Top Stories
Spring bird migration enhances HPAI threat
The spring migratory season brings with it the renewed threat of highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI. Dudley Hoskins, Under Secretary of Agriculture for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, is reminding farmers and others to take all necessary precautions. The H5N1 strain of avian influenza is present in wild birds worldwide and is causing outbreaks in U.S. domestic birds and dairy cattle. Hoskins asks farmers to lean on USDA’s APHIS experts for guidance and help in preventing spread. For...
Applications are open for 2026 CME Group Beef Industry Scholarship
The National Cattlemen’s Foundation (NCF) is encouraging college students who are pursuing careers in the beef industry to apply for the 2026 CME Group Beef Industry Scholarship. Ten students will be selected to receive scholarships worth $1,500 each. NCBA Senior Vice...
Korean pizza chain adding U.S. pork sausage to menu
In South Korea, pizza chain Pizza Alvolo was looking to add something new to its menu. When it turned to the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) for assistance, USMEF Senior Marketing Manager for Foodservice in Korea Elly Sung suggested U.S. pork sausage. After...
Strong yields & weak margins: Financial pressures mount on farmers
The 2025 season has been defined by both resilience and strain in the farm economy. Strong yields in many regions helped keep optimism alive, but they were tempered by financial pressures that have made every decision more critical. Interest rates remain historically...
Dry Iowa weather can make harvest more complicated
Combines are rolling across much of the state, and the dry weather has allowed harvest to continue mostly uninterrupted. However, that dryness can bring with it a whole different slate of issues. Southwest Iowa Beck’s Agronomist Nate Meyer said corn yields might seem...
Turkey inventory squeezed as Thanksgiving approaches
As the weather turns cooler across the US, many shoppers are beginning to plan holiday meals. American Farm Bureau Federation Economist Bernt Nelson said USDA’s latest Turkeys Raised Report gives us some important insight on the size of the U.S. flock ahead of...
Farm bankruptcies on the rise in 2025
The latest data from the Administrative Office of the United States Courts shows farm bankruptcies increasing year over year. Joe Peiffer, an attorney with Ag & Business Legal Strategies in Hiawatha Iowa, says the numbers are disturbing. Peiffer says the...
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USDA to issue full November SNAP benefits
On Friday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a letter to SNAP State Agency Directors informing them that it will be releasing full November SNAP funding. The move is in compliance with a federal court order issued Thursday by the District Court of Rhode...
Chinese trade deal framework may not be as bullish as it seems
With the lack of government reports we’ve seen during the shutdown, the ag marketplace is desperately searching for any news to react to. The Chinese trade deal framework provided a decent shot of energy to the market prices, but the deal may not be as bullish as it...
Ag Economy Barometer looks ahead to 2026
The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer is a monthly index that measures the economic sentiment of U.S. agricultural producers. It is used as a weathervane to determine general farmer sentiment of the ag economy in the present while also looking towards...
Phosphate, potash added to critical minerals list
The United States Geological Survey has added both phosphate and potash to the federal list of minerals considered critical to national security and economic stability. The decision—published Thursday by the U.S. Department of the Interior—raises the total number of...
Fall brings carbon credit opportunities for farmers
As combines start cooling down and planners begin thinking ahead to 2026, it’s also a good time to look at new ways to add value on the farm. One area getting plenty of attention lately is the carbon credit market and how it could fit into long-term management plans...
