A lot happened that had impacted agricultural operations last year. ProAg stayed on top of the latest breaking news. Looking back at 2024, we’re breaking down the top 10 most popular news items published on ProAg.com, starting with #6-10.

Number 10

Agricultural Finance Researchers Look at PLC and ARC Options for 2024

University of Illinois researchers assessed PLC, ARC-CO, and ARC-IC programs for 2024. At a high level, the researchers concluded that the likelihood of triggering PLC and ARC-CO in 2024 remained low, although the chance was higher than in recent years. This was due to lower prices projected for 2024, higher PLC effective reference prices for corn and soybeans and higher ARC program benchmark prices. Read more here.

Number 9

CHS Announces Plans to Purchase Eight Cargill Grain Elevators

CHS signed an intent-to-purchase agreement to buy eight Cargill grain facilities in five states. Those Cargill elevators are located in Pipestone and Maynard, Minnesota; Morris and Seneca, Illinois; Holdrege, Nebraska; Cheyenne Wells and Byers, Colorado; and Parker, South Dakota. Read more here.

Number 8

Supreme Court Chevron Decision Could Affect USDA and EPA Regulations

The Supreme Court overturned a 40-year judicial preference known as Chevron deference, transitioning regulatory interpretation from expert government agencies toward the courts and Congress. This could have significant implications for agencies influencing agriculture, including the USDA and the EPA. Many controversial regulations could be challenged, including the USDA’s new rules to strengthen the Packers and Stockyards Act. The EPA pesticide regulations setting limits on forever chemicals in water could also be challenged. Read more here.

Number 7

4 Tips for Incorporating Lung Scans in Calves to Reduce Respiratory Disease

Terri Ollivett, an associate professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, says lung ultrasounds are a critical tool in detecting respiratory diseases as early as possible. Lung ultrasounds can identify and track bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in calves who aren’t showing any symptoms. Read more here.

Number 6

How Could a Developing La Niña Affect Corn Yield?

With a high probability of a mid to late summer settling in of La Niña, forecasts called for above-normal temperatures and below-normal precipitation for the central U.S. at this critical period for corn yield determination. A look at analog years, which featured a reasonably quick change in the Pacific Ocean from El Niño to La Niña, suggested that U.S. corn production would have a tough time posting trendline yields. Read more here.

Tune in tomorrow for the top five most popular ProAg news reports from 2024!