Top Stories
Ag Secretary Rollins addresses President Trump’s beef import plan
Last Friday, President Trump announced via Truth Social his plan to lower the tariff on 300,000 metric tons of ground beef imports in order to lower costs for consumers. However, this has generated a largely negative reaction from cattle producers as the U.S. cattle herd sits at a 75-year low, with industry leaders like Iowa Cattlemen’s Association President Craig Moss saying the decision is “extremely disappointing” and creates “unnecessary market volatility.” During her media availability at...
China steps up U.S. soybean purchases ahead of Trump-Xi meeting
China has increased purchases of U.S. soybeans following a May summit between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, providing a boost for American soybean exporters. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported China purchased 238,000 metric tons of...
Iowa producers welcome meat export recovery
Although U.S. beef exports were slightly lower in volume in June, export value was higher than a year ago. USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom said U.S. beef exports are benefiting from strong demand in countries like Taiwan and parts of Latin America. Growing demand...
Iowa cattle producers can turn calf health into sale-day value
Calves in today’s market are bringing strong prices, but what you put into them only pays off if buyers recognize it. With calves representing a high-value investment, new auction data shows buyers are willing to pay more when calves have a clear health history. Chris...
Boozman: Farm bill work resumes in September
The Senate farm bill remains stalled as lawmakers head into the August recess, with a disagreement over changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program continuing to hold up progress. At the center of the dispute are new requirements tied to state SNAP error...
Prop 12 battle continues as farm bill stalls again
Yesterday, the Senate Farm Bill failed to pass out of the Senate Ag Committee after Democrats rejected the Republican proposal in a narrow 10-11 vote. Now, the Farm Bill- and all of its attached legislation- does not have a clear path forward. However, groups like the...
Iowa farmers experiencing skyrocketing land values
Farmland values hit all-time highs this year even as the rate of increase has slowed. Farmers and ranchers have experienced firsthand the ever-increasing value of farmland, and a new analysis lays out those numbers. Danny Munch, an economist with the American Farm...
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More Ag News
August WASDE report drove U.S. grain prices higher
Overnight news of attacks on two Russian shipping ports had the markets higher to start the day, and the August WASDE report brought a few surprises that allowed to grain markets to hold on to those gains and go even further. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride...
Lower disease pressure gives Iowa corn growers more flexibility in 2026
Now that we are in the stretch run of the growing season, it won’t be long until corn growers fire up their combines and begin harvesting. However, there are still a lot of things that farmers can do the rest of the growing season and during harvest to optimize their...
Fertilizer, diesel costs remain elevated heading into fall
Fertilizer and diesel prices remain well above recent-year levels, adding pressure to farmers making fall input decisions for the 2027 crop. USDA data analyzed by the University of Illinois shows anhydrous ammonia averaged $915.50 per ton on August 7, up 16 percent...
Risk Management Agency giving farmers more time to pay
USDA is giving farmers more time to pay their crop insurance bills. The Risk Management Agency (RMA) is authorizing Approved Insurance Providers to give producers up to 60 additional days to pay crop insurance premiums, administrative fees, and other amounts with...
USGBC chairman sees opportunities for export growth
Strong export demand has provided an important outlet for U.S. farmers, but the new chairman of the U.S. Grains and BioProducts Council says maintaining that momentum will require protecting established customers while continuing to develop new markets. Nebraska...
