Cost of Production

Trump Warns Fertilizer Giants Against "Price Gouging" as Costs Soar 40%

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 15:46:52 GMT

Fertilizer market volatility is once again taking center stage as geopolitical tensions disrupt global supply lines and push input costs sharply higher. New analysis shows the increase in fertilizer prices may not be over, even if the Strait of Hormuz reopens soon.

Even with the situation in Iran pushing prices even higher, the sharp increase in fertilizer prices from 2020 to now is catching attention in Washington. Not only did President Donald Trump take to social media to warn of ‘price gouging,’ but Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins also posted on X Monday, specifically expressing frustration over Mosaic’s response to farmers.

While Rollins and USDA Under Secretary Stephen Vaden have raised concerns over fertilizer prices this year, the president posted on Truth Social over the weekend that he is closely monitoring fertilizer prices and pledged support for American farmers.

Trump said Saturday on his Truth Social platform he is “watching fertilizer prices CLOSELY” during what he described as the US “FIGHT FOR FREEDOM in Iran”, adding that the administration “will not accept PRICE GOUGING from the fertilizer monopoly”.

On Monday, Rollins posted on X, saying she was “So disappointed in this response” from Mosaic, “especially as you decide to idle two fertilizer production facilities, removing 1 MMT of supply from the world market.”

So disappointed in this response, @MosaicCompany, especially as you decide to idle two fertilizer production facilities, removing 1 MMT of supply from the world market. 🚨

Our Great President and this Administration have our farmers' backs. 💪🌾

Any sleight of hand will not be… https://t.co/GTCxcBQNgi
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) April 13, 2026

Mosaic announced last week the decision to shut down major phosphate operations in Brazil, a move the that will cut production, reduce jobs, and signal a *strategic shift in how the fertilizer giant deploys its capital.

Mosaic Company announced Thursday it will idle two phosphate facilities in Brazil as part of a broader effort to cut costs and shift capital. Mosaic expects idling of the facilities to reduce annual phosphate production by approximately 1 million tonnes. CEO Bruce Bodine says the decision reflects what he calls a disciplined focus on long-term returns.

.@MosaicCompany, you’re right that U.S. farmers are facing a difficult economic situation, only made worse by the extra $6.9 BILLION they have had to spend on fertilizer since you petitioned the government to place duties on imported phosphorus. This has played a major role in… https://t.co/UuOqjE0jBu
— National Corn (NCGA) (@NationalCorn) April 13, 2026

Mosaic and Simplot have also been in the cross hairs of the push to remove countervailing duties on Moroccan phosphate . Groups like the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) claim the CVDs are costing U.S. agriculture $1 billion each year.

The CVDs on Moroccan phosphate were put into place by the International Trade Commission (ITC) in 2021. As the sunset review begins, more than 50 state grower groups including the Texas Corn Producers Association, sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Commerce and the ITC to revoke the countervailing duties on imported phosphate fertilizers from Morocco and Russia.

In separate filings by Mosaic and Simplot to the ITC and the Department of Commerce, both companies said the continuation is necessary to maintain a “level playing field.”

In a written response to Farm Journal, Mosaic said:

“American farmers depend on a strong domestic fertilizer industry, which in turn depends on strong enforcement of U.S. trade laws that ensure a level playing field. Mosaic is proud to support U.S. agriculture with high-quality, reliable products produced here at home.”

Iran War’s Current Impact on Fertilizer Prices

The message from the Trump adminstration comes as tensions escalate in the Strait of Hormuz, where the United States is weighing a potential full naval blockade. Ship traffic through the critical waterway has already dropped from roughly 135 vessels per day to the single digits. A complete shutdown could halt flows entirely, further increasing fertilizer prices.

The stakes are high as roughly one-third of global fertilizer shipments move through the strait, and the disruption is already sending prices higher, up more than 40% compared to a year ago.

It is the 6-week anniversary of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Fert price comparisons:

NOLA urea - +$230 or 49%
NOLA UAN - +$145 or 38%
Midwest NH3 - +$245 or 32%
NOLA DAP - +$130 or 21%
NOLA potash - +$10 or 3%

...corn - 2-cents or 0.5% higher#sickeningforfarmers
— Josh Linville (@JLinvilleFert) April 10, 2026

Market data shows the impact Iran is having on already high fertilizer prices. According to StoneX analyst Josh Linville says in the six weeks since the war started:

Urea prices have surged by $230 per ton, a 49% increase
UAN is up $145 per ton, or 38%
Anhydrous ammonia has climbed $245 per ton, a 32% jump.
In contrast, corn prices have barely responded, rising just two cents, or about half a percent. The divergence is putting additional pressure on farm margins.

DOJ Probe Into Fertilizer Costs Seeks Input From Farmers

The Trump administration is asking farmers to help provide information as part of an ongoing U.S. Department of Justice investigation into elevated costs for fertilizer, machinery and other key agricultural inputs, according to reporting from Bloomberg.

Bloomberg reported the effort is aimed at gathering more on-the-ground data as regulators examine whether fertilizer producers may have coordinated to raise prices. The DOJ investigation was first reported in early March, when Bloomberg said federal officials had begun looking into whether fertilizer companies engaged in price coordination.

According to the Bloomberg report, Vaden said he has already met with officials at both the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission to discuss potential lines of inquiry. He also noted that farmers could play a key role in the process.

Vaden said farmers “have a lot of information that might be relevant to these investigations.”

Bloomberg previously reported in early March that the Department of Justice is investigating whether fertilizer producers colluded to increase prices.

Speaking at the North American Agricultural Journalists’ annual conference in Washington on Monday, Vaden encouraged farmer participation in the probe, emphasizing confidentiality protections.

“We need farmers to help provide us with that information on a confidential basis, so that that can help inform the investigations that are ongoing,” Vaden said, according to Bloomberg. “I think we will have a mechanism in order to help encourage that exchange of information.”

NCGA Surveys Show Not All Farmers Have Fertilizer Secured for 2026

Against that backdrop, along with fertilizer prices climbing even higher in the six weeks after the conflict started with Iran, new surveys results from NCGA highlight how those market pressures are translating to on-farm realities.

Krista Swanson, chief economist for NCGA, says the organization conducted the survey to better understand fertilizer availability from the farmer perspective. Ag Secretary Rollins has told mainstream media that 80% of farmers have fertilizer locked in for 2026, but NCGA data contradicts that figure.

“We’re hearing that number being thrown around too, which is why we really wanted to find out directly from farmers what the status is for them,” Swanson says.

NCGA Grower Survey

(National Corn Growers Association (NCGA))

A Significant Gap in Fertilizer Readiness

The surveys show that only 60% of farmers report having their nitrogen fully purchased or secured for the 2026 growing season, while 64% say the same for phosphate. That leaves a sizable portion of producers still working to lock in supplies.

“When you think about over 500,000 corn farmers in the U.S., this isn’t a small number,” Swanson says. “Our survey results indicate that over 200,000 farmers still need at least some fertilizer for this year.”

Nitrogen remains a critical input for corn production and is closely tied to yield potential. Any shortfall, whether driven by availability or cost, can directly affect productivity and profitability.

NCGA Grower Surveys

(National Corn Growers Association (NCGA))

Younger Farmers Feeling the Pressure Most

The survey also points to uneven impacts across the farm sector, with younger farmers facing greater challenges in securing fertilizer.

Swanson says younger producers reported having more nitrogen left to purchase compared to older farmers.

“You think about younger farmers that have less capital already built up in their business, maybe tighter cash flow needs because of their equity position,” she says. “This does seem to have a disproportional impact on younger farmers.”

That dynamic raises concerns about financial strain among newer operations in a high-cost environment.

Corn Acres Likely Stable, But With Reduced Inputs

Despite the challenges, most farmers are not planning to reduce corn acreage. The survey found that 80% of respondents expect to maintain their planned acres.

NCGA Grower Survey

(National Corn Growers Association (NCGA))

At the same time, fertilizer application rates may fall short. Half of the farmers surveyed say they do not expect to apply their full amount of fertilizer.

“Pairing these two together, it seems to me like we are still going to see a lot of corn acres get planted,” Swanson says. “But those corn acres will have less fertilizer than maybe what they would have otherwise had.”

That combination could limit yield potential if input reductions become widespread.

Growing Concern Shifts to 2027

While fertilizer availability remains a concern for 2026, attention is already turning to the next crop year. Fertilizer purchasing follows a rolling cycle, and planning for 2027 will begin soon.

Survey responses show that for every one farmer more concerned about fertilizer price and availability for 2026, nearly two are more concerned about 2027.

NCGA Grower Survey

(National Corn Growers Association (NCGA))

“So farmers are concerned as we look ahead to next year,” Swanson says.

The shift reflects uncertainty about how long supply disruptions and elevated prices will persist.

Supply Chain Recovery May Take Time

Even if geopolitical tensions ease, relief may not come quickly. Swanson notes that the fertilizer market is still dealing with production disruptions and supply chain backlogs.

“A short-term ceasefire has limited immediate impact on this ongoing fertilizer crisis for farmers,” she says. “Even when a permanent end to the situation is reached, we’re still looking at recovery from supply chain backlogs and halted production that could take a long time to recover from.”

Damage to key inputs such as liquid natural gas and sulfur production could take years to repair, keeping pressure on supply.

A Tightening Outlook

The NCGA survey underscores a challenging environment for corn producers. Most acres are expected to be planted this year, but not all will receive optimal fertilizer applications. At the same time, concern is building for 2027 as farmers look ahead to the next purchasing cycle.

For many producers, the issue is no longer just securing fertilizer for this season. It is navigating a period of sustained uncertainty that could shape production decisions, costs, and risk management strategies across the U.S. corn sector.

Longstanding Concerns Over Market Concentration

In September 2025, USDA and the U.S. Department of Justice signed a Memorandum of Understanding, committing both agencies to jointly examine high and volatile input costs, which included fertilizer, by scrutinizing competitive conditions in agricultural markets and enforcing antitrust laws, particularly around price setting and market concentration.

While geopolitical tensions are the latest driver of volatility, many farm groups argue the root of the problem runs deeper. Matt Perdue, president of the North Dakota Farmers Union, says ongoing federal investigations into fertilizer pricing must lead to meaningful action.

“We appreciate the administration’s investigations into input costs,” Perdue says. “But investigations don’t do anything if they’re not followed by enforcement, and they don’t do anything if we don’t learn what came out of those investigations.”

Groups like the Texas Corn Producers Association have been raising concerns about fertilizer market concentration for years. Texas farmer Dee Vaughan says the organization began studying the issue in 2020, working with the Agricultural and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M to examine pricing trends.

“We’ve been very concerned about all of our input costs, but specifically fertilizer, because it’s the one that just keeps going up almost exponentially,” Vaughan says.

He adds those studies found a shift in how fertilizer prices are determined . Historically tied closely to natural gas costs, the study found nitrogen fertilizer pricing began tracking corn prices more closely after 2010, a change Vaughan says reflects deeper structural issues.

According to Vaughan, the small number of firms controlling the market have the data and market awareness to price inputs based on farmers’ revenue potential, rather than production costs.

“They all have economists on staff,” Vaughan says. “They know exactly what our costs are, what our income is, and they’re able to extract value based on what they see as the gross income of a farmer. It’s not based on cost of production any longer.”

The New Ag Economy: Why This Downturn is a Structural Shift, Not Just a Cycle

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 21:22:17 GMT

What You Need to Know:

Structural Evolution: This downturn is a permanent market shift, not just a temporary cycle.
Friend-Shoring: Trade is moving toward geopolitical allies to ensure supply chain resilience.
Aggressive Cost-Cutting: Farmers are doubling generic input use and delaying machinery purchases to protect margins.
Financial Resilience: Better management and working capital make today far more stable than the 1980s.
Premium Protein Demand: GLP-1 medications are driving consumers toward smaller, higher-quality meat portions

As the industry enters the third year of this downturn, farmers and agribusinesses are questioning if a recovery is on the two-year horizon. While cyclical behavior is normal, two economists suggest the structural evolution within crop protection, machinery, technology, livestock and other individual sectors is creating a different kind of staying power for those who survive the recovery.

The Evolution of the Cycle

When characterizing the current economic cycle in agriculture, historical patterns provide a necessary baseline, yet the present landscape is defined by unique pressures. Typical agricultural cycles consist of roughly six years of expansion followed by four years of decline. Currently, the market is navigating a “corrective period,” returning to long-run averages.

The drivers of growth are typically demand shocks — export surges, fuel demand or policy shifts such as the Renewable Fuel Standard. However, Wes Davis, ag economist at Meridian Ag Advisors, notes the current environment is an intersection of traditional contraction and sector-specific evolution.

“What I think we’re experiencing right now is that typical cycle behavior where we see growth in some business firms, and then some contraction and pullback to adjust to the cycle going back to more of the long-run average,” Davis explains. “I think we’re also seeing evolution of individual sectors within the market where there’s adjustments happening because of the industry itself.”

In other words, this isn’t just a cycle — it’s also a structural shift.

Change Fatigue and Modern Volatility

Farmers aren’t strangers to volatility, but global trade disruptions, policy shifts and rising competition, especially from Brazil, are layering uncertainty onto already volatile markets.
Farmers are grappling with “change fatigue,” a byproduct of the high velocity of information and extreme price swings that dwarf the relative stability of the early 2000s.

“When I go talk to any industry group right now, the phrase that I hear is ‘change fatigue’, and I feel that. Every couple minutes, something shifts,” says Trey Malone, Purdue University ag econ professor. “But to be clear, it’s not that the farm economy isn’t used to volatility, it’s just the uncertainty and the volatility now is, like, ‘hold my beer relative’ to the old volatility.”

Malone attributes this to layers of uncertainty created by global trade and policy. The rise of Brazilian production, coinciding with the disruption of U.S.-China trade relations, has created a permanent state of flux. This sentiment is reflected in the Purdue Ag Economy Barometer, which shares a higher correlation with the Small Business Index (.5) than with actual commodity prices. This suggests farmers view themselves primarily as small business owners facing broad economic pressures rather than just price-takers.

“We don’t see very strong correlations even with lagged soybean prices and corn prices,” Malone notes. “The world is more complicated than just looking at what happened in the market yesterday and gauging how farmers feel.”

Global Competitiveness and the Trade Reallocation

A primary concern for U.S. producers is their position as low-cost providers. While the U.S. maintains an infrastructure advantage that lowers the cost of getting products to export ports, Brazil continues to close the gap.

“It’s a fair question farmers ask a lot: Are we actually the ones who are the low-cost producers, and do we still have a place in the global market if Brazil continues to lower the cost of production and transport their grain to export terminals?” Davis asks.

However, Davis points out that global trade hasn’t shut off; it has reallocated. Only three global regions — North America, Latin America and parts of Southeastern Europe/Central Asia — are net exporters. The rest of the world remains net importers.

“While our trade has kind of shifted around ... that shift has really reallocated stuff in different places. Those calories and products end up going somewhere. It’s just a question of where,” he says.

The Shift to “Friend-Shoring” and Resilient Supply Chains

The industry is moving from “just-in-time” (hyper-lean) procurement to “just-in-case” (inventory-heavy) strategies, a lesson reinforced by the pandemic. This shift is accompanied by “friend-shoring,” where the U.S. prioritizes trade with geopolitical allies.

“We’ve gone from offshoring to onshoring to nearshoring to friendshoring,” Malone explains. “We’ve got a paper that’ll be coming out ... where we document friend-shoring in ag and food supply chains. Over the last 10 years, there’s been a shift where we mostly in the U.S. trade with other people who vote like us in the WTO. That’s kind of one way to measure friends.”

This resilience is also visible in crop protection. In 2019, 80% of active ingredients were sourced from China. Today, that is closer to 60%, with manufacturing shifting to India and domestic sites. Davis calls these “geopolitically resilient” supply chains.

The Rise of Generics and Decision Paralysis

The economic downturn is fundamentally changing the business model for input providers. Farmers are aggressively cutting costs, leading to a massive surge in generic usage.

“The latest survey I saw shows about 60% of farmers use generics today. That was about 30% to 40% just 5 years ago,” Davis says. This forces companies to pivot from differentiation to operational volume.

In the machinery sector, high costs and economic uncertainty have led to “decision paralysis.” Farmers are extending the life of their equipment, treating machinery replacement as the most controllable variable in managing annual ROI. Davis notes the U.S. ag equipment cycle is currently 15 to 20 percentage points lower than typical low points, driven by this hesitation. Furthermore, there is significant skepticism toward subscription-based technology models.

“Farmers don’t terribly love this idea, and I think the other interesting thought here is I’m not sure that retailers like selling them either,” Malone adds.

AI: The “Undergraduate Intern”

While artificial intelligence (AI) is a major talking point, its current role in agriculture is more supportive than transformative. Malone views AI as a “highly capable undergraduate intern” — useful for processing information but incapable of replacing the trust and risk management provided by human advisors.

“I don’t think you need to be replacing your agronomist. I think your mediocre agronomist just got OK,” Malone says, noting while LLMs can pass CCA exams, they cannot manage the risk of a wrong decision. “The risk management value proposition of an in-person Claude, or whoever, is probably going to win out because there’s still a risk.”

Currently, the adoption gap is wide: While 75% of agribusiness managers see potential in AI, only 4% have implemented it, according to a Purdue University survey in 2025.

Livestock and the GLP-1 Impact

The livestock sector is facing a unique demand shift driven by weight-loss medications (GLP-1s). This is leading to “premiumization.” As consumers eat smaller portions, they are opting for higher-quality cuts.

“The explosion in demand for protein is just shocking,” Malone says. “What GLP-1s do to that calorie count is they are all shifting toward premium cuts. You don’t care how much it costs because you’re only going to have seven bites of it. But you’re going to have a steak. That premiumization is going to really, really take off in the next 10 years.”

Conversely, the hype surrounding “fake meat” has largely faded, proving to be more of an investor-led phenomenon than a market-driven one.

Financial Stability: Not the 1980s

Despite the downturn, the financial health of the American farmer remains more stable than during the crisis of the 1980s. Currently, 10% to 12% of farmers are in a “tight” financial position , compared to 20% to 30% in the 80s.

“We do have a completely different, more professional ag workforce than we did back then,” Malone says. “The farm policy we have right now does not necessarily match what we need for the future, but all of these things make me think we’re in a much more stable position.”

Farmers have built-in “shock absorbers,” Davis adds, including off-farm income and working capital built up during the expansion years. However, in his research Davis has seen how alternative financing is becoming a major tool for the 50% of farmers who use it — either to manage stress or, for larger operations, to leverage relationships with retailers.

Strategic Reassessment: Winning at the Bottom

The experts agree the “bottom of the cycle” is the time for professionalization and upskilling. Surviving — and thriving — will require sharper management. It is an opportunity to reassess farm transitions and management disciplines, such as financial management, accounting and planning, which become critical in tight margins.

“Farmers are going to have to get smarter and get more creative with how they manage,” Malone says. “This is a good opportunity to take a step back and think about what the strategy needs to be moving forward.”

Davis emphasizes relationships are solidified during these periods: “Farmers are going to remember the folks who were around when they were in the bottom of the cycle, and who were there to support them. The best farmers will continue to get better ... I get excited about what we can look like as we come out of this cycle.”

So Is This Ag Cycle Different?

These experts say yes as every cycle presents its own unique reshaping of future opportunities.

To download the full report on why this ag cycle is different and what it means for your operation, click here .

How Iowa Farmer Mark Hanna is Investing in Innovation and Giving Ag Startups a Fighting Chance

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 17:23:24 GMT

You’ll still find Iowa farmer Mark Hanna behind the wheel of his combine every fall. The technology and automation is a signature of their farm, and what helps keep running the combine still fun for someone who’s been farming for 46 years.

But the landscape of equipment and technology today looks drastically different from when he started farming in 1979.

“I joined my dad’s operation where I was basically the labor force to help me get started,” Hanna says, who farmers in Joyce, Iowa. “I would trade my labor for the use of his machinery.”

The Cusp of the 1980s Farm Crisis
Right on the cusp of the 1980s farm crisis, Hanna’s rookie years of farming were tough.

“It was a horrible time. It was 1979 and my grandpa, Dewey, whose farm we actually bought in 1980, said he was always going to sell me that farm, even when I was little,” Hanna remembers. “And it came about in 1981, and a year later, the farm was worth half of what we bought it for.”

Hanna describes farming as an occupation of risks and rewards. And the risks then were high.

“The bank got concerned and said, ‘Boy, your equity is going backward here. Your net worth isn’t good.’ And I said, ‘Well, I have a private contract with my grandpa. And as long as I make that, it really doesn’t matter to you.’”

The Mortgage Lifters
With interest rates at 18%, Hanna weathered that storm. One way he did was with farrow to finish hogs.

“I figured out they were the mortgage lifters,” he says. “So, I just raised as many as I could in every nook and cranny on the farm for about five or six years. And that kept me making my payments and kept me farming.”

Throughout the ‘90s, Hanna expanded more and more, moving all his hogs and pigs into an environment he could control.

“By 1998, I had even my sows inside as fully confinement buildings,” Hanna says. “But 1998, that was a pretty tough. We had 8 cent hogs in December. I had all my buildings full. We had just built two new buildings. It turned out to be a $30,000 a month loss with no end in sight.”

The Hog Market Crash of 1998
In 1998, Hanna met his biggest challenge yet. With margins in the red and the debt mounting, he knew he needed to find additional income. So, he decided to take a job in town working nights, while also still raising hogs.

“After two weeks of that, I decided, ‘You know what? There’s more important things in life. I’m doing the best I can. And if I’m doing the best I can and I can’t make it, so be it.’ So, I kept breeding sows and keeping all the facilities full. And by July that year we had $60 hogs. I had full buildings, and I made more money than I ever thought I would and got my debt taken care of,” Hanna says.

It’s that moment in Hanna’s career that his son, Philip, says was a pivotal point for their family farm.

“It really stuck out to me is that he just focused on ‘what can I do and not worry about the things that I can’t control and just focus on that’,” says Philip Hanna.

The Next Generation
Hanna’s sons, Philip and Andrew, are now partners in their family farm. And they say the thing they admire most about their dad is his vision and ability to take risks.

