United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) has visited the Iowa State Fair at least once every year since 1974. On Friday he made his annual visit to the fairgrounds and stopped by the Iowa Ag Radio exhibit. Senator Grassley tells the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network...
5 Ag Stories
Iowa State Fair crowns 2025 Big Boar champion
While it may not have been another record, this year’s big boar at the Iowa State Fair still tipped the scales at a hefty 1,268 pounds. The winning pig, Duke, is owned by Brian Britt out of Monticello, Iowa. Britt said he has raised Duke since he was born. In order to...
Wetter weather leads to enhanced disease pressure
We’ve had a very successful crop year, but the intense amount of moisture recently has led to some concerns. Emily Prevo, an AgriGold agronomist in southern Iowa, said farmers are worried about water pooling and nitrogen runoff from all of the rain. Prevo said the...
U.S. ag trade deficit continues climbing in 2025
The U.S. agricultural trade deficit hit a record high in the first half of 2025. Bloomberg said that only highlights American farmers’ longtime dominant role in world exports, which is hurt by President Donald Trump’s trade wars. Agricultural export value trailed the...
Grilling up fun at the Iowa Pork Producers Tent
Mother Nature tried to put a damper on the Iowa State Fair yesterday, spending much of the morning tossing thunderstorms our way. Nothing severe, but enough to keep the early crowds in check. By the time I arrived for my 11 a.m. “celebrity chef” shift at the Iowa Pork...
The Iowa State Fair is one big ag education opportunity
In true Iowa fashion, the weather was unpredictable for the first day of the Iowa State Fair. Thunderstorms rolled across the Des Moines metro, and many state fair attendees decided to wait out the storms before making their visit to the fair. But once the storms...
Farmer sentiment weakened in July
Farmer sentiment continues to weaken. The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer declined again in July, falling to 135, an 11-point month-over-month decline from June. The July Current Conditions Index dropped 17 points to 127, while the Future Expectations...
First annual Heart of the County Fair Award recipients
The Heart of the County Fair Award honors exceptional Iowans who have made significant contributions to their local fairs and communities. The families will be honored at the Iowa State Fair with a plaque and special recognition, made possible by Beck’s Hybrids in...
Field level yield predictions and AI agronomic advice from FBN
As every farmer knows, scouting a corn field from the end rows can tell a much different story from what is happening in the middle of your field. Farmers Business Network is attempting to help farmers with their scouting by providing field level yield data to Iowa’s...
Iowa farmers face tough old crop decisions
As summer winds down, many farmers are working to finish moving the last of their 2024 old crop grain out of storage. But with market pressure mounting and prices slipping, it’s becoming more difficult to find strong opportunities. The clock is ticking, and making the...
