landing, and got covered quickly. Even now, the bottles often are still preserved.”

(Farm Journal)

“Generally, these houses also had a burn pit and/or dump pit. In the early days, they burned all trash in the stove for heat. Also, homestead bucket wells were filled up with trash and bottles once they were replaced by pump wells. Cisterns also were eventually filled up, but most of those are associated with houses in town.”

And the sites remain, he emphasizes, hiding intact relics beyond the reach of farm machinery or tillage equipment.

X Marks the Spot

Location. Location. Location. Other than a tip or invitation, how does Askjem find dig sites?

X marks the spot, at least in the county courthouse or public library. He spends winters poring over early property transaction documents. “I look at lot sales. If several lots sold for $100 each in 1880, but one sold for $1,000 in 1885, the price climb tells the story and likely represents a building location.”

(Farm Journal)

“I also read old newspaper archives, looking for hotel or business advertisements,” Askjem continues. “Then I can look up the proprietor’s name and keep tightening the scope, narrowing down the exact building location.”

“Every single house is different, but generally, in the countryside, outhouses were 30 paces out the back door. In the city, where most lots were 140’ long, outhouses could be as close as 5-10 paces.”

Confident of a site’s potential, Askjem first asks for permission to dig from the landowner. “Property owners are always so kind to me and I don’t hide anything I find. They’re curious about what is in the ground, just like anybody else.”

Second, he grids out the site. “I put down markers 2 paces apart, maybe 20 paces long. I push probe rods into ground and feel for compaction differences. Depending on the location, I’ll call in and have utility lines marked out for power and gas.”

Decked in Levi’s and a tank-top, it’s time to tunnel.

Claustrophobic Comfort

Shovel in hand, Askjem descends into a layer cake of dirt: black topsoil to brown-colored clay to telltale ash to a use layer containing treasure.

(Farm Journal)

“Generally, I go deep to find old items in quantity. The earliest bottles were used to the last drop by farmers and thrown out empty. Therefore, when they froze in brutal Dakota winters, the glass didn’t break from liquid expansion.”

As Askjem extracts glass vessels from the dirt and grime, his encyclopedic knowledge registers with each find. He recognizes the type, manufacturer, and age. Ink bottles, hygiene bottles, medicine bottles, beer bottles, soda bottles—and far more spill from the holes.

“I find patented medicine bottles across the country, but my favorite are soda bottles because they are unique to their locale and have character. The old soda bottles are usually marked with the bottler and town name because they were returnable.”

The outhouse pits are typically 6’-deep at home sites, with an average size of 6’-by-4’-by-3’. “I’ve dug ghost towns, dug saloons, train depots, and pool halls that were 12’ long, 4’ wide, and 8’ deep. I remember a hotel pit that was 20’-by-20’ and 8’ deep. There was a military fort with pits behind the barracks that was 12’ long, 4’ wide, and 13.5’ deep: That was a week’s worth of digging.”

(Farm Journal)

Askjem’s subterranean realm provides no comfort to the claustrophobic. At 8’-9’, he braces the holes with woodwork. “I’m in a solid clay base that doesn’t cave, but I have a healthy respect for the ground’s limitation. Sometimes, it looks like I’m digging a rabbit hole.”

Preserved in nature’s freezer, the artifacts unearthed by Askjem often are in phenomenal condition.

“Pieces of newspaper can still be read; bottle labels are legible; white lime used in decomposition is visible; and undigested seeds are everywhere. Even 120-year-old human waste sometimes is perfectly preserved and still smells like hell. I wear a hydrogen sulfide respirator in those cases.”

“It’s all there; almost like it was dropped yesterday.”

Ghosts in the Ground

In 2022, Askjem began chronicling his digs via a YouTube channel, Below the Plains , and soon captured millions of views. At two posts per week, he gins footage at a steady rate to feed the algorithm, a tough task considering the ground in his geography is frozen from mid-November to mid-May.

(Farm Journal)

Additionally, Askjem has written two in-depth books (Nebraska Soda Bottles 1865-1930 and A History of North Dakota Bottling Operations 1879-1930) and has more on the way. “I put the bottle prices in the books because they can sell for a whole lot and I always tell the landowners. Listing prices draw criticism, but that’s important to me because it helps preserve the item, and preservation of history is what drives me.”

Covered in dust or mud at the end of each day in digging season, Askjem is highly respectful of what he finds—almost reverent after 1,800 digs. “I appreciate everything I uncover because it represents a part of someone’s daily life and existence. There’s nothing wrong with coveting bottles, but I’m really in those holes for the moment of discovery.”

Even when not digging, Askjem is on the move, surfing on the coasts or river diving for lost cargo. In the decades to come, will he continue burrowing into the past? “Twenty years from now, I hope I’m still digging and there’s nothing I’d rather be doing right now.”

(Farm Journal)

“There’s not an infinite amount of lost bottle sites, but there’s certainly an incredibly high number,” he continues. “There were 300,000 homestead farms in North Dakota with a minimum of one well, one outhouse, and one trash dump. And that doesn’t include towns where most of the population lived. There are millions of these sites in North Dakota and far more in other states.”

Respect to a freewheeling hunter like no other. Bottles draw the eye, but ghosts draw the heart: “The moment never gets old when you uncover a bottle and find that history,” Askjem adds. “Never.”

