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Iowa farmers juggle two crop year decisions
Iowa farmers will soon find themselves making ARC and PLC decisions for two different crop years at nearly the same time. As we reported Tuesday, USDA has opened an unusual enrollment period for the 2026 crop that runs through December 11. That signup was delayed as USDA worked to allocate 30 million additional base acres made eligible for the programs. Before that window closes, USDA will open enrollment for the 2027 crop, putting the two signup periods on top of one another for more than a...
Adjuvants can help to maximize every spray application
When applying herbicide, fungicide, or insecticide it makes sense that farmers want those products to work as effectively as possible. One of the ways in which those products are better applied and reach their full potential is by using adjuvants. Austin Anderson is a...
Rain has been good for crops, but too much rain can cause issues
Storms from last night dumped a considerable amount of rain across central and eastern Iowa, which feeds into the trends we’ve seen for the crops this year. While western Iowa has been drier than the rest of the state, Kurt Maertens of BASF says there’s not too much...
Credit trends can say a lot about the farm economy
USDA estimates that farmers will spend more money on interest payments in 2026, after adjusting for inflation, than at any other time on record. Credit is an essential part of agriculture, helping farmers manage costs and invest in their operations. As borrowing costs...
ASA welcomes 45Z updates supporting U.S. soybean farmers, biofuels
The American Soybean Association welcomed actions this week from the U.S. Department of Energy and Internal Revenue Service that provide greater clarity and usability for the 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit, an important tool for supporting domestic biofuel...
UPL takes aim at resistant waterhemp
Herbicide resistance continues to complicate weed control decisions for growers, particularly when it comes to waterhemp and other amaranth species. At the 2026 Farm Progress Show, UPL highlighted several herbicide options the company says can provide additional...
Trump orders changes to support ranchers, increase beef market competition
President Donald Trump signed two executive orders Friday aimed at strengthening the U.S. cattle industry, increasing competition and expanding opportunities for ranchers and smaller meat processors. USDA said one order directs stronger enforcement of the Packers and...
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More Ag News
Matching the ideal hybrid selection to a grower’s management style
SeedIQ™ is a digital platform developed by Beck's Hybrids that helps farmers make better seed placement and management decisions. Jon Skinner is a regional agronomy manager with Beck's Hybrids and he explains why SeedIQ can make a difference on a farmer’s operation....
U.S. Export Sales Report (9-11-26)
Many eyes were on the September World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report last week, but there was another USDA report that was released on Friday- the weekly U.S. export sales. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the report was a mixed...
Iowa cattle producer joins USMEF trip to Japan
A team of 24 leaders and producers from beef, pork, corn and soybean organizations from across the U.S. visited Japan last week to see firsthand the marketing efforts of U.S. beef and pork in the country by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). The group visited...
China continues buying U.S. soybeans ahead of Xi visit
China's recent buying spree continued Thursday when USDA announced another 272,000 metric tons of U.S. soybean sales to China for the 2026-27 marketing year. USDA also reported 206,500 tons sold to unidentified destinations. Those sales follow China's purchase of...
Autonomous sprayer targets weeds around the clock
Autonomous equipment is becoming increasingly common in agriculture, but Solinftec is taking the concept beyond simply removing an operator from the cab. Its SOLIX robot is designed to remain in the field, continuously scouting for weeds and treating them as they...
