Top Stories
Improving the return on fresh cow protocols
While advancements in managing clinical milk fever have reduced cases, its invisible counterpart, subclinical hypocalcemia, remains a significant challenge for fresh cows. Dr. Curt Vlietstra, a professional services veterinarian with Boehringer Ingelheim, said freshening is especially critical for disease prevention in dairy cows. Vlietstra said fresh cow management and prevention of subclinical hypocalcemia begins before cows start calving. Vlietstra said it’s important to follow a two-bolus...
New parameters for market trade going forward
Adjusting the parameters for our cash crop trade going forward was yesterday’s WASDE report. USDA raised both corn and soybean yields along with carry-outs and probably capped the corn trade at that $4.50 to $5 level, with soybean ranges like in the $13 area. American...
Juggling the market movers
The marketplace is a very fickle place. My dad used to quip many times that “someone must have turned on the sprinklers in Chicago and they think we are getting rain” whenever the markets were down. All joking aside, it doesn’t take much to move the market, but that...
USDA raises yields in November WASDE report
Not much was expected from this month’s WASDE report, but those are seemingly always the times when we get some of the biggest surprises. Instead of waiting for the January report, the USDA raised yields for both corn and soybeans today. Allendale commodity broker...
SAF leaders urge Biden administration to use GREET model
Sustainable aviation fuel leaders are pressing the Biden administration to modernize its carbon measuring model for the biofuel, key to winning tax credits to attract needed investment. Seventy industry leaders, including major airlines, wrote Treasury Secretary Janet...
Farmer sentiment rises in latest ag economy barometer
The Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer rose four points in October to 110. The modest improvement in farmer sentiment resulted from farmers' improved perspective on current conditions on their farms as well as their expectations for the future. The Index...
Ag groups team up to urge quick Farm Bill passage
Repeating the message to Congress, our Iowa agricultural representatives are calling for a quick Farm Bill Passage. The odds may be long, but the campaign is called “Farm Bill for American Families,” with more than a hundred local and national groups urging Congress...
Video
More Ag News
Slow start to planting could make for an interesting May WASDE
Friday’s upcoming WASDE report is an important one, as it is the first report after the start of planting season. While the beginning of planting season has been slow, analysts are unsure of whether or not any changes will be made by the USDA. Ross Baldwin of...
Interest rates and low prices are still squeezing farmers
Rabobank’s RaboResearch team released its bimonthly North American Agribusiness Review. The report analyzes market conditions and trends in North American agriculture. Roland Fumasi, North American Regional Head of RaboResearch, said interest rates are still squeezing...
Grassley says Congress still not close to agreeing on farm bill framework
Despite apparent progress towards continuing work on the farm bill, United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) does not think that Congress is any closer to finding agreement on the framework of a new bill. Instead, both sides appear still entrenched in their...
Secretary Naig announces increased cover crop cost-share incentives
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is offering increased cost-share incentives for cover crop planting through the state’s Water Quality Initiative (WQI). The popular annual cost-share...
National Milk Producers Federation talks H5N1 security
Whether you call it H5N1, HPAI, or Bird Flu; the fact of the matter remains that we have an issue on our hands that is testing the resolve of our animal disease contingency plans on a minor level. We talked for years about “what if?”, and we were presented with that...
