The pattern of strong export sales has continued, and this week was even stronger than the last. This is a far cry from the way we ended the last marketing year. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest numbers from the USDA. Flash sales...
News
Ag exports will suffer without a new farm bill
With the September 30 expiration of the current farm bill, many important agriculture programs are on hold, including several trade promotion programs. Betty Resnick, an economist for the American Farm Bureau Federation, said Title III programs generate outstanding...
CARB, the RFS, and used cooking oil
U.S. farmers remain hopeful that the push for renewable diesel will open a large market for the vegetable oil pressed from soybeans. However, used cooking oil, particularly from China, is also used as a feedstock in biofuels and has been depressing the need for...
Fall harvest double digits ahead of last year’s pace
Reports show the U.S. corn and soybean harvests are double digits ahead of their five-year averages. Farm Policy News credits the fast pace to dry weather stretched across most of the U.S. through the past week. Corn harvest jumped 18 points nationally to 65 percent...
South American planting is behind schedule
You don’t have to tell farmers how much Mother Nature can change our plans. In Iowa alone, we went from a multi-year drought to a period when we were caught back up in a matter of weeks. And then suddenly, we were back in a drought again. While it probably isn't...
NCBA is making lower taxes a top priority
Since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is expiring at the end of next year, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is making a major push on tax policy. In the latest episode of the Beltway Beef Podcast, NCBA President Mark Eisele said the fight for lower taxes is very...
Keep pigs and people safe during show season
Biosecurity is an important key to success in the pork industry, especially during show season when pigs from different states mingle. John Heins, manager of producer relations for the National Pork Board, said show pig producers need to have several important factors...
Grassley dismisses farm bill as rider on disaster aid measure
As Congress works on disaster aid for the hurricane-ravaged Southeast, some are proposing attaching a farm bill to the relief package. Longtime Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) says he won’t go for it. For months Iowa’s Chuck Grassley has stated that he expects another...
Farmers invited on tour exploring the impact of EU policies on agriculture
Iowa Farm Bureau members are invited to apply for an International Market Study Tour from June 7-15, 2025, visiting Brussels and the Netherlands. The tour will explore agricultural practices and climate-policy impacts in Europe, with opportunities to engage directly...
Renewable Fuels Association elects new officers for a new chapter
We are at a pivotal stage for the biofuels industry in this country. We are on the cusp of being a part of the future in environmentally responsible aviation fuel options but seem to be no closer than we were a year ago. The industry has been vocal about its ability...