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Input costs aren’t dropping alongside inflation
General inflation has cooled off from the high points in recent years, but input costs are not following suit. Dr. Michael Langemeier is the director of Purdue’s Center for Commercial Agriculture, and he said farm input prices don’t always follow inflation up or down. Langemeier said some costs stick close to rising and falling inflation rates. Langemeier said that disconnect is why break-even prices for grain won’t come down. Langemeier said inflation is a big part of the story, but there are...
Secretary Naig announces expansion for SE Iowa water quality project
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that a successful Water Quality Initiative (WQI) project in Mahaska County is expanding into Jasper and Marion Counties while also adding a new phase that focuses on edge-of-field conservation practices. Since...
The promotion of pork cannot be contained in a single month
With it being October and National Pork Month, we have a lot to celebrate. The pork industry is producing quality products for consumers all over the world. However, there is always more work to be done. As we see depressed prices for producers, it is important that...
South American Weather and Crop Update (10-24-23)
Some rain has entered the forecast in South America, but drought concerns remain. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest weather conditions in Brazil and Argentina. Earlier today, ADM CEO Juan Luciano gave a rather bleak outlook on the...
China – U.S. ag companies sign purchase agreements in Des Moines
On Monday the China-U.S. Sustainable Agricultural Trade Forum and Contract Signing Ceremony co-organized by U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC), China Chamber of Commerce for Import & Export of Foodstuffs, Native Produce & Animal By-products (CFNA), Iowa...
Soybean harvest almost complete in Iowa
Let's go for a ride, figuratively speaking of course, in the combine with Iowa Soybean Association Conservation Agronomist Evan Bream. As we start to wind down harvest the latest Iowa Crop Progress report shows that 87% of Iowa soybeans are in the bin. “I'd say that's...
HPAI cases confirmed in Pocahontas and Guthrie Counties
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have confirmed two positive cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), one in Pocahontas County...
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South American Weather and Crop Update (4-24-24)
Variable amounts of rain can be seen across South America currently. This is good news for Argentina, as they have been worried about getting too much rain. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest weather conditions. McBride said harvest...
USTR Tai insists efforts underway to ease Brazil ethanol tariffs
U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai insists that U.S. efforts to get Brazil to ease its protectionist tariffs on American ethanol are being taken seriously. However, United States congress members have pushed back pointing out that Brazil increased its duties on...
Farmers oppose sale of Iowa fertilizer plant
The University of Illinois Farm Policy News says Iowa farmers told officials that they should block the sale of the Iowa Fertilizer Company to Koch Industries. The sale is worth 3.6 billion dollars. Farmers attending the Iowa Farmers Union’s listening session told...
Secretary Naig recaps legislative session for agriculture
Now that the state legislature has wrapped up their session, it’s time to look back at a few things that were of concern to agriculture. Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig had a few policies he was most concerned about, and those were foreign land ownership and Meat...
Recent rains are quenching one of Iowa’s longest droughts
Over the past few months, the weather has largely been characterized by warmer-than-normal temperatures. Since the ground didn’t freeze as hard, that means the recent storms have been able to get moisture deeper into the soil. Iowa State Climatologist Dr. Justin...