For more from Chris Bennett (cbennett@farmjournal.com or 662-592-1106), see:

While America Slept, China Stole the Farm

Priceless Pistol Found After Decades Lost in Farmhouse Attic

Cottonmouth Farmer: The Insane Tale of a Buck-Wild Scheme to Corner the Snake Venom Market

Tractorcade: How an Epic Convoy and Legendary Farmer Army Shook Washington, D.C.

Young Farmer uses YouTube and Video Games to Buy $1.8M Land

Bizarre Mystery of Mummified Coon Dog Solved After 40 Years

Trouble Shipping Grain And Feed Via Rail Far From Over, Concerns Now Growing About Possible Worker Strike At Harvest

Mon, 18 Jul 2022 20:00:15 GMT

Rail retains a vital role in the transportation of goods across the U.S., but this year, the 140,000- miles worth of railroad tracks across the country haven’t been immune to the supply chain chaos plaguing U.S. transportation sectors.

Now, a potential stoppage on the nation’s railways this fall is spurring concern, even after President Joe Biden signed an executive order Sunday to keep the nation’s rail traffic on track.

“What I’m hearing from our members is fewer equipment issues,” says Mike Seyfert, president and CEO of the National Feed and Grain Association (NFGA) . “The equipment and engines don’t seem to be breaking down, but the amount of time it’s taken to get the trains and the reliability of receiving them have.”

With more than 1,000 members today, NFGA represents everything from grain buyers and handlers to transportation companies who ship the grain.

“It seems to be most severe right now in the West, or for those who are trying to ship west on those lines that are going into the western part of the country,” says Seyfert. “Either for feed purposes, processing purposes, or export purposes to the western side.”

What’s Driving the Issues Shipping Via Rail?

Today’s rail issue centers around labor and the amount of time it’s taking to receive shipments via rail.

“The velocity to deliver trains is getting more and more difficult. You’re having challenges with having enough locomotives in different locations,” says Ken Erikson, senior vice president at S&P Global Fuels, Chemicals and Resource Solutions Group . “You have challenges with crews who may have been hit by weather, who may be hit by diversions, some of the rail crews timeout or they don’t have enough locomotive engineers in the right position.”

Eric Wilkey of Arizona Grain, Inc . is seeing the issue firsthand. Area farmers were in the middle of harvest, and Wilkey still hadn’t received the rail cars he needed.

“We’ve got a whole harvest that’s basically been received, and we haven’t been able to ship anything,” Wilkey told U.S. Farm Report at the end of June.

Wilkey says rail cars that were supposed to arrive in early May started to finally trickle in during the first part of July, but that was two months behind schedule.

“We never stopped the farmers from harvesting, so we have created some really large inventories and that has significant cash-flow impacts on us,” adds Wilkey.

Hearing Hints at Complexity of Issue

In April, the Surface Transportation Board (STB) stepped in, holding a hearing to get to the root of the rail issues. The hearing was full of differing opinions and pointed questions.

Just prior to the hearing, Landus Coop, which represents 7,000 farmer-owners in Iowa, submitted testimony saying rail issues meant they were only able to load half the number of shipments necessary, and the backlog meant farmers trying to haul grain to the coop were being turned away. The letter stated:

Landus is only able to load half the rate of shipments necessary today. With 450,000 bushels loaded in each train, this impact multiplies daily.
Farmers trying to haul grain to us today are getting turned away because we cannot make the inventory space for them. This is an important and optimal window of time when farmers must haul remaining old-crop inventory in preparation for harvest.
Disruption to inventory flow has led to increased handling costs and reduced customer service throughout Landus. We are experiencing lost business daily due to the disruption.
Grain bushels are getting “trapped” in pockets of surplus supply, while shipping destinations are experiencing a growing deficit in access to supply.
Our soy processing facility has experienced a 10% decrease in production over the past six months due to rail performance alone. This is in turn further impacting profitability and our ability to access markets where soybean meal is in highest demand.
Trucking is not a viable alternative transportation mode today due to labor shortages.

The letter went on to say “If this situation is not resolved quickly, we risk the potential for livestock producers in California and other states potentially running out of feed.”

Concerns About Labor Issues Growing Worse at Harvest

Rail carriers and unions are in the middle of labor negotiations right now. The collective bargaining process made headlines last week, as Biden had until Sunday, July 17, to create a Presidential Emergency Board (PEB). The move was an essential step in keeping the collective bargaining process on track, as well as keeping the nation’s railways operating.

“We are pleased that President Biden has taken an important step by creating a PEB to help all parties find a reasonable path forward,” says Association of American Railroads (AAR) president and CEO Ian Jefferies. “An agreement that allows both our hardworking employees and the industry to thrive into the future remains possible.”

AAR points out the Railway Labor Act governs collective bargaining for the rail industry, which aims to help parties reach an agreement without work stoppages or disruptions to U.S. freight rail movements.

While a crisis was averted with the president’s executive order, the collective bargaining process is far from over. Now, there are fresh concerns the ongoing labor dispute could come to a head just as harvest arrives in the Midwest this fall.

“Once we get into mid-September, there’s also a risk of some labor issues, even labor stoppage on some of the rail lines,” says Seyfert. “And so getting these things addressed now, and all of us working together before we get particularly into that fall harvest timeframe is essential. We’ve really never been in a situation where a reliable and resilient rail service is more important than it is now.”

Tense Labor Negotiations?

