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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. With corn moving through pollination, weather remains one of the biggest factors influencing yield potential. Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig says he's been traveling across nearly every corner of the state in recent weeks. While...
World’s first large-scale renewable butanediol starts production in Iowa
QORE, a joint venture between Cargill and German-based chemical company HELM, officially started the production of its newest product- QIRA- in Eddyville, Iowa. QIRA is the world's first large-scale renewable butanediol (BDO), which is made from locally grown yellow...
Grassley urges tariff flexibility with fertilizer costs climbing
Fertilizer to grain cost ratios are hitting historic levels and leading to calls for the White House to help protect farmers with flexibility on fertilizer tariffs. United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) says fertilizer costs are burdening Iowa’s farmers....
AFBF seeking nominations for Farm Dog of the Year
The American Farm Bureau Federation, in cooperation with Nestlé Purina PetCare, is looking for the country’s best four-legged farmhand. Terri Moore, vice president of communications for AFBF, said the Farm Dog of the Year contest is a unique opportunity to showcase...
Beef prices hit record highs in June
Ground beef prices continue hitting record-high levels. Newsweek says that’s despite still shrinking cattle herds and import restrictions set to push costs even higher. Government data says the average price of a pound of 100 percent ground beef rose to $6.12 in June,...
Iowa crops blessed so far, challenges loom
The 2025 growing season has brought a mix of promise and uncertainty to Iowa's farmlands. After years of drought conditions, this year’s plentiful rains have blessed the crops with lush growth, particularly across much of the Corn Belt. However, while the green fields...
Multiple modes of action are key to fighting resistant fungal disease
The state of Iowa has received consistent rainfall this summer and created concerns about fungal disease pressure for the stretch run of the growing season. Fungicide use has continued to increase in recent years and that has built some worries about fungicide...
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Dry Iowa weather can make harvest more complicated
Combines are rolling across much of the state, and the dry weather has allowed harvest to continue mostly uninterrupted. However, that dryness can bring with it a whole different slate of issues. Southwest Iowa Beck’s Agronomist Nate Meyer said corn yields might seem...
Turkey inventory squeezed as Thanksgiving approaches
As the weather turns cooler across the US, many shoppers are beginning to plan holiday meals. American Farm Bureau Federation Economist Bernt Nelson said USDA’s latest Turkeys Raised Report gives us some important insight on the size of the U.S. flock ahead of...
Farm bankruptcies on the rise in 2025
The latest data from the Administrative Office of the United States Courts shows farm bankruptcies increasing year over year. Joe Peiffer, an attorney with Ag & Business Legal Strategies in Hiawatha Iowa, says the numbers are disturbing. Peiffer says the...
Iowa Corn Growers congratulate California on approval of E15
Yesterday in California, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 30, which legalizes the sale of E15, a fuel blend made with 15% corn ethanol that is cleaner-burning, homegrown and more affordable than ordinary fuels. With the addition of California, it is now legal in...
District Court advances ranchers’ challenge to tag mandate
A legal challenge over the USDA’s electronic identification (EID) tag mandate for certain cattle and bison is moving forward after the U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota denied much of the USDA’s attempt to dismiss the case. The lawsuit, brought by...
