Soybeans

The U.S. trade war with China is coming at a tough time for American farmers, who are already dealing with lower crop prices and higher costs for farm necessities. Tariffs are likely to push crop prices further down, while increasing the costs for fertilizer and farm equipment.

The Soybean Innovation Lab based at the University of Illinois has laid off 30 employees and expects to shut down in the spring if funding isn't restored. Lab leaders at other Land Grant universities say they have avoided layoffs, but that could change.

The University of Missouri has been involved in the Soybean Innovation Lab since 2013. Researchers have been trying to help Missouri farmers combat a disease that can decimate soybean crops.

Biofuel advocates say the industry is at an inflection point. They’re calling on the new administration to increase ethanol and biodiesel volumes in the country's fuel supply, expand E15 gasoline and clarify tax credits.

Incoming president Donald Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on products from countries such as China, Mexico and Canada. Many economists and commodity groups say these import taxes could boomerang and harm U.S. agriculture.

While corn and soybeans dominate the Midwestern landscape today, some farmers are integrating strips of native prairie back into their fields. This conservation practice has expanded to more than a dozen states.

River barges are an efficient way to move crops — 15 barges can hold about as much grain as 1,000 semi-trucks. But low river levels are driving up transportation costs for Midwest farmers.

The White House wants the aviation industry to switch to renewable fuel by 2050, but factories that produce it are rare.

The agriculture department’s annual projections show a slowing economy and lower crop prices for the upcoming year. The USDA also looks ahead to the next decade, showing rising crop yields but a competitive job market.

High food prices are affecting many in Kansas City, and there are two crops that play an outsized role: corn and soybeans. Plus, one rancher in Kansas is outfitting his cattle with GPS collars to save money and protect the grasslands.

Russia is a big exporter of fertilizer and its raw ingredients. As economic sanctions cut off that market, Midwestern farmers are feeling the effects.

The fertilizer applied to corn, soybean and hay fields are up to twice as much as they were a year ago, and it’s creating uncertainty as farmers approach planting season.