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."

More From This Author

  • The average retail price of anhydrous during the first week of October was $813 per ton, up 6% from last month. Anhydrous is now 18% more expensive than it was a year ago. (DTN chart)

    DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

    Retail fertilizer prices continued to be mixed for the first week of October 2025. Prices for four of the eight major fertilizers were up from last month while prices for the other four were down. Two fertilizers, anhydrous and...

  • MAP prices continued slightly higher than last month, logging an average price of $922/ton. (DTN chart)

    DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

    Fertilizer prices continued mostly higher for the fourth week of September 2025. Five of the eight major fertilizers were higher in price compared to last month, while the other three were less...

  • Observing grain bin safety rules and keeping grain in good condition can go a long way toward limiting grain engulfment incidents. (DTN file photo)

    Engulfment Hazards With Stored Grain

    Working around stored grain requires following certain safety precautions; chief among them would be don't go into grain bins, period. However, if you must go into a bin, utilize safety equipment. Keeping grain in good condition can...

  • The average retail price of MAP was $921 the third week of September 2025. (DTN chart)

    DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

    Five of the eight major fertilizers were priced higher compared to last month for the third week of September 2025. Just one fertilizer, DAP, was considerably higher. DTN designates a significant move as anything 5% or more.

  • Safety features such as headlights, taillights, flashing amber lights and side-marking tape make farm machinery on public roads more noticeable to other drivers. (DTN file photo)

    Risks to Operating Machinery on Roads

    Operators of both farm machinery and vehicles on rural roads need to pay attention while driving. Several different factors can influence safety on rural roads. Newer farm machinery has features to make it more noticeable to...

  • DAP was 5% more expensive compared to last month. The phosphorous fertilizer has an average price of $862/ton. (DTN chart)

    DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

    Fertilizer prices continued to be mixed for the second week of September 2025. Four of the eight major fertilizers were higher in price compared to last month while the other four were less expensive. One fertilizer, DAP, was...

  • An International Farmall 140 tractor sits on display at a sunflower farm in Oregon. (DTN photo by Urban Lehner)

    Russ' Vintage Iron

    In this month's edition of Russ' Vintage Iron, we take a closer look at the International Farmall 140 tractor. This was a small tractor mainly used on vegetable, tobacco and small grain farms. A recent photo submission led to...

  • Reporting on the Husker Harvest farm show in Grand Island, Nebraska, the day after 9/11 was an event I will never forget. (DTN file photo)

    Covering 9/11 Tragedy From Farm Show

    Every year 9/11 is a day of remembrance. It is one of those days which everyone remembers where they were at and what they were doing when the horrible events of that day played out. That day and those days right after are...

  • The average retail price of DAP during the first week of September 2025 was $860 per ton, up 5% from a month ago. The price of the phosphorous fertilizer is now 16% higher than it was a year ago. (DTN chart)

    DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

    Average retail fertilizer prices continued to be mixed for the first week of September 2025, with prices for four of the eight major fertilizers higher and prices for four lower than last...

  • Urea prices are slightly lower than a month ago with an average price of $632/ton. (DTN chart)

    DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

    In the fourth week of August 2025, four of the eight major fertilizers were higher in price compared to last month, while the other four were slightly less expensive. This marks the fourth week in a row of evenly mixed prices. DTN...

  • While bulls need attention year around, specific management is needed after the breeding season is completed. (DTN file photo)

    Manage Bulls Between Breeding Seasons

    A comprehensive approach to bull management is recommended for cow-calf producers, especially right after the completion of the breeding season. Management should include nutrition supplementation after the season, a soundness...

  • MAP was 6% more expensive compared to last month and had an average price of $895/ton. (DTN chart)

    DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

    Four of the eight major fertilizers were higher in price compared to last month. For the first time in nine weeks, a fertilizer had a considerable price move. DTN designates a significant move as anything 5% or more. MAP was 6...

  • Anhydrous prices are slightly lower than a month ago at $765/ton. (DTN chart)

    DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

    Four of the eight major fertilizers were higher compared to last month. For the ninth week in a row, no fertilizers' price was considerably higher or lower. DTN designates a significant move as anything 5% or more.

  • Seeing a vintage chopper working in an alfalfa field in southeastern Wyoming brought back memories for the author of his dad using a Fox chopper on their Nebraska farm. (DTN file photo)

    Russ' Vintage Iron

    A recent family trip through Colorado, Wyoming and western Nebraska yielded many interesting vintage iron sightings, including a 1960s International tractor and an unknown chopper harvesting alfalfa. This brought back memories of...

  • DAP prices are slightly higher than last month, averaging $817/ton. This is 10% higher than a year ago. (DTN chart)

    DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

    Prices of four of the eight major fertilizers were higher compared to last month. For the eighth week in a row, no fertilizer price was considerably higher or lower. DTN designates a significant move as anything 5% or more.

  • Farmers and farm workers need to be aware of heat stress and the negative effects, according to the Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center. (DTN file photo)

    UMASH: Watch for Heat-Related Illnesses

    With high temperatures and high humidity this week, farmers and farm workers need to be aware of heat stress. Symptoms of heat stress can be difficult to recognize but can quickly worsen, causing illness or even death.

  • Potash is lower in price by 5% compared to last year, although slightly higher than a month ago at $481 per ton. (DTN chart)

    DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

    Average retail prices for five of the eight major fertilizers were higher compared to last month. For the sixth week in a row, no fertilizer price was considerably higher or lower. DTN designates a significant move as anything 5...

  • An aerial photo of a farm in Nebraska's fertile Platte River Valley. Nebraska ag land value decreased for the first time in six years in 2025, according to a recent report. (DTN file photo)

    NE Ag Land Falls 2% on Economic Issues

    Average agricultural land value in Nebraska decreased in 2025 for the first time in six years, according to the final report from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's 2024-2025 Farm Real Estate Market Survey. Ag land in the...

  • The average retail price of anhydrous was $769 per ton during the second week of July, down $4 per ton from $773 a month ago. The price of anhydrous is now 11% higher than it was a year ago. (DTN chart)

    DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

    Average retail prices for six of the eight major fertilizers were higher during the second week of July 2025 compared to last month. However, for the fifth week in a row, no fertilizer saw a significant price move in either...

  • Extension personnel in North Dakota have been getting some reports of cyanobacteria blooms in livestock water sources. The toxin is harmful to livestock. (DTN file photo)

    Blue-Green Algae Can Kill Livestock

    Livestock producers need to keep an eye out for cyanobacteria in water sources. North Dakota State University Extension specialists have been getting some reports of blooms in livestock water sources. The toxin, also known as...