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President Trump announces framework for China trade deal
The trade meeting between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping resulted in an agreement of a framework for a trade deal. While the news is reassuring, there is still a lot of information that we don’t know about this potential deal yet. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the initial market reaction was negative. McBride said there still needs to be caution with this framework, as no trade deals have been officially signed yet. McBride said the details that we do know as...
Warm weather to continue through the end of the month
The warm weather that has been present throughout much of the nation during the middle portion of September is expected to continue through the end of the month and beginning of October. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey details the 8-14 day outlook for the period of...
TFI praises Congressional support for phosphate as a critical mineral
The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) today praised members of Congress in both chambers for joining a letter sent to Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in support of adding phosphate to the U.S. Geological Survey’s list of critical minerals. The letter, a...
U.S. Export Sales Report (9-25-25)
This week’s export sales are continuing the usual trends. Corn sales are doing very well, while soybeans continue to struggle. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest corn numbers. While this week’s soybean sales weren’t terrible on their...
Naig sees big potential in Iowa–Maharashtra partnership
Iowa’s trade mission to India is paying early dividends, as the state continues to build on connections forged during Governor Kim Reynolds’ recent visit. Last week, we looked at the broad opportunities between the U.S. and India. Today, we turn to the state-to-state...
USDA cancels Household Food Security Report as food insecurity increases
Even as food insecurity continues to rise, the USDA has moved to terminate all future Household Food Security Reports. The announcement, which was ironically made during Hunger Action Month, is another blow to the food banks and pantries across the country that are...
Northwest Iowa crops nearing the finish line and the start of harvest
Harvest for corn and soybeans is not in full swing yet in northwest Iowa but combines will be out in force very soon. Northwest Iowa Beck’s Hybrids agronomist Eric Bartels says that harvest for silage corn is underway. Bartels mentions the target moisture level for...
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Ag marketplace is navigating blind without USDA reports
With the government shutdown in full effect, there won't be any export sales reports until Congress can pass a budget resolution. However, we can still look at the estimates this week for a rough idea of what the sales might look like. Allendale commodity broker Greg...
Government shuts down as Congress fails to pass budget resolution
The Congressional budget year runs through September 30, and the clock has recently run out. Emily Buckman, director of government relations for the American Farm Bureau Federation, said Congress was unable to reach an agreement to keep the federal government open....
Favorable fall weather conditions assisting Iowa’s farmers
Mother Nature is lending a helping hand to farmers this week as conditions are excellent for many aspects of agriculture. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says the Central U.S. is experiencing nearly ideal conditions for both harvest and planting cover crops. Rippey...
California Governor signs landmark E15 legislation
In a historic move, California Governor Gavin Newsom today signed Assembly Bill 30 into law, authorizing the sale of gasoline blends containing up to 15% ethanol (E15) at retail fuel stations across the state. With this action, E15 is authorized for sale by all 50...
Stronger soils mean smarter decisions in 2026
Harvest is running full throttle across Iowa, and while combines are rolling, many farmers are already thinking ahead to what comes next. Rising input costs and shrinking profit margins mean every decision matters more than ever. As planning for 2026 begins to take...