“I feel like technology-wise, our biggest thing is being able to variable rate our planting, planting our split application of 32% and our fertilizer in the fall. That’s been huge,” says Andrew Hanna.

Mark’s sons, Andrew and Philip, are now partners on the farm.

(Tyne Morgan )

From the latest technology to the decision to dive into strip till in 2018, even Hanna’s employee of 20 years will tell you he admires Hanna’s intelligence and ability to always look ahead.

“They’re just really good people to work for,” says Larry Severson, a long-time employee. “I mean, they’re very innovative. They try new things like the strip tower. We were the first ones in this area to make that leap. And they went headfirst into it and it worked out really well for them.”

Mark Hanna was one of the first in his area to try strip till, and it wasn’t just a few acres. Hanna went all-in.

(Matt Mormann )

Investing in Innovation
What may be the biggest mark of success is how Hanna is investing in innovation through Ag Ventures Alliance .

“We help startups in ag thrive and be successful,” he says. “We offer them a wealth of information and knowledge and help to get them going.”

Ag Ventures Alliance and AgLaunch now select their top 10 startups each year, offering advice and financial investment.

“Out of that spun AgLaunch Farmers LLC , which we started two years ago. Farmers actually get a stake in each company. They have to put up $100,000 and pledge it to the AgLaunch Farmer LLC. When they’re successful, the farmers will get paid back with their stake in the equity in the company,” Hanna says.

Ag Ventures Alliance was created to accelerate ag tech innovation and redefine resilience and profitability for American farmers.

(Ag Ventures Alliance )

For Hanna, investing in others and helping start-up companies launch into the ag field is one of the most rewarding parts of his job today.

“I like to see new innovations. We like to try the newest thing that’s coming out there on our own farm,” he says.

For his sons, Hanna’s ability to give back and support others is just a glimpse into the strong character he instilled in both of them.

“I came out of high school wanting to be just like my dad, wanting to be a farmer like he has been in the past and to grow with him in the future,” Andrew says.

Phillip adds, “I hope with my brother and me, when my dad starts phasing out, that we’re going to continue to be on the new technology like my dad was and just keep on improving things on the farm and not be afraid of trying new things and new technology.”
Congratulations to Mark Hanna, a finalist for the 2025 Top Producer of the Year.

Your Next Reads:
2025 Top Producer of the Year Marc Arnusch Looks for Success Beyond Commodity Farming

Dalton Dilldine: Next-Generation Producer Follows in His Father’s Footsteps

Texas Rancher Kimberly Ratcliff Trades the Big Apple for Community Beef Business

What's Happening In The Land Market? Your Regional Breakdown

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 18:37:26 GMT

A new report from Farmers National Company (FNC) shows land values have remained relatively stable in the Midwest, with two types of buyers largely driving demand.

“There are many factors for buyer motivation, but much of it can be explained by mindset translating to demand,” said Paul Schadegg, senior vice president of real estate operations at Farmers National Company. “Farm operators continue to be the primary buyers of ag land. Their mindset or motivation revolves around reinvesting in their farm enterprise, expanding operations, and utilizing today’s farm equipment fully. Location of land offered for sale also plays a large role in their decision making, as often this land has not changed hands for generations and once sold, may not be sold again.”

FNC predicts farmers will remain the primary land buyer in 2025. The second largest buyer is investors, who Schadegg says are driven by a completely different motivation.

“There is virtually no emotional motivation, as buying decisions are based on return on investment or anticipated appreciation of land value,” Schadegg says. “Many land investors have not experienced the rise and fall of agriculture cycles but fully appreciate the long-term value of land. As pressures on the ag economy increase, investors stand ready to bid on land that fits their investment criteria.”

With farmland’s long-term appreciation and annual return on investment, there are currently more buyers than sellers out there. The company reports land listings are down across the industry, on average, 25% from the active and accelerating value market experienced between 2020-2023.

Regionally, this looks like:

Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky:
Sales have decreased in this area compared to the previous three years. Jay VanGorden, area sales manager for the east region, says land values have seen minimal price drops for highly tillable and quality soil-type farms in most areas, but farms with lower-quality soils, lower tillable percentages, and poorer drainage have dropped off more significantly.
Illinois and Wisconsin:
Land sale values have increased in some parts of this region. Nate Zimmer, area sales manager for the east-central region, says record-breaking sales aren’t as common as they were though, and no-sales are popping up more - a sign seller and buyer expectations are not in alignment. Zimmer adds the method of listing is shifting more toward private treaty as well.
Iowa and Southern Minnesota:
Average land values have dropped 5% to 10% in the past year in Iowa and southern Minnesota. Thomas Schutter, area sales manager for this region, says alternative sale methods have become more common here, particularly for lower-quality farms. While higher-quality farms are still predominantly sold through auctions, there has been an increase in the use of traditional listings and sealed bids for marketing farmland in some areas.
Kansas, Eastern Colorado, Western Missouri:
Values have fallen in some areas of the south-central region, such as in southwest Kansas due to water availability. But other areas are still fetching top dollar for high-quality cropland and recreation properties, according to area sales manager Steve Morgan.
Western Nebraska, Northwest Kansas, Northeastern Colorado:
Cole Nickerson, area sales manager for the western region, says neighborhood demand and land quality are the primary drivers in the western region. Land values have remained high in regions with strong cattle production, high-quality irrigated and productive dryland farms and quality grassland. He adds economic challenges in the corn and soybean markets have made farmland more difficult to sell in areas dominated by row crop production.
Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa:
Chanda Scheuring, area sales manager for the west-central region, has seen the buyer-pool in this area shrinking. She shares buyers, both local farmers and investors, are still interested in making farm purchases. However, they’ve become more selective with properties and the price they are willing to pay.
Dakotas and Western Minnesota:
The land market in the northern regions is best described as chaotic, according to area sales manager Troy Swee.

“Land values remain very strong in areas where not much land has sold, and the producers had an above-average crop in 2024,” Swee explains. “However, in areas with less investor interest and where several farms have already been sold, land values appear to be down 10% to 15%.”

Your Next Read: New Trends Are Emerging In The Farmland Market

7 Ways To Be A Lifeline For Farmers

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 14:12:10 GMT

When times are tough is when farmers need their trusted advisers the most, says Greg Martinelli. For the past eight years, he’s coached ag sales professionals specifically in the retail/inputs category.

“When I worked in corporate ag, there was a moment when this idea hit me like a ton of bricks,” Martinelli says. “I was visiting a Midwest row crop farmer in 2011, when corn was $6 and breakeven costs were close to $3.50. He told me, ‘I don’t need you now, I needed you when corn was $3.50.’”

Martinelli says there are opportunities to bring value in this current economic environment. To help refocus your efforts in sales and marketing, he offers seven steps to find success with customers despite the tough economic times of the cycle.

1. Don’t jump into the quick sand with them.
“Farmers love to complain and commiserate about how hard it is. And as sales people we love to commiserate with them on how you understand the farmer’s business,” Martinelli says. “But if you do that, you aren’t doing anything different than what they hear at the coffee shop.”

He equates reiterating the negativity as not throwing them a lifeline but rather jumping into the quicksand with them.

“Farmers are looking for someone with a solution. You show up on the farm with all of your company tools and resources and instead of using them to help, you jump into the quicksand with them. This is where a trusted advisor can set themselves apart,” he says.

2. Keep them moving.
With the magnitude and quantity of factors farmers consider, they can fall victim to analysis paralysis.

“Farmers are seeking ideas but more so clear answers,” Martinelli says “This is where you can—not in a gossipy way—share your insights from other farms. Every day all day you’re on farms. You can share in a professional way what you are seeing and what you are learning.”

This combination of experience and credibility can serve the purpose to keep farmers considering new ideas as well as help prevent someone from going too far or all-in on a risky choice.

3. Provide perspective.
“If you’re lucky enough to be in the middle or late in your career, you’ve gone through downturns before,” Martinelli says. “That means you know things change, and there will be an upturn.”

He cautions sales people from encouraging negativity and rather engaging in a positive way.

“You have to acknowledge what is going on, because the financial pain is real,” he says. “Often as salespeople we can seem like we’re acting like a psychiatrist, and the opportunity is to not let the negativity persist any more in the conversation than it needs to.”

4. Shed light.
“There are places farmers aren’t looking where there are opportunities for you to help them uncover,” Martinelli says.

As an illustrative example, he talks about crop marketing.

“This is a weak area across crop production because there are no right or wrong answers, and the skills required usually mean the oldest person on the farm does the work,” he says. “The thing to do is admit you don’t have the answers, but ask what they are doing with their marketing plan.”

He says many of those conversations unveiled farmers with even 30 years of experience didn’t understand crop insurance, which provided another valuable exploration of additional services.

5. Show them a path.
“Instead of selling an idea, explain why a change of approach is an asset to their business,” he says.

One common trap is to talk broadly about precision agriculture and not detail exactly what product and service fit an individual field.

6. Put your customer on your org chart.
While this may sound a bit off the wall, Martinelli advocates identifying where the customer fits into your business by the simple task of putting them on your company’s organizational chart.

“We all need an org chart to know who manages who, but if you really want to start the engines of the thought process, ask where on your org chart is your customer. Where would you put them.”

This helps illustrate how marketing, accounting and other teams are taking into account what customers are trying to accomplish.

“If things are changing, and times get tough for the customer, it’ll get tough on your agribusiness. How are we organizing around the customer?” he says.

7. Let them know they aren’t completely alone.
“At first, it may not be well received or completely understood that everyone is experiencing this downturn,” Martinelli says. “Farming and making decisions can be a lonely business for our customers. As their trusted adviser, this can be your chance to provide support. Let them know they are not alone in their struggles.”

He says when customers are venting, don’t interrupt them, but rather when they are done ask them with all of the negatively for how things are, what are they going to do different.

With the seven steps, Martinelli coaches advisers to take their three biggest customers, and list the steps they will do in 30, 60 and 90 days.

“Having a plan is certainly better than just showing up on the farm and kicking tires,” he says.

Your Next Read: New Study Looks At The Relationship Between Farmers And Their Advisors

Changes To Expect In The Farmland Market This Fall

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 12:43:27 GMT

The U.S. farmland market is changing, according to Jim Rothermich of Iowa Appraisal. He recently joined the Top Producer podcast to share the ways he’s seeing the transition occur.

“Auctioneers are struggling to get some of it sold,” Rothermich says. “We had 27 no sales [in Iowa] in the first six months of this year. That’s a lot.”

After multiple years of a red-hot land market, the high number of no sales is a new trend to watch.

“Auctioneers are saying the last bid has been 10% to 20% below the reserve,” he says. “If I was to put the last bid of no-sale auctions in my data, I would say the market would be closer to 4% or 5% down from a year ago.”

Rothermich adds the market is down about 6% from its peak in 2022, which he sees as relatively healthy in comparison to current commodity prices. But that downward trend is still troubling some auctioneers.

“Just from visiting with the auctioneers, I know they’re concerned right now,” he says. “They think they’re going to have a fairly active fall selling season, but they’re worried people are going to start pulling back. And I see that happening, going forward.”

Despite the softening overall, he believes high-quality farm ground will still sell for a premium.

“Buyers will still pay up for good ground,” Rothermich says. “I analyzed the top 25 sales from the first six months of last year and this year, and there was essentially no difference. It was maybe less than 1% different.”

Rothermich is still anticipating an active auction season this fall and encourages potential buyers to do their research and stay informed.

“Market conditions are changing. They’re trending down, and there’s going to be some opportunities out there,” he says.

Click here to hear more episodes of the Top Producer podcast .

Your Next Read: Farmland Values in Iowa Fall for the First Time in 5 Years

Land Values Have The Resilience Of a Dandelion

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 13:09:10 GMT

Though the ag economy is facing headwinds in interest rates, inflation and commodity prices, all classes of land across the country have gained in value, according to Farmers National Company’s July report .

“Despite these negative pressures, the land market has remained relatively resilient but is showing signs of settling in general, including single-digit decreases in specific areas,” says Paul Schadegg, senior vice president of real estate operations at Farmers National Company.

The decreases Schadegg references can be found in the eastern part of the country - in states such as Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Michigan. The overall stability of the market, however, is something Steve Bruere, president of Peoples Company, chalks up to simple supply and demand.

“Commodity prices are softer and interest rates are higher, yet the farmland markets have been incredibly resilient. That’s because there’s still more capital out there that wants to own farmland than there is supply available,” Bruere says. “I talk to folks who say they want to buy farmland, but they want the market to cool off a little bit. I don’t know if the market will cool off to the degree they think that it should because there’s just not going to be supply.”

Correlation Between Farmland and Inflation
Another factor that might keep the land market from significantly settling is inflation, which, based on data from Peoples Company , is shown to be very strongly correlated with farmland values.

This chart from Peoples Company combines data from USDA, BLS and TIAA Center for Farmland Research to show the connection between farmland values and inflation

(Peoples Company)

“There’s a strong belief that we’re at the beginning stage, because of the fiscal policy in this country, where inflation is going to last quite a while and is going to get much more severe,” Bruere says. “If you believe that and that’s the camp you’re in, then you probably want to own farmland versus being in a fixed income like a T-bill.”

But this doesn’t necessarily mean owners who are considering selling should wait for this environment to occur to get a higher price at auction.

“If you’re considering selling, and you’re saying ‘OK, next year, the farmland market is going to be more vibrant than it is today, so I’m going to wait two or three years’, I think it’s going to take a little while for this interest rate and inflation environment to sort itself out,” Bruere says.

What To Watch
The timelines for inflation, interest rates and global conflict create a lot of unknowns in the market. As always, location and type of land plays an important role in overall land values.

“We anticipate variations in land value changes across our regions in the U.S.,” Schadegg says. “Areas with strong supply/demand scenarios, an expansion of alternative land use projects and irrigation water concerns might experience more dramatic increases or decreases in values.”

This sentiment is echoed by Bruere, who says he’s never been more bullish about land.

“There’s some uncertainty around where farmland is going. But if you have a long-term timeline, there’s just never been a period where you buy a piece of farmland that it’s not going to be worth more at 10 years than the day you bought it.”

How Today's Economy is Shaping the Business-Savvy Farmer

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 21:44:47 GMT

Looking toward the year ahead, Alan Hoskins, president of American Farm Mortgage, says there’s a long road to get inflation under control.

“Just because we hear there will potentially be rate reductions, I don’t think that’s something we need to be carving on a stone tablet,” he said during a recent appearance of AgriTalk. “I think sometimes we believe numbers are numeric only. The numbers create emotions, and that’s ultimately what drives the economy is the emotion of the American consumer.”

And while higher interest rates have mitigated some sales around the ag industry, Hoskins says it’s also created a more business-savvy farmer.

“Folks are being more mindful of the long-term effect of their decisions. The rise in interest rates have allowed producers to do a much better decision-making process before they pull the trigger,” he says. “It’s causing them to make sure that’s really a good long-term acquisition for their operation.”

One of the factors he thinks is being used to determine if something is a good purchase for an operation is its ability to solve the ongoing labor issue.

"[Labor] is something I think has become much more in the mindset of producers over the past five to seven years,” Hoskins says.

As for the state of the ag economy, Hoskins believes ag lending institutions are in a good position moving forward. He credits part of that to who is operating them.

“The people that are financing agriculture today have a very savvy knowledge of the industry. That allows them to make better decisions for the banks,” Hoskins says.

To hear more from Hoskins, listen to this episode of AgriTalk.

New Legislation Looks To Connect Farmland And Ranchland To Broadband

Fri, 10 Nov 2023 15:39:11 GMT

U.S. growers and livestock producers increasingly rely on the internet across the farm and ranch, yet many still don’t have access to it. A report USDA released this past August, “ Technology Use, Farm Computer Usage and Ownership, ” found that 15 percent of farms and ranches have no access to the internet today.

New legislation announced Nov. 1 looks to change that by expanding high-speed broadband internet access across rural America.

Two members of the House Agriculture Committee, Congressman Brad Finstad (MN-R) and Congresswoman Yadira Caraveo (CO-D), introduced the legislation called “Linking Access to Spur Technology for Agriculture Connectivity in Rural Environments (Last Acre) Act,” within the

USDA’s Office of Rural Development.
The Last Acre Act would create a new competitive grant and loan program at USDA to expand high-speed broadband internet access across eligible farmland, ranchland, and farm sites.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) currently defines minimum broadband internet service as internet access with a minimum of 25 megabits per second (Mbps) download speed and upload speeds of 3 Mbps or more.

One generally accepted rule of thumb is that anything above 100 Mbps is considered “fast” internet because it can connect multiple devices at once.

How Farmers Connect
In its Technology Use research, USDA found 51 percent of internet-connected farms utilize a broadband connection while 75 percent of internet-connected farms have access through a cellular data plan. Additionally, 69 percent of farms have a desktop or laptop computer while 82 percent of farms had a smart phone.

(Farm Journal)

The Last Acre Act is among the latest moves by legislators to address the digital divide between urban and rural America.

“As a farmer, I understand the important role precision ag technology plays in increasing production and maximizing efficiency. Yet, many rural areas of southern Minnesota and across the country don’t have reliable access to the wireless connectivity needed in order to utilize these techniques,” said Rep. Finstad, in a news release.

“The Last Acre Act will help drive agricultural innovation into the 21st century by bringing the latest farming technology and tools to every corner of farm country, giving farmers and ranchers – in even the most remote areas – greater ability to adopt precision ag applications and ensure optimal efficiency in their operations,” added Finstad.

The USDA Technology Use report released in August shows that 32 percent of farms used the internet to purchase agricultural inputs this year, which was an increase of 3 percent from 2021.

“Additionally, 23 percent of farms used the internet to market agricultural activities, which was an increase of 2 percent from 2021,” the USDA said. “Farms which conducted business with non-agricultural websites in 2023 increased by 2 percent to 49 percent.”

Precision Agriculture Needs
Increasingly, legislators and broadband providers have fine-tuned how they look at the internet needs of rural America, according to Mitchell Bailey, CEO for GRM Networks, a member-owned cooperative that supplies broadband and other communication services to residents in parts of northern Missouri and southern Iowa.

“The terminology used has changed from ‘fiber to the premise,’ which focused on connecting homes to more of a focus on ‘fiber to the acre,’ because we understand the need to make sure we’re connecting every acre of farmland to advanced technology,” Bailey told Farm Journal.

“In an ever-changing marketplace, it is imperative that corn farmers use the latest in precision agriculture technology to remain competitive and sustainable, and this is only possible through access to high-speed broadband,” added Harold Wolle, National Corn Growers Association president.

The Last Acre Act is endorsed by the American Farm Bureau Federation, Association of Equipment Manufacturers, Competitive Carriers Association, National Corn Growers Association, National Milk Producers Federation, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Farmers Union, John Deere, Ethos Connected, and Wireless Internet Service Providers Association.

Monthly Average Costs
As part of its Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed in 2021, the Biden administration committed $65 billion to help ensure that every American has access to affordable internet service.

The price of internet service ranges widely across the U.S., from $20 to well over $100 a month.

The price consumers pay depends on a range of factors, including internet speed, the type of connection, and what’s available in a specific area.

A Forbes survey of 37 internet service provides (ISPs) across the U.S. earlier this year found consumers paid an average cost of $65 a month. That’s in line with recent findings by Consumer Reports , which found in 2022 the median monthly internet cost was $74.99.

How States Stack Up
A February report from BroadbandNow Research , a firm that conducts comparisons on internet companies using data from the FCC and internet providers, identified what it calls the “best and worst states” for broadband internet service in the U.S. Its considerations were based on two factors – overall coverage and quality of connections.

The report ranked Maryland as the best overall state for broadband internet, followed by New Jersey, New York, Delaware and Washington. The rankings considered overall access to broadband, access to low-cost broadband, download and upload speeds, and access to fiber-optic service.

At the other end of the spectrum, in the worst category, West Virginia came in last.

West Virginia was followed in the report by Alaska, Mississippi, Arkansas and Vermont. All five states at the bottom scored a zero on internet quality, or latency, which is the time it takes information to go from one source to another.

There were 16 states in the report that scored a zero in the quality category, including North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Michigan, Iowa, Ohio and Wisconsin.

The state with the slowest average download speed was Kansas, followed by Alaska and South Carolina.

John Phipps: Is Broadband the Secret to Reviving Rural America?

Texas Farmer’s Top Five Technologies

“Technical Debt” Continues To Grow Rapidly In The Agriculture Industry

Best Buys for July 4th Cookouts Due to Food Inflation

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 18:01:05 GMT

The team at Wells Fargo has assembled its Fourth of July Food Report to detail what to fill the grill with and what to put a little less on the picnic table with food inflation in mind.

“Food inflation has definitely started to slow down, and this is good news for consumers. However, it still won’t be cheaper to celebrate the Fourth of July this year,” says Dr. Michael Swanson, Wells Fargo Chief Agricultural Economist. “The reason stems from the current pricing for some of the key menu ingredients.”

Swanson highlights four key takeaways from the meat sector:

The current average is $5.36 per pound for ground beef, which is up less than 1% from a year ago. Last year’s inflation rate on ground beef was 16%.
Chicken breasts are 2% lower than last year (average $4.24 per pound)
Pork chops are up 1% from a year ago
Sirloin steak is up 2.9% from a year ago

To top the hamburgers, processed cheese has gone up 10% compared with last year.

Bread and bun prices are elevated due to the increase in wheat prices attributed to the war in Ukraine. Bread is up 22% compared to last year.

Potato chip prices are up 15% last year, attributed to drought in the key potato growing areas in Idaho and the Dakotas.

Swanson says to complement chips, he expects to see a 9% increase in various dip prices as well.

A segment showing relief from its notable high levels is eggs, Swanson says this is good news for potato salads, deviled eggs and other sides.

“The Avian Influenza shock has just about left the stage. A dozen eggs currently costs $2.67, 7% lower than a year ago. While down from $4.82 a dozen at the start of the year, disease risk and inflation remain big issues,” he says.

For dessert, ice cream is up 9% compared to 2022. And chocolate chip cookies are up 14% higher.

In the cooler, Swanson reports inflationary effects on soft drinks were slow to rise, but due to higher labor and packaging costs, the category is now up 14% compared to last year.

Beer prices are up 8%. Wine prices are flat.

However, he remains optimistic for celebrations.

