Better than expected — and not so much. As farmers complete the harvest of corn and soybeans in DeKalb County and throughout northern Illinois, the corn crop overall has met or exceeded expectations for yield. Soybeans, on the other hand, haven’t quite lived up to farmers’ hopes.

This has been an amazing fall. We never know what to expect, but we’ve only had a couple of days off and the corn has dried down great. This field is 20% and yesterday the moisture was at 18%. We were fearful a month ago about drying costs, but it worked out.

The average consumer seems to think about nutrition in a way that’s similar to experts, according to the Consumer Food Insights Report, which assesses food spending, consumer satisfaction and values, support of agricultural and food policies, and trust in information sources.

Research and development, partnerships and digital solutions continue to be at the forefront for Syngenta Crop Protection. “We continue to be committed to innovation and helping bring products that make farmers better at what they do,” Vern Hawkins said at a media summit.

Bane-Welker Equipment is supporting the 2022 Toys for Tots drive and will be collecting toys at all of its locations in Indiana and Ohio from now until Dec. 2.

The average price of diesel is $5.32 per gallon, more than $1.50 above the same time last year. While prices are below the $5.81 peak in June, the high cost of fuel is hitting farmers hard as they navigate the fall harvest season.

Corn harvested for grain reached 91%, compared to the five-year average of 84%. Soybeans harvested reached 96%, compared to the five-year average of 91%.

Stephanie Terrell bought a used Nissan Leaf this fall and was excited to join the wave of drivers adopting electric vehicles to save on gas money and reduce her carbon footprint. But Terrell quickly encountered a bump in the road on her journey to clean driving.

Ford Motor Co.’s top quality executive is retiring as the company continues to struggle with high warranty claims and reliability issues. Stuart Rowley, chief transformation and quality officer, is leaving after 32 years with the company.