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Examining ways to lower fertilizer and fuel costs
The United States war in Iran is contributing to higher input costs for farmers. Fertilizer and fuel costs are rising due to the slowdown of shipping and inability to transport goods safely through Middle East shipping lanes. This is adding to the costs of nitrogen sources and fuel for farmers in the United States. United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) was asked if there are any immediate steps that can be taken to help lower prices on fertilizer and fuel soon. Grassley says that...
New Holland recommends genuine replacement filters on your equipment
With spring planting just around the corner, it is essential to get your equipment fired up and ready to go for another growing season. When getting those tractors ready, don?t forget to run down that complete checklist. Farmers know that proper inflation,...
USDA investing $29 million in more American-made fertilizer production
The USDA announced it received over 350 applications for $3 billion in funding to expand domestic fertilizer production capacity. The applications came from 47 states and two territories for the first two rounds of a new grant program to add innovative domestic...
Farm safety is a year-round effort
The national Ag Safety Awareness Program Week was March 6-10. However it is also a reminder that farm safety is not a one week focus.Megan Schossow, outreach director and center coordinator for the Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center, says it?s always...
State pork organizations are ?eyes and ears? of the industry
There is a pig in almost every state in the union, but the geographics of how they are raised vary by location. Dr. Brett Kaysen, senior vice president of producer and state engagement for the National Pork Board, said that there are forty-two state pork organizations...
March WASDE sees surprisingly big cuts to Argentina crop
Wednesday?s WASDE report contained a few surprises for the grain markets. The primary focus was on the bigger-than-expected cuts to Argentina?s crop from the USDA. Allendale commodity broker Mike Lung provided some analysis on the recent report.Those cuts were much...
Pork exports start 2023 quickly
America?s pork exports finished strong in 2022 and kept going into January. January pork exports were 236,767 metric tons, up 13 percent year-over-year, and export value rose 16 percent to $634 million. Exports to Mexico set a record in 2022 and hit another record in...
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Early 2023 hog and cattle weights lagged behind 2022
Live weights of both hogs and cattle ran below year-earlier weights for the early part of 2023. Hog live weights averaged 284.9 pounds through the week ending on July 8, 2023, compared to 287.3 pounds during the same time in 2022. That’s an average difference of over...
How crazy could 2024 be for commodity markets?
It’s been a crazy couple of years in the Ag marketplace and the economy. Pandemics, supply chain failures, weather, wars, and much more. It makes it difficult to try and get a handle on some of your marketing plans, especially as we finish the 2023 growing season and...
U.S. Export Sales Report (10-19-23)
It’s been another decent week of export sales in the grain markets. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride provided an analysis of this week’s report. McBride said that China was a big purchaser of soybeans this week. Soybean meal has also been an outstanding...
Iowa Soybean Association always looking for improvements
Doing things better next year, that's one of the great parts about Iowa Agriculture is we're always looking for improvement. Joe McClure with the Iowa Soybean Association says they are a great resource as they have all kinds of ideas based on replicated research with...
Navigating transportation disruptions on the Mississippi river
Low water levels along the Mississippi River are causing transportation disruptions for agriculture, as the river saw record low levels earlier this month. The lower levels mean less product can flow along the river which limits barge traffic and slows the movement of...