“Food retailers and consumers should expect a busy and robust celebration for this year’s Fourth of July, even with higher prices,” Swanson says.

Food Inflation Makes Your Super Bowl Party Cost More

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 21:14:16 GMT

The economists at Wells Fargo, led by Dr. Michael Swanson, have some insights on how this year’s snacks for the Super Bowl are reflecting the trend of food inflation.

“Food inflation is a hot topic,” Swanson says noting that overall prices in the category are running at 6% higher than a year ago, whereas typically year-to-year food inflation is 1%.

The economists pulled data from USDA, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Nielsen data at the supermarkets, and insights from the bigger team at Wells Fargo.

Broadly, the categories more dependent on packaging and general logistical resources show the highest increases comparing at-store prices this year to last year.

By category here are some key takeaways from their findings:

Chips are only up 1%.

“We’re a great potato growing country, and so we have a good supply of potatoes this year. The chip manufacturers are very efficient at turning them into potato chips. And so even though they’ve had challenges with their packaging and their labor and their freight, they’ve kind of kept a lid on the potato chip and chip prices,” Swanson says.

Two popular dips, two different stories.

Guacamole is only up 1%.

“Avocados and guacamole have become really popular. Most people should know but maybe they don’t that most of our avocado is coming from Mexico and Peru. And we’ve seen a lot of expansion down there. They’ve found it profitable to grow avocados and turn them into guacamole,” he says. Salsa is up 6%.

“It wasn’t so much in the tomato and chilies, but it’s the packaging and labor and transportation that caught up with salsa prices,” Swanson says.

Go for bulk packaged vegetables

Swanson shares as a category you can evaluate vegetables as either bulk goods or the pre-package convenience options. He shares to save a bit on the inflationary costs, go with bulk carrots and celery and wash and chop them yourself so you are only exposed to 2 to 3% higher prices. He says the packaged salads and other such products are seeing higher cost increases.

Proteins are more expensive—some showing double digit higher prices

“We’ve seen almost every protein jump up,” Swanson says. “This is where we’re starting to see some double digit, you know, between 15 and 25% type increases depending on what protein and cut you’re talking about. So far pork has really been the bargain, in terms of increases. You can still find some really good values in the pork category,” he says.

And popularity has propelled one poultry product very high.

Wells Fargo economists quote USDA data showing prepared chicken wings are up 14% to 26% (bone-in and boneless respectively). The IQF (individually quick frozen) chickens are up 26%. So IQF wings are $3.57 per pound, and $7.24 per pound is the average for prepared wings.

Double dip on cheese, perhaps

“The American dairy complex and American dairy producers have really stepped up,” Swanson says. “We’re actually seeing about a 7% decline as a cheddar cheese from a year ago. Dairy is a category where it’s actually helping control the budget, without any runaway inflation.”

Some beverage categories quench your thirst with less inflation

(Farm Journal)

Swanson’s team evaluated the costs of soft drinks, beer and wine. The report shows how packaging and logistics have swelled soft drink prices by 14%. However, market dynamics have kept beer and wine inflation more in check. He says beer prices have only increased 4%--mostly due to diversification in the market with more craft breweries in production. Wine prices are up only 3% thanks to a global market supply of products from Australia, Chile, South Africa and Europe.

Meet the Rat Buster, YouTube Sensation and Grim Reaper of Farm Rodents

Thu, 15 Sep 2022 15:36:28 GMT

The Rat Buster cometh. In the pitch-black of a barn at midnight, surrounded by hundreds of tiny pairs of glowing orbs—rat eyes illuminated by the wonder of a thermal scope, Jeff Pybus squeezes a rifle trigger and fires a .22 pellet 25 yards through the head of a 1-lb. rat. With the soft click of a sidelever, he stays on the scope, zeroes on a second rat, and sends another pellet into its brain. Simple math and steady rhythm: one shot per kill, for a tally of 200 rats within hours.

Against the scratching and chattering of a rodent horde reaching biblical numbers, Pybus is an invisible reaper, racking up prey in the dark as he cocks, shoots—and films. His role as a one-man pest control service has exploded into a first-person-shooter YouTube channel, featuring addictive, no-frills footage of rat hunts on farming operations. Fish in a barrel; rats in a barn.

“My adrenaline starts to pump hard when the thermal turns the night into day and I see countless rats all around me that sometimes run up my leg, jump on my shoulder, or move across my feet,” Pybus describes. “It’s a hunt from another world.”

Down the Rat Hole

A lifelong small game hunter in northeast England, Pybus was unexpectedly pulled into the rat realm by the cancer-related death of a close friend and brother-in-arms, Colin Mann. From a hospital bed two weeks prior to his death in 2015, Mann gave Pybus a parting gift.

“Colin was a very, very good mate for my entire life,” Pybus explains, his voice coated in a thick north Yorkshire accent. “Right before he died, Colin told me, ‘Go to my house and get something I want you to have. It’s in the cupboard behind the refrigerator. It’s a rifle and it’s yours now.’”

(Farm Journal)

Pybus declined the gift of a BSA Supersport: “No mate, I can’t take it. I’ll sell it for you, but I can’t take it.”

Mann insisted: “You take it. You use it.”

Treasured by Pybus today, the BSA became the doorway to a wild chapter in his life. He went down a rat hole and never emerged.

Body Count 480

Roughly twice a week at dusk, Pybus arrives at a given farm to set up for a shoot. Wearing cargo pants, lightweight mud boots, and a dark, collared shirt emblazoned with a “Rat Buster” logo, Pybus, 54, conducts a quick recon, checking for equipment or livestock impediments. “You’ve got to take a look around every time, even if it’s a familiar barn, because if it’s been loaded with equipment and you’re dealing with hundreds of rats, there won’t be enough room to make kills in high numbers,” he notes.

His current weapon of choice is a Weihrauch HW100 rifle set at 11.7 foot pounds of pressure—German engineering at its best. The gun slings a .22 pellet clean through a rat—the rough equivalence of a fist-sized cannonball blasting through the human body. “Each magazine holds 14 pellets and sometimes I shoot six magazines in 10 minutes. My recharge bottle is converted for 300 shots per fill, and that way I don’t have to go back to my vehicle for extras except on an extremely heavy night.”

(Farm Journal)

On most evenings, Pybus enters a barn, turns on the thermal, and waits a full 10 minutes in a standing position, rifle resting on a shooting stick. When he pulls the trigger, the streak of a pellet flashes onscreen and a rat drops. “The most consistent question I get is whether I’m shooting bb’s,” he says with a chuckle. “People see the tiny flash and are convinced it’s a bb, but I’m most definitely shooting .22 pellets, plenty powerful to kill two rats in one shot.”

“I’m very quiet, waiting in the dark,” Pybus continues. “If the rats see you right at the beginning, they’ll move along. But once the shooting starts, I’m looking first for a headshot, with a body shot as second choice, but either way, they’ll drop whether they run or not because the pellet causes decimating trauma to the rat’s body.”

The majority of Pybus’ kill shots range between 15-20 yards, sometimes extending to 40 yards, depending on the size of the farm building. “I’d say 15-20 yards is optimal for the camera focus for YouTube viewers. Closer is difficult to capture and further is not clear enough.”

Once the shooting gets hot, Pybus loses sense of time—a genuine problem he remedies by setting an alarm several hours into a hunt. “I literally don’t notice the clock because everything happens so fast, especially on a new farm where there’s a serious infestation and I can go five or six hours,” he laughs. “If I don’t put on the alarm, sometimes the whole evening rolls by and I’ve forgotten to go home.”

What is Pybus’ biggest one-night tally? 480 rats on the nose, killed at a recycling plant. “I’ll never forget that night,” he says, “where I was surrounded by thousands of rats. I started with a 500-pellet tin that I’d used exactly 20 from the previous night. Therefore, I knew I had 480 pellets going in. I never missed, right down to the last pellet.”

Game of Trust

Rats have a penchant for survival and proliferation, and agriculture provides easy pickings. Rat presence is near-ubiquitous at some level on agriculture operations of all types, and the creatures possess a stunning capacity for reproduction, with a single female potentially capable of setting off a chain of 15,000 offspring in a single year, dependent on food resources.

(Farm Journal)

Females can copulate hours after giving birth, ovulate once every four days, and produce litters throughout their entire lives. (Life span in the wild is roughly 7-10 months.) Brown rats can start breeding at 8 weeks of age (roughly 12 weeks with limited food)—10-12 pups with plenty of food, and 4-5 pups with less food.

The rat math is alarming and highlights a vital service provided by Pybus. “The public thinks you can toss out poison on a farm and kill all the rats. No way. Some farmers pay big money for poisons and bait stations on the farm, but over the years, I’ve learned so much about the intelligence of rats—incredibly clever animals. If you put something new where they’ve been walking and running, they don’t touch the bait stations, because they have natural food sources inside the farm buildings. You can certainly kill some of the rats, but the big majority already have plenty of food to keep them busy.”

“The younger farmers think they have no rat problems because the bait stations are relatively untouched,” Pybus explains. “But when you go around at night with a thermal, you’ll see rats like you never imagined in the smallest of places. Rats certainly move in daytime as well, but not in numbers. The big mistake farmers make is by judging according to what they see during the day.”

On farms with high rat infestations, Pybus needs roughly 10 visits stretched over five to six weeks to decimate a population. After every shooting, he bags the kills for deposit at an incinerator. “For some of these farmers, they’ve no other reliable means to tackle their rat problem and it’s a privilege to help.”

Pybus operates on a 40-plus farm circuit—a mix of hog and dairy operations—along with two waste recycling centers. His popularity with farmers is massive—and growing. “I don’t get paid and this is just a hobby, but people need to realize these farmers put their trust in me on their properties to clean out their rats as fast as I can.”

“The game I’m in is a game of trust. If you earn a farmer’s trust then you’ll have a fantastic relationship, and farmers are my genuine friends, far beyond pest control. They are wonderful mates and I never have to buy beef, pork, lamb, or eggs.”

Nightmare

When Pybus first began rat hunting in 2015, he targeted infestations on the farms of several friends. Hoping to maximize hunting access to a nocturnal rodent, he built a night vision kit. “I took a 5” reversing camera, the same as you’d use on a vehicle. I had a tube running over my scope with a camera fitted inside. Basically, I wired the camera and screen together, and put a battery on it. That was my start.”

Two years later, Pybus performed a DIY overhaul with a better camera and bigger screen, and started filming videos and posting the content to Facebook. “One day, this random guy asked me if he could put one of my videos on YouTube. Sure; I sent him the clip and it got 3.5 million views. A few weeks later, I was driving with my daughter and the guy called again, asking for more footage. My daughter asked me the question that started me on YouTube: ‘Why are you sending him videos instead of making your own channel?’”

The Rat Buster was born. Twenty million views later, Pybus is a rat’s worst nightmare.

Call the Rat Buster

Pybus’ controlled chaos is filmed with an ATN X-Sight 4K Pro, drawing in millions of YouTube views. (By itself, a 13-minute shooting clip Pybus posted in December 2021 has 7.7 million clicks.)

His video uploads are big meat on the bone with little fat—heavy on shooting footage and lean on narration. “I don’t waste anyone’s time by needless introductions, and I get straight to the point. I had no clue people would go crazy and I never dreamed people would be fascinated by my videos. My subscribers sometimes jump by 1,000 in a single week.”

With 100,000-plus subscribers and counting, who are the watchers? “From the emails and comments, there are loads of farmers from around the world following my channel, but there are also people from all walks of life who want to see into a hunt. I suppose that in the way the hunt is filmed, the viewer feels like they are in the barn with me.”

Pybus sometimes tacks Rat Buster advertisement flyers at key locations around his farm circuit, always on the lookout to expand his network. Recently, placing a flyer while wearing a hunting jacket stamped with a Rat Buster logo, Pybus was approached by a fan: “This man walked up and said, ‘My God, you’re famous.’”

(Farm Journal)

“The man told me he’d been pheasant hunting with a group of farmers the day before, and that one of the farmers was complaining about his rat problem and wasting money on pest control. Another farmer spoke up and told him, ‘Call the Rat Buster.’ It was surreal, but it was one of those moments where I realized the Rat Buster is far more well-known than I’ll ever be.”

Rat Buster videos once were strictly hunting footage, but after heavy demand from subscribers, Pybus stepped from behind the lens and now appears briefly on camera in some episodes. “The subscribers are fascinated, and they want to know more than my voice. They want to see who the Rat Buster is.”

After passing the 100,000-subscriber benchmark, Pybus is quick to credit his family. “I want to thank my wife, Sue, for putting up with me talking shooting and guns all the time, and letting me go shooting. I want to thank my daughter, Megan, and my granddaughter, LailaSue, for picking the channel’s name and for making the channel for me.”

Genuinely appreciative and humbled by his channel’s explosion, Pybus places emphasis on two pillars of his success: Colin Mann and a host of farmers.

“One, even in the middle of a hunt, my mind goes back to Colin. He was a lovely lad that got me into shooting full-time.”

“Two, I can’t operate my channel without a fantastic group of farmers,” Pybus adds. “I’m truly grateful for their help and I want to help them in return.”

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

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.

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

Farmer Ground-Truths Numbers on Wide Rows, Low Pops and Profitability

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 19:48:33 GMT

How low can a farmer go? Plant 30,000 seeds per acre, or a lean 20,000, or even a bare-bones 5,000, and still maintain profit levels?

Across three years of ongoing field trials, Thomas Hairston is turning wide-row crop speculation into action on his farm: “It’s funny when folks come out to the rows and see all the different populations. I always ask, ‘Which do you think will be the most profitable?’ They always go to the thicker stands—the ones with the biggest planting populations. They’ve been wrong every time.”

What are the keys to profitability on 60” cotton? “If you want to know what happens when you plant 5,000 seeds per acre or any other population, try it in your own field and don’t worry about it if people look at you like you’re crazy,” Hairston adds. “If you want the facts about wide row crops and profitability, get the data from your own farm.”

“Why Not?”

On the level land of Humphreys County, between Silver City and Midnight, Hairston produces corn, cotton, soybeans, wheat, and catfish alongside his family at Riven Oak Farms, located in the heart of the Mississippi Delta.

Curious to his core, Hairston , 25, incessantly engineers on-farm research, searching for an extra edge. “We’ve always got some trials going on,” he says. “You have to put in the extra time to constantly improve your operation and find genuine ways to decrease risk and increase profitability.”

(Farm Journal)

At Riven Oak Farms, the typical cotton (irrigated via polypipe) configuration is 2-4-2 on 30” rows, with planting at 40,000 seeds per acre (spa). In 2020, Hairston deviated from the on-farm standard, and planted (cotton behind corn) two half-acre plots on 60” rows—one plot at 40,000 spa spaced by 2.6” and the other at 20,000 spa spaced at 5.23”. (The silty loam plots bumped against 2-4-2 ground.)

The outcome? Hairston’s 20,000 population significantly outyielded his 40,000 population on 60” rows. “The implications are really intriguing. I’m already planting 40,000 on 2-4-2, so if I can go to a 60” configuration and plant half the seed, why not? To be clear, the 60” didn’t yield as good as 2-4-2, but the profitably was the same.”

Dollar Questions

In 2021, Hairston again planted on silty loam, cotton behind cotton, but expanded the trial to eight half-acre plots planted at 5,000 spa; 10,000 spa; 15,000 spa; 20,000 spa; 30,000 spa; and 40,000 spa. The two remaining plots followed the standard 2-4-2 configuration at 40,000.

Overall, the 2021 60” trials yielded 130 lb. less than the 2-4-2, but the overall profitability of 60” versus 2-4-2 was identical (at 2021 commodity levels and input prices). However, the trial revealed a shocker: Hairston’s plots planted at 10,000, 15,000, and 20,000 were his most profitable—either equal or superior to the 2-4-2 plots.

“Most of the savings came from seed costs. If you plant at 40,000 per acre, that about $110 per acre. At 20,000 it’s $55 per acre, and 10,000 is $27.50 per acre. Right off the bat, you’re saving substantially.”

(Farm Journal)

Hairston also reduced fertilizer applications by a fifth. “I normally put down 80 units cotton following corn, but this field where I had the plot was cotton following cotton so I bumped it to 100 and then after the one-fifth cut I came to the 80 units on the 60”,” he describes. “Right there, at this year’s fertilizer prices, that’s about $20-25 saved per acre by cutting out nitrogen, and I believe I could have put out 60 units of nitrogen and been fine.”

However, Hairston believes the plot size masked the potential for even more savings, particularly related to chemical applications. “In my opinion, some real money kicks in on big acres when you can band insecticide early. For example, maybe band your thrips spraying and your first two or three plant bug sprays, cutting those down to an 8” or 15” band. That would save a ton of money and shift a $5-10 insect spray to $2-5. The same goes for plant growth regulators because I’d treat that different on big acres.”

(Farm Journal)

With 20.9” between each seed, how did the plot planted at 5,000 spa fare? From the cab of the picker, it blended with the surrounding cotton, but from the ground, the yield difference was easy to spot, according to Hairston. “There were positions coming out and sticking, with boll size about 30-40% larger than solid-row cotton, but the plants have to do a whole lot of compensating. The yield on the 5,000 was 100 lb. less than the 10,000—basically $100 at dollar cotton, but then again, the 10,000 seed per acre cotton was the most profitable plot in the whole trial.”

Would Hairston plant cotton on big acreage at 10,000 spa? “No, I would not because that’s only a seed every 10.45” and I’d rather go up to 15,000 to ensure I have an adequate final stand.”

Alligator Clay

As Hairston’s trial enters its third year, he will depart from the classic ice cream soil and move the rows into alligator clay—heavy dirt. “Let’s see what happens in gumbo. On my farm, if I had nothing but creekbank dirt, I’d already be on 60” rows right now. But like most farmers, I’ve got mixed fields with some heavy bottoms.”

Bottom line, gumbo will be the true tale-of-the-tape for Hairston’s 60” trial. “It’s hard to grow good cotton on heavy soils because the top-end yield potential is just not there. However, if we can still come out equal to or better on profitability on the heavy soils, we would consider going farm-wide 60”. Certainly, that’d be a couple years down road, but that’s the plan.”

(Farm Journal)

Hairston does not have sky-high expectations for 60” cotton on heavy soils, but he casts doubt to the side. “My starting assumption is that heavier ground is more conducive to 2-4-2, but that’s exactly why I’m doing this trial—to not assume anything. I’m going to find out the facts instead of relying on guesswork, and either way, it’ll be really interesting to see what happens.”

“Try telling someone you’re gonna plant at a drastically reduced seeding rate on 60” rows in heavy soils, and they’ll look at you like you’ve lost your mind,” Hairston adds. “It’ll be interesting to see what the upcoming year’s data will have to say.”

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

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.

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

Farm-style Shark Tank Pitches Five Agriculture Technologies

Thu, 14 Apr 2022 19:25:17 GMT

In hot-box style, five diverse farm technologies associated with AgLaunch —Salin 247, Susterre, Phinite, BovIQ, and Holganix—took center stage at Top Producer Summit in Nashville, Tenn., on Feb. 15.

Salin 247

Specializing in electric, lightweight farm machinery, Salin 247 , introduced a 4-row (30”) autonomous planter prototype. Dave Krog , CEO of Salin 247, says the company is building a comprehensive platform of crop production machines, and will expand to 6- and 8-row versions, capable of accommodating a boom or tank.

“These machines are small and cause no soil compaction at a weight of 1,400 lb.,” Krog describes. He says the electric machinery is capable of 24-7 field activity and offers a massive reduction in overall costs when multiple units feature on the same operation.

Susterre

In 2021, Susterre released an upgrade kit that adds ultra-high pressure water jet tech to no-till and traditional planters to cut through crop residue.

“It only uses about 10 gallons of water per acre and reduces planting costs by 10%...resulting in payback in two planting seasons,” says Michael Cully , CEO and cofounder of Susterre.

Overall, according to Cully, the ultra-high pressure water system offers a reduction in farming costs, expanded planting window, earlier germination, lower cost transition to no-till, and a solution for hairpinning.

Phinite

Regenerative fertilizer from animal waste is the domain of Phinite . Animal farms have nutrients and crops farms need nutrients: “Fertilizer is a $20 billion market in the U.S., and animal farms are capable of producing $5 billion worth of fertilizer per year,” says Phinite founder and CEO Jordan Phasey .

Phinite takes animal waste from lagoons puts the material into its heavily automated drying facilities, which transform the waste into a phosphorus-based, no-odor fertilizer that can be used by farmers.

“One application equals five years of regenerative practices,” Phasey contends.

BovIQ

Sixth-generation producer Christian Nielson introduced BovIQ, an app that keeps track of individual calf records and tells a precise story of how a calf was raised. Essentially, BovIQ provides direct evidence of the essential points of a calf’s history.

The app can provide $300 per cow-calf pair, Nielson says. “It tells a production story and makes your cattle and your land more valuable, through a grazing plan that matches supply and demand. The key benefits are healthier calves, higher prices, reduced risk of loss, and lower cost of hay.”

Holganix

Holganix manufactures and distributes microbial products intended to drive soil health, nutrient efficiency, and yield. “In 2020, we spent 18.6 billion on fertilizer—60% of that expenditure went to corn, soy, and wheat…50% of every dollar spent on fertilizer is not going to the plant,” says Barrett Ersek , CEO of Holganix.

The solution is Holganix , according to Ersek: “We have 800 species of soil microbes all working together in a systems approach. The result for a farmer is typically a 2x to 10x investment in the first year they use our product with a single application close to planting.”

Shelf stable for four weeks outside of refrigeration, Ersek says current Holganix use in corn and soybeans is expanding to cotton and rice. “The microbial technology hitting the market today, and the innovations around it are like the internet in 1999. There are really big things getting ready to happen.”

Read more coverage of the Top Producer Summit .

The Ukraine-Russian War: Rampant Inflation Puts Serious Squeeze on Disposable Income

Fri, 01 Apr 2022 13:59:10 GMT

Although the U.S. may not be feeling the immediate impact of the Ukraine-Russia War yet, it’s coming, says Rupert Claxton, livestock and meat director at Gira.

