The Brownfield Ag News Team recaps the top stories of 2019.

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The winter meeting season is underway for farmers who are looking for every advantage to producing a more profitable crop.

WinField United agronomist and the Deal With Yield podcast host Jon Zuk says they’ll be hosting clinics on a variety of topics, including nitrogen management, soybean traits, and spray droplet management.

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BASF is leading a coalition to adopt an industry mind shift towards on-farm eradication to control pigweeds in row crops.

In this Operation Weed Eradication Radio Road Show, Darren Unland, Technical Marketing Manager explains why one pigweed plant on the farm is one too many, and why pigweeds are the focus of this industry initiative.

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• This week in the markets - Live cash fed cattle were up $1.40 this week. Feeder cattle markets were steady to $3 higher for the week. February live cattle closed down nearly $2.00 this week and January feeder cattle futures also closed down $2.00 for the week. The Choice Box Beef price fell $7.50 this week. Cash hogs closed up $0.80 on the week. February lean hogs closed up nearly $1.50 for the week. The pork cutout value was $4.50 lower for the week, as weakness showed in in hams and bellies.
• Livestock Slaughter - Cattle dressed weights topped year ago levels by 2 pounds in November, the first month in which weights were above year ago since June 2018. Hog weights were also 2 pounds above year ago. Beef cow slaughter continues to run well above last year's level. For the first 11 months of the year, beef cow slaughter is nearly 120 thousand head above year ago.
• Cattle on Feed – December 1 cattle on feed inventory was 102.5 percent of a year ago suggesting strong inventory growth. This on feed inventory came in near the mid-point of the pre-report estimates. Cattle placed on feed during November was 104.9 of a year ago suggesting stronger placements in November and larger than pre-report expectations.
• Next weeks’ reports – Cold Storage and Hogs and Pigs.

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In this Operation Weed Eradication Radio Road Show, hear suggestions for dealing with weed pressures with economical tactics. 

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The typical approach to fertility programs has always been to build nutrients in the soil to then feed the plant. But an agronomist says it’s time to change things up.

In this Managing for Profit Cory Muhlbaurer talks about the best ways to feed the crop agronomically AND economically.  

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Bayer PLUS Rewards isn’t your typical rewards program – it’s more.

In this Managing for Profit, Josh VanDeWalle, grower marketing manager for Bayer elaborates on the Bayer PLUS Rewards program and the benefits it provides farmers.

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WinField United agronomist and the Deal with Yield podcast host Jon Zuk says depending on conditions at planting, certain diseases pose a major threat IF the seed is not treated.

And he adds a good treatment isn’t just a fungicide.

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· This week in the markets – Live cattle prices were virtually unchanged this week and feeder cattle markets were steady to $3 lower. The February live cattle closed $2.70 higher this week and the February feeder cattle futures closed $4.50 higher. The Choice/Box beef price fell $8.70 this week on weakness across the board. Cash barrow and gilt prices were $.25 higher this week and February lean hog futures contract closed $1.80 higher. Pork cutout value ended $1.20 higher on strength in ham markets.

· Supply and Demand Estimates – If you look at WASDE for 2020 is expected to absorb about 60 percent of next year’s additional meat production. That’s better than this year’s 12 percent, but it still leaves more meat on the domestic market for 2020. The USDA pulled back projected hog prices again in December, those prices are now around $55 for next year. 

· Retail Prices – The Choice Beef retail price for November increased $.17 relative to a month ago. While the November pork retail price fell by just over $.05 compared to last month. November bacon prices came in at $5.50, nearly $.15 lower than October. The Choice sirloin steak price came in at $8.32, just over $.09 higher than last month. 

· Trade, trade, and more trade – There was progress announced this week on deals with USMCA and with China. But details remain elusive. 

· Next Week’s Reports – Livestock Slaughter on Thursday and Cattle on Feed report on Friday.  

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Research at the Precision Technology Institute has found that taking the same amount of nitrogen and split applying it opposed to applying it once in the fall is boosting yield. But that’s not all.

In this Managing for Profit, commercial agronomist and institute director Jason Webster details their findings.

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