The April hearing in front of the STB gave a hint to just how tense those labor negotiations could continue to be. Rail carriers pointed out just how severely impacted they’ve been from what’s been dubbed the “Great Resignation,” and the issues getting labor back up to speed. Certain rail carriers also outlined the plans in place to get labor back to necessary levels to operate efficiently and smoothly.

However, rail workers place blame on the railroads, saying there’s more to the story. Mark Wallace, locomotive engineer, and vice president of Brotherhood Of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), which is North America’s oldest rail labor union, testified during the STB hearing in April.

“Since 1984, 40 railroads have been reduced to seven class one carriers, now largely controlled by speculators and hedge fund investors,” he stated. “This culture of profits over safety, customer service and the lives of railroad workers is now exposed as this industry is network fails on a daily basis.”

“Now, they signaled to us in meetings publicly and otherwise they are having some success in hiring again and getting crews successfully through training,” says Wilkey. “For the Midwest, there’s a little bit of time, but for us, there’s no time. We’re in harvest right now. And I don’t have time to wait another three months for crews to be trained.”

It’s not just the hearing that hinted toward prolonged trouble with train transportation. Grain handlers like Wilkey says current rail bids point to problems persisting into fall.

“These car values would be somewhere north of $1,000 per car this fall,” says Wilkey. “And so that’s the market sending signals that there’s going to be tightness, there’s going to be concerns.”

Typically, Wilkey says those bids would be around $100 per car.

Congress Urges STB to Take Action

In late June, 51 members of the U.S. House of Representatives signed a letter and sent to the STB regarding issues with the rail system in the U.S.. The letter asked STB to continue to work through the current rail issues with all stakeholders in order to address short-term challenges and find a resolution.

“On behalf of our constituents and farmers around the country, we write regarding poor rail service, which has limited fertilizer shipments, among other essential agricultural inputs and commodities, including grain and feed,” the letter stated.

“At a time when global fertilizer supplies and global crop production are highly disrupted, imposing shipping curtailments on fertilizer inputs and grain, as recently proposed by Union Pacific, will cause major supply chain disruptions, hurt American farmers, and exacerbate the food crisis considerably. We must ensure critical commodities reach essential industries and workers, such as America’s farmers, who are essential to feeding our nation and the world. Food is a national security issue, and we must treat it as such,” the 51 members wrote in the letter.

The Senate sent a similar letter to the STB in May.

Wait Times Cause Economic Pain

As the labor battle plays out, the short-term issues are causing grain handlers economic pain.

“There have been significant economic impacts,” says Wikley. “I would estimate since the first of the year, today, there’s been in the order of $100 million paid out by the industry to solve this logistics problem that’s developed. And that’s just outside of the bounds of normal.”

The battle over labor seems to have a long tail, as those in the grain industry try to work together to make sure this major shipping vein doesn’t buckle.

Here’s Why You Need to Find Time for A Nap During the Busy Season

Fri, 24 Jun 2022 19:13:34 GMT

How much sleep do you get each night during the busy season? Researchers out of University of Nebraska—Lincoln (UNL) found that planting, harvest and calving season shave off 28 minutes of farmer’s sleep each night.

While 28 minutes doesn’t seem like much when you consider your ever-growing to-do list, Susan Harris, UNL extension educator, and Amanda Prokasky, assistant professor of education and child development at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, found this sleep deficit is a recipe for disaster.

“Half an hour less sleep in one night is no big deal,” says Prokasky. “But when you start subtracting 30 minutes of sleep every night for four to six weeks during a busy season, that sleep deficit can become pretty significant.”

Proof in the Pudding

To complete the study, 40 ag workers wore an Actigraph Spectrum Plus—a wrist monitor that continuously records data on motion and activity—for one week during a busy season and one week during a slower, “more routine” week, according to Harris.

Their findings not only show farmers spent 28 fewer minutes sleeping, but they also spent 25 less minutes in bed.

According to another farmer sleep study conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the University of Nebraska Medical Center, farmers who sleep fewer than 7.5 hours per night increase their risk of injury by 61%.

NIH also found that decreased sleep results in decreased stability, making it 7.4 times more likely that you’ll have poor, inconsistent balance.

Minor Adjustments Could Make a Difference

To avoid on-farm incidents, Harris and Prokasky suggest producers:
1. Take a brief break—even if it’s 15 minutes.
2. Consider a nap—research shows a 20-to-30-minute nap will improve mood, sharpen focus and reduce fatigue without leaving you feeling groggy.
3. Adjust your schedule

The UNL researchers intend to create educational interventions on the importance of sleep during agriculture’s busiest seasons.

“We learned a lot of interesting things and learned what to do differently moving forward,” Prokasky said. “Now it’s about finding additional collaborators to take this to the next step.”

More on farm safety:
Kids on the Farm: Don’t Take Your Eyes Off Safety
One Family’s Tragedy Sparks Nationwide Farm Safety Project

Survival At All Costs: Rancher Escapes Hay Baler Tomb

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 21:14:05 GMT

As fast as silk slides from a pocket, Doug Bichler slipped within inches of eternity. When the North Dakota cattleman was savagely contorted by a hay baler and trapped by the machinery for almost an hour, his survival chances dwindled to the likelihood of snow in summer.

Alone on a farm, with a cell phone maddeningly perched beyond his grasp on a tractor tire, and a pain level threatening to reach insufferable levels, Bichler was wedged in a vise of belts and rollers, his voice alternating between unrequited cries for help and pleas to God.