Much higher energy costs and higher feed costs as a result of the war between Ukraine and Russia are putting even more pressure on rising commodity prices. Ukraine grain and oilseed exports under any scenario are going to be minimized in 2022, but fertilizer could be the limiting factor, Claxton said during a Pork Checkoff webinar.

“There’s a huge impact on fertilizer cost because gas is really important in the production of fertilizer,” Claxton says. “Going forward, we’ve got to think about this sort of compounding effect of various costs going up. We’re seeing this across the whole system – fertilizer, feed, energy, transportation – nearly everything is bearing this oil price at the moment.”

He says farmers are going to be more sensitive about when and how they put fertilizer on. At $900 to $1,000 a ton rather than $200 to $250 a ton, will they just put it on speculatively? Probably not, Claxton says. They are more likely to “keep it in the barn” for another day.

This isn’t just happening in the U.S., he adds, it’s happening all over the globe. The result will be poorer yields and less grain on the global market.

“Now, farmers, if they’re clever, will be able to maximize what they do with their fertilizer. But that still means at the end of the day, there’ll be less grain in the world market and therefore higher prices,” Claxton says. “And you can take 55 million tons of grain out of the world market that’s missing from the Ukraine in the next 12 months at least – their export volume on the world market.”

So, what does this mean for U.S. pork producers?

Feed Prices

“U.S. pork producers buy a lot of feed forward. They’re much better at hedging, both in and out and further ahead, than Europeans,” Claxton says. “The U.S. is not seeing that feeding crop increase today, but we can see it out there.”

No one is denying that these increases in feed cost will be passed on to the meat and livestock producers, he adds.

“We’ve got a whole load of other cost increases that we are paying for, whether that’s fuel on the farm, transportation, labor,” Claxton says. “The fact that hog prices are where they are today means you can actually bear some of that price increase, and still make a profit on it.”

Recover More Value

The U.S. market has been staggering in recent years, he says, as it continues to see year-on-year growth in meat consumption. There’s no question chicken is a big part of that, but he says it’s happening across all species and continues at pretty good values.

“We’ve been pretty good in the U.S. at passing some of that cost on and recovering more value out of the carcass. So that’s been a really good story,” he says.

However, looking ahead into the next 18 months, he says producers may need to swing their thinking back to 2011-12, when they last saw those big price increases.

“Back then, the European industry wasn’t very good at recovering byproducts out of the carcasses. They were making enough money on the carcass, although it was a bit tight. Suddenly they got a lot better understanding the value of various parts of the carcass and trying to recover money from what they were doing because cost of production had gone up markedly and they struggled to pass that through to the consumer.”

Claxton questions how much more the U.S. pork industry can really recover out of the carcass to add value without passing all of the cost increase on to the consumer.

Consumption Decline

The reality is that the consumer is already feeling the squeeze, Claxton says. High gas prices, increased energy costs and inflation in goods across the spectrum are causing consumers to think twice.

“It all eventually comes back to their disposable income, how much they have left over that they can use to go out and spend on nice things,” he says. “At the end of the day, meat is a luxury product. It’s not a given that people will go and buy, especially the higher end bits of meat.”

Middle-income families may not be saying no to meat purchases yet, but he says low-income workers are definitely having to take a step back to consider whether or not they can afford to buy as much meat as they typically would. Claxton says this group of consumers is critical when it comes to absorbing a certain amount of meat out of the market.

“There’s a whole basket of issues that are a problem. That’s the thing that the pork producer needs to keep an eye on – the pinch,” Claxton says. “It’s hard to pass those costs on in a market where the consumer at the other end is feeling squeezed.”

An Eye on Exports

Because of these challenges, it’s more critical than ever to get product moved through exports.

“We know some of your markets in Mexico aren’t going to perform as well, because they’re seeing consumers squeezed. And you go out into global export market, demand is generally there, but China is still not back in the market buying in significant volume,” he says.

The impact of Omicron in China is disturbing everything from ports and internal infrastructure to transportation and supply to big cities.

“Consumers aren’t going out and buying meat in the way that they would be going out in a normal situation. Some of them aren’t going to work, they haven’t got income coming in, others just can’t get to the market. In other places, you can’t get the meat to the consumer for it to be consumed,” he says.

Meanwhile, Europe has more pork than it can consume.

“Up until a month ago, Europe was very aggressive on price and had a weak Euro. So, it was exporting very competitively against the U.S. into a number of markets. The Canadian price, if you stack it up against the U.S. price, is very low at the moment as well,” he says. “There are things out there that say, the U.S. pork industry is slightly out of tune with the rest of the world. The tightness of supply is a good thing because right now the last thing you want is an oversupply, where those prices come down.”

That tightness of supply has everyone scratching their heads about what came out in USDA’s Hogs and Pigs report yesterday, he adds.

“That is the thing that’s making the industry profitable today. Don’t go and ramp up production to the point where those pigs don’t have value and you’re struggling to pay to feed them,” Claxton says.

Don’t Lose Sight of Sustainability Goals

Time and resources will be distracted from the key global challenge of climate change, Claxton says.

“You’ve got to continue to do the work you’re doing on the long-term projects – sustainability criteria, marketing of the quality of your meats,” he says. “Everyone else is still working on them. If you stop now, you fall behind that curve. So for me, the thing to really emphasize is not to take your eye off that long-term goal.”

More from Farm Journal’s PORK:

Another Bullish Hogs and Pigs Report: How Long Will This Trend Last?

5 Takeaways from an Export Expert

Pork Exports: How Much Does Taste Matter?

BREAKING: Report: China Asked for Russia to Delay Attack on Ukraine Until After Winter Olympics

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 21:42:49 GMT

UPDATE: 03/02 4:40-pm-EST-(Reuters) - Senior Chinese officials told senior Russian officials in early February not to invade Ukraine before the end of the Winter Olympics in Beijing, the New York Times reported on Wednesday, citing Biden administration officials and a European official. The Times said a Western intelligence report indicates senior Chinese officials had some level of knowledge about Russia’s plans or intentions to invade Ukraine before it started last week.

UPDATE: 03/02 4:23 pm-EST-There are reports a missile struck a vessel flying under the flag of Bangladesh. Reports are that the bulk carrier has been waiting to load since February and couldn’t leave due to restrictions in the area. Videos posted to Twitter appear to show a ship on fire near Olvia Port, Ukraine. Several news reports say a Bangladeshi sailor died.

KHERSON, Ukraine - (AP) A Russian official says troops have taken the Ukrainian port city of Kherson - a claim that the Ukrainian military denies. The city is under Russian soldiers’ “complete control,” Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said Wednesday. He said that the city’s civilian infrastructure, essential facilities and transport are operating as usual and that there are no shortages of food or essential goods.

UPDATE: 03/02 3:43 pm -EST-GOTLAND, Sweden (AP)- Sweden says four Russian fighter jets violated its airspace over the Baltic Sea on Wednesday. The four aircraft - two SU-27 and two SU-24 fighters - flew briefly over Swedish airspace east of the island of Gotland, according to a statement from the Swedish Armed Forces. “In light of the current situation we are very concerned about the incident,” Swedish Air Force chief Carl-Johan Edstrom said. “This is unprofessional and irresponsible behavior from the Russian side.” Swedish fighter jets were scrambled and took photos of the Russian jets, the statement said.

KYIV, Ukraine - Ukrainian officials have reported a powerful explosion in Kyiv, between the Southern Railway station and the Ibis hotel, an area near Ukraine’s Defense Ministry.

WASHINGTON - A senior U.S. defense official says the Russian convoy still appears to be stalled outside the city center of Kyiv, and has made no real progress in the last couple days. The official on Wednesday said the convoy is still plagued with fuel and food shortages and logistical problems, as well as facing continued fierce resistance from Ukrainians.

WASHINGTON - The White House has announced additional sanctions against Russia and its ally Belarus, including extending export controls that target Russian oil refining and entities supporting the Russian and Belarusian military. Among Wednesday’s new measures are sanctions targeting 22 Russia defense entities that make combat aircraft, infantry fighting vehicles, electronic warfare systems, missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles for Russia’s military.

UPDATE: 03/02 12:06pm-EST-KYIV, Ukraine (AP) - The U.N. General Assembly has voted to demand that Russia stop its offensive in Ukraine and withdraw all troops, with nations from world powers to tiny island states condemning Moscow. The vote Wednesday was 141 to 5, with 35 abstentions. It came after the 193-member assembly convened its first emergency session since 1997.

UPDATE: 03/02 12:05 pm-EST-MOSCOW (AP) - Russia’s Defense Ministry says 498 of its troops killed in Ukraine, 1,597 wounded in 1st report of military casualties.

UPDATE: 03/02 10:45 am-EST-Wheat prices reach $11. Follow the markets here .

(Farm Journal)

UPDATE: 03/02 10:03 am-EST-WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is “very open” to imposing sanctions on Russia’s oil and gas industry as it also weighs the potential market impact, the White House said on Wednesday as global oil prices touched eight-year highs and supply disruptions mounted.

UPDATE: 03/02 9:49 am-EST-NEW YORK (AP) - Oil prices are surging again as Russia continues its assault on Ukraine, pushing crude up to $110 a barrel.

UPDATE: 03/02 9:31 am-EST-DUBAI/LONDON, March 2 (Reuters) - OPEC+ oil producers agreed on Wednesday to stick to their plans for a modest output rise in April, ignoring the Ukraine crisis during their talks and snubbing calls from consumers for more crude even as crude prices rocketed higher.

UPDATE: 03/02 9:25 am-EST-KYIV, Ukraine (AP) - Ukraine’s State Emergency Service says over 2,000 civilians dead in week of war; independent confirmation not possible.

UPDATE: 03/02 8:55 am EST-KYIV, Ukraine (AP) - Russia renewed its assault on Ukraine’s second-largest city in a pounding that lit up the skyline with balls of fire over populated areas. That came Wednesday even as both sides said they were ready to resume talks aimed at stopping the new devastating war in Europe. The escalation of attacks on crowded cities followed an initial round of talks between outgunned Ukraine and nuclear power Russia on Monday that resulted in only a promise to meet again. It was not clear when new talks might take place - or what they would yield. Ukraine’s president earlier said Russia must stop bombing before another meeting. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has decried Russia’s bombardment as a blatant terror campaign.

President Biden is talking about the situation in Ukraine in his State of the Union speech. It starts tonight at 9 pm EST. Watch it here .

UPDATE: 03/01 4:48 pm-EST-(Reuters) - Apple Inc (AAPL.O) said on Tuesday it has paused all product sales in Russia in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

UPDATE: 03/01 4:41 pm-EST-(AP) WASHINGTON - The U.S. on Tuesday injected a strong note of caution into the persistent reports that Russian military progress - including by the massive convoy outside Kyiv - has slowed, plagued by food and fuel shortages and logistical problems.

One senior Defense official said that the U.S. has seen Russian military columns literally run out of gas, and in some places running out of food, and that morale is suffering as a result.

But the official added that it is important to be pragmatic. The Russians still have a significant amount of combat power that has not yet been tapped, and “they will regroup, they will adjust, they will change their tactics.”

UPDATE: 03/01 3:38 pm-EST-WINNIPEG, Manitoba, March 1 (Reuters) - Canada’s Nutrien Ltd (NTR.TO) , the world’s biggest fertilizer producer, said on Tuesday that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could result in prolonged disruptions to the global supply of potash and nitrogen crop nutrients.

Interim Chief Executive Ken Seitz said Nutrien will boost potash production if it sees sustained supply problems in Russia and Belarus, the world’s second-and third-largest potash-producing countries after Canada.

UPDATE: 03/01 2:00 pm-EST-(Reuters) The world’s three biggest container lines are temporarily suspending cargo shipments to and from Russia. They are Swiss-headquartered MSC, Denmark’s Maersk, and France’s CMA CGM. Maersk also added that the suspension covering all Russian ports, would not include foodstuffs, medical and humanitarian supplies.

UPDATE: 03/01 11:10 am-EST-FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) - International Energy Agency says 31 member countries agree to release 60 million barrels of oil from reserves.

UPDATE: 03/01 10:57 am-EST-KYIV, Ukraine (AP) - Ukrainian parliament says Russian forces have hit the TV tower in Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv.

UPDATE: 03/01 10:46 am-EST-Crude oil futures continue to trade above $100.

(Farm Journal)

UPDATE: 03/01 10:37 am-EST- Corn, soybeans and wheat all up double digits. Follow the markets here .

(Farm Journal)

UPDATE 03/01 9:35 am-EST-From Farm Journal Washington Analyst Jim Wiesemeyer: U.S. oil jumped to a 7-year high above $101 a barrel as the Russian assault prompts supply oil shortage fears. The U.S. and other countries are discussing releasing around 70 million barrels of strategic oil reserves, but the major unknown is whether OPEC will boost production, with an important meeting on the topic tomorrow. Pressure continues on Biden and U.S. allies to include oil trade in sanctions on Russia.

UPDATE: 03/01 9:20 am-EST-KYIV, Ukraine (AP) - Russian strikes pounded the central square in Ukraine’s second-largest city and other civilian targets, and a 40-mile convoy of tanks and other vehicles threatened the capital. Ukraine’s embattled president accused Moscow on Tuesday of resorting to terror tactics to press Europe’s largest ground war in generations. With the Kremlin increasingly isolated by tough economic sanctions that have tanked the ruble currency, Russian troops advanced on Ukraine’s two biggest cities. In strategic Kharkiv, explosions tore through the region’s Soviet-era administrative building and residential areas on Day 6 of an invasion that has shaken the 21st century world order.

U’PDATE: 02/28 5:05 pm-EST-WASHINGTON, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Americans should not be worried about nuclear war, U.S. President Joe Biden said on Monday, the day after Russian President Vladimir Putin put Russia’s nuclear deterrent on high alert amid Moscow’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The President was asked about by a reporter it while attending a White House celebration of Black History Month.

UPDATE: 02/28 4:54 pm-EST-KYIV, Ukraine (AP) - Russian forces are shelling Ukraine’s second-largest city, rocking a residential neighborhood, and closing in on the capital, Kyiv, in a 17-mile convoy of hundreds of tanks and other vehicles.

UPDATE: 02/28 3:57 pm-EST-TORONTO - Canada will be supplying Ukraine with anti-tank weapons systems, upgraded ammunition and is banning all imports of crude oil from Russia.

UPDATE: 02/28 3:32 pm-EST-BRUSSELS (AP) - The European Union has slapped sanctions on 26 more Russians, including oligarchs, senior officials and an energy insurance company, in response to the country’s invasion of Ukraine, bringing the total of people targeted to 680.

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) - International Criminal Court prosecutor to open probe into possible war crimes or crimes against humanity in Ukraine.

BEREGSURANY, Hungary (AP) - The mass exodus of refugees from Ukraine to the eastern edge of the European Union has showed no signs of stopping as they flee Russia’s burgeoning war. The U.N. estimated Monday that more than 500,000 people have already escaped.

UPDATE: 02/28 3:10 pm-EST-KYIV, Ukraine - Satellite images show Russian troops are attacking Ukraine on multiple fronts and are advancing on the capital city of Kyiv. On Monday, a convoy consisting of hundreds of armored vehicles, tanks, artillery and support vehicles was just 17 miles (25 kilometers) from the center of Kyiv. The city is home to nearly 3 million residents. The images from Maxar Technologies also captured signs of fighting outside Kyiv, including destroyed vehicles and a damaged bridge.

UPDATE: 02/28 1:13 pm-EST-LONDON (AP) - Shell says it pulling out of Russia as President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine costs the country’s all-important energy industry foreign investment and expertise. Shell announced its intention Monday to exit its joint ventures with Gazprom and related entities, including its 27.5% stake in the Sakhalin-II liquefied natural gas facility, its 50% stake in the Salym Petroleum Development and the Gydan energy venture. Shell also intends to end its involvement in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project.

UPDATE: 02/28 11:59 am-EST-KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A top adviser to Ukraine’s president says the first round of talks with Russia about ending the fighting in Ukraine has concluded, and more talks could happen soon.

UPDATE: 02/28 11:45 am-EST-KYIV, UKRAINE (AP) - Ukraine’s leader Zelenskyy applies for Ukraine to join the 27-nation European Union on the 5th day of Russian invasion.

Picture posted to Twitter:

(Farm Journal)

UPDATE: 02/28 10:53 am-EST-NEW YORK (AP) - Markets quivered Monday amid worries about how high oil prices will go and how badly the global economy will get hit after the U.S. and allies upped the financial pressure on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. Stocks fell, investors herded into gold in search of safety and the Russian ruble tumbled to a record low below a penny at one point.

UPDATE: 02/28 10:18 am-EST-(Reuters) - Energy giant BP, global bank HSBC and the world’s biggest aircraft leasing firm AerCap joined a growing list of companies looking to exit Russia on Monday, as Western sanctions tightened the screws on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine. Russia’s economy was already reeling on Monday. The rouble plunged as much as 30% to an all-time low, while the central bank doubled its key interest rate to 20%, kept stock markets and derivative markets closed and temporarily banned brokers from selling securities held by foreigners

UPDATE: 02/28 9:54am-EST-LVIV, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Monday asked the European Union to allow Ukraine to gain membership under a special procedure immediately as it defends itself from invasion by Russian forces.

“Our goal is to be with all Europeans and, most importantly, to be equal. I’m sure that’s fair. I am sure we deserve it,” he said in a video speech shared on social media.

UPDATE: 02/28 9:02 am-EST-KYIV, Ukraine (AP) - Russian and Ukrainian delegations met for talks amid high hopes but low expectations for any diplomatic breakthrough. The talks Monday come after Moscow unleashed the biggest land war in Europe since World War II but met unexpectedly stiff resistance. As outgunned but determined Ukrainian forces slowed the Russian advance and sanctions crippled the Russian economy, the military confirmed that its nuclear forces were on high alert. While that raised the unimaginable specter of nuclear conflict, it was unclear what practical effect it had. A tense calm reigned Monday in Kyiv, explosions and gunfire were heard in embattled cities in eastern Ukraine, and terrified Ukrainian families huddled overnight in shelters, basements or corridors.

(Farm Journal)

UPDATE: 2/27 3:56 pm-EST-Brussels (AP)-The European Union agreed Sunday to close its airspace to Russian airlines, spend hundreds of millions of euros on buying weapons for Ukraine and ban some pro-Kremlin media outlets in its latest response to Russia’s invasion.

In what he described as “a defining moment for European history,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that the bloc’s 27 foreign ministers had greenlighted the unprecedented support for Ukraine and that those actions would take effect within hours.

Kyiv, Ukraine (AP)-President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian nuclear forces to be put on high alert Sunday, while Ukraine’s embattled leader agreed to talks with Moscow. Right now, Putin’s troops and tanks are driving deeper into the country. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office announced that the two sides would meet Monday at an unspecified location on the Belarusian border, where a Russian delegation was waiting Sunday.

(CNN)-Ukraine has filed an application to institute proceedings against Russia before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for a “dispute … relating to the interpretation, application and fulfillment of the 1948 Convention and Prevention of Punishment of the Crimes of Genocide,” according to an ICJ news release on the filing.

The following was tweeted by Ukraine’s president:

(Farm Journal)

UPDATE: 5:15 pm-EST-(Reuters) - Ukraine and Russia are discussing a place and time for talks, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s spokesman said on social media on Friday.

“Ukraine was and remains ready to talk about a ceasefire and peace,” spokesman Sergii Nykyforov added.

UPDATE: 5:12 pm-EST-RICHMOND, Va.-Criminal ransomware operators are posting messages on the dark web pledging to launch retaliatory cyberattacks if Russia is attacked.

The ransomware group Conti, which experts say has ties to Russia, said in a note on its dark web site Friday that it would “use all our possible resources to strike back at the critical infrastructures of an enemy.”

Ransomware gangs are mostly Russian-speaking and operate with near impunity out of Russia and allied countries.

In a follow up note, the Conti group stressed it was not an ally of any government and said: “we condemn the ongoing war.”

Major ransomware attacks in the last year, including against the biggest U.S. fuel pipeline, have underscored how gangs of extortionist hackers can disrupt the economy and put lives and livelihoods at risk. The U.S. government has been warning critical infrastructure entities to prepare for possible attacks and to make sure their defenses are up to date.

Non-state hackers have promised to be active in both sides of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The online collective Anonymous recently pledged to conduct cyberattacks to support Ukraine.

UPDATE: 4:06 pm-EST-WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Russian assault on Ukraine was more brutal on Friday with attacks on civilian infrastructure and Kyiv, but Moscow’s forces did not advance as planned and the capital remained firmly in Ukrainian control, Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy remains in Kyiv and he held a “very productive” phone call with President Joe Biden on Friday, the ambassador told reporters.

Russia has deliberately targeted some of Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure and hospitals, she said, and Ukrainian officials are gathering war crimes evidence to present to the International Criminal Court.

UPDATE: 3:47 pm-EST-WASHINGTON (AP) - Biden plans move to freeze assets of Putin, Russian foreign minister, matching EU sanctions against Russian leadership.

UPDATE: 1:14 pm-EST-Tweet from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy:

(Farm Journal)

UPDATE: 1:06 pm-EST-BRUSSELS (AP) - NATO chief says leaders agree to send rapid response troops to protect allies near Russia and Ukraine.

UPDATE: 10:03 pm-EST-NEW YORK (AP) - Relief flowed through Wall Street on Friday, even as deadly attacks continued to rage in Ukraine. Stocks rose, oil fell and investors turned away from gold and other traditional havens they favor when fear is high.

UPDATE: 12:12 pm-EST-BRUSSELS (AP) - The European Union has agreed to freeze the assets of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, according to Latvia’s foreign minister. A decision to freeze Putin and Lavrov’s assets indicates that Western powers are moving toward unprecedented measures to try to stop Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine neighbor and a major war in Europe. Latvian Foreign Minister Edgards Rinkevics said in a Tweet on Friday that he and the EU’s other foreign ministers adopted a second sanctions package and “the asset freeze includes President of Russia and its Foreign Minister.”He said the EU plans to prepare another package of sanctions.

(Farm Journal)

UPDATE: 11:33 am-EST-CNN Business is reporting China is relaxing restrictions on imports of Russian wheat. It says the decision to allow imports of wheat from all regions of Russia was made when Russian President Putin met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during the Olympics earlier this month. It says the details of the plan were only announced by China’s customs administration this week. Russia is the world’s top producer of wheat. Previously, Beijing had restricted wheat imports from Russia out of concerns about dwarf bunt fungus.

