Top Stories
Get ahead and stay ahead of weed issues in 2026
As farmers develop their spring burndown programs, they need options to not only get ahead of weeds but maintain that control throughout the season. Including a residual herbicide, like Perpetuo® Herbicide, in pre-emergence tank mixes can help corn growers strengthen early-season weed management while offering long-lasting weed control that’s critical to crop establishment. Will Griffin, row crop segment manager with Valent, said staying in control of weeds can help maximize profits. Griffin...
Employing a proactive approach to get ahead of tar spot
The fungal disease, tar spot, continues to expand each year across the corn growing regions of the United States. One of the biggest problems brought on by tar spot is that it has a latency period of 14-20 days. That is the time in between which the plant has been...
Confluence Genetics purchases Benson Hill assets out of Chapter 11
The United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware approved this week the sale of the business assets of Benson Hill to Confluence Genetics, LLC. This sale, set to close at 11:59 p.m. tonight, will enable the historic business to continue outside of...
First MAHA report undermines confidence in U.S. agriculture
The Make America Healthy Again Commission released its first report this week, and it contained some troubling assertions. The consequences of this report are causing concerns among farmers and ranchers. Sam Kieffer, vice president of public policy for the American...
2025 planting nearly done, but not easy
Iowa farmers got an early jump on planting this spring, taking advantage of favorable conditions in April. But progress hasn’t come without challenges, as scattered storms and temperature swings kept growers on their toes. With planting nearly complete, heavy rains...
Indigo Ag completes industry-leading fourth carbon crop
Recently, Indigo Ag announced the issuance of its fourth carbon crop, which totaled at nearly 1 megaton of carbon sequestration. This makes them the only company to complete four carbon harvests and pay participating farmers. Lauren Lindner, account director with...
U.S. Export Sales Report (5-22-25)
After a few weeks of excellent export sales, this week’s report was much quieter. This has helped the markets settle down ahead of the extended Memorial Day weekend. Allendale commodity broker Ben Breisch gave an update on the latest numbers from the USDA. Breisch...
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Two webinars will examine impact of excessive farm heat on people and produce
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach’s Farm, Food and Enterprise Development team is holding two webinars in August that will explore the role of intense heat on farmers and growers, as well as their crops. “Heat exposure is an increasing problem for...
New capital gains updates may help Iowa succession
The capital gains provisions in the Reconciliation Bill have become a hot topic, in part because they paint with a broad brush. While critics argue that the changes are a tax break for billionaires, the reality is more nuanced, especially for the agricultural sector....
Plenty of rain for Iowa crops as pollination continues
June is historically the wettest month in Iowa, and this year was no different. Heading into July, we normally expect things to dry off a little bit, but that’s where things have been surprising. Dr. Justin Glisan, state climatologist for Iowa, said some farmers have...
Landscape of potential tariffs continues to shift
Several major developments have taken place when it comes to trade. This includes delays in the implementation of country-specific tariffs, as well as new threats of tariffs against the European Union, Mexico and Brazil. Dave Salmonsen, senior director of government...
Disease pressure looms despite Iowa’s strong start to growing season
When driving through the countryside this season you have probably been doing a lot scouting from the highway and noticed that the crops in Iowa have looked excellent. That has been reflected in the crop condition ratings with this year’s crop appearing to be poised...
