Russ Quinn

DTN Staff Reporter
Russ Quinn is a DTN editor and reporter. He was born and raised in east central Nebraska on a cow-calf and row-crop farm near Elkhorn, which he still operates with his dad.

Russ attended Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and graduated with an associate's degree in agribusiness and farm management in 1994. He then attended the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, Nebraska, and graduated with a bachelor's degree in agricultural sciences in 1996.

After graduating, he began working for DTN in May of 1997 in the agriculture telesales department. In May of 1998 he was promoted to his current position in the DTN ag newsroom. Over the years, Russ has had many different editing and reporting duties and currently writes original articles including the growing-season series "View From the Cab" and the weekly column "Russ' Vintage Iron."

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  • Dignitaries, including Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack (third from left) and U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., (fourth from left), take part in the groundbreaking ceremony for the new USDA Forage-Animal Production Research Unit (FAPRU) at the University of Kentucky. (Photo courtesy of University of Kentucky Extension)

    USDA to Open Forage Research Facility

    A new building on the campus of the University of Kentucky will be the new home of USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Forage-Animal Production Research Unit (FAPRU). The facility will be completed by 2026 and will allow for...

  • Anhydrous was 10% less expensive compared to last month with an average price of $895 per ton during the third week of May 2023. (DTN chart)

    DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

    Most retail fertilizer prices continue to move lower. Five of the eight major fertilizers are now less expensive compared to last month. Only one fertilizer, anhydrous, showed a significant decline. The nitrogen fertilizer is 10% lower...

  • Chainsaw operators must follow safety rules and wear protective clothing to prevent serious injury. (DTN file photo)

    Chainsaw Operators Need to Be Safe

    With spring, this usually brings severe storms which often leads to some type of storm clean up. Mostly likely chainsaws are needed to clear branches or entire trees after the storm has passed. Chainsaw operators need to...

  • Urea prices are headed higher, up 6% compared to last month. (DTN chart)

    DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

    Retail fertilizer prices are moving in opposite directions. Half the fertilizer prices are higher, led by urea, which was 6% more expensive compared to last month with an average price of $664 per ton. The other half are lower, led...

  • Several wildfires continue to burn across Alberta. This map was as of May 11. (Map courtesy of the Alberta Provincial Government)

    Alberta Fires Burn 1 Million Acres

    Alberta wildfires continue to burn in several locations across the province, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate their homes. The various wildfires have burnt just over 1 million acres so far this year. Officials warned...

  • With an average retail price of $926/ton for the first full week of May 2023, anhydrous fertilizer was 8% less expensive than last. (DTN chart)

    DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

    Retail fertilizer prices are mixed for the first full week of May 2023. Five of the eight major fertilizers were lower with the remaining three slightly higher. Anhydrous led fertilizers lower, down 8% from last month with an average...

  • Cows graze smooth bromegrass pasture on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Research Farm near Mead in 2019. (DTN file photo by Russ Quinn)

    Should Pastures Be Fertilized in 2023?

    High hay prices, dwindling forage supplies and high nitrogen prices have combined to give Nebraska livestock producers a lot to consider when applying nitrogen fertilizer to smooth bromegrass pastures. University of...

  • Anhydrous again led prices for all eight fertilizers lower. The nitrogen fertilizer was 5% lower the second week of April 2023 compared to last month with an average price of $1,003 per ton. (DTN chart)

    DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

    All eight major fertilizers were less expensive compared to last month with only one fertilizer down a substantial amount. DTN designates a significant move as anything 5% or more. Leading the way lower once again was anhydrous.

  • Hay prices vary by region. Those areas which saw decent moisture last growing season have lower prices than those that did not. (DTN file photo)

    Limited Hay Supplies Elevate Prices

    How much forage was produced last season is the main factor in hay prices right now. Those regions with good production have considerably lower prices with more supply. However, areas which saw production reduced by drought...

  • The average retail price of anhydrous declined 5% from last month to $1,002/ton. The nitrogen fertilizer is 35% less expensive than at this time last year. (DTN Chart)

    DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

    Seven of the eight major fertilizers were lower compared to last month with only one fertilizer less expensive by a considerable amount. DTN designates a significant move as anything 5% or more. Leading the way lower once again...

  • The average retail price of anhydrous in the fourth full week of March 2023 was $1,026 per ton, down 5% from last month. (DTN chart)

    DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

    Prices for all eight of the major fertilizers were lower in the fourth full week of March 2023 compared to the previous month. However, only one fertilizer, anhydrous, was down considerably.

  • Arlington High School FFA students in Arlington, Nebraska, participated in Drive Your Tractor to School Day on March 24. (DTN photo by Russ Quinn)

    Russ' Vintage Iron

    FFA students always look forward to Drive Your Tractor to School Day each year. While it usually takes place on a cold morning, many students drive their family's tractor to school to promote agriculture. In many small towns, the...

  • Arlington High School FFA students in Arlington, Nebraska, participated in Drive Your Tractor to School Day on March 24. (DTN photo by Russ Quinn)

    Students Take Part in FFA Tractor Day

    FFA students always look forward to Drive Your Tractor to School Day each year. While it usually takes place on a cold morning, many students drive their family's tractor to school to promote agriculture. In many small towns, the...

  • Anhydrous prices continue to log the biggest price drops the second full week of March 2023, at 13% lower compared to last month. (DTN chart)

    DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

    All eight of the major fertilizers were lower compared to last month with five fertilizers down a considerable amount. DTN designates a significant move as anything 5% or more. Leading the way lower once again was anhydrous, UAN28...

  • This 1947 Farmall Cub was bought new by Henry Rath and is a multigenerational tractor currently owned by Henry's grandson, Tyler Rath, of Belgrade, Minnesota. (Photo courtesy of Tyler Rath)

    Russ' Vintage Iron

    This month's edition of Russ' Vintage Iron features two Farmall stories from readers. These come after Case-New Holland (CNH) announced various activities planned to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the now-famous Farmall name.

  • Anhydrous prices led the way lower in the week ended March 10, now 13% lower than last month. UAN28 was also 13% lower. (DTN chart)

    DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

    All eight of the major fertilizers were lower compared to last month with five fertilizers down a sizable amount. DTN designates a significant move as anything 5% or more. Leading the way lower were anhydrous, UAN28 and UAN32.

  • UAN28 led fertilizer prices lower again for the last week of February. The nitrogen fertilizer was 14% lower compared to last month and had an average price of $444/ton. (DTN chart)

    DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

    All eight of the major fertilizers were lower compared to last month. Five fertilizers were down a considerable amount. DTN designates a significant move as anything 5% or more.

  • The diesel price outlook appears to be in better shape in spring 2023 compared to spring 2022. (DTN photo by Elaine Shein)

    Diesel Position More Certain Than 2022

    The diesel market outlook is much different this spring compared to last spring when war was beginning in Ukraine. The current well-supplied market might represent a good time for farmers to consider purchasing some of their...

  • Anhydrous prices are 9% lower than a month ago with an average price of $1,124/ton. (DTN chart)

    DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

    Retail fertilizer prices continue their march lower, according to prices tracked by DTN for the third full week of February 2023. This trend has been with us since before the beginning of the New Year.