“I reached a point where I had no options left,” he recalls. “Anything. Anything to get out and back to my wife. I decided I’d pull my arm out.”

Five years after Bichler’s survival and escape from the baler, his recovery is a tale of remarkable resilience, punctuated by deep concern for the safety of others: “I feel blessed to still be alive, and now I take the opportunity to tell my story, even if it only helps a single person.”

Alone

Ten miles east of the Missouri River, in the southcentral pocket of North Dakota, Bichler’s Emmons County operation sits in the heart of topographical change, between rugged hills and buttes to the west, and grassland and farmland to the east. Sweeping. Grand. God’s country.

(Farm Journal)

Going into June 2017, Bichler, 37, was in a sweet spot, holding strong to youth while maintaining a successful ranching business— Bichler Simmentals . His wife, Maria, was eight months pregnant with the couple’s firstborn, and life was equal parts excitement and expectation. Top of the mountain.

Until late June.

June 26, a Monday of promise, provided Bichler with blue skies and temperatures in the mid-80s—made-to-order conditions for hay season and the first baling of an alfalfa field.

Bichler was positioned directly in front of a converted toolshed, preparing the baler for its intended use that evening. The toolshed, once the milk house connected to the farm’s old dairy barn, blocked Bichler’s view of his home to the rear. Simply, the 2012-model baler was positioned in a blind spot in relation to Bichler’s home.

Exiting the tractor, dressed in a long-sleeved T-shirt, old jeans, and work shoes—Bichler proceeded to pull net wrap from the baler, a standard maintenance job. Polyethylene hay bale wrap sometimes tears, sticks to belts, or attracts itself, ultimately creating a clog requiring manual removal.

From a bird’s-eye view, the only anomaly associated with Bichler’s actions or attire was a pair of work gloves. Almost any other day of summer would have found Bichler barehanded, but on June 26, he chose the superior grip of leather—a significant player in the unfolding turmoil.

As Bichler began baler maintenance, Maria walked over from the house and met her husband with the conversational fare of family and marriage, replaying the day’s movements and forecasting the week’s likelihoods. Dusk approaching and Bichler nearing completion of maintenance, Maria returned to the house to wait for Bichler to join her for supper, but she soon tired—an increasingly frequent pattern as her pregnancy neared delivery.

With Maria out of sight and earshot, and only 15 to 20 minutes from completion of baler work, Bichler, once again, was alone.

Into the Tomb

While Bichler removed net wrap from the innards of the baler, the tractor engine was shut down. He patiently extracted the ribbons and clumps of wrap—save one solitary bit. “There was one piece that had kind of melted to a belt and was stubborn. I figured once the belt kicked back on and spun, it would wear and fall off on its own, which is exactly what happened.”

(Farm Journal)

Finished with wrap removal, Bichler moved to the next item on the baler checklist—oiling the machine. However, he neglected a major step in the routine—unlocking the door mechanism. “There is a mechanism on the baler to lock the door open, so it can’t shut on you. I had the door-lock on while I was working. When I got done removing net wrap, I forgot to unlock the door-lock mechanism to allow the door to close.”

“I then started the tractor because I wanted to oil all the chains on the baler. That was the last thing on the to-do list. I started the tractor and engaged the PTO because it’s easiest to oil chains as they spin.”

Bichler oiled the chains with the tractor engine running, returned the oil to storage, and then unlocked the door mechanism, preparing to close the baler door, turn off the tractor, and shut down.

Minutes away from the safety of his house, Bichler’s eyes caught movement as the last straggler of wrap—the intransigent clinger—dislodged from the baler belt in a freak convergence of timing. Instinctively reacting to the bait, Bichler’s right hand shot out to grab the falling clump of plastic. Instantly, the 5’10”, 170-pound North Dakota cattleman was sucked into a tomb.

Macabre Tangle

Bichler was hurtled along a ghastly ride by the baler belts. “When I reached for the chunk of net wrap, the leather gloves I was wearing acted just like a grip. To this day, I think if I was barehanded, the belt probably wouldn’t have pulled me in.”

(Farm Journal)

Wrapped over rollers, a series of belts move in a vertical trajectory within the baler. Bichler was pulled into the motion: “It was too fast to describe,” he says. “I was pulled up and around the baler. How? To this day, I don’t know, but it happened. I went up off the ground and crashed back down, and I passed out.”

Regaining consciousness within seconds, Bichler awoke to find himself in a macabre tangle. Standing at extension on his tiptoes—one shoe on and one shoe ripped off in the initial fray—his right arm was held inside the baler up to bicep level, with his hand in the grip of two moving metal rollers and belts. Further complicating the contortion, Bichler’s shirt was cinched tightly around his neck, creating a garrote effect.

“The shirt had torn off me, but the material had gathered around my neck and was choking me. I managed to get my head out of the shirt, and as soon as I did, the baler sucked it in. Literally, I never saw the shirt again.”

Looking at his arm, Bichler took in the sight of shredded flesh and knew from the get-go: His limb was gone. “I don’t want anyone to ever have to see what I saw.”

Whisper to a Scream

Mind racing, body surging with adrenaline, Bichler took stock of his survival chances.

