Top Stories
Farm bankruptcies continued climbing in 2025
A new American Farm Bureau Market Intel Report said Chapter 12 farm bankruptcies increased for the second year in a row, reaching 315 filings in 2025, a 46 percent increase from 2024. The Midwest and Southeast filed 121 and 105 Chapter 12 cases, respectively, far outpacing any other regions. Deep crop losses across commodities common in those two regions have compounded after years of declining receipts and rising expenses. Filing for Chapter 12 bankruptcy is a last resort for farmers who have...
As Iowa farmers hold grain, crop protection continues
With grain prices under pressure and supplies heavy, many Iowa farmers are making the decision to hold grain in storage longer while waiting for better marketing opportunities. According to the USDA, ample production combined with softer demand has kept prices below...
Fareway donates nearly $300,000 of ham to Iowa food banks
Earlier this week, Fareway Stores made a donation of approximately 69,000 pounds of variety hams to the Food Bank of Iowa. The full retail value of this donation is $297,961.61, and that donation will quickly make it to food-insecure Iowans across the state. Annette...
Farmers play a key role in producing Super Bowl snacks
Super Bowl Sunday is consistently one of the highest demand days for food across the U.S., supporting the farm economy. Faith Parum, an economist for the American Farm Bureau Federation, said Super Bowl Sunday can really reflect the abundance of American agriculture....
Saving time on your cattle operation through data and analytics
Time is money for farmers and producers and products that can help simplify data and analytics can save producers time and allow them to keep their operation running smoothly. Dustin Balsley is founder and Chief Operating Officer of Performance Livestock Analytics and...
Iowa farms are re-evaluating how they use John Deere Operations Center
John Deere Operations Center is already part of many farming operations today, but how it is being used varies widely depending on equipment, connectivity, and how far a farm has gone down the precision ag path. As automation and advanced application technologies...
EPA is expected to reapprove dicamba
The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to reapprove Dicamba for over-the-top use on tolerant soybeans and cotton for the 2026 season. The Washington Post said the decision is aimed at addressing weed control challenges and will likely include stricter...
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More Ag News
U.S. Export Sales Report (2-5-26)
The markets didn’t stay calm for long, as this was an extremely busy week for major ag news. While the weekly export sales weren’t huge, other news from the Trump administration had a massive impact on grain prices. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said this...
Representing the Iowa cattle industry at CattleCon
The cattle industry convention and NCBA trade show is in Nashville Tennessee this week and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association is in attendance to represent Iowa’s producers. Bryan Whaley is the CEO of the ICA and says that Iowa’s producers and ICA staff are in Nashville...
Will the cattle cycle turn in 2026?
The CattleFax Outlook Seminar, held as a part of CattleCon 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee, said there are signals showing changes ahead in 2026. The U.S. cattle and beef industry enters 2026 with strong but volatile market conditions, as historically tight cattle...
Cutting nitrogen inputs without cutting yields
As input costs continue to rise, farmers are looking for ways to reduce costs while maintaining yields. Nitrogen is one of the costliest inputs, and fortunately there is a way to reduce the amount of nitrogen you apply without kneecapping your yields. Mark Peterson, a...
As Iowa farmers hold grain, crop protection continues
With grain prices under pressure and supplies heavy, many Iowa farmers are making the decision to hold grain in storage longer while waiting for better marketing opportunities. According to the USDA, ample production combined with softer demand has kept prices below...