UPDATE: 11:12 am-EST-Concern is growing about exports from the region, specifically fertilizer. Arlan Suderman of StoneX tweeting this:

(Farm Journal)

UPDATE: 11:10 am-EST-BRUSSELS (AP) - Council of Europe suspends Russia at Europe’s foremost human rights organization.

UPDATE: 10:15 am EST-John Deere Co. says its offices in Ukraine are now closed. John Deere told WQAD-TV “We are closely monitoring the developments in these countries and are actively assessing the potential impact to our people.” Deere officials report employees in Ukraine were evacuated at the start of the year.

UPDATE: 9:44 am EST-Global farm commodities trader Cargill Inc (CARG.UL) said on Thursday that an ocean vessel it chartered was “hit by a projectile” on the Black Sea, but that the ship remained seaworthy and all crew were safe and accounted for.

The incident occurred offshore from Ukraine on Thursday after Russia launched an invasion of the major grain-producing country where Cargill operates an export terminal.

UPDATE: 9:40 am EST-From Farm Journal’s Jim Wiesemeyer:

WSJ report: U.S. agriculture companies operating in Ukraine are closing offices and shuttering facilities there in response to Russia’s attack. WSJ details:

— Archer Daniels Midland Co. said Thursday that it had stopped operating its facilities in Ukraine, where, a company spokeswoman said, the crop trader and processor employs more than 630 people. ADM’s Ukraine facilities include an oilseed crushing plant in Chornomorsk, a grain terminal in the port of Odessa, six grain silos and a trading office in Kyiv.— Bunge Ltd. closed company offices as well as temporarily suspended operations at processing facilities in two cities in Ukraine, the company said Thursday. Bunge employs more than a thousand workers in Ukraine who operate two processing facilities as well as grain elevators and a grain export terminal in various parts of the country.— CHS Inc., a farm cooperative and major grain shipper and retailer of seeds and chemicals, said it has been drawing down its export activity in Ukraine for the past few weeks. It employs 46 people in the region but doesn’t own port operations in the country.

UPDATE: 8:43am EST-There were several key developments overnight: KYIV, Ukraine (AP) - The Kremlin says Russia is ready to send a delegation to Belarus for talks with Ukrainian officials. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he is willing to discuss a non-aligned status for Ukraine. Moscow has demanded Ukraine drop its bid to join NATO, and adopt a neutral status. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to send the delegation in response to that offer.

Russian troops are bearing down on Ukraine’s capital, with gunfire and explosions resonating ever closer to the government quarter. The invasion of a democratic country has fueled fears of wider war in Europe and triggered worldwide efforts to make Russia stop. Amid growing casualties from the deadly warfare were increasing signs that Vladimir Putin’s Russia may be seeking to overthrow Ukraine’s government. It is his boldest effort yet to redraw the world map and revive Moscow’s Cold War-era influence. The U.S. and other global powers slapped ever-tougher sanctions on Russia as the invasion reverberated through the world’s economy and energy supplies. U.N. officials said they were preparing for millions to flee Ukraine.

Russian military says it has seized strategic airport outside Ukrainian capital; claims it cut Kyiv off from the west.

Pope Francis has made a personal, in-person visit to the Russian Embassy to “express his concern about the war,” in Ukraine. It was an extraordinary, hands-on gesture that came on the same day the Vatican announced he was canceling upcoming events because of an “acute” flareup of knee pain.Usually popes receive ambassadors and heads of state in the Vatican, and diplomatic protocol would have called for Francis, as the Vatican head of state, to summon the ambassador to him. For Francis to leave the Vatican and travel a short distance to the Russian embassy to the Holy See outside the Vatican walls was a sign of his anger at Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and his willingness to appeal personally for an end to it.Vatican officials said they knew of no such previous papal initiative.

Twenty million dollars in U.N. humanitarian funds for Ukraine. A raft of new, stronger sanctions against Russia from Japan, Australia, Taiwan and others. And a cascade of condemnation from the highest levels. As Russian bombs and troops pounded Ukraine during the invasion’s first full day, world leaders began to fine-tune a response meant to punish the Russian economy and its leaders, including President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle. While there’s an acute awareness that a military intervention isn’t currently feasible, the strength, unity and speed of the financial sanctions - with the striking exception of China, a strong Russian supporter - signal a growing global determination to make Moscow reconsider its attack.

UPDATE: 5:22 pm EST-MOSCOW, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone to French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday and gave him an “exhaustive” explanation of the reasons for Russia’s actions in Ukraine, the Kremlin said.

The Kremlin said the call took place at Macron’s initiative, and he and Putin agreed to stay in contact.

Macron undertook strenuous diplomacy in recent weeks to try to avert a Russian invasion of Ukraine, including holding talks with Putin in the Kremlin.

UPDATE: 5:18 pm EST-President Biden has sent out the following tweet, saying that sanctions imposed on Russia are already having an effect.

(Farm Journal)

UPDATE: 5:11 pm EST- WARSAW (AP)- Some of the first refugees from Ukraine have arrived in European Union member Poland by road and rail.

A scheduled train from Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine arrived Thursday afternoon in the Polish town of Przemysl, near Ukraine’s western border, carrying a few hundred passengers.

The passengers of various ages, arriving with bags and backpacks, told The Associated Press they were fleeing war. Some live in Poland and were returning urgently from visits to their homeland.

The chief of Poland’s border guards, Gen. Tomasz Praga, said there was a visible increase in the number of people wanting to cross into Poland.

Officials said Poland has prepared at least eight centers with food, medical care and places to rest.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that “innocent people are being killed” in Ukraine and appealed to the Poles to extend every possible assistance to the Ukrainians who have found themselves in need of help.

UPDATE: 4:31 pm EST-NEW YORK (AP) - U.S. markets stabilized and ended higher Thursday after an early swoon brought on by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Technology stocks, in particular, rebounded strongly, erasing an early drop of 3.4% in the Nasdaq and leaving the tech-focused index up 3.3%. The S&P 500 also came back from an early loss and ended up 1.5%. Oil prices had surged earlier but ended with moderate gains.

UPDATE: 3:44 pm EST-KYIV, Ukraine (AP) - Ukraine’s health minister: 57 Ukrainians killed as a result of the Russian invasion, 169 more wounded.

UPDATE: 3:00 pm EST-Farm Journal Live-analysis of what has transpired today in Ukraine. AgDay’s Clinton Griffiths hosts a panel discussion with Standard Grain’s Joe Vaclavik and Dan Basse of AgResource Company. See what they had to say about the market moves today and what to watch going forward. Click here .

UPDATE: 2:36 pm EST-Key points from President Biden’s speech:

-President announced a new round of sanctions targeting Russian banks, oligarchs, and high-tech sectors

-Says Putin “chose this war” and that his country will bear the consequences of his actions

-U.S. will be deploying additional forces to Germany to help NATO

-President Biden held off on cutting Russia out of the SWIFT payment system. It allows the transfers of money from bank to bank around the world

-No sanctions were announced on Russia’s energy sector

UPDATE: 2:25 pm EST-WASHINGTON (AP) - US sanctions Belarusian banks, defense industry, security officials over support for Russian invasion of Ukraine.

UPDATE: 2:01 pm EST-WASHINGTON (AP) - Biden says US deploying additional forces to Germany to bolster NATO in face of Russian invasion of Ukraine.

UPDATE: 1:50 pm EST-WASHINGTON (AP) - Biden: ‘Putin chose this war’ in Ukraine, and he and Russia ‘will bear the consequences’ of new sanctions.

UPDATE 1:22 pm EST-President Biden expected to address the nation at any moment. Watch it here .

UPDATE: 12:55 pm EST -KYIV, Ukraine (AP) - A presidential adviser says Ukraine has lost control of the Chernobyl nuclear site after a fierce battle.

UPDATE: 12:33 pm EST - (Reuters) - Global agricultural commodities trader Bunge Ltd. (BG.N) said Thursday it has shuttered company offices in Ukraine and temporarily suspended operations at two oilseed crushing facilities in Nikolaev and Dnipro following a Russian military invasion.

Bunge employs more than 1,000 people in the country and also owns and operates grain elevators and an export terminal in Ukraine, the company said. It also operates a corn milling plant via a joint venture.

UPDATE: 12:30 pm EST - MOSCOW (AP) - Russia gave its first confirmation that its ground forces have moved into Ukraine, saying troops entered from Crimea.

UPDATE: 11:35 am EST -UNITED NATIONS (AP) - US official: UN Security Council to vote on resolution condemning Russia’s attack on Ukraine despite expected veto.

UPDATE 11:18 am EST - From The Associated Press: A senior U.S. defense official says Thursday’s attack by Russia appears to be the first phase in what will likely be a multi-phased, large-scale invasion.

The official said it began around 9:30 p.m. U.S. EST, with land- and sea-based missile launches. The official said that roughly more than 100 missiles, primarily short-range ballistic missiles, but also medium-range ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, surface-to-air missiles and sea-launched missiles, were launched in the first few hours of the attack.

The official said the Russians are moving on three axes: From Crimea to Kherson, from Belarus toward Kyiv, and from the northeast to Kharkiv.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said it’s not clear how many Russian troops are in Ukraine now, and the main targets of the air assault have been barracks, ammunition warehouses and 10 airfields. The official said Russian ground forces began to move into Ukraine from Belarus around 5 a.m. EST.

UPDATE 11:11 am EST - White House tweets photo of President Biden meeting with the National Security Council in the White House Situation Room:

(Farm Journal)

UPDATE: 10:36 am EST- AgDay’s Clinton Griffiths just spoke with Farm Journal Washington Analyst Jim Wiesemeyer about what’s happening in Ukraine, and what to watch for next.

UPDATE 10:26 am EST-Tweet from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy:

(Farm Journal)

UPDATE 10:22 am EST-Ukraine’s deputy interior minister Anton Gerashchenko just made the following post on Facebook:

(Farm Journal)

UPDATE: 10:08 am EST- President Biden will address Russia’s attack on Ukraine at 12:30 pm EST. You can watch it live here .

UPDATE: 10:03 am EST- The U.S. government is now on high alert for possible Russian cyberattacks. A senior FBI cyber official is warning businesses and local government they should be vigilant against potential ransomware attacks. In fact, some of the biggest cyberattacks against U.S. infrastructure in the past two years have been linked to suspected Russian hackers.

UPDATE: 9:49 am EST- The S&P 500 sank 2% on opening. It’s now down almost 14% from the record high it set in early January. Here’s a look at the big commodity moves happening right now:

March corn:

(Farm Journal)

March soybeans:

(Farm Journal)

March wheat:

(Farm Journal)

UPDATE: 9:38 am EST- A White House official says that President Biden met with the National Security Council this morning in the Situation Room to discuss the situation going on in Ukraine. The President is expected to address the nation this afternoon, during which he is expected to announce “further consequences” the U.S. and its allies will impose on Russia. Click here to read the latest statement from the White House. Markets continue to move. Follow them here .

UPDATE: 9:33 am EST- Dow sinks nearly 800 points following the attack on Ukraine.

UPDATE: 9:21 am EST- Ukraine’s military has now suspended operations at its ports because of the invasion by the Russian military, furthering concerns about the flow of supplies out of the area. Reuters reports that Russia had earlier suspended movement of commercial vessels in the Azov sea until further notice but kept Russian ports in the Black Sea open for navigation.

“The market is still struggling to get a clear picture about the actual military situation on the ground. The ports in the Azov and the Black Sea so far seem not to have been damaged according to the initial shipping agency reports,” one European grain trader told Reuters.

Russia produced 76 million tonnes of wheat last year and is expected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to export 35 million tonnes in the July-June season, 17% of the global total.

UPDATE: 9:11 am EST- The financial and commodity markets reacted strongly to word that Russian President Vladimir Putin had launched military action in Ukraine. Global markets tumbled overnight and U.S. markets pointed toward a sharply lower open. Oil prices jumped by more than $7 per barrel, climbing above $100 a barrel, and futures for Wall Street’s benchmark S&P 500 index and the Dow Jones Industrial Average were off by more than 2.5%.

Market benchmarks in Europe and Asia fell as much as 5%.

Meanwhile, commodities such as corn, soybeans and wheat soared. Soybean prices rose above $17. Wheat prices surged past a nine-year high and are now up 20% since the start of the year.

Russia is the world’s largest wheat exporter and, together with Ukraine, supplies more than a quarter of the world’s wheat exports. There’s concern about supplies from both countries being disrupted because of military action.

Experts say that, with wheat being a staple element for human and livestock diets, any disruption can have an impact on prices.

Besides reaction from the financial markets to the situation, world reaction has been swift.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says Russia has launched a war on Ukraine and shattered peace on the European continent. Stoltenberg is now calling for a summit of NATO alliance leaders for Friday.

The European Union says it is planning the “strongest, the harshest, package” of sanctions it has ever considered.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said “the target is the stability in Europe and the whole of the international peace order, and we will hold President (Vladimir) Putin accountable for that.”

An adviser to Ukraine’s president says about 40 people have been killed so far in the Russian attack on the country. There are reports of airstrikes or shelling on cities and bases in the country, with people in Ukraine attempting to flee by piling into trains and cars.

This is a developing story. Keep watching for updates.

In the Market for Propane? Here's Why Propane Prices Could Produce Sticker Shock this Fall

Tue, 13 Jul 2021 20:36:43 GMT

Propane prices are currently creating sticker shock. The Wall Street Journal reporting current future prices are roughly twice their levels during the past two summer.

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) says American households can expect to spend an average of 14%more on propane this winter than they did last year, and inflated demand means the price could go even higher if the weather is colder than forecasted.

While demand for many fuels declined last year, international demand found footing. Outbound cargoes of U.S. propane rose 13%.

Now, supply concerns are rising. Last week, the Energy Information Administration reported propane stocks were less than analysts had expected. An area that stretches from Ohio to Oklahoma and up to North Dakota is particularly low on supply. That region burns a lot of propane in the fall, when farmers use it to dry crops.

Farm Dream: Microphone in Hand, Matt Brechwald Bootstraps into Agriculture

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 19:05:57 GMT

In May 2008, Detective Matt Brechwald waited inside the cookie-cutter convenience of a city neighborhood, hiding in plain sight within an unmarked car, while passing the hours watching for the movements of a stalking suspect. Breaking the stakeout’s monotony in mid-afternoon, Brechwald’s suburban vigil was interrupted by the arrival of a truck pulling an odd trailer several houses down from the targeted address. Observing the strange trailer, Brechwald’s mind and heart clicked in unison: He was staring at the doorway to a future in farming.

Thirteen years onward, Brechwald’s agriculture dream has become reality on a farming operation flourishing just outside Boise, Idaho, and his time is split between dirt and the digital world. Brechwald’s voice has risen to the top tier of the ag podcast media heap, and as the most prolific host of the medium, his Off-Farm Income podcast is a top-drawer show, churning at 1,000-plus episodes over a six-year run, with a finger on the pulse of U.S. agriculture, and a loyal audience of first-generation hopefuls and seasoned farming veterans.

Today, just outside Boise, in Kuna, Brechwald, 47, owns a picturesque, livestock-based operation centered on cattle, goats and pigs. In addition, he turns out Off-Farm Income episodes at a staccato pace, custom podcasts for multiple businesses, and owns a chain of rental properties. Brechwald is an entrepreneurial success, but his achievement came with a heavy dose of delayed gratification.

No one stumbles into modern farming; no one arrives in today’s agriculture by accident. Success is chained to the highest premium paid across a long series of benchmarks, and Brechwald’s tale firmly fits the mold. Police work, pocket gophers, podcasting and far more, his account is a clarion call for all those who believe the farm life is within reach.

Setting the Fuse

Rice, tree nuts, and beef formed a three-legged stool of Brechwald’s childhood in Valley Home, Calif., located in the Golden State’s Central Valley. Hopeful of a cattle-related career, he studied animal science at Modesto Junior College and completed the degree at Montana State University. Following a series of ag internships and a chain of sales jobs in fertilizer and chemicals, Brechwald didn’t find a road to farm or ranch ownership, and moved into law enforcement as a police officer, and later detective, for 15 years (three years in California; 12 years in Idaho).

(Farm Journal)

In 2008, Brechwald, in his mid-thirties, sat on the aforementioned stakeout. “Across the street, a different guy pulls up with a strange-looking trailer, unhooks, sets the jacks down, and pulls out an antennae boom,” Brechwald recalls. “The house owner walks out, and they go over a run-through of whatever this machine was, and then they shake hands, the truck driver hands over an invoice, and the new owner takes possession.”

A complicated device, but a simple transaction: “Whatever the business deal was on that trailer, that was the moment I saw a way to farm. I needed a piece of equipment to take me to farmers.”

Brechwald subscribed to an agricultural newspaper and began combing the pages, drawn by a particularly intriguing advertisement for a trailer-mounted PERC (pressurized exhaust rodent control) machine. Essentially, a PERC uses compressed carbon monoxide to exterminate pocket gophers—the bane of many producers, and a major nuisance in Idaho’s alfalfa fields. Brechwald noted the curiosity, but within his bubble of suburbia, and neck-deep in police work, he couldn’t decide if the machine was the right fit. The pocket gopher pursuit was shelved.

However, in 2011, roughly three years to the stakeout day, Brechwald found his farmland located 20 miles outside Boise, in Kuna: a house and 25 acres of flat, rough ground in need of attention. Brechwald and his wife, Autumm, bought the place and implemented irrigation, fencing, pasture, hay production, and more, all in an effort to turn value out of high-desert ground that otherwise was bound for sage brush.

In tandem, the couple enrolled in a University of Idaho Extension class—Living on the Land—and began filling in the blanks, hoping to find farming solutions of all stripes. During repeated sessions, Brechwald heard land-owning classmates complain about…pocket gophers.

(Farm Journal)

The fuse was set: Brechwald had confirmation of need and opportunity, and he knew where to get equipment. Time to buy a PERC and start a rodent extermination business?

“Six times. I chickened out six times. Then, in the spring of 2012, I woke up in the middle of night and couldn’t sleep. I thought, if I don’t order that PERC now, I’ve got to wait a whole year, because weather shutters business in winter, especially in highly seasonal Idaho. Autumm said, ‘Do it.’”

He ordered the PERC, assembled it two weeks later, and placed an ad on Craigslist. On May 25, 2012, Idaho Gopher Control secured its first paying customer, and Brechwald scrambled out of the business gate—and he didn’t dare look back.

Changing Horses

By summer’s end, Brechwald was slammed for time, covering policing or pocket gophers, and very little in between. The following spring, in 2013, he permanently walked away from detective work, and dove headfirst into his acreage, backed by multiple sources of off-farm income, including teaching law enforcement classes at a nearby community college. Anything to fill in the cracks and keep the farm momentum going.

“I was a new farmer with a small piece of ground and hardly any animals, but suddenly I could adjust my schedule and be here whenever I needed to calf, cut hay, or irrigate, versus a job in town. I suddenly had flexibility to be an entrepreneur.”

(Farm Journal)

Albeit in a different geography, Brechwald had returned to the world in which he was raised. “I’ll never forget the first time I truly realized I was self-employed. I was leaving the farm and pulled over at the end of the driveway to text a buddy about football—which I did for 20 minutes and totally wasted good time. I finished texting and realized I was accountable to no one but my family, and my time and land belonged to me. Working on my own farm was a lifestyle that hurt bad when I couldn’t reach it, but so satisfying when I got it. It was an incredible feeling, and that’s when I decided to start a podcast to tell others how to get to the farm.”

Brechwald truly had changed horses in midstream—and stayed firmly in the saddle.

The Toughest Knot

Today, the arena of agriculture podcasting is filled with broadcasts of every description, from field work to management to machinery to marketing to technology to legal matters to Extension, and all points in between. Yet, in 2014, there were only a smattering of ag podcasts available, and absolutely nothing in the realm that Brechwald was about to tackle.

Brechwald could rely on a crystalline voice with a steady cadence, but other than media interviews related to law enforcement, he’d never been behind a mic. Understandably, he was stricken with impostor syndrome: “Who am I to do this? Why will anyone want to listen to me? But I also knew there were people in every state in the country just like me, trying to figure out how to make it in agriculture and I could help them by telling what I’d done. Also, I knew there were small business people out there, owner-operators grinding with no glamor, and they could tell what they’d done.”

(Farm Journal)

In a nutshell, Brechwald already knew his audience. “Farmers that live solely off of direct farm income are a rarity,” he says. “Probably 90% of farms need some form of off-farm income, and that can drive an attempt at some sort of unique business. There’s also a huge number of people discontented with life in city, climate-controlled cubicles, artificial light, commutes, subdivisions, and general urban problems, and they want an agricultural lifestyle of some kind, but it’s so difficult to obtain.”

Further, going from city to country presents a tough knot to untangle. Staying close to a solid-paying city job means limited access to affordable land, yet moving toward lower-cost land means cutting the cords with the city job. “The answer is off-farm income,” Brechwald says. “That takes a different form on every single farm and requires a niche that no one else sees, but if you want it bad enough, it can be done and the proof is in thousands of ag entrepreneurs across the nation.”

Taking his words to action, and after several months of planning, Brechwald bought a digital recorder and microphone off the shelf, connected the pair in a spare room with zero modifications (where he still broadcasts today), and sat red-faced, alone in silence, afraid to record. “I just started talking and went for it.”

(Farm Journal)

Off-Farm Income was born. From day one, Brechwald’s mind was blown: He was pumping out signal to a hungry audience. The podcast began drawing feedback at a furious pace. “My timing was right. There were not many ag shows out there and seasoned farmers and hopeful farmers were very, very interested in any means of sidestream income. It was a snowball effect and it didn’t take long to build a loyal audience.”

Brechwald’s confidence to walk a road no one else had traveled was par for the course, Autumm explains. “The day I met Matt, his goal was to have his own farm. He took an idea about off-farm income and turned it in to something that connected with so many people. I don’t know exactly how many people across the country are looking to do the same thing with a farm, but I know it’s a high number of people with the dream.”

