Top Stories
Barn owls take the night shift to protect farms from rodents
Today, more farmers are taking advantage of barn owls for rodent control on their farms. Jennifer Ackerman, an ornithologist and author, discussed what makes barn owls so effective for pest management. She said that barn owls are excellent rodent hunters and a better alternative to rodenticides, which can be poisonous for potential rodent predators. Ackerman shared the factors to consider when choosing locations for barn owl nesting boxes. She highlighted the location's openness, height, and...
Soybean growers applaud Supreme Court decision on glyphosate
The American Soybean Association is praising a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that federal pesticide labeling requirements take precedence over state failure-to-warn claims. The decision in Durnell v. Monsanto found that pesticide labels approved under federal law cannot...
Year-round E15 and farm aid included in Iran supplemental request
In a major breakthrough for U.S. agriculture, President Trump has included year-round E15 and billions of dollars in new farm aid in his Iran war supplemental request to Congress. The almost $88 billion war request was signed by Trump’s budget director Russel Vought...
USMCA review begins July 1 with an uncertain future
Mexico and Canada, two of the three USMCA nations, have said they want this collaboration to continue, unlike U.S. President Donald Trump. President Trump, speaking to reporters at the June G7 meeting in France, seemed unconvinced about continuing this collaboration....
Iowa response limits pseudorabies trade impacts
Iowa's response to a recent pseudorabies case demonstrated how established animal health protocols can protect both livestock and export markets. The virus was detected in a small commercial swine herd after pigs that had previously been housed in Texas were moved...
Above normal temperatures and near to below normal rainfall in the forecast
The latest 8-14 day forecast provides details on the upcoming weather for the beginning of pollination season. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says that the Midwest will experience some hot temperatures at the end of June and beginning of July. Rippey says the...
Premium opportunities for row crop markets
Unlike commodity crops, farmers growing premium crops can demand higher prices, with some of them being hard to grow, while others are not. Kelsey Graber, the product line manager for specialty corn at Clarkson Grain in Illinois, highlights the fact that despite...
Video
More Ag News
House Ag Chair proposes sweeping change in ag labor program
House Agriculture Committee Chairman G. T. Thompson has introduced legislation aimed at expanding the H-2A agricultural guest worker program and addressing long-standing farm labor shortages. Politico said “The Securing Agriculture's Workforce Act of 2026” would...
Strong hog prices mean producers can improve their operations
The swine industry is much stronger in 2026 than it has been in recent years, and that means producers are able to invest back into their farms and create more long-term benefits. Val Weis, commercial lending officer with Farm Credit Services of America, said farmers...
County fairs teach lessons beyond the ribbon
County fairs are underway across Iowa, bringing communities together to celebrate agriculture while giving thousands of young people an opportunity to showcase months of hard work and preparation. While livestock shows and exhibits often draw the most attention,...
U.S. farmers planted fewer corn acres and more soybeans
Today the USDA published both the Planted Acreage and Quarterly Grain Stocks Reports. Commodity broker Greg McBride of Allendale says there were only slight adjustments to the corn acres from the March planting intentions report. McBride says the soybean acreage...
Iowa Corn Growers applaud suspension of phosphate countervailing duties
President Trump Takes Action to Lower Fertilizer Costs and Support American Farmers Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a proclamation temporarily suspending countervailing duties (CVDs) on certain phosphate fertilizer imports, providing immediate relief to...
