Scott Irwin's Blog, page 4

U.S. Agriculture Turns Inward

My farmdoc colleagues Joana Colussi, Gary Schnitkey, Joe Janzen, and Nick Paulson just published an excellent new article on the U.S., Brazil, and China soybean trade “triangle.” … Read More Test

The Anti-Speculation Cycle

After studying various controversies about speculation in commodity futures markets, I realized that there was a cyclical element to the eruptions over speculation. I then came up with the idea … Read More Test

How High is High for the U.S. Average Corn Yield?

It won’t be long until we start thinking seriously about corn yields for the U.S. in 2024. I know there are already some concerns out there because of dry conditions … Read More Test

Reviews. Reviews. Reviews. (And a Way to Get Free Books)

Reviews are the lifeblood of the book business (of course, after the books themselves). I am going to share in a moment a cool way that you can get free books … Read More Test

Editorial Reviews of Back to the Futures

I can now say with all sincerity that I fully understand the nervousness that authors feel when they open up a book review. I’m not talking about the reviews on … Read More Test

A Tribute to Luther Tweeten

I was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Luther Tweeten this week. He was truly a giant in the field of agricultural economics. Luther was a global authority … Read More Test

Make a Difference

I am reflecting on a great man who made a pivotal decision in my life. That person is Dr. Louis M. Thompson, Dean of Students in the College of Agriculture … Read More Test

Foreign Ownership of US Farmland

For some reason, foreign ownership of farmland in the US has become a hot topic. I am not sure what is behind the current attention, but I know it is … Read More Test

Is Another Farm Financial Crisis Brewing?

Anyone who lived through the farm financial crisis in the 1980s can never forget it. My family managed to weather that storm but it definitely left a mark. The human … Read More Test

What Makes the “Golden Number” for U.S. Corn Belt Crop Production Golden?

In a recent post, I talked about the “golden number” for crop production in the U.S. Corn Belt in 2023. I called July precipitation the golden number because of … Read More Test