Win-Win-Win

Over 1,000 episodes later, his solo effort has multiplied at a rapid pace, and Off-Farm Income currently is produced six days per week. Fridays showcase an interview with a farmer or agricultural worker who offers a bootstrap story. Mondays and Wednesday feature interviews with FFA students centered on entrepreneurial SAEs. Tuesdays are Brechwald in solo mode, sounding off on potential income avenues. Thursdays are cherry-picked replays of memorable interview episodes from the vault, boosted with current producer updates. Saturdays are exclusive to rural crime, with each episode focusing on an illegal scheme or activity.

“I advise anyone wanting to start an ag podcast, or really any topic: Start and don’t over-analyze because it’s easy to get trapped in planning. Your first 50 episodes may be horrible, and so what? The next episode is what counts. You’ll develop your skills and reputation through repetition, and nobody will remember how awful your first episodes were. No one cares.”

After six years of broadcasting, Brechwald also hosts Corn Revolution , Pioneer Tour , and D&B Supply , as well as producing Bulkloads . On the Off-Farm Income show, two types of guests stir his passion. First, ag entrepreneurs that succeed in rural areas, producing a tri-fold economic boost: “It’s a win-win-win for the small community, the farmers being served, and the farmer with the business. I’ll never forget Craig Bailey with a seed roasting business in Virginia, or Aaron Tiemeyer with a seed-cleaning business in Iowa. Both of those guys epitomize what I’m talking about.”

(Farm Journal)

Second, Brechwald’s admiration is sparked by high school students with genuine business ingenuity: “There are FFA kids accomplishing things 30- and 40-year-olds are still just thinking about. I’m talking about FFA kids making six figures in high school, and it’s inspiring. There are also teenage farmers out there who have already managed to get a foothold on farming ground. The accomplishment is incredible.”

“Wearing the Boots”

Rod Zehr, 59, runs a PERC gopher machine across 15,000 acres in Oregon’s Malheur County, roughly 60 miles from Brechwald. A lifelong farmer with stints in row crops, dairy, and feed lots, Zehr helped mentor Brechwald in the rodent extermination business, and quickly recognized Brechwald’s mettle. “Matt is just that kinda guy. He made his own way and that’s what it takes to make it in modern agriculture, because you must have a game plan. Hard work alone won’t cut it; you must have goals set and a path to follow all on your own. That’s what Matt did.”

“He was shaped by agriculture growing up, but he didn’t have a path to get in, so he made his own path,” Zehr continues. “In some ways, even though he lives in a different state, he’s just gone back home.”

Brechwald—farmer, businessman, entrepreneur, podcaster—possesses the same passion and ingenuity he champions in others. “Matt is fueled by learning and gaining knowledge,” Autumm says, “but he’s motivated by helping others.”

(Farm Journal)

“A farm is so satisfying, but it’s also very difficult to run,” she adds. “So many people think a farm is about land and beautiful sunsets, except that if you’re the one wearing the boots, then you have to work so hard to get it and keep it, but it’s also worth every bit of work that goes into it.”

Echoing Autumm, Brechwald does not sugarcoat his journey, or hesitate to offer a word of warning to hopeful ag entrepreneurs: The road to success is a long, tough haul. “You better be real,” he concludes. “You better plan and set goals. You better scrap with old equipment. You better realize this is about a better life down the road, not the moment, and therefore you have to watch every dollar. You better know there is pain and hard work ahead. It’s all worth it though, and there’s absolutely nothing like farm life.”

For more stories from Chris Bennett (cbennett@farmjournal.com), see:

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

The Arrowhead whisperer: Stunning Indian Artifact Collection Found on Farmland

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

Truth, Lies, and Wild Pigs: Missouri Hunter Prosecuted on Presumption of Guilt?

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

Predator Tractor Unleashed on Farmland by Ag’s True Maverick

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

A Skeptical Farmer’s Monster Message on Profitability

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

Truth, Lies and Wild Pigs: Missouri Hunter Prosecuted on Presumption of Guilt?

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 19:27:02 GMT

When Michael Bennett loaded eight squealing pigs into the back of a Ford pickup truck, eased off sale barn gravel and onto highway blacktop heading north, the wheels began turning on one of the most bizarre feral hog stories on record, and a legal fiasco that unleashed a litany of questions over guilt, innocence, and state power.

After buying multiple pigs at a Missouri sale barn in 2017, Bennett began a surreal journey to the cusp of state prosecution for alleged violations of law—specifically related to charges stemming from the intentional release of pigs into the wild. Less a whodunit, Bennett’s account is an uncomfortable clash between the bounds of reasonable doubt and the certainty of governmental authority.

“Common sense should tell people something is off with the way the government tried to make me look,” Bennett says. “I ain’t no choirboy, but I never did nothing they said. I believe they wanted to make an example out of me, and all they needed was suspicion, instead of facts, but they sent the facts to hell.”

An Empty Pen

On Aug. 11, 2017, Bennett, 25, and a friend, Nathan Wolfe, split the costs of eight pigs at Texas County’s Summersville Stockyard in Summersville, Mo., in the southeast corner of the Show-Me State, roughly 20 miles north of the Arkansas line.

Swine in his truck bed, Bennett departed from Texas County, passed through Shannon County, and arrived at his Jadwin community home in extreme southern Dent County. That night, according to Bennett, he put one pig to immediate slaughter and deposited seven of the animals, earmarked with USDA Brite Tags, in a dilapidated pen adjacent to his trailer. The pen’s fencing, made from 2”x4” wire, formed a pie-shaped enclosure connected to three trees serving as posts, creating a triangle approximately 12’ long and 7’ wide at the base.

The following morning, Bennett insists, he awoke to an empty pen. Every pig was gone. “I was upset because the pigs escaped and I lost a lot of money,” he says, “but I didn’t have no idea I was fixing to be the No. 1 example of illegal hunting for the whole damn state.”

The Pig Bomb

Wild pigs are a rapacious species, costing the United States as much as $1.5 billion in damage each year, according to the National Feral Swine Damage Management Program ( NFSDMP ). Nationwide population estimates vary, but Jack Mayer, manager of the Environmental Sciences and Biotechnology Group at the Savannah River National Laboratory in Aiken, S.C., places the approximate U.S. wild pig tally at 6.3 million, with an overall estimate ranging between 4.4 million to 11.3 million.

(Farm Journal)

Over the past decade, the increased presence of wild pigs has become a significant political and wildlife issue in Missouri. Hunting wild pigs is legal in Missouri, but only on private land. Wild pigs reproduce at an outrageously high rate, with sows capable of delivering two litters (average of six piglets per litter) in 15 months. Females are reproductively capable at five to six months, fueling the multiplier effect. Generally, wild pig biologists place the “control” bar at roughly 66% to 75%. In theory, if a given area has a wild pig population of 100,000, then 66,000 to 75,000 must be killed each year—just to keep the population at a floor of 100,000. Simply, sustained wild pig control is a herculean task.

The heaviest populations of wild pigs in the U.S. range in the Southeast, ravaging ground between Florida and Texas, but population numbers have recently climbed in Missouri. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), the number of wild pigs in Missouri is a mathematical blank—an unknown.

However, a Mark Twain National Forest publication ( Forest Reflections 2017 , page 10) released in June 2018, contradicts the absence of a wild pig approximation, and projects numbers at “an estimated 20,000 – 30,000 feral hogs in the State of Missouri.”

Additionally, during testimony before the Missouri Legislature in February 2020, Dale Nolte, program manager for the USDA APHIS National Feral Swine Damage Management Program, pegged the wild pig population in Missouri at up to 100,000.

By calendar year, wild pig totals removed through trapping in Missouri are on the rise, and the statistics are touted by MDC as indicative of an increasingly successful eradication program: 5,358 in 2016; 6,567 in 2017; 9,365 in 2018; 10,945 in 2019; and 12,635 in 2020. Yet, with no MDC overall wild pig population estimate as a measuring tape, the trapping statistics lack context. Simply, the trapping numbers can be viewed as proof of effective control, or as evidence of an increase in wild pig presence.

Why? Because if the Mark Twain tally of 20,000-30,000 wild pigs is ballpark accurate, or if Nolte’s estimate of a range up to 100,000 wild pigs is correct, MDC’s wild pig trapping numbers are remarkably far below conventional control rates (66% to 75% control bar).

Regardless of present numbers, MDC officials (as well as wildlife officials in other wild pig-afflicted states) place heavy attribution for the expansion in wild pig geography and increase in wild pig populations to illegal releases; i.e., human transport of individual or small groups of wild pigs in order to purposefully boost hunting potential. Boiled down, MDC believes the sound of wild pig expansion is often the crunch of truck and trailer tires on gravel.

(Farm Journal)

Whether the numbers are right or wrong, such were the tangled background threads of Missouri’s wild pig tapestry when MDC placed its legal eye on Bennett, convinced he bought pigs at the Summersville Stockyard and released them with the intent to boost feral hog numbers and augment hunting. Bennett contends he was the victim of overzealous game wardens, but from MDC’s perspective, Bennett was a proven outlaw.

Guilty? Innocent? A battered adage is fitting, no matter the vantage point: The devil is in the details.

Mulefoot Conspiracy

On Sept. 2, 2017, less than 2 miles from Bennett’s mobile home, a nearby property owner in Shannon County shot and killed two pigs, each marked with an ear tag, denoted by the USDA identification numbers: 43AT9565 and 43AT9567.

Several weeks later, on Sept. 29, after tracing the pigs’ identification numbers, Conservation Agent Brad Hadley, MDC’s representative in Shannon County, called Todd Hornback, then-owner of Summersville Stockyard, seeking processing paperwork on the two pigs in question.

(Farm Journal)

Cutting hay an hour from the sale barn, Hornback answered his cell and listened to a series of requests from Hadley. “He (Hadley) said he was at my business place and had a search warrant on his console that he was ready to use,” Hornback remembers. “He was direct and said I’d come to him, or he’d come to me. Either way, Hadley said I was going to talk to him.”

At a minimum, Hornback notes, Hadley wanted information—backtags and paperwork—on everyone involved in Bennett’s pig transaction. “I didn’t have any idea what he was talking about,” Hornback says. “We were moving a lot of livestock and it was impossible for me to recall specific details on a handful of hogs.”

Gathering the corresponding paperwork, Hornback then drove to a designated grocery store parking lot to meet with Hadley and another wildlife officer. Hornback contends that prior to the parking lot meeting, Hadley and MDC had already reached a two-pronged conclusion: First, the two pigs were definitive proof of an illegal release into the wild by Bennett, in order to boost feral hog numbers. Second, the two pigs were evidence of a wider conspiracy between multiple players—including Hornback—within the hog hunting community to transport, sell, purchase, and release pigs into the wild.

“They were there from the get-go assuming I was involved in a wild pig scheme; I know it,” Hornback says. “I got out of my vehicle, and Hadley stood in front of me, and the other guy got behind. I know exactly what was happening because they assumed I was a criminal, and was part of some crazy gang buying wild pigs from other criminals, then selling the wild pigs in my barn to people who were secretly releasing them. Kinda like a network.”

According to Hornback, Hadley displayed smartphone pictures of the two dead pigs in question, and handed Hornback the cell for a closer look. Hornback couldn’t contain his disbelief: “Something was funny about the pictures right off the bat; just didn’t look right. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Thank the Lord above, I zoomed in and saw mulefeet. I told them in black-and-white: ‘Those are not even wild pigs, they’re mulefoot hogs.’”

Hadley’s reaction, according to Hornback, was of shock. “Both Hadley’s and the other fella’s jaws hit the ground, and they didn’t have a clue what I was talking about with mulefoots. I knew right then these guys may have been wildlife officers, but they sure as hell couldn’t even identify what was or wasn’t a wild pig.”

(MDC was contacted by Farm Journal through telephone and email, but declined to answer any questions about the Michael Bennett case or Brad Hadley’s involvement.)

The two pigs, as with all the pigs purchased by Bennett, were mulefoot hogs , among the most distinct porcine breeds in the United States, likely dating back to Spain’s North American arrival in the 1500’s, and possessing a unique calling card—an unmistakable, non-cloven hoof.

“Hadley and the other guy were lost. I told them, ‘Mulefoots are special and sometimes have their own paperwork and it’s their own breed.’ Hadley seemed confused, but he shook my hand, left me alone, and drove away,” Hornback recalls. “That was it. They didn’t want to hear anything else from me.”

(Farm Journal)

Hadley departed with sale barn tagging records, incoming consignment and outgoing sales invoices, and the identities of consignor and buyer: Duane Smotherman and Michael Bennett.

“They fingered me as the middleman selling wild game between Smotherman and Bennett,” Hornback adds, his voice rising with exclamation. “Craziest s*** I’ve seen in my life. Who in the hell sneaks around to pay extra for mulefoots out of a sale barn and then releases them into the woods to go feral? And who in the hell releases hogs into the woods and leaves the ear tags in place?”

Enter the Kingpin

Several days later, Bennett was at home preparing for an evening hunt at approximately 5 p.m., loading coyote hounds into a dog box attached to his truck bed, when Hadley pulled onto his property in an MDC vehicle. Escaping the barking din of the dogs, Bennett entered Hadley’s cab to answer questions regarding purchase of the mulefoot hogs. “I already had heard about the two hogs getting shot,” Bennett says, “and when Hadley pulled up and asked me to talk in his cab, I had no problem because I hadn’t done nothing.”

Bennett was no stranger to game wardens. As described in MDC citations 286249 and 286736, on Nov. 16, 2012, Bennett fled the scene after being seen spotlighting deer by two Reynolds County conservation agents. The following day, he was located by the two agents (Eric Long and Matthew Bryant) and admitted to the illegal harvest of an 8-point deer. Bennett pled guilty to “take, attempt to take, or pursue wildlife from or with a motor driven air, land or water conveyance.” In addition, he pled guilty to “take, attempt to take, or pursue wildlife with aid of artificial light.” He paid roughly $700 in fines and court costs.

In discussing the 2012 spotlighting incident, Bennett says his conviction was justified. “Those game wardens got me because I done it and I was guilty. I was 19 years old and made a bad mistake, but that shouldn’t make people automatically think I’m guilty of everything in the future. I think the conservation people figured I had to be guilty again over the pigs and jumped the gun.”

According to Hadley’s official report from his visit to Bennett’s residence: “I asked Bennett to tell me what happened and he said, ‘I bought ‘em at Summersville, brought ‘em home, put ‘ern in my pen, they got out.’ I asked what kind of pen Bennett has and he said, ‘It’s just an old pen.’ I asked Bennett what kind of hogs they were and he said, ‘Mulefooted.’ I asked Bennett if he knew where they came from and he said, ‘I just bought ‘ern at the sale barn, is all I know.’ I asked Bennett if he had any left and he said, ‘No, they all got out.’”

Following the initial conversation, Hadley and Bennett exited the truck and walked around the trailer to the makeshift pen. Again, from Hadley’s report: “As we looked at the pen Bennett told me he had put the hogs in there when they got back that night, "...'cause it was midnight when we got in, and I was gonna build ‘ern a new pen the next morning.’ I did not ask and Bennett did not say whether, at the time he bought the hogs, he already had the supplies bought to build this pen or the feed that would have been necessary for them. Bennett did volunteer that, ‘...they was about twenty-five pound pigs when I bought ‘ern.’ I asked Bennett how much he’d paid for the hogs and he said, ‘...twenty or thirty dollars.’ I asked Bennett if all seven had come here, to this pen, and if all seven of them had got away from here and he said, ‘Yeah. I was gonna fatten’ em up and butcher ‘em.’”

(Farm Journal)

According to Bennett, the presence of ear tags in both mulefoots killed on nearby land was of no interest to Hadley. “I told him (Hadley) taking out the ear tags would make it so the pigs could never be traced, but he said tags fall out and I would have known they’d drop out in a few weeks.”

The proposition that a seasoned hog hunter (Bennett) would leave ear tags on the pigs is unreasonable, Hornback insists. Additionally, Hornback says any belief the tags would fall out rapidly from the pigs’ ears is incorrect: “No way the metal tags are coming out on their own unless ripped out. An owner, whether experienced or not, can get the tags out in seconds by easy cutting, and all evidence of ownership is gone. I guarantee you Michael Bennett knew that.”

Hadley next asked for a written statement reiterating the conversation—and then read Bennett a Miranda warning, and told Bennett citations would probably be issued. After the written statement was completed several minutes later, Hadley declared he would meet with Dent County Prosecutor Andrew Curley for further action.

(The Dent County Prosecutor’s office was contacted by Farm Journal through telephone and email, but declined to answer any questions about the Michael Bennett case.)

In total, the interview, walk-through, recitation of Miranda rights, and written statement lasted 45 minutes. Hadley drove away from the alleged scene of the crime, about to compile a “Conservation Agent’s Statement to the Prosecuting Attorney” in order to set the legal wheels in motion toward the prosecution of Bennett over the accusations of pig release.

Hadley’s report, issued on Oct. 24, 2017, was roughly 2,700 words, and contained speculation and hog hunting conspiracy allusions, and concluded with a hazy final paragraph: “This investigation has documented that a known feral hog hunter sold through the Summersville Stockyard, LLC seven hogs that were ear-tagged with US Department of Agriculture (USDA) “Brite Tags” by sale barn employees, and those hogs were bought by another known feral hog hunter. That buyer, Michael L. Bennett, had made no provisions to control and contain the movement of those hogs and all seven subsequently became free-roaming. Two of those free-roaming ear-tagged hogs were subsequently shot and killed by the neighbor of the buyer of the hogs, while the remaining five are apparently still free-roaming at the time of this report.”

Bottom line: Bennett, whether guilty or innocent, was set to face charges that appeared to rely on conjecture.

Further, according to inference within Hadley’s report, there was an origin source for the conspiracy: Enter Duane Smotherman, the alleged kingpin, and his herd of mulefoots.

A “Known Hog Hunter”

“It’s a big, fat, total lie,” says Smotherman. “I never met Michael Bennett before he bought the hogs. I’d never seen him before this or knew of him, and anybody who says I gave him or anyone else a tipoff to come buy hogs at the barn is a damn liar too. It’s the biggest bunch of mess I’ve ever heard, but that is exactly what Hadley is getting at between the lines.”

Hadley specifically labeled Smotherman as a “known hog hunter” and a landowner with acreage adjoining a conservation-controlled area where MDC had trapped 38 feral hogs from May to October 2017, on land within 4 miles of Smotherman’s home. Further, Hadley states: “I told Bennett that the person (Smotherman) who brought the hogs to the sale barn was known to us to be a hog hunter and that it was a bad connection when we have one hog hunter selling hogs through a sale barn to another hog hunter who subsequently allowed those hogs to get loose.”

Smotherman, 70, raises cow-calf pairs in Shannon County and owns 787 acres alongside Birch Creek. Mulefoot hogs, more as a hobby instead of livelihood or side-stream income, have maintained a long-time presence on his farm, and Smotherman has sold the breed to multiple sale barns over several decades. “Hadley talks about 38 feral hogs being trapped by MDC close to my house, and what he means is that I’m the one who released them on purpose. It’s not a word true and I’ll say all of this under oath in a heartbeat.”

Despite being mentioned in Hadley’s report as the possible point source for Bennett’s hogs, Smotherman claims he was never approached for an interview or testimony. Again, according to Smotherman, neither Hadley nor the Dent County prosecutor called him for comment. “It’s not a tricky question,” Smotherman says. “If they really believed that I was the behind all this, why in the hell wouldn’t they question me? No, it was much easier to throw my name in there and muddy up everything to make Bennett look even worse. Didn’t nobody at the Conservation Department or at the prosecutor’s office think maybe, just maybe, this ain’t true?”

“The whole deal makes no sense,” he continues. “It’s almost like somebody was waiting to throw my name as a hog hunter out there just to see what might stick with the prosecutors, no matter how crazy.”

Smotherman’s words poke at a peculiar facet of Bennett’s prosecution: The existence of a “Hog Hunter Contact” database compiled by Hadley. Again, wild pig hunting in Missouri is legal on private land with the landowner’s permission, yet Hadley, and by proxy MDC, maintained an unofficial file for the purposes of keeping tabs on individual wild pig hunters—legal or not. Smotherman was in the file—along with 70 to 80 other Missouri citizens.

Recklessly? Knowingly?

After Hadley turned his report over to Dent County Prosecutor Curley, pig release charges were levied against Bennett. (Missouri Statute 270.260 makes it a crime for a person to recklessly or knowingly release any swine to live in a wild or feral state. The statute also indicates the accidental escape of domestic swine is not a crime.)

(Farm Journal)

Bennett faced seven misdemeanor charges of releasing swine into the wild, with each count carrying a potential sentence of one year in jail and a $2,000 fine.

When the Missouri Hunting & Working Dog Alliance ( MHWDA ), spurred by communications director Missi Ferguson, caught wind of the state’s actions, MHWDA began raising money for Bennett’s legal defense. Enter a bulldog attorney: Jason Coatney.

Coatney grew up on a farm in Greene County in southwest Missouri, and was highly familiar with the nuances of livestock production. The government’s position was “outrageous,” according to Coatney’s conclusions. “It was a misdemeanor charge, but Michael was facing $14,000 in fines. No way. We wanted people to hear the facts of this case and we wanted a jury trial.”

“MDC wanted to stomp the hell out of a backwoods guy who likes to hunt hogs and fits the profile of a poster child because he has past deer violations,” Coatney continues. “Would anyone on a jury believe he’s going to pay $235 for eight pigs and then let them go, when he can easily get pigs for free and let those go instead? Or that he’s part of this crazy hog hunter network with Smotherman? Or that he left in the ear tags so they basically broadcast: This is Michael Bennett’s pig? Bennett is country and can find pigs anywhere, and he damn sure doesn’t need to buy them in a sale barn.”

On Sept. 26, 2018, three weeks before Bennett’s trial, Hadley was deposed by Coatney. Taken under oath, Hadley’s responses during the 50-minute deposition are seemingly contradictory and uncertain. Under Coatney’s prodding, whatever case the prosecution had built against Bennett likely was destroyed by the end of Hadley’s on-the-record testimony.

COATNEY QUESTION (Q): What is it you’re going to tell the jury?

HADLEY ANSWER (A): As far as what?

Q: Whether he (Bennett) knowingly or recklessly released these swine?

A: I don’t know that it makes any difference.

