MWA Auctions and Real Estate had an active December, auctioning farms in four different Illinois counties, that all varied in terms of soil quality.  On December 3rd, 100 acres was auctioned in Gifford, IL with Class “B/C” soils (121 weighted average PI) bringing $9,150/Acre. This is a strong price for a mid-tier farm and this [...]

By Dr. Scott Irwin The story of grain prices in 2019 largely revolved around demand weakness and weather problems here in the U.S. Corn Belt. The most prominent negative demand factor weighing on the markets was the trade war with China. There was some optimism through the winter and spring that a trade deal could [...]

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Jan. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — The premier Fort George Island Marina in Jacksonville, FL will be offered at auction on February 26, 2020. The marina facility, considered hurricane-safe, is strategically located at the mouth of the St. John’s River and is Jacksonville’s closest commercial marina to the Atlantic Ocean. The marina also offers quick [...]

By Murray Wise Typically, at the end of the year, I write a “wrap-up” of the growing season for the Midwestern states. However, this year, a notable guest writer, Scott Irwin from the University of Illinois, will assume that task and allow me to focus on a different subject. It took me very little time [...]

The Murray Wise Associates Foundation provides an annually renewable cash stipend to selected students demonstrating scholarship, community involvement, and a commitment to agriculture. We will begin accepting applications for the 2020 Murray Wise Associates Foundation Scholarship on JANUARY 1, 2020. Applications are due MARCH 20. HS seniors and undergraduate students pursuing a degree in agriculture [...]

In accordance with California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), groundwater basins were required to form Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) by June of 2017 and submit a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) by Jan. 31, 2022, while “critical overdraft” basins must submit their GSPs by Jan. 31, 2020. Most of these “critical overdraft” basins intended to publish [...]

The USDA and National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) report that was of main interest was the acreage report released in late June. The results showed estimated national acres planted to corn up 3% from 2018 to 91.7 million acres and soybeans down 10% from 2018 to 80 million acres. The belief is that many acres [...]

In our previous newsletter we discussed the ongoing deliberation of a 2015 rule put in place by the EPA and Department of the Army that expanded the scope of the “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) definition, increasing government oversight for items such as ditches, groundwater (including groundwater drained through subsurface drainage systems) and artificial [...]

As the seasons change over from summer to autumn, the soybean fields nearest our offices in Illinois and Iowa have just begun to drop their leaves. The late planting across the Midwest has pushed harvest back and could affect yields. In next quarter’s newsletter, once harvest has been completed, we will be presenting an in-depth [...]