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USMCA public hearings begin
Public hearings began in Washington, D.C., as part of the mandatory USMCA review process. Over 1,500 public comment-briefs have been submitted to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Briefs were submitted by manufacturing, industrial, and retail sectors expressing their views of the existing pact. There are calls for amendments to the existing USMCA from some, but Julian Karaguesian, an economics professor at McGill University specializing in international trade analysis, said the...
South American Weather and Crop Update (11-4-25)
Farmers in South America are in the early stages of their second crop season of the year. So far, the weather has been mostly favorable for planting progress. Allendale commodity broker Ben Breisch said it’s early enough that the markets aren’t too focused on the...
White House still planning billions in farmer trade aid
Three people familiar with the issue say the Trump administration still intends to roll out an initial payment of up to $12 billion for farmers struggling because of the president’s tariff policies. North Dakota Senator John Hoeven said that a program similar to the...
Learning from 2025 to build a better 2026
It’s been one of those Iowa harvests that went smoothly overall, but it gave us a clear look at any shortcomings we had this year. Early planting conditions looked ideal, but as the summer wore on, humidity, storms, and disease pressures really started to challenge...
Scouting crops from inside the combine cab
As harvest continues to wrap up, farmers need to be scouting their fields for what things need to be changed for next year. Fortunately, the combine cab is the perfect mobile office to do this scouting from. Northwest Iowa AgriGold Agronomist Jeff Morey said there are...
Trade developments are encouraging, but more progress is needed with China
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced agreements on reciprocal trade with Malaysia and Cambodia and frameworks for agreements on reciprocal trade with Thailand and Vietnam. U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO Dan Halstrom said...
Big week for tariffs and SNAP
It’s a big week for President Trump’s tariffs with the issue set to be addressed in court. The Supreme Court is set to hear challenges to President Trump’s tariffs, brought by small businesses and several states. Critics argue that the 1977 law doesn’t grant the...
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More Ag News
Putting safety first when managing manure systems
Manure from hog operations is a renewable, sustainable resource that adds significant value to agricultural systems. However, as with all aspects of agriculture, safety is the first priority when managing manure systems says Marguerite Tan, director of environmental...
Fall tillage and field angles matter for Iowa soybeans
It has been a smooth fall across most of Iowa, with combines running steadily and fields opening up early. Harvest went about as well as anyone could hope for, but that does not mean the season was without its challenges. Disease pressure was the bigger story in 2025,...
RFID technology protects swine industry with traceability
No matter how prepared we think the swine industry is, it’s always important to stay vigilant against foreign animal diseases. If an outbreak were to occur, efficient and accurate swine traceability may help reduce the number of animals impacted and the response time....
“Cantina Vibes” promotes U.S. variety meats in Mexico
Variety meat exports provide critical returns for U.S. pork and beef producers, and Mexico is a leading destination for these products. The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) is promoting pork and beef variety meat items to bars and casual restaurants in Mexico as an...
A new tool for Iowa growers to battle white mold in soybeans
White mold is a major robber of soybean yields, and it has become a big enough issue for growers that BASF has developed a new tool designed to battle the threat. Zorina™ Fungicide has received EPA registration approval and will be available for growers next season...
