Top Stories
Weather may be more impactful than Cattle on Feed report
Last week’s Cattle on Feed Report didn’t appear to be a market mover. Kyle Bumsted, a livestock market analyst from Allendale, said the report had a very neutral tone. Bumsted said there were signs of early heifer retention late last year, but that doesn’t appear to be the case so far in early 2026. Bumsted said the recent winter storm moving through cattle country likely will have a much bigger impact than the report. The team at Allendale can be reached by calling 800-262-7538, or you can...
PFI accepting applications for another year of the Cover Crop Business Accelerator
Enrollment is open now for the Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI) Cover Crop Business Accelerator program, with applications being accepted on a rolling basis. The program, which started in 2020, offers tailored business coaching, technical guidance, and financial...
New dietary guidelines unveiled by HHS and USDA
Trump administration cabinet members this week introduced the newest edition of federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans covering the years 2025 through 2030. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins summed up the guidelines succinctly with the phrase, “eat real food.”...
Economists predict the farm economy will stabilize in 2026
Agricultural economists are predicting that the slide in the U.S. farm economy will stop in the new year. However, an AgWeb report said that doesn’t mean the ag economy will be whole again. The December Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor showed monthly sentiment is...
Iowa Cattlemen’s Association welcomes new leadership to board of directors
The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association (ICA), the leading grassroots organization supporting Iowa’s beef cattle industry, recently elected new leadership to its Board of Directors, with the Executive Committee being announced at the annual meeting held at the 2025 Iowa...
Iowa Farm Act focuses on taxes and practical ag policy
As the 2026 legislative session gets underway, Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig says the Iowa Farm Act is designed to do more than outline future priorities. The proposal also takes aim at barriers that have made it harder for farmers and agribusinesses to...
U.S. Export Sales Report (1-8-26)
Now that the USDA is caught up on export sales, we can go back to focusing on weekly reports. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said this week’s corn numbers slipped slightly, but that just means they are more normal for this time of year. McBride said the...
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AFBF sets 2026 policies at 107th convention
The American Farm Bureau Federation delegate session adopted a number of policy priorities for 2026. AFBF President Zippy Duvall says the farmer and rancher delegates covered a wide range of issues. Delegates also requested the AFBF Board of Directors analyze issues...
Trade Win Strengthens Outlook for U.S. Dairy Exports
U.S. dairy organizations are welcoming a key trade victory after the Colombian government dismissed an investigation into U.S. milk powder imports, ending a process that industry leaders say was costly, time-consuming, and ultimately unfounded. The subsidies and...
The many benefits of prairie strips
It may sound counterintuitive, but setting aside just 10 percent of a field for wildlife habitat can benefit both the environment and that field’s productivity in the long run. Prairie strips allow farmers to keep their soil in place, filter water runoff, and add some...
FarmMind is this year’s AFBF Ag Innovation Challenge winner
Innovation is at the heart of everything farmers and ranchers do, and this year’s Ag Innovation Challenge winner is the first to bring AI, or artificial intelligence, to the fields. FarmMind, winner of the 12th annual American Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge, was...
Update to FSA County Committee election schedule
USDA Farm Service Agency County Committee elections were delayed in the fall by the federal government shutdown. However, FSA Administrator Bill Beam says that the voting period will begin again soon. Candidates have already been nominated and are on the ballots that...