Maria had gone to the house, and Bichler was out of sight. With the tractor running, Maria would never hear a cry for help. Further, Bichler had no means of cell phone salvation. During bailer maintenance, while shuffling between talking with Maria and answering a text, he placed his phone on a tractor tire. Several feet or a million miles away, the cell phone was a non-factor.

(Farm Journal)

Counterintuitively, Bichler’s blood loss was minimal. Charged by friction of movement, the belts produced ample heat to cauterize Bichler’s wounds as his flesh tore open. “I couldn’t feel anything except intense tingling like when your hand is asleep. It was as if my mind can’t afford to think about pain.”

Weighing his options, Bichler was aware of the most probable outcome: “Nobody was missing me. I knew I could be trapped all night. I knew I would die.”

Several of Bichler’s dogs walked over at first sight of the commotion, but didn’t raise alarm and lost interest, bedding down within proximity of the toolshed. Cell phone beyond grasp, dogs intermittently glancing curiously at the predicament, and location view cloaked by the barn, Bichler began alternating between screams and prayers. “I had faith I would be alright, but I also had thoughts of finality. I was preparing my mind and praying at the same time. I’d yell for Maria until I got tired, and then I’d pray for a while, and then I’d yell again.”

During his entrapment, Bichler maintained a vigil of prayer—all against the backdrop din of a tractor idling and baler rumbling. It was a maddening wedge, feet from a cell phone and yards from home, yet inches from death.

Almost an hour after first reaching into the machine with a gloved hand, Bichler felt a slight extra pull from the baler belts. “It was like my arm was going in a few degrees deeper. Could I have been pulled in further? I don’t know, but I felt the sensation and didn’t want to find out.”

Bichler reached a point of reckoning—survival at any cost: “I decided to pull my own arm out of the baler.”

Escape

Nothing to lose but life. From Bichler’s perspective, his limb was a loss—either by hospital amputation or baler extraction. “I was no longer worried about my arm, but even though the tissue was ripped apart, I didn’t know if I’d be able to pull it out.”

(Farm Journal)

Collecting all his strength, Bichler strained downward with his entire body—come what may. No dice. He reared up and repeated the maneuver a second time, but the baler belt maintained its hold.

Once again, a third go, Bichler lurched away from the baler, thrusting for his life. “I pulled as hard as I possibly could and my arm came out. I have no idea how it came out of that machine, but I was free.”

First Concern

Upon Bichler’s escape, despite a shredded arm with no function, his first concern was for Maria—eight months pregnant. He could not allow her to see the gore. Bichler climbed into the tractor to turn it off, walked to the house, and grabbed a sweatshirt from the car. He then wrapped the arm and entered the house to call an ambulance.

“I went inside, called for my wife, went downstairs, and dialed 911. My mind was racing, but we were in the process of remodeling the house, and I wanted to go to the utility room in case I got blood on the floor. It was the most irrelevant thought process, but my ideas were muddled at the time.”

Answering Bichler’s voice, Maria woke, admittedly groggy, from a nap and walked downstairs, eyeing a drop of blood on the floor. In the immediacy of the moment, she had no reason to connect the blood to trauma. Bloody nose?

(Farm Journal)

In a calm, tempered tone, arm covered and damage hidden, Bichler offered an explanation. “Maria, I’ve had an accident. I’m going to lose my arm, but I’m going to be OK.”

“Maria looked like I said something nonsensical,” Bichler adds. “I wouldn’t let her see my arm. She tried to look and I just said, ‘It’s gone. It’s all going to be OK.’ I was on the phone with paramedics the moment she came downstairs, and she took over the call. Help was on the way.”

One Person is Enough

Several months after the tumultuous loss of his non-dominant right arm and a grueling physical ordeal, Bichler fought a second battle—a cage match against himself. He was a first-time father in the realm of a no-sleep existence with an agriculture business to run, all while learning the new physical rules of ranch labor for a one-armed cattleman.

“That was the worst time right there,” Bichler describes. “We had a new baby daughter, but I couldn’t contribute and it was hard. I had family and friends all around—an amazing group of people—but reality had set in and I felt defeated.”

Bichler made a conscious decision to avoid the pitfalls of isolation and leaned even harder on supporters. “When you are in a compromised state, sometimes you just need someone to listen, and if it’s not a physical injury, it can be any problem. I’ve now got buddies around me, in North Dakota, across the country—even in Australia—that visit with me and I also check on them.”

(Farm Journal)

Five years after the accident, following multiple surgeries, Bichler battles nerve pain that impedes the use of a prosthetic. “I don’t know where this will go as far as my healing. All I know is that I’m so blessed, and if I’m one-handed for life, I’m content.”

“Injuries are part of agriculture because we push so hard and that’s the nature of what we do to make ends meet,” Bichler continues. “We get tired and take shortcuts. If I had just gotten out of the tractor and unlocked the door so it could close, I’d still have my arm. I greased the chains with the baler running because my family has always done it that way and it’s easier, but that is bad reasoning. Turn your equipment off. Don’t make excuses.”

Bichler rests on a certainty: He should have died in the baler. “God spared me that day for a reason and I share this story with a bigger purpose. If I tell my story and help just one person avoid injury, then that one person is enough.”

To read more stories from Chris Bennett (cbennett@farmjournal.com — 662-592-1106), see:

Tractorcade: How an Epic Convoy and Legendary Farmer Army Shook Washington, D.C.

