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August Cattle on Feed report shows decline in placements
USDA published the August Cattle on Feed report last Friday and while it shows increased cattle inventory in feedlots compared to last year, there are still lower placements. USDA livestock analyst Anthony Fischer breaks down the numbers in the August report. Fischer says that the number of placements into feedlots were significantly lower than expectations. That was USDA livestock analyst Anthony Fischer.
Updated yield and acreage numbers to be featured in August WASDE and crop reports
The August WASDE report will be published by USDA on August 12th and will feature the latest USDA yield estimates. This makes the August WASDE and crop reports some of the more important reports of the year says USDA World Agricultural Outlook Board Chair Mark...
Secretary Naig announces more than $2 million for 38 E15 and biodiesel infrastructure projects
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today announced that the Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program (RFIP) Board has approved more than $2 million in cost-share grants for 38 E15 and biodiesel infrastructure projects across Iowa. The grants, approved during the...
Iowa AG industry watches changing tariff landscape
Many facets of the U.S. economy have felt the effects of changing tariff policy over the past year. In Iowa, those impacts can reach especially far, with so many businesses and communities tied directly or indirectly to agriculture and an industry heavily dependent on...
Senate farm bill stalls over SNAP dispute
The Senate Agriculture Committee failed to advance its Farm Bill Thursday after Democrats rejected the Republican proposal in a 10-11 vote, leaving the legislation without a clear path forward. Committee Chairman John Boozman recessed the markup after negotiations...
Iowa producers can use RFID tags to improve traceability and check-in for exhibition swine
Swine exhibition sites, state pork associations, and Extension programs with a current Premises Identification Number (PIN) are eligible to apply for up to four handheld radio-frequency identification, or RFID, tag readers. Brent Pepin, director of swine health at the...
Crop disease progression has been slower in Iowa this year
As a general statement, disease pressure has been lower this year in Iowa than in 2025. However, farmers still have their hands full dealing with disease pressure as familiar threats like tar spot and newer problems such as southern rust are being found in Iowa’s...
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Research highlights where agrivoltaics works best
As more farmland is considered for solar energy development, researchers are exploring whether crops and clean energy can successfully share the same acres. The USDA-funded SCAPES project – short for Sustainably Colocating Agricultural and Photovoltaic Electricity...
Iowa farmers need to keep scouting crops amid disease pressure
While it’s not as bad as last year, Southern Rust is spreading across Iowa, and it can take over fields quickly. On top of that, this is also the point in the crop season where tar spot tends to impact corn fields as well. This makes effective crop scouting more...
Senator Grassley discusses farm bill fallout
United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) is back in Iowa after the Senate Agriculture Committee failed to advance its farm bill last Thursday and the Senate is in its August recess. Senator Grassley says he will be engaging with Iowa’s farmers to talk to them about...
Secretary Naig invites fairgoers to get into the “Fair Spirit” with Choose Iowa
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig is inviting fairgoers to get into the “Fair Spirit” Choose Iowa during the 2026 Iowa State Fair, Aug. 13-23 in Des Moines. As an official sponsor of the Iowa State Fair, Choose Iowa will showcase the people, food, agriculture...
Don’t wait for crisis to plan farm succession
Passing a farm from one generation to the next involves more than transferring land, equipment or livestock. For many farm families, succession means determining the future of a business, a livelihood and a legacy that may have taken generations to build. That...
