Top Stories
Naig highlights Iowa results as E15 access grows
As questions continue in Washington about the future of year-round E15, Iowa leaders say the state is already seeing what expanded access can do. From more fuel choices at the pump to stronger demand for corn, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig says Iowa’s experience is offering a real-world example of how higher ethanol blends can benefit both consumers and agriculture. Back in 2022, Iowa lawmakers approved an E15 access standard designed to expand availability across the state. Naig...
Ethanol biofuel continues as the driving force in the Midwest
Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth recently spoke at a biofuels' infrastructure funding announcement in her state and despite a recent vote towards billions in electric vehicle tax credits, she made it clear she is in favor of ethanol biofuel and the ethanol...
Late plantings may have saved us from some storm damage
The past few weeks were largely uneventful in terms of weather conditions, but last Friday reminded us that things can change in the span of a few minutes. A powerful thunderstorm system traveled through central Iowa, bringing large hail and intense rainfall with it....
U.S. and Canadian cattle inventory down two percent
The USDA says all cattle and calves in the U.S. and Canada combined to total 111 million head on July 1, 2022, a two percent drop from the 113 million head on July 1 of last year. All cows and heifers that have calved, at 44.5 million head, were down two percent from...
Argentinian farmers may hold on to their corn for better profits
The South American corn crop is all but harvested in both Brazil and neighboring Argentina. The Argentine corn crop in particular was 98 percent harvested a week ago. Dr. Michael Cordonnier, an agronomist with Soybean and Corn Advisors, Inc., said the big question...
Tour wraps up with Iowa surprising many scouts
The 30th Pro Farmer Crop Tour is in the books. The East & West wrapped up Iowa and Minnesota before meeting in Rochester, MN. As with the western leg on Wednesday, Thursday?s Eastern leg travels came through the eastern two-thirds of Iowa. And much to the surprise of...
U.S. Drought Monitor is status quo for Iowa once again
The U.S. Drought Monitor didn?t show any significant changes in drought conditions this week for Iowa, which is both a good and bad thing. On one hand, it?s nice that nothing got worse, but, on the other hand, we really need to see these drought conditions start to...
Video
More Ag News
Century and heritage farm program applications due June 1
DES MOINES, Iowa (May 9, 2023) ? Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig reminds eligible farm owners to apply for the 2023 Century and Heritage Farm Program through June 1.The program was created by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the Iowa...
South American Weather and Crop Update (5-9-23)
The weather is wide open in South America to allow farmers to work with little interference. However, that dryness in Brazil could become problematic once that safrinha corn starts pollinating. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride provided an update on the latest...
How to fix flowability issues when planting
Eric Wilson is an agronomy manager with Wyffels Hybrids and he says that rapidly warming temperatures in the spring can cause humidity issues with your planter.Wilson says that when the seed is not flowing properly through the hoses, the initial instinct is to...
Increasing nutrient use efficiency in crops
The more efficiently crops take up nutrients, the better yield farmers get during harvest. Ross Bender, director of new product development with the Mosaic Company, talked about the importance of nutrient use efficiency.?At a high level, nutrient use efficiency means...
United Soybean Board highlights Farmers for Soil Health
We have talked at length about two particular topics over the years and that is protecting the health of our environment, especially the soil, and also working together for the common good. By working together, I mean producers of grains collaborating with producers...
