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Secretary Naig opens sign-up for annual cover crop cost-share program
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today encouraged Iowa farmers and landowners who are planning to seed cover crops this fall to enroll in the state's annual Cover Crop Cost-Share Program. This program is open to first-time and returning cover crop users in all 99 counties and offers cost-share assistance on up to 160 acres per participant. “More Iowa farmers are choosing to plant cover crops because they've seen the benefits in their own fields, while also delivering cleaner water for...
Drought pressures western rangeland management
When I visited Washington, D.C. recently, I had the opportunity to speak with Karen Budd-Falen, Associate Deputy Secretary at the Department of the Interior, about the challenges facing western rangelands as drought conditions continue to affect large portions of the...
New research studies connection between PRRS and gastric ulcer development in pigs
Porcine Respiratory and Reproductive Syndrome, or PRRS, is a disease that is always top-of-mind for swine producers. On top of its primary symptoms, there are many side effects that can occur in infected hogs. Boehringer Ingelheim has led some new research into the...
USDA finalizes specialty crop assistance program details
The USDA announced it has finalized the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers Program, announced late last year. Danny Munch, an economist for the American Farm Bureau Federation, said the funds are part of the USDA’s broader Farmer Bridge Assistance Program. The...
Taste What Pork Can Do is celebrating global flavors
The Taste What Pork Can Do® campaign from the National Pork Board launched in May 2025 with the aim of getting younger generations of consumers interested in buying more pork. Jose De Jesus is vice president of market growth with the National Pork Board and he says...
Farmers trim input costs as profit margins remain tight
Farmers across the Corn Belt are reducing spending on fertilizer, seed and crop protection products as they prepare for another year of narrow profit margins. Agricultural economists and industry analysts report that many producers are carefully managing expenses...
Interior seeks flexibility on predator management
When I visited Washington, D.C. recently, I had the opportunity to speak with Karen Budd-Falen, Associate Deputy Secretary at the Department of the Interior, about several wildlife management issues affecting western ranchers. Among the topics discussed were wolves...
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President Trump says he is “not looking to renew” USMCA
Speaking at the White House today, President Trump stated that he is not looking to renew the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, saying that “we don’t need anything that Canada has, we don’t need anything that Mexico has.” However, this statement comes as the ag industry...
Concerns rising as U.S. oil reserves decline
While still elevated, oil prices have dipped slightly, well off the high-water mark we saw back in April. Patrick DeHaan, the senior petroleum analyst with Gasbuddy.com, says there are several things helping oil prices. Oil prices are also being helped by China,...
Congressman calls for quicker ARC, PLC Payments
House Ag Committee Republican Rick Crawford asked for support from USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins at a recent hearing to help speed up ARC and PLC payments. Arkansas Representative Rick Crawford says that payments can sometimes be delayed by up to a year. Crawford told...
Work underway on a year-round E15 bill in the Senate
Efforts to secure year-round nationwide sales of E15 ethanol fuel remain active in the U.S. Senate, offering renewed hope for corn growers seeking expanded demand for their crop. Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota said that lawmakers are working on new...
June forecast brings rain, warmth to Midwest
A warm and active weather pattern is expected to continue across much of the United States through the middle of June, bringing beneficial moisture and above-normal temperatures to many key crop-producing regions. According to USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey, the...