Bagging the Tomato King: The Insane Hunt for Agriculture’s Wildest Con Man

How a Texas Farmer Killed Agriculture’s Debt Dragon

While America Slept, China Stole the Farm

Bizarre Mystery of Mummified Coon Dog Solved After 40 Years

The Arrowhead whisperer: Stunning Indian Artifact Collection Found on Farmland

Where’s the Beef: Con Artist Turns Texas Cattle Industry Into $100M Playground

Fleecing the Farm: How a Fake Crop Fueled a Bizarre $25 Million Ag Scam

Skeleton In the Walls: Mysterious Arkansas Farmhouse Hides Civil War History

US Farming Loses the King of Combines

Ghost in the House: A Forgotten American Farming Tragedy

Rat Hunting with the Dogs of War, Farming’s Greatest Show on Legs

Misfit Tractors a Money Saver for Arkansas Farmer

Government Cameras Hidden on Private Property? Welcome to Open Fields

Farmland Detective Finds Youngest Civil War Soldier’s Grave?

Descent Into Hell: Farmer Escapes Corn Tomb Death

Evil Grain: The Wild Tale of History’s Biggest Crop Insurance Scam

Grizzly Hell: USDA Worker Survives Epic Bear Attack

Farmer Refuses to Roll, Rips Lid Off IRS Behavior

Killing Hogzilla: Hunting a Monster Wild Pig

Shattered Taboo: Death of a Farm and Resurrection of a Farmer

Frozen Dinosaur: Farmer Finds Huge Alligator Snapping Turtle Under Ice

Breaking Bad: Chasing the Wildest Con Artist in Farming History

In the Blood: Hunting Deer Antlers with a Legendary Shed Whisperer

Corn Maverick: Cracking the Mystery of 60-Inch Rows

Against All Odds: Farmer Survives Epic Ordeal

Agriculture’s Darkest Fraud Hidden Under Dirt and Lies

Five Days In, Here’s How the John Deere Worker Strike Is Already Impacting Farmers During Harvest

Tue, 19 Oct 2021 13:21:53 GMT

More than 10,000 John Deere workers have been on strike for five days. Both Deere and United Auto Workers Union (UAW) insist negotiations are ongoing, but the strike is already impacting farmers who are busy with harvest. From sourcing parts to manufacturing tractors and planters, the strike could sting a supply chain that’s already strained.

It’s the biggest private-sector labor strike in more than two years. From Iowa to Illinois to Georgia, 10,000 hourly Deere workers who are part of the union can be seen picketing outside 14 John Deere manufacturing sites.

The strike comes at a critical time for farmers harvesting and searching for parts. John Deere continues to say it’s committed to keep operations going, with local farmers telling Farm Journal that salaried employees are being recruited to backfill vacancies on production floors.

“John Deere is committed to a favorable outcome for everyone involved and is committed to reach an agreement with UAW,” a John Deere spokesperson told Farm Journal. “Our immediate concern is meeting the needs of our customers, who work in time-sensitive and critical industries, such as agriculture and construction, and also to protect the livelihoods of others who rely on us, including employees, dealers, suppliers and communities.”

UAW hadn’t responded to Farm Journal as of Monday afternoon, saying negotiations were ongoing.

Double Dose of Issues: Supply Chain and Worker Strike

The strike issues are two-fold: keeping parts supplied to farmers at harvest, while continuing to build new equipment such as planters that are already delayed due to shortage of parts and supplies. The Parts Depot in Milan, Iowa, is open and operational. And with just over half the U.S. corn crop harvested as of Sunday, with USDA’s latest Crop Progress Report also showing 40% of the soybeans in the country are still sitting in U.S. fields, the parts problem may continue to intensify in the coming weeks.

But the workers on strike are already hitting home for one local farmer trying to harvest his crop. 2021 harvest came to a halt this weekend for Scott Bohnert, who farms just outside Moline, Illinois. Bohnert, whose wife, Karen, is the dairy editorial director for Farm Journal, said after their combine broke down over the weekend, it’s been a chess match to find the necessary part as both the strike and supply chain shortages are creating obstacles in finding a fix for the combine.

Bohnert says he’d typically drive to Milan, which is nearby, to pick up the part. Since the part wasn’t available there, he found it at an after-market parts company 10 miles from the farm. But citing the John Deere strike in Milan, the company wouldn’t allow Bohnert to pick it up. Instead, the parts company told Bohnert they would have to ship the part by freight, which would take days and add more costs. So, instead, the Bohnerts drove seven hours round-trip Monday to pick up the part from a John Deere dealer in Indiana.

Planter Problems Next?

As the hurdles during harvest are echoed by farmers across the country trying to find parts for all colors of equipment, concerns are also growing about what the supply chain issues, combined with the worker strike, will mean for parts and planters this spring.

John Deere Planter Works in Moline, Ill is being impacted by the strike. As salaried employees are sourced to help keep the plant operational, some fear if the strike lasts months versus days, it will cut into planter availability this spring. Typically, planters are built by mid-March, but if the strike lasts 90 days or more, there could be severe delays.

Tractors Already Sold Out for 2022

John Deere has already shut off orders for large tractors, including the 7000, 8000 and 9000 series. One John Deere dealer told Farm Journal the 9000 series are in the tightest supply, and many tractors that are 7000 series and up are already sold out for 2022.

Machinery Pete Says It’s Impacting Used Equipment Values

Veteran used equipment value insider Greg Peterson, also known as Machinery Pete, says both the John Deere strike and the issue of sourcing semiconducters by CNH could push used equipment values higher .

