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Fertilizer concentration concerns Iowa Corn leadership
A concentrated fertilizer industry and stubbornly high prices are drawing increased scrutiny from farmers and federal investigators. The United States Department of Justice is reportedly investigating several leading fertilizer producers to determine whether pricing practices violated civil or criminal antitrust laws. The companies under scrutiny include Nutrien, Mosaic, CF Industries, Koch, and Yara. The investigation remains in its early stages. Federal antitrust officials have not accused...
U.S. pork exports to Japan show strong rebound
Exports of U.S. pork to Japan have shown an impressive rebound in 2026. The market has faced challenges such as high energy costs and a weak yen against the U.S. dollar, but some value sectors have increasingly relied on U.S. pork loin and pork butt. USMEF President...
Grassley says farm bill markup possible next week even without McConnell
United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) says that the Senate Ag Committee could still mark up a farm bill next week before the August recess without sidelined Mitch McConnell and a GOP majority. Senator Grassley says Ag Chair John Boozman still hopes to take up...
Markets react to July USDA cattle reports
The USDA released two important reports last week that each had a direct impact on the U.S. cattle industry: the July Cattle Inventory and July Cattle on Feed Reports. Bernt Nelson, an economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation, said the two reports offer a...
ICA lead on CRP reform at NCBA summer business meeting
The Iowa Cattlemen's Association (ICA) continues to deliver results for Iowa cattle producers, both in Iowa and across the nation. At the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Summer Business Meeting held in Denver, Colorado, earlier this month, ICA led...
Naig: Heat, timely rain shaping Iowa crops
Iowa farmers have faced a little bit of everything this summer. Extended stretches of heat have increased stress on crops and livestock, while scattered thunderstorms have brought much-needed rainfall to some areas and flooding, hail, and damaging winds to others....
TQA builds trust through consistent training
Transportation Quality Assurance® (TQA®), the pork industry’s certification program, provides science-based training for animal handlers and professional transporters who are responsible for moving pigs from farms to other facilities. Stephanie Wetter, director of...
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Boozman releases revised Farm Bill 2.0 ahead of Senate markup
John Boozman, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, has released updated legislative text for Farm Bill 2.0, the Agricultural Act of 2026, ahead of a committee markup scheduled for this week. The revised proposal includes new language authorizing year-round...
Asia wants U.S. ethanol
Japan's push to reduce carbon emissions could open new export opportunities for the U.S. ethanol industry. As the country moves toward wider use of E20 fuel, Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen is leading a trade mission to Japan to highlight the state's role in producing...
Latest look at ag land values
USDA recently published the latest edition of its Land Values report which provides a snapshot of the value of various agricultural properties. Lance Honig of the National Agricultural Statistics Service offers a summary of the report. Honig also breaks down the...
BASF XARVIO® guides fungicide application timing
With crop margins remaining tight, farmers are looking for every opportunity to make the most of each input dollar. Digital agriculture tools are becoming a larger part of that effort, helping growers use field-level data and predictive modeling to make more informed...
New Renewable Fuel Standard volumes spurring industry growth
The Environmental Protection Agency's new Renewable Fuel Standard volumes are giving the biodiesel industry a significant boost. The agency raised biomass-based diesel obligations to levels the industry says more accurately reflect production capacity. Paul Winters,...
