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Secretary Naig Confirms Iowa’s completion of USDA pseudorabies response protocol
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig confirmed today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) has successfully completed the Pseudorabies (PRV) response protocol outlined in the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (USDA APHIS) program standards. The second round of testing did not reveal any additional cases, confirming the Pseudorabies virus did not spread. “Thanks to a strong, coordinated effort, this situation...
October cattle report shows strong demand for cattle and beef
Last Friday’s Cattle on Feed report confirms a strong demand for cattle and beef says USDA economist, Michael McConnell. September placements into feedlots of 2.16 million head is down 2% from a year ago. Marketings out of feedlots were up 2% leaving feedlots October...
Forty percent of farmers work off the farm
The 2022 Census of Agriculture showed about 40 percent of American farmers worked 200 or more days off the farm in 2022. The majority, 93 percent, of the 3,078 U.S. counties for which data was reported had at least 30 percent of producers working 200 or more days off...
South American Weather and Crop Update (10-29-24)
It was looking like the weather was going to start to dry out in South America, but there’s still plenty of rain as of right now. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the shift to the monsoon season in South America has gone almost exactly the way they wanted...
New National FFA President brings a passion for policy
The National FFA Organization elected its new leadership team for the next year during the recent national convention. Delegates elected Thaddeus Bergscheider of Franklin, Illinois, as the new President. Bergscheider (pictured left in the above photo) said he has deep...
NCBA responds to preliminary dietary guidelines recommendations
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is pushing back against the U.S. panel that makes recommendations to USDA and HHS on dietary guidelines. NCBA says that Americans should not be encouraged to eat less beef and instead turn to vegetables for a protein source....
U.S. cattle on feed down slightly
Despite the cattle inventory plummeting to the lowest level in 73 years, the number of cattle on feed remains surprisingly strong. Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the U.S. for feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.6 million on...
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South American Weather and Crop Update (2-26-25)
After an extended period of dry weather, there’s now plenty of rain in South America. In fact, it has rained so much that they are now worried about having too much rain. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest conditions in Brazil and...
NPPC President Lori Stevermer testifies before Senate and discusses Prop 12
The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) President Lori Stevermer, a pork producer from Easton, Minn., brought the industry’s point of view to the U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee today through her “Perspectives from the Field” hearing...
Slowing equipment purchases highlight pressures on the rural economy
The downturn in commodity prices doesn’t just impact farmers—it sends shockwaves through the entire agricultural economy, affecting everyone from equipment dealers to rural retailers. When farmers tighten their budgets, they spend less on machinery, supplies, and even...
Using carbon markets to increase profit margins
As input prices make margins tighten, farmers are looking for other ways to increase their profits. One option is to enroll in a carbon market program. Lisa Kubik, inside sales manager with Agoro Carbon, said they have a variety of programs farmers can take advantage...
Animal disease response training exercise helps stakeholders prepare
USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is among various animal health groups involved in tabletop training exercises to improve response to a potential disease incident or outbreak. USDA Chief Veterinarian Rosemary Sifford says that training exercises can...