“All this, of course, works to push potential buyers back into the used market, which as I said from the top, and as I’ve been saying all throughout 2021 … the USED MARKET IS ON FIRE,” Peterson wrote in his latest blog post.

Peterson described it as a “tidal wave coming,” saying decades of reporting on the used equipment market has found the highest used equipment values at auction occur in November to December.

“In fact, 16 of the past 18 years, used farm equipment values have gone up during the fourth quarter, shown clearly here in my Machinery Pete ‘Used Values Index’ quarterly report going back exactly 20 years.”

Strike Could Last Months

The strike started last week after UAW workers rejected an offer that would have given 5% wage hikes for some workers and 6% for others. According to Reuters , the proposed deal would have called for 3% raises in 2023 and 2025.

One worker on strike told Farm Journal the disagreement with the corporation isn’t only fueled by wages. While wages is on the list, for many, the more important piece workers are picketing for are health insurance and profit sharing. In addition, supply chain issues have created irregular hours and schedules at plants, which adds to the frustration for some workers who aren’t salary.

Two workers on strike told Farm Journal the general consensus is the strike could last the remainder of the year, as a settlement may not be reached between Deere and UAW before the holidays. However, neither John Deere or UAW commented on a timeline of the talks.

In the meantime, those on strike are going without pay. In Moline and Milan, local restaurants are supplying food to workers on strike. Last week, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) voiced support of the workers on strike saying the workers have gotten the short end of the stick for decades now.

Both Deere and UAW didn’t comment on an expected timeline to reach a deal, or if a new deadline has been set to resolve the labor disagreement. The last strike against Deere by UAW lasted 163 days in 1986.

Nebraska Teen Takes over Family Farm While Father is Ill

Sun, 15 Nov 2020 19:03:34 GMT

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Todd Nelson hasn’t been able to farm for a few months because he’s been battling throat cancer.

Nelson, who farms northeast of Boelus, finished his cancer treatments Sept. 15. He’s been on a feeding tube since Aug. 18.

Nelson, who’s never smoked, has had a rough time. It’s been devastating to watch him go through the ordeal, said his wife, Katrina.

Nelson, 54, has been home since Nov. 8.

The cancer cells are now dead. But he still has to deal with severe radiation damage, and it’s going to take a while until his body heals.

Katrina is encouraged that things will get better. “It’s just going to take time because the radiation takes a lot of time to get over,” she told The Grand Island Independent .

The last time Nelson was able to work was Aug. 20, after his second chemo treatment.

In the meantime, his family, friends and neighbors have stepped up to take care of his operation.

The Nelsons’ youngest son, Jesse, has done a lot of the farming, even though he’s only a junior at Centura High School.

“Well, he asked me to run it while he’s sick right now,” Jesse said. The 16-year-old will keep at it until his dad is feeling better.

Jesse has been going hard since June. His dad did the planting, but Jesse’s done a lot since then, including irrigating, cutting alfalfa and harvesting corn and soybeans.

“Jesse’s been saying he’s wanted to farm since he was 3 years old, and it never left him,” his mother said.

“Jesse knows the farm inside and out. There’s nothing he can’t do on the farm. He does it all,” Katrina said.

He can’t drive the truck because he’s not 18, but he would if he could, she said.

Jesse even has his own cattle. Even before eighth grade, his parents got him started. Then, in eighth grade, he got a loan through the FFA youth loan program. “He sells calves just like we do,” Katrina said.

Centura School has been good in dealing with the Nelson family the last few months.

“Knowing the circumstances, they let Jesse have work release” so he “gets out of school just a little bit early,” she said.

Last month, Katrina attended parent-teacher conferences.

“He’s maintaining a high B average, and that’s where he’s always been. So it hasn’t affected him there,” she said.

Two of Jesse’s friends who’ve helped in Nelson’s absence are Kyle Pullen and Ethan Hurt.

Four Centura students were recently harvesting corn after school. Jesse was being helped by Hurt, Pullen and Tessa Raymer.

Hurt, 16, is assisting Jesse “because he’s a good friend. I’d do anything for a friend. He’d do the same for me.”

Pullen, 18, said he’s “just helping a guy carry on a tradition.”

Hurt and Pullen have known their friend a long time. “Jesse and I go way back,” Pullen says.

Raymer is Jesse’s girlfriend. In the field, she was recently helping to keep Jesse awake, one of the friends joked.

As of Nov. 15, Jesse had 120 acres of corn left to pick. The total workload included 400 acres of corn and 700 or 800 acres of soybeans.

“It’s been quite a road,” Hurt said. The whole project is in Jesse’s hands and he’s doing pretty well for a 16-year-old, Hurt said.

“I couldn’t do it. It’d be too much stress for me,” Hurt said. “Yeah, I’m proud of him. He’s doing pretty good.”

The family has also received a lot of help from adults.

Todd’s brother, Mel, is a diesel mechanic who hauled beans for the family.

Help has come from area farmers James Nelson, Marv Caspersen and two of the farm’s landlords, Tim Koperski and Steve Kyhn.

Another of the Nelsons’ sons, Curtis, has helped, even though he works full time. Also pitching in have been Aaron Reikes and Curtis’ girlfriend, Cameron Hemphill.

Family friend Levi Woodring has come from Holdrege to help. He turns down offers of money, saying he’s happy just eating Katrina’s meals.

