Top Stories
Trade policy affecting farmer voting decisions nationwide
Midterm elections are less than a week away, and the farm community has been a hot topic among many of the candidates running for office. There are many ag issues to consider, but one of the most impactful issues from the federal government has been the Trump administration’s trade policy. President Trump’s aggressive tactics have brought in both wins and losses for the farm economy. Ron Baumgarten, who served as Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative in the first Trump administration,...
South American Weather and Crop Update (9-29-26)
As the Americas prepare to face what is being called a “super El Niño,” farmers in Brazil and Argentina are moving along with planting season for the next crop. While there is a significant chance for excessive, damaging rains, Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride...
Beef prices and herd retention decisions
With turbulent cattle markets due to beef imports and the southern border with Mexico reopening for cattle imports cattle producers have a lot to think about when making decisions for the future of the herd. Will cattle ranchers and farmers make plans for starting the...
Fordyce explains unusual ARC and PLC signup
Persistent rain has kept combines parked across much of Iowa, leaving farmers waiting for fields to dry out and harvest to get moving. While they wait, there is another decision to make involving the 2026 crop. USDA has opened enrollment for the Agriculture Risk...
Secretary Naig welcomes applications for urban water quality project grants
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today announced that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) is accepting pre-applications for cost-share grants to support urban conservation and water quality projects. The locally led projects,...
China trade talks provide optimism for U.S. red meat
U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer over the weekend offered new details on the progress made in last week’s U.S.-China trade talks, which were held in conjunction with the summit meeting between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. In a...
President Trump announces $15 billion steel mill in Lee County
Governor Kim Reynolds and Mesabi Metallics Chairman Rewant Ruia joined President Donald Trump today at the White House for an announcement about a $15 billion economic development project in Iowa. Mesabi Metallics plans to make Iowa the home for its new fully...
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More Ag News
SCN management requires more than egg counts
Soybean cyst nematode management often starts with knowing what is present in a field, but BASF's Mike McCarville says growers should not let the process end with a soil sample and an egg count. McCarville says farmers need to take a more active approach to SCN...
Historically wet September caused sprouting in Iowa fields
This September was the wettest month in Iowa in roughly 112 years, and farmers are feeling the impacts of that intense amount of rain. Producers in the southern parts of the state have even observed sprouting in their fields, which can reduce grain quality and ruin...
Markets anticipate yield numbers in October WASDE report
Following last week’s Quarterly Grain Stocks Report, attention now turns to the October WASDE report which will be published by USDA at 11 a.m. central time on Friday. Greg McBride is a commodity broker with Allendale, and he says that we could see back and forth...
USMEF-Mexico celebrates 35 years of market development
As the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) celebrates its 50th anniversary, the organization’s Mexico office is also celebrating 35 years of promoting U.S. beef, pork, and lamb. Gerardo Rodriguez, USMEF’s regional director for Mexico, Central America, and the...
Nearly 130 Choose Iowa members ready to welcome visitors for statewide Fall Crawl
Nearly 130 Choose Iowa members across the state are preparing to welcome visitors on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 9-10, for the second annual Choose Iowa Fall Crawl. The two-day, self-guided event invites Iowans to hit the road, enjoy the fall colors, discover new...
