Declining farm income, reduced equipment sales, rising inventory and financing pressures, and trade uncertainty all create ripple effects that impact farmers and the communities they are a part of. A recent hearing with the Senate Committee on Small Business and...
With support from USDA and the Beef Checkoff Program, the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) is promoting U.S. beef at Gulfood in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Gulfood is one of the world’s largest annual food trade shows, attracting prospective buyers not only...
USDA published the first Cattle on Feed Report of the year on Friday January 23rd with few surprises included. USDA livestock economist Michael McConnell says that tightening cattle and beef supplies were demonstrated in the numbers. McConnell says placements in...
The United States exported 68.7 million metric tons of U.S. soy, which included whole soybeans, soybean meal, and soybean oil, during the marketing year 2024-2025. That represents a 12.8 percent increase year-over-year and a 2.95 percent gain over the five-year...
Recent headlines surrounding Venezuela and its oil supply have raised questions across rural America, especially after the United States intervened in the country, removed a leader many viewed as a dictator, and announced it would temporarily control Venezuela’s oil...
Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the Iowa Leopold Conservation Award recognizes landowners who inspire others to consider conservation opportunities on their own farmland. Leopold Conservation Awards, presented by the Sand County Foundation and...
As the new year gets underway, there’s growing excitement around adding more protein to the plate. Momentum is building with the “Taste What Pork Can Do®” consumer brand campaign. José de Jesús, assistant vice president of consumer marketing with the National Pork...
USDA’s "Rural America at a Glance" report gives insight into employment trends in rural areas of the United States. USDA research economist Tracey Farrigan says from 2023-2024 employment in rural areas grew at a rate of about .6%. She says this was a continuation of a...
Growth Energy, the nation’s largest biofuel trade association, was very unhappy after it was announced that a legislative fix for year-round E15 was dropped from the January government funding bill. It was further incensed that Congress would instead form a “rural...
Iowa agriculture continues to face pressure from growing production and slower demand growth, a dynamic that has weighed on commodity prices and raised broader questions about market access for farmers. Those issues were discussed earlier this week during a...