Aurora Co-op drivers asked if they could pull some pipe apart.

Katrina appreciates all the things people have done. That includes jobs that people do without being asked. “They just do it,” he said. It is “so nice,” she said.

Information from: The Grand Island Independent, http://www.theindependent.com

Oh, Deer — What A Day on the Farm!

Deer are both majestic and maddening. They make for an exciting pursuit during hunting season, but they also wreak havoc on vehicles, tires and fields.

With approximately 36 million deer in the U.S., those who call rural America home know deer-vehicle collisions are common, especially in October, November and December. Based on this November 2022 study , around 2.1 million deer-vehicle collisions occur annually, causing more than $10 billion in economic losses.

According to State Farm annual analysis , the top 10 states for animal collision, of which deer are the leading cause, are:

West Virginia
Montana
Michigan
Pennsylvania
Wisconsin
Mississippi
Iowa
South Dakota
Virginia
Rhode Island

A Farm Journal reader shared this run-in with a buck.

Deer – semi collision

(Farm Journal)

The Buck Stops Here
In addition to vehicle damage, unsuspecting tractor tires are often no match for deer sheds hiding in fields. Can you relate to these photos shared by fellow farmers?

Deer shed in tire

(Farm Journal)

Deer shed in tire

(Farm Journal)

Deer sheds in tires

(Farm Journal)

If you’ve had one of those horrible, no good, very bad days, or captured someone else’s, share it with Farm Journal. Whether you picked up a deer shed or sunk a piece of machinery in a mudhole, email images to whataday@farmjournal.com.

Shoo Deer — Not In My Field

Deer are a real pest when they graze, trample and bed down in crop fields. Depending on your crop’s stage, this can have economic consequences.

“Deer will feed on immature corn tassel tissue in the whorl during mid- to late-June and also on developing ears in early- to mid-August at the milk stage,” says Bob Nieslen, a retired Purdue University Extension corn specialist. “The decapitated plants usually survive, and ear development will continue through pollination and on to maturity, though the ears are usually less than full size.”

Thieves In Search of Antler Treasure
Awaiting the annual guarantee of antler drop in late winter or early spring, thieves hop private property lines to steal from those who manage. Lust or greed, the lure of shed treasure is a powerful pull to the public, despite purple paint, posted signs and fences.

Whitetail legend Steve Snow is on alert for shed poachers. Like a hot-nose coonhound, he zigzags through timber looking for fresh boot prints — the telltale sign someone is up to no good.

Snow is in hot pursuit of stolen sheds — a dose of frontier justice.

READ: Monster Deer Madness: Iowa Farmer Nabs Antler Thieves, Busts Multistate Shed Ring

Monster Buck Finds Its Way Back Home
Speaking of thieves, when 14-year-old Dave Richmond’s monster buck was stolen , he never gave up hope finding the spectacular rack. Following 14 years of cold-nosing dead-end trails, Richmond was stunned to receive an anonymous message: “I know where your deer is.”

Dumbfounded, Richmond was unable to accept the claim: “Impossible. Just no way. I figured it had to be someone pranking me.”

Two days later, he received a second message, along with an unmistakable photo.

“The picture told it all,” Richmond says. “I was looking at my deer.”

Welcome to a tale of deceit trumped by the enduring faith of a 14-year-old.

Dave Richmond recovers stolen deer antlers

(Photo by Whitetail Obsession Outdoors)

READ: Monster Buck Antlers Stolen from Teen Deer Hunter Recovered After 14 Years

Harvest

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New 2026 Balers and Hay Tools Launched By Case IH, John Deere, New Holland, And Vermeer

John Deere intros V452M Round Baler with stepped-up automation features

New Holland rolls out Roll-Belt 1 Series Balers

Vermeer launches fleet of new baler and hay tools for 2026

From Football Cleats to Dirty Work Boots: How Authentic Teamwork is Made in the Fields

The El Niño Effect: Is El Niño to Blame for the Historic Heat and Drought that Gripped the U.S. in 2023?

Lost and Found: Bottle Hunter Digs Extraordinary Farmland Treasures

Trouble Shipping Grain And Feed Via Rail Far From Over, Concerns Now Growing About Possible Worker Strike At Harvest

Read More: U.S. Rail Strike Averted For Now As Biden Steps In Before Sunday’s Deadline

What’s Driving the Issues Shipping Via Rail?

Read More: Livestock Producers Report Being Just Days Away From Running Out of Feed Due to Shipping Rail Issues

Hearing Hints at Complexity of Issue

Concerns About Labor Issues Growing Worse at Harvest

Tense Labor Negotiations?

Congress Urges STB to Take Action

Wait Times Cause Economic Pain

Here’s Why You Need to Find Time for A Nap During the Busy Season

Survival At All Costs: Rancher Escapes Hay Baler Tomb

Alone

Into the Tomb

Macabre Tangle

Whisper to a Scream

Escape

First Concern

One Person is Enough

Five Days In, Here’s How the John Deere Worker Strike Is Already Impacting Farmers During Harvest

Double Dose of Issues: Supply Chain and Worker Strike

Planter Problems Next?

Tractors Already Sold Out for 2022

Machinery Pete Says It’s Impacting Used Equipment Values

Strike Could Last Months

Nebraska Teen Takes over Family Farm While Father is Ill

Oh, Deer — What A Day on the Farm!