Q: It makes a huge difference, sir. So what is it you’re going to tell them?

A: I don’t know that it makes any difference, knowingly or recklessly, either one.

Q: Okay. So do you believe he knowingly released the swine?

A: Again, I couldn’t speak to that to say specifically that he did this on purpose to release swine.

Q: Do you believe he recklessly released the swine?

A: I believe anyone should have known that that pen would not hold swine.

Q: Okay. So then you believe he was negligent in putting the swine into the pen?

A: Yes.

Later in the Coatney-Hadley exchange:

Q: ...you agree that you’re saying to him that he wasn’t going to say he brought the hogs home knowing they would get out in hopes of having hogs to hunt closer to home in Council Bluff? Is that what you’re going to tell the jury that that’s what he was doing?

A: No

Q: You don’t believe that that’s what he was doing?

A: I don’t know.

Q: Okay. You say here that you don’t think it, right? You weren’t going to say it. What does that mean to you?

A: It means I’m not going to come out and say that you did this because I don’t know what you did.

Q: Okay. Well, you charged him with a crime based upon—I mean, the State has charged him, but you’re the person who provided this information.

A: Yes

Q: You came over and met with the prosecuting attorney, did you not?

A: Yes, I did.

Q: Do you think that you lobbied him (Prosecutor Curley) to bring charges?

A: I presented material, I would like charges brought.

Q: Did you communicate to the prosecuting attorney that there’s a major problem and that you need to prosecute somebody for releasing swine into the wild?

A: Yes, I probably said we would like to do something with this.

Q: So you were looking for a poster child for the problem that you had of swine in the public, correct?

A: I was looking for a case that we could make in the public. It’s not the easiest thing in the world to find somebody releasing hogs.

Continuing in the Coatney-Hadley exchange:

Q: So do you believe that he purchased these animals to take them home to release them so he could hunt?

A: I believe he purchased those home—those animals, took them to his house, put them in the pen and they escaped, they got out…they—whatever, however it happened, I don’t know.

Further in the Coatney-Hadley exchange:

Q: My question is: Do you believe he purchased these pigs and brought them home for the purposes of allowing them to escape to go out into the woods so he would have something to hunt?

A: I don’t know whether he did that or not.

Q: And you’re not going to tell the jury that he did that?

A: No, I’m not going to tell the jury he did that. I can’t say exactly what he did—what his purpose for doing any of this was.

More, from the Coatney-Hadley exchange:

Q: Okay. So what is it that you’re going to say to the jury that says that he either recklessly or he knowingly released these swine into the wild?

A: He bought the hogs, they got to his place, they left his place.

Stunningly, over a year after obtaining search warrants, conducting an investigation, and presenting the government with an official report that was the trigger for the prosecution of Bennett, Hadley stated in on-the-record testimony that he did not know motive, intent or purpose related to Bennett and the wild pigs. Piling on the irony, Hadley explicitly stated he would not offer the jury any definitive conclusion on what occurred.

Hadley’s deposition was a genuine head-scratcher. Weeks prior to the official kickoff of the court proceedings, Hadley, the prosecution’s main witness and spearhead in the pursuit of Bennett, was stuck at: “...they (Bennett’s pigs) escaped, they got out…they—whatever, however it happened, I don’t know.”

According to the deposition, Hadley had personal belief of Bennett’s guilt—and nothing else. Yet, personal belief and prosecution are separated by a legal mile. Bottom line, Hadley’s deposition served as a sledgehammer to the ankles of the prosecution’s case.

“Hadley first said Michael did it on purpose so he could go hunt the pigs, but when that sounded like horses***, he said the pen wouldn’t hold them anyhow and that was illegal,” Coatney explains. “It was unreal, because when Hadley, the guy who represented MDC and had been the champion of trying to get Bennett, was put under oath, it was easy to see there was no evidence—just speculation.”

“People need to pay attention to these kinds of cases,” Coatney adds. “This one involved Michael Bennett, a country guy with little sophistication, but the State could have been going after anybody.”

Hog Hunter Database

A sidecar of Bennett’s case, yet an alarming facet, remains the database on Missouri hunters compiled by Hadley.

COATNEY QUESTION (Q): Why are you collecting data on people that if they’re not doing anything illegal?

HADLEY ANSWER (A): I collect intelligence information from every contact I make. Things that you learn during in this contact may be of assistance to you in the next contact.

Q: You have other contact information sheets for when you encounter somebody who’s maybe spotlight a deer?

A: No, not necessarily.

(Farm Journal)

Further in Coatney’s questioning:

Q: Do you—you don’t disseminate these reports to other agents?

A: I don’t believe I have.

Q: What is the objective in inputting this data and keeping these records? What are you trying to accomplish?

A: Just to know the hog-hunting community.

Q: Okay. And so that’s the hog-hunting community for what counties?

A: Wherever they might occur.

Q: Okay. And what’s their reaction to what it is that you’re doing here with these two documents?

A: I’ve been encouraged, as far as I know. Everybody thought it was a good idea, so...

Q: So is it fair to say then, that in reviewing all of the contact reports, were they all generated by you or did you have others that were generated by other agents?

A: I had other agents that sent me information.

Q: But you generated those reports?

A: Yes. I entered it in the database.

Q: Okay. And is this -- as you sit here today, do you have a present recollection as to how many of these contact sheets that you have in your possession?

A: I’d say 80, 90.

Further...

Q: And for each one of those contacts, you’ve created this type of a sheet, and you hold that database in your own computer?

A: Correct.

Q: And you don’t disseminate it to anybody else in the department?

A: No.

“It’s no wonder Hadley jumps to conclusions about a ‘known hog hunter,’ who was Smotherman, supposedly passing along hogs to another hog hunter, who was Bennett,” Coatney says. “He gets these information forms that he’s filled out, for a database that he’s prepared, and he’s also the repository for the database. However you want to describe it, it’s a government employee keeping under-the-table files on private citizens that he admits may be completely innocent.”

“When you have state officials keeping hidden databases on hunters that are behaving in an entirely legal matter, and the database may or may not be disseminated to other officials, it makes private citizens a little leery.”

Pulling the Handbrake

With Hadley’s deposition in hand, Coatney was convinced the prosecution lacked a submissible case, and pressed hard for a jury trial, demanding the whole ball of wax be rolled before the public. On Oct. 1, Curley asked the presiding judge (Dent County Associate Court Judge Brandi Baird) for a continuance—a delay—and was denied: Trial the following week.

However, on Oct. 11, Curley pulled the handbrake on the case, dismissing the charges against Bennett. According to the The Salem News , Curley stated the following via press release: “I originally filed the charge because the probable cause statement indicated there wasn’t any evidence to believe the pigs were ever placed in the pen. This led me to believe the agent had fully inspected the pen and had sufficient evidence to believe the hogs were never placed in the pen but released directly into the wild by Michael Bennett.”

(Farm Journal)

“Following the (Sept. 26, 2018) deposition, my understanding of the case changed drastically, and I believe it would be impossible to convince 12 jurors the defendant was guilty of this crime,” Curley continued. “A jury would likely see this as an accidental escape.”

Coatney contends finding 12 impartial jurors would have been an extremely difficult task. “It was over. When Curley wasn’t allowed a continuance, he dropped the case. Finished. The judge was about to call in 100 prospective jurors just to find 12 people, and that’s the kind of jury pool number called in for pedophile cases. Why? I believe they knew it was going to be tough to find 12 jurors out of the gate that weren’t alarmed by the Conservation Department’s behavior.”

Significantly, despite Hadley’s admissions during the deposition, and after Curley abandoned the case, MDC continues to champion the performance of Hadley in the pursuit of Bennett, describing his actions as “a thorough investigation.”

From a March 2020 MDC statement sent to Farm Journal: “The Department appreciates the efforts of Agent Hadley and Prosecuting Attorney Curley to conduct a thorough investigation and file charges for the unlawful release of swine back in 2017. While disappointed, we understand the prosecutor’s decision to ultimately dismiss the charges, and the inherent difficulty in proving the culpable mental state of Mr. Bennett. The law requires proving beyond a reasonable doubt that hogs were knowingly or recklessly released.”

Bennett’s case is highly troubling to Coatney, and the Missouri attorney believes a political issue became the spur for overreach by a government agency. “Hogs are breeding like rabbits here and some people blame hog hunters. Whatever position you take, there is no denying feral hogs are a hot political issue in Missouri. You’d think that somebody at some level in MDC would have seen the total lack of evidence against Michael and said something before it got right to the edge of trial, but as far as I know, nobody said a word. MDC believed they had an easy target in Michael, but the facts said otherwise.”

“I’ve seen a lot of things in my career,” Coatney concludes, “but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a stretch like what MDC tried to pull against Michael Bennett.”

Unanswered Questions

Fair question: What would have happened to Bennett without the intervention of Missi Ferguson, MHWDA, and Jason Coatney? Also, was Smotherman next in line to be prosecuted?

“How could the Conservation Department do all this with no evidence?” Smotherman asks. “I’m not even asking for reasonable doubt, just give me some common sense. Nobody moves hogs, especially mulefoots, to sale barns and then secretly hollers at hog hunters to go buy them. Nobody pays money for mulefoots, and then lets them go, and then leaves in the ear tags. Only a bureaucracy person could believe the government’s story without at least raising some questions.”

Smotherman’s contention is echoed by Hornback. “MDC was gonna try to claim I was selling wild pigs through my barn. That kind of government power, based on suspicion, is scary to me and ought to be to everyone, because they were moving forward without any evidence, which is exactly what happened to Bennett, and might have happened later to Duane Smotherman. People need to pay attention to this case because these kinds of things should matter to everybody who cares about what’s right.”

Three years after dismissal of all charges, Bennett reflects back on his near prosecution. “I’m innocent and I never released them hogs. I’m thankful for Missi Ferguson believing that something was not right about my case, and raising money to hire Jason Coatney. Otherwise, I don’t know what I’d have done. How do you fight back against people who can push you anywhere they want based on what they guess happened?”

As one of the oddest feral hog stories on record, the question of how Bennett came within days of a trial procedure due to allegations highlighted by an apparent lack of incriminating evidence, still remains unanswered. In the Dent County prosecutor’s press release issued after the dismissal of all charges against Bennett are 10 key words. The 10 words, tacked on as a caboose to the whole affair, might better have served as the lead sentence of the initial MDC report a year earlier: “A jury would likely see this as an accidental escape.”

For more, see:

The Arrowhead whisperer: Stunning Indian Artifact Collection Found on Farmland

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

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

Predator Tractor Unleashed on Farmland by Ag’s True Maverick

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

A Skeptical Farmer’s Monster Message on Profitability

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

Wild Pig Explosion Starts in Belly of the Beast

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 19:48:00 GMT

Slicing into a wild pig killed overnight during a research cull, a student of Dr. Steve Ditchkoff expects the unexpected. Another wild pig, another necropsy, and quite possibly—another surprise. Roots, vegetation, seeds, pecans or acorns, insects, rabbit, deer: What is inside the belly of this particular pig?

As the blade cuts through the stomach wall, 53 toads spill from the cavity—telltale evidence of a phenomenally adaptive creature geared for survival. “There’s not an animal in North America that compares with the opportunism of a wild pig,” Ditchkoff says. “If you take away invasive pythons in Florida, wild pigs are unquestionably the No. 1 vertebrate pest in the country, and they’re responsible for untold amounts of destruction.”

Truly. And 53 toads is merely a tiny dish on a buffet line with no end. Wild pigs have exploded in numbers across the United States, possibly exceeding 6.5 million in just under 40 states, assisted in great part by car wheels on gravel—human transport, and their proliferation involves far more than an outrageously high birth rate and extreme intelligence. Without exaggeration, wild pig control is one of the greatest challenges in U.S. wildlife management history, and in many ways, wild pig prosperity is partially due to a hog’s ability to eat like a human, i.e., the truth is in the fascinating belly of a beast like no other.

Opportunistic Masterclass

How can a creature that eats almost anything be controlled? The latitude in a wild pig’s ability to source food is astounding, from foraging roots in the woods, to feasting in a pecan orchard, to hitting a freshly planted row of corn and precision-rooting seed every 6” for 100 yards, to consuming the remains of dead mammals, or to functioning as a predator, says Ditchkoff , a wildlife biologist at Auburn University, and one of the top wild pig specialists in the U.S., as he recalls a chilling lesson witnessed firsthand during a nighttime harvest of wild pigs in Alabama in 2006. Under cover of darkness en route to cull a wild pig, Ditchkoff heard the bleats of a fawn, and upon locating the source of distress, shot a wild pig in the process of consuming the dying deer. During the subsequent necropsy, Ditchkoff’s team found several feet of the deer’s intestines inside the wild pig. (Anecdotally, multiple accounts exist from farmers and landowners observing cannibalistic behavior of wild pigs feeding off the carcasses of their own species.)

(Farm Journal)

Suffice to note, the capability of wild pigs to ingest a wide spectrum of food relates directly to their ability to cause havoc on U.S. farmland. Annually, APHIS estimates wild pig damage to the U.S. agriculture economy at $1.5 billion, but Ditchkoff, author and co-editor of Invasive Wild Pigs in North America: Ecology, Impacts, and Management , believes the true dollar amount may be significantly higher. “We don’t have solid numbers on the losses inflicted on ag by wild pigs, and the numbers we do have are low on detail. There have been several studies in recent years, but they haven’t come to a reliable, comprehensive conclusion. I think $1.5 billion is low because it doesn’t factor in water quality effects and ecological damage that can’t be enumerated.”

In 2016, APHIS estimated the total U.S. wild pig population at 6 million across almost 40 states—a glaringly high number considering wild pigs may have numbered as low as 500,000 prior to 1990.

Jack Mayer, manager of the Environmental Sciences and Biotechnology Group at the Savannah River National Laboratory in Aiken, S.C., pegs the wild pig population at 6.3 million, with an overall possible range of 4 million to 11 million. Wild pigs breed year-round and sows produce two litters per year—six piglets on average, but litters can be as large as 12 piglets.

Although rare, sows are biologically capable of conception as early as four months and boars are sexually mature at five months, according to Mayer. There are two general ruts, but wild pigs mate year-round, and sows give birth every month of the year.

(Farm Journal)

The average wild pig age is 1.5 years, with the oldest animals living 8 to 10 years. Sows and litters run together, often in multiple groups, but mature boars tend to be solitary except during breeding. Boars average 200 lb. (but can reach up to 500-600 lb.) and sows average 170 lb. in size, and can run at speeds nearing 30 mph, and cross rivers or bodies of water with relative ease.

Breeding rate, physical prowess, and intelligence are enough to make wild pigs a grand survivor, but when dietary superpowers are tossed in the mix, wild pigs are elevated to an opportunistic masterclass. One serving or another, nature’s trough provides a feast for wild pigs—but, surprise, gluttony plays a minimal role.

Wild Pig Shangri-La

“Despite public perception, wild pigs are no more gluttonous than any other animal,” Ditchkoff notes. “Their metabolism and digestive system is extremely similar to humans. If you really want to know the dietary possibilities of a wild pig, just consider whatever a human can eat and then some.”

The perception of a wild pig as more ravenous than other mammals partially is due to the manner in which they acquire food—much of which is below the surface, Ditchkoff notes. Extraordinary diggers and rooters of the animal kingdom, wild pigs sport an hourglass nasal bone floating in cartilage that provides backing for the nasal pad on the snout, enabling pigs to lean in when rooting with amazingly strong neck muscles, often leaving acres of pasture and row crop ground with a strafe-bombed appearance. Yet, the same snout capable of operating as a porcine bulldozer is also highly sensitive to smell, picking up scents from five to seven miles away, or 20’-plus below the surface.

(Farm Journal)

Wild pigs begin consumption of normal food at roughly two weeks of age, but are not weaned for several months. (The timeline is similar to whitetail fawns, which begin eating vegetation at three to four weeks, but still suckle.) Wild pig diet is 80-90% plant matter, depending on the time of year. “No. 1, they go after roots, and No. 2, plants that store lots of carbohydrates,” Ditchkoff explains. “For example, they absolutely love longleaf pine root systems, and will hammer a line of seedlings to get the starch and carbohydrates.”

Given opportunity, or pressed by necessity, wild pigs switch to earthworms, insects, larvae, turtle eggs, ground-nesting birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammalian carcasses. An average boar (200 lb.) requires at least 3,000 calories a day (paralleling a human of equal size), but spends additional energy searching and foraging for food sources, requiring a caloric increase. (Caloric requirements for pregnant sows don’t increase significantly, Ditchkoff notes, but protein requirements shoot up during the last trimester of pregnancy and during lactation.)

“This is the top find-it-and-take-advantage animal,” Ditchkoff describes. “Just look at Texas, where wild pigs are the second greatest predator of livestock in some parts of the state, eating newborns, and a lot of the time ranchers don’t even find out because there is nothing left.”

(Farm Journal)

The common assumption that winter months are hardest on wild pig food sourcing may be in error, Ditchkoff says: “Their diet just hasn’t been examined in detail as with other species. The focus has been on how to get rid of wild pigs, but not much research has examined how they function. I’m not convinced the winter is that much harder on them, because in winter, plants store energy in root systems and the pigs have an opportunity to feast, but in summer, plants generally send energy into the leaves, and wild pigs are not leaf eaters. They don’t feed like deer. Winter may or may not be harder, but I’m not going to assume.”

All things considered, farmland is a wild pig Shangri-La: a grocery store surrounded by trees. Crop fields, pasture, timber, ponds, bottoms and irrigation sources provide food, water and cover. From a wild pig’s survivalist perspective: Why leave?

“Like No Animal In The Wild”

For over 40 years, and certainly the last two decades, wildlife biologists have tried to document the destructive behavior of wild pigs in order to control the species, with few research exceptions. Over the last several years, researchers have begun looking deeper at wild pig biology: “If we can understand their biology, then we can better control them, and understanding diet is a significant part of that.”

(Farm Journal)

“There are still so many things about wild pigs we don’t know,” Ditchkoff continues. “We know very little about juvenile survival, because we don’t radio collar piglets like we do fawns. We don’t know how males move, because we typically put radio collars on females. We don’t know the extent of their effect on water quality, but we do know it is scary. Diet is one of those things we need to know more about to really understand the overall impact of wild pig populations.”

In 2020, Ditchkoff co-authored and co-edited the aforementioned Invasive Wild Pigs in North America: Ecology, Impacts, and Management , a winner of a Wildlife Publication Award , and a reference guide on wild pig behavior, ecology, management and overall outlook. (Ditchkoff’s co-contributors were Kurt VerCauteren , National Wildlife Research Center; James Beasley , University of Georgia; Jack Mayer , Savannah River National Laboratory, Gary Roloff, Michigan State University; and Bronson Strickland , Mississippi State University.

“There was a group of us working on this book,” Ditchkoff says, “and we wanted to provide a reference for students, scientists, wildlife managers or anyone involved with wild pigs.”

The final chapter of Invasive Wild Pigs in North America takes a look at the future—and Ditchkoff predicts positive changes on the horizon. “Twenty years ago, there was such little optimism in stopping wild pigs, but we’ve acquired so much knowledge, and I think we’re going to see a major difference downward in wild pig numbers. Toxicants are showing real promise, combined with all the other control techniques we’ve gained from. I’m not saying I envision anything approaching eradication, but I expect a major reduction in wild pig numbers.”

In conclusion, Ditchkoff acknowledges the tall order of reducing the population numbers of an animal with a prolific birth rate, high intelligence, imposing size, and phenomenally wide-ranging diet. “Almost all animals are limited food-wise—wild pigs are not. They eat from every plate on the table. They eat above ground; they eat below ground. They are big enough, mean enough and intelligent enough to utilize food sources like no animal in the wild,” he adds. “Oh yeah, ultimate survivor for sure.”

For more, see:

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

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

Predator Tractor Unleashed on Farmland by Ag’s True Maverick

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

A Skeptical Farmer’s Monster Message on Profitability

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

Grizzly Hell: USDA Worker Survives Epic Bear Attack

Wed, 27 Jan 2021 20:13:33 GMT

At the nauseating, audible crunch of bones breaking, 42 teeth of a grizzly bear’s jaws ground into Todd Orr’s body at 1,000 psi—enough pressure to crack a bowling ball. Pinned to the forest floor by 400 lb. of raw power and layered muscle, Orr felt scorching waves of pain surge through his nerves, shoot up his spinal column, and roar into his brain as the bear tore through flesh. Resisting the primal urge in every fiber of his being to scream and flail, Orr blanketed the agony with a phenomenal will to survive, and remained passive, listening to the macabre sounds of what should have been death.

Legendary. In the annals of survival history, Todd Orr’s account is incredible and magnified by a deuce: He skirted death in two separate grizzly bear attacks separated by mere minutes. Despite infinitesimally lean odds of emerging alive from multiple encounters, Orr staggered from the woods one hour after the attacks and recorded a surreal real-time video, and then drove an hour to a hospital to present his mangled body and half-scalped head to a bewildered medical crew. His chilling tale defies chance or coincidence, and touches a primitive chord. How deep will a man dig in order to stay alive, and how much pain will he endure? On Oct. 1, 2016, Orr answered the questions in harrowing detail.

Into the Woods

In the early hours of a fall Saturday in Bozeman, Mont., Orr , 50, arose from his bed at 4 a.m., bound for the wild, the same trip he’d made thousands of times across a lifetime spent outdoors. There was no moment of premonition; no odd itch of concern; and no portent to miss. He suited up in drab Carhartt pants and dark leather Alico hiking boots, donned a worn, navy blue baseball cap, grabbed a banana off the kitchen counter for breakfast, and exited his house—handgun in tow. Clockwork.

Waiting in the driver’s seat of a Toyota Tundra was an Osprey backpack lightly loaded with requisite gear: flashlight, duct tape, camera, GPS, lighter, Carson binoculars, Skyblade knife, fleece pullover and a Marmot rain jacket. An hour’s drive later, and still an hour before daylight, Orr pulled up to an empty trailhead parking lot, holstered a 10mm pistol, strapped a canister of UDAP bear spray to his chest, and began walking northeast with a dimmed headlamp to illuminate a dark trail, surrounded by some of the most breathtakingly beautiful terrain on the planet. He had no inkling of the hell to come.

