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South American Weather and Crop Update (3-3-26)
As harvest wraps up in Brazil for the soybean crop, the safrinha corn crop is being planted right behind it. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the weather forecast looks good for both processes to continue smoothly. While progress is behind the usual pace, McBride said there are still no major concerns with the amount of harvest progress that has been made so far. Some groups are lowering their estimates for Brazil’s 2026 harvest total, but McBride said it’s still going to be...
NASCAR partnering with POET to use new zero-carbon fuel
As part of a new partnership with POET, NASCAR has become the first major U.S. motorsport to utilize zero-carbon ethanol. This makes POET, which is already the nation’s largest biofuel producer, the Official Biofuel Partner of NASCAR. POET Founder and CEO Jeff Broin...
Full-scale beef herd rebuild remains on hold
Typically, when beef prices are at a high level in the grocery store and herd numbers are low, the response is a rebuilding of supply. Nate Kauffman, the senior vice president and Omaha branch executive for the Kansas City Fed, says the numbers show there should be...
Secretary Naig calls on Congress for year-round E15 access
Today, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig urged the U.S. House of Representatives’ Rural Domestic Energy Council to find agreement to make year-round E15 available to drivers around the country. Secretary Naig, a longtime biofuels advocate, reinforced the...
Iowa farmers face demand gap as production grows
Iowa farmers continue to push productivity higher, but new demand has not kept pace with that growth. Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte Shaw told members that agriculture is once again facing a familiar challenge: more grain than existing...
Markets continue to look at South America as harvest continues
There were some recent concerns about dry weather in South America, but the current forecast is now showing ideal conditions for their crops. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest conditions in Brazil and Argentina. McBride said soybean...
Senate Finance Committee looks closely at USMCA trade deal
With the review process of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement set to begin later this year, the Senate Finance Committee took a closer look at the deal this week. Dave Salmonsen, senior director of government affairs for the American Farm Bureau Federation, said the...
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Biofuel leaders want accelerated action on year-round E15
The Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy, and the National Corn Growers Association released a statement regarding the lack of progress toward a legislative solution offering consumers permanent year-round E15 access. After reaching an impasse in January, House...
Iowa farmers need increased economic certainty
As concerns continue to rise regarding the possibility of year-round E15, farmers are still having to deal with heightened economic pressures. The increased demand from year-round E15 would go a long way in helping to alleviate much of that burden. Iowa Congressman...
More details released for USDA bridge payment program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced details of the bridge assistance payment program for specialty crop growers. Up to $1 billion was set aside in December for specialty crop growers to receive financial help through the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program. John...
Ethanol industry cites oil industry profits as year-round E15 deal stalls
The ethanol industry says a handful of mid-sized oil refiners are the major hangup for year-round E15 legislation and are prioritizing profits over a deal which would allow access to E15 year-round. Troy Bredenkamp of the Renewable Fuels Association says the six...
U.S. farm numbers decline for second straight year, USDA says
The number of farms in the United States fell by 15,000 in 2025, continuing a long-term decline in the nation’s agricultural landscape, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported. According to USDA’s annual Land in Farms report, the total number of farms dropped to...