Adrenaline Junkie

Born to the woods, Orr grew up on a fish hatchery outside Ennis, Mont., at the foot of the Gravely Mountains, roughly an hour from Yellowstone National Park, and spent a childhood beside the Madison River—dirt-biking, fly fishing, hunting and roaming the woods. Orr trailed his father’s steps on countless backcountry elk hunts, soaking in the nuances of scouting and exploration, and by age 12, had a bull elk under his harvest belt. A classic adrenaline junkie, Orr began bow hunting big game at 14, but less than a decade later, a snowboarding accident left him with two dislocated shoulders and permanently ended his ability to effectively draw a bow. Frustrated, but hungry for a challenge above a traditional rifle, he took up pistol hunting in 1987, buying a Ruger Super Redhawk .44 magnum. (As of 2020, Orr has harvested almost 30 bull elk, a moose, and numerous whitetail deer and antelope with the Ruger.)

(Farm Journal)

In 1990, following completion of a degree in fish and wildlife management at Montana State University, Orr began working with USDA-US Forest Service in the ecology group, marking timber sales. Since 2005, he has served as a trail construction engineer—designing, locating and surveying new trails in the Custer Gallatin National Forest. Orr is in his element at every opportunity, weather permitting, working alone outdoors 12-15 hours each day for eight months of the year. An outdoorsman’s version of a polymath, Orr is renowned for meticulous artisanship in knife making as the bi-vocational owner and craftsman of Skyblade Knives , and carries a heavy interest in wildlife photography, frequently stalking game with a camera lens. All said, his outdoor work schedule and personal time spent hunting and exploring in the woods are a ready-made recipe to jack up the odds of an encounter with Ursus arctos horribilis—the grizzly bear.

Wrecking Ball

Darkness lifting and temperature warming to roughly 60 F, Orr stuck to the trail, with silent steps on moist, minimal foliage, further masked by the gurgle of a 1’-deep stream running a stone’s throw to his right. Orr’s intention was to cover as much ground as possible by daylight, and then climb up toward the timberline. At 5’8” and 170 lb., with a lifetime of hiking and exercise, Orr would be 5 miles deep and 9,000’ high in quick time.

Orr was on a scouting expedition for elk in the middle of bow season, several weeks prior to general rifle season, and hiking up Bear Creek in the majestic Madison Range—an 80-mile section of the Rockies running between West Yellowstone and Bozeman, shouldered west to east by the Madison and Gallatin rivers.

The rocky peaks of the area reach over 10,000’ in elevation and the lower hills are covered with dense forests of fir and pine hiding green, aspen meadows and crystal-clear springs. It’s a hiker’s, hunter’s or photographer’s dream world, but the beauty hides the mercurial side of Mother Nature, and fortune can change on a dime.

All things considered, Orr’s best chance to spot an elk would be just after sunrise, and if all went according to plan, he would finish the day with 20 miles on his boots, and possibly a camera full of photos. In addition, elk scat, tracks and rubs would reveal whether there was a strong number of bull elk in the area, and worthy of a hunt a few weeks later.

Continuing on the path, Orr frequently paused to offer vocal warnings: “I hollered out regularly to let any bears ahead know I was coming up the trail, giving them time to fade into the brush and avoid an encounter,” he explains.

An hour into the trek, just after daylight, the faint trail opened onto a long and narrow grassy meadow beside the stream, tucked between a low, brushy ridge to Orr’s left and the rise of a steep, timbered mountain on the far side of the stream. The post-dawn air was crisp and cool, moving up the valley on a slight breeze behind Orr and carrying his scent across the meadow.

Eighty yards ahead, at the far end of the meadow, a large sow grizzly bear was walking just in front of two cubs, moving down the faint trail toward Orr. Sows typically become pregnant once every three years, and cubs stay with sows for roughly two to three years after birth. Orr had chanced upon a mature female, likely close to 400 lb., with a potential lifespan of 20-plus years. In a suspended moment of time, the hump-shouldered sow and Orr spotted one another in the same instant, as both bear and man froze in motion. The sow turned west and ran over the low ridge—cubs on her heels.

(Farm Journal)

“I watched and waited a minute or two,” Orr recalls, “before deciding she was long gone over the ridge, and I headed up the trail to the east, opposite of her direction. I assumed she was not fond of human contact and I would not see her again.”

Within two-dozen more steps on the trail, he heard a soft rustle of foliage and the slight snap of a branch over his left shoulder, and turned to see the sow. She had left her cubs and circled Orr, caught his wind, and was coming off the ridge, barreling through brush, grass and scattered trees at full speed, ears back and body low to the ground. In a blur, Orr was 40 yards away from an apex predator capable of covering roughly 15 yards per second—a 400 lb. wrecking ball of heavy bone and inordinate layers of muscle charging at 30 miles per hour.

Freight Trains and Water Balloons

Prior to 2016, Orr had seen hundreds of bears while hunting or working in the woods, and encountered several in close proximity on multiple occasions. At first blush, he assumed the charging sow would check up: “Most bears are usually just curious, and charges or attacks are very rare. In all the years I’ve spent in the woods, I’ve only had two bears that bluffed a charge, and none had attacked until 2016.”

Tucked into a chest holster on his left side, Orr carried a Rock Island Armory 10mm 1911 pistol, kitted with a Burris 2-7x32mm scope on a self-designed mount. The pistol was not Orr’s standard hunting choice, and he’d brought it on the off-chance an opportunity to harvest a wolf developed during the scout. The 10mm was relatively bulky with a 6” barrel, secured by a snap strap, and not conducive to quick-draw, lightweight bear protection.

With less than three seconds to spare, Orr instinctively reached for the 9 oz. can of bear spray strapped to the right side of his chest. “For the last 25 years, I only had the protection of bear spray while working at the Forest Service. I was not allowed to carry a firearm, so all my training, practice and thoughts were of bear spray and proper use.”

Still expecting a bluff charge, Orr removed the safety clip and raised the canister as the sow closed the gap. “I had practiced dozens of times for this moment, and hundreds of times in my head,” he says. Orr gave the sow a full blast of spray, turned his body sideways and went to ground for protection as the bear slammed into his body. Freight train through a water balloon.

Face in the dirt, hands clasped around the back of his head and forearms draped over his face and neck, legs drawn underneath, he was a toy in the possession of a capricious beast packing astounding physical prowess from head to tail: curved claws up to 5” in length, massive front paws sometimes 9”-plus wide and hind paws often over 1’ in length, a superb sense of smell far surpassing even bloodhounds, eyesight equivalent to humans, and a bite packing 1,000 psi, all wrapped in a physical package of outrageous core strength.

“As I hit the ground, she was immediately standing upon me with her front paws, and repeatedly bit my right arm and shoulder a half dozen times, before coughing and wheezing from the bear spray, and disappearing just as quickly,” Orr says.

(Farm Journal)

In a blink, the sow was gone, and Orr rolled over to scan an empty meadow cloaked in bizarre serenity. All still. In a few, short seconds, the sow had delivered five to six quick bites along his right arm, and then sank 42 teeth deep into the top of his right shoulder. Orr was bleeding heavily, but had sustained a series of puncture wounds with no arterial or organ damage. At this point, Orr’s survival was a given—provided he could get out of the woods.

Rising to his feet, Orr hit the trail at a fast pace, bear spray in hand, heading for the safety of the truck. Adrenaline pumping, nerves frayed, he cast his eyes in wide sweeps, unable to hear much beyond his immediate surroundings due to the flowing creek. At that precise point in time, Orr believed he was heading toward his truck and safety, but what he didn’t know, and couldn’t know, was suited for fiction. After the initial attack, the sow hit the ridge and exited downward, while Orr hopped the trail to reverse course. Translation: Bear and man were set to cross paths again at the tip of a rough “V” pattern.

The lower 48 states house a total population of just 1,800 grizzly bears, according to US Fish & Wildlife. Incredibly, and against all probability, Orr was set to encounter the same bear twice in the span of minutes. Already in extreme need of medical attention and stitching, Orr was about to bounce from fryer to fire. Comparatively stated, the first attack was a scrape; the second attack was hell.

Razor’s Edge

In 1823, Hugh Glass endured the most famous grizzly bear attack in U.S. history, after stumbling upon a sow and two cubs in North Dakota. After a savage attack in which the mountain man was “tore nearly all to peases,” Glass survived a prolonged encounter, only to be abandoned by his comrades under the assumption of his impending death. A living corpse, Glass traveled 350 solo miles to safety to punctuate an astounding survival tale. His story was given silver screen treatment in 2015, and the trapper-mountain man was portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio in The Revenant, a 2015 movie featuring the most stirring portrayal of a grizzly bear attack ever set to film.

Maybe Orr was born 200 years late. Whether planned, or random, as Orr believes, the second sow attack echoed elements of the primal rage displayed in the Glass account. With almost five minutes elapsed since the first attack, Orr made 800 yards of edgy progress on the downward path when he heard the clear crack of a branch over the din of running creek water. Peering over his left shoulder, he caught the blur of the sow in full stride 15’ to his flank, and felt a near-instant blow across his back that sent him sprawling 10’ forward; no time for spray, pistol or flight.

In physical form, it was the same sow from the first attack, but in demeanor she carried an entirely ramped up state of ferocity. Hovering atop Orr, she bit down on his left forearm, tearing away two tendons, ripping muscle and breaking the ulna. Orr groaned and instinctively drew his arm in, but his movement further enraged and excited the sow. “I remember the pain from her first bite into my left arm, and the sound of the bone breaking,” he describes. “I pulled my arm away and made an audible sound, which triggered the bear into a frenzied attack, biting, clawing, shaking and tossing me.”

Essentially, the bear was rag-dolling Orr, and he immediately recognized cruel necessity: Eat pain until the fury ebbs. “She would bite into me, pick me up with her mouth, and shake me back and forth until I was flung to the side into the dirt. The adrenaline and the will to survive took over and I blocked out all the pain after the first bite, and focused on staying quiet and still, while she continued to chew on me.”

At all times a single bite or swipe from death, Orr was stomped, picked up, thrown, dragged, clawed, and bitten by the sow over several minutes, yet he maintained his faculties and clung to a sole shred of hope: Take the punishment, emit no sound, show no resistance, and stay as close to the fetal position as possible.

After enduring body slams and inordinate shaking, along with 30 bites across his back, sides and arms, Orr went partially blind, his eyes filling with blood from a deep 5” claw gash above his right ear that split open his scalp. “There was no chance of fighting back against a beast like this. A grizzly can kill an elk or bison, and one wrong bite or swipe of her claws could crush my neck or skull, or rip me open to bleed out. A bear’s claws are very sharp when they emerge from the den in the spring. They are dulled, roughed and chipped over the summer and fall as they dig for food, but with the immense power behind them, the claws are still plenty sharp to rip most any animal to pieces.”

(Farm Journal)

As the assault unfolded, an ironic fate was a razor’s edge from fruition: A man fortunate enough to survive one grizzly bear attack was fated to die minutes later from another, at the teeth and claws of the same bear. It was a dark, cruel humor, but Orr was having no part. His mind was hyper-focused on a single all-consuming target: life. “I don’t believe I ever felt fear or thought of death or family. I was too focused on survival and not moving or making a sound. Each time she would toss or roll me, I would instantly roll back to the face-down position to protect my vitals.”

Standing over Orr, probably convinced he was dead or dying, the sow’s fury subsided and she ceased the extremes of the attack, biting into Orr’s side and releasing, inadvertently turning his body closer to hers, allowing Orr, at the edge of his peripheral, bloodied vision, to have a surreal moment of near eyeball-to-eyeball contact with one of the most fearsome predators in all of nature.

The sow then dug into Orr’s lower back with her front claws, and again, sensing no movement or reaction, delivered the most hair-raising chill of Orr’s life, lowering her head to his back and breathing onto his neck, taking deep inhalations of his skin. Alternating between quick bites to his shoulder and more breaths to his neck for roughly 30 seconds, she stopped cold, and Orr waited for the coup de grâce that never came. After an eternity of minutes, Orr was alone and the woods were still one more time, save the gurgle of the adjacent creek.

Lazarus

Uncertain whether the sow had truly departed, Orr stayed in a fetal ball for 30-40 seconds and then unfurled his limbs, wiped the blood from eyes, and surveyed the scene. His gear was tossed about, including the pistol, which had been ripped off his side and thrown 15’. He immediately grabbed the gun from the holster, pulled the hammer back, and collected his backpack and bear spray. With the pistol tucked into the crook of his damaged left arm, and the spray at the ready in this right hand, Orr took a last look around—and spotted the worn baseball cap, crumpled on the forest floor. He reached down, grabbed the favored hat, and began what he knew was at least an hour walk even without blood loss and trauma. Move. Move. Distance. Distance. He could afford no assumptions: The sow could return at any point along the path.

“I hiked out at a steady pace, but not hurried or running,” he describes. “I didn’t want to increase my heart rate and the bleeding. My left arm did hurt terribly after the attack was over and the adrenaline subsided. The torn tendons, muscles and nerves felt like my arm was being crushed in a vice. I don’t believe I was ever in shock during the hour hike out. I was thinking straight and stopped to assess the wounds and check my bleeding two or three times.”

At approximately 8 a.m., Orr spilled out of the Bear Creek woods—Lazarus of the outdoors. Although one other vehicle had pulled into the parking lot, Orr stood alone, but safe. “Within 15 minutes after the attack, I was sure the bear wasn’t going to track me down for a third attack, but with 3 miles of wilderness to go, the thought of encountering a different bear on the trail did cross my mind. I would have been nearly helpless at that point with all my wounds. At the parking lot, I felt 100% safe and knew my injuries were not life threatening.”

Concerned about the safety of other hunters, and considering the bear’s agitation, Orr pulled a notepad from his truck and attempted to pen a word of warning. No dice. “My arm was dripping blood all over the note, so I gave up on the idea.”

Dropping the note effort, he grabbed his smartphone and shot several selfie photos, including one of the most unique survival videos ever filmed (destined for viral status), and it was stark, direct testament to a man with gravel in his gut. He spoke calmly into the lens about the grizzly encounter, almost as if the near-death experience was standard fare. “Yeah, life sucks in bear country,” Orr plainly stated at the beginning of the clip.

Simply, the video must be seen to be believed. “I’ve always had a high pain tolerance and the drive to push myself to succeed or overcome most anything, both physically and mentally,” Orr says. “I took the photos and video with just a couple of good buddies in mind. I really didn’t know how Facebook worked, and never expected more than a dozen friends to even see it. I seriously didn’t know what a viral video was until about 24 hours after posting it.”

Video in the can, it was time to tend to his wounds. A 30-minute drive down a jeep trail and gravel road, followed by 15 minutes of highway to the hospital, still lay ahead. Bloodied and bruised, adrenaline gone and his wounds aching, Orr climbed into the Tundra, performed the ironic task of securing his seatbelt, and left the sow in her realm.

Mouthful of Rocks

In the hospital emergency room, two doctors, one on each side of Orr’s body, set to stitching his wounds in tandem. Eight hours later, he walked out of the hospital and went home. (However, his injuries required surgery the following day for the broken bone, severed nerves, shredded muscles, and severed tendons.)

Six weeks after the incident, Orr returned to the scene. “I went back to the attack site with a buddy and faced my fears, knowing my life was meant to be in woods. The will to survive is strong and it’s amazing what the human body can endure in a survival situation. The attack, as well as watching my father fight cancer for the last 10 years, also reminds me of the importance of enjoying those things in life that make us smile.”

Five months after the attacks, while in the woods at work for USFS following snowmelt, Orr spotted a sow grizzly and a single cub at distance. His composure was steady, but the October memories were close and the anxiety heavy on his shoulders. Today, he still hunts the Bear Creek area, but no longer ventures out in the dark, and prefers snow cover due to paw print warnings pressed into the powder.

Orr now carries a backup, compact .44 magnum Ruger on his hip, but has no illusions about the additional pistol, or the efficacy of any pistol in stopping a grizzly. “A shot can also be effective, but take in consideration that the odds of killing or stopping a charging bear in its tracks are slim. A glancing blow, a hit to an extremity, or even a clean miss is likely, especially in a stressful situation like 400 pounds of teeth and claws coming at you at 35 mph.”

“And don’t just assume a pissed-off, charging bear will feel any pain from your bullet and run away. I was being chewed on for 2 minutes and felt no pain after the first bite and adrenaline rush. And wild animals have a much higher pain tolerance.”

(Farm Journal)

Roughly once a year, the angry sow returns—in Orr’s dreams, but he wakes each time before she attacks. “The incident is a reminder that our lives are fragile and the most unlikely events can happen to anyone. Every single day, something reminds me of that day I was attacked and it will forever be remembered.”

Indeed. In a humble manner, Orr downplays his actions on the morning of Oct. 1, 2016, but the depth of his mettle is betrayed by the video footage. Mouthful of rocks. The camera shows a man matter-of-factly describing two escapes from the brink of death—no hype, theater, or bravado.

Again, how deep will a man dig in order to stay alive , and how much pain will he endure? Ask Todd Orr.

For more, see:

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

Misfit Tractors a Money Saver for Arkansas Farmer

Predator Tractor Unleashed on Farmland by Ag’s True Maverick

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

A Skeptical Farmer’s Monster Message on Profitability

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

Blood And Dirt: A Farmer’s 30-Year Fight With The Feds

Against All Odds: Farmer Survives Epic Ordeal

Agriculture’s Darkest Fraud Hidden Under Dirt and Lies

How Much Does Health Insurance Cost?

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:53:02 GMT

When shopping the open market consider your family’s current and upcoming needs, such as major surgeries or the birth of a child. In addition, see what subsidies you might be able to use.

“When looking for subsidies you’re eligible for, make sure your calculations are based off your net income, not gross income,” says Shoshanah Inwood, assistant professor of community, food and economic development at The Ohio State University. “Ask questions and don’t be afraid to ask questions, health insurance is really complicated.”

Three-quarters of farmers recently reported affordable health insurance is a critical way they reduce business risk, according to a recent study at the Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis at NORC, University of Chicago. About 50% of farmers say they aren’t sure they could pay the cost of illness or injury without going into debt.

The same study showed that 45% of farmers are concerned they’ll have to sell farm assets to address health-related costs such as long-term care or in-home health assistance. Without insurance, Overby says he is afraid of what would have happened to the farm.

About 24% of farmers shop the open market, out of 92% who have health insurance coverage, according to NORC’s study. Many farmers have family who work off farm to help with insurance.

Certain states expanded Medicare coverage, which might present new opportunities to certain farmers. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), in 2016 average spending for a person with Medicare hit $5,460 out-of-pocket. That average includes those residing in long-term care facilities—about 5% of all beneficiaries on traditional Medicare.

For Medicare recipients not in long-term care, KFF pegs the average out-of-pocket spend at $4,519 in 2016. Half of all traditional Medicare beneficiaries spend at least 12% of their total per capita income on health care. Traditional Medicare beneficiaries are people over 65 or younger people who have a long-term disability.

In 2017, KFF reports that Medicare spending accounted for 15% of total federal spending and 20% of total national health spending.

Catastrophe Avoided: Health Insurance Protects Farm After Accident

5 Answers to FAQ on Health Insurance Marketplace Enrollment

Navigate Health Insurance

Round Two of Tariff Aid Payments Coming Soon

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:18:06 GMT

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is still working through rates for the second round of the market facilitation program (MFP). That announcement is expected to come after December 3rd.

There was plenty of contention regarding payment rates for various commodities including the $.01 per bushel for corn. New reports indicate the second round of payments will see rates similar to what producers received in the first round.

However, USDA Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Service Bill Northey says those numbers aren’t set in stone. He did confirm with AgDay the second round of payments will be for the remaining 50 percent of production.

He says the expectation is for this to be the last payment needed.

“Every intention right now is the second traunch here [will be] the last traunch,” says Northey. “We’re not looking to stretch this out into another quarter.”

Northey says they intend to be able to have this program concluded in this round.

He says producers need to sign up by January, but those experiencing a late harvest will have time. According to Northey, producers will have until May to provide production evidence to their local FSA office.

Inputs Forecast: Fuel Prices Higher, Could Be Volatile

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:17:08 GMT

Fuel prices are difficult to predict in the current political environment. There will be opportunity to lock in low prices, but the fuel market could experience volatility depending on discussions between the current administration and countries such as Saudi Arabia.

“If they [traders] feel good about the market there is nothing to worry about, but at the first hint of bad news or tension [with trade partners in the Middle East] buyers in the futures market drive prices higher, which trickles down to us,” says Davis Michaelsen, Pro Farmer Inputs Monitor Editor.

If you’re looking at farm diesel it’s also important to consider it is also used for heating oil, particularly in the Northeast. A harsh winter could push those prices higher on top of anything going on in the Middle East.

“Prices are uncertain right now,” Michaelsen explains. “We’ve been steady, and diesel has been good about taking the crude oil market in stride. Here, peak season, I’m just a penny above the July price.”

However, he says volatility could soon come into play. Certain experts are predicting $100 per barrel crude oil, which could make prices jump to $3.25 per gallon. Right now crude oil is about $75 per barrel, with farm diesel around $2.58 per gallon.

“Usually we find good opportunity to book farm diesel for spring that week between Christmas and New Year’s, plus or minus a week,” Michaelsen says. “There’s a price dip to take advantage of.”

Propane also looks like it could be higher this coming season.

“We’re looking at a propane price reset at about 20 cents higher than they have been in the past two to three years,” Michaelsen says. “There’s lot of drying this year and if the forecast comes to be with a cold winter, propane prices will reflect that added demand.”

He says prices could climb as high as $1.60 per gallon—or about 30 cents higher than today’s price. That will likely be in the middle of winter when people have immediate demand. That potential 30 cent jump in the busy season, combined with the 20 cent jump means buying at the wrong time could be a 50 cents per gallon misstep.

“We advise and propane experts advise that you keep your on-farm storage full,” Michaelsen says. “You don’t want to get where you have to order propane in the middle of the night. Calculate your needs and fill storage to the top.”

Read the rest of the Input Forecast series:

Inputs Forecast: Fertilizer Prices Increase For First Time In Years

Inputs Forecast: Resistance Could Increase Pesticide Expenses

Inputs Forecast: Get Creative To Save On Seed Costs