Top Stories
USDA faces borrowing caps for farm programs
The Commodity Credit Corporation may soon fall short of funds, hindering farm safety net programs. While increases in the farm safety net through the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act were welcome, there are concerns that USDA will receive enough funding for the safety net to work. John Newton, vice president of public policy with the American Farm Bureau Federation, shares that the USDA has relied on the Commodity Credit Corporation to fund numerous programs for farmers and ranchers for decades....
Iowa farmers tell story of American beef to Japanese consumers
Two Iowa farms will be the centerpiece of a U.S. beef marketing campaign in Japan. Chance and Shayne Wiese and their 1904 fifth-generation Herefords farm were the first one featured. Shayne shared the story of their farm and acknowledged the rare opportunity to...
Bankruptcy filings signal ongoing farm financial stress
Farm bankruptcies across the country remain at levels not seen since the disruptions of the COVID era, and legal experts say that should concern producers and lenders alike. While the pace of filings this year is similar to last year, that does not mean the farm...
Grain markets anticipating two major USDA reports
This week will bring us two of the biggest USDA reports of the year- the June Quarterly Grain Stocks and Acreage reports. This gives us the first glance into what the 2026 crop should actually look like. Micheal Weidner, director of grain origination and producer...
Top takeaways from June Cattle on Feed Report
The June Cattle on Feed Report offers some of the latest trends from the cattle feedlots. USDA livestock analyst Michael McConnell provides some details. McConnell explains why there are more cattle in feedlots than a year ago at this time and says a big reason is a...
Costs going higher in 2027
USDA's latest Commodity Cost and Returns report shows production expenses are expected to climb for every major crop in 2026 as global energy and fertilizer market disruptions continue to ripple through agriculture. The report follows months of volatility tied to...
Year-round E15 legislation is still in trouble
There are more warning signs that year-round E15 legislation is in trouble. Michigan Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin told USDA Secretary Rollins at a recent hearing that strong influence from interest groups is stalling year-round E15. According to Slotkin, there is...
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More Ag News
U.S. farmers planted fewer corn acres and more soybeans
Today the USDA published both the Planted Acreage and Quarterly Grain Stocks Reports. Commodity broker Greg McBride of Allendale says there were only slight adjustments to the corn acres from the March planting intentions report. McBride says the soybean acreage...
Iowa Corn Growers applaud suspension of phosphate countervailing duties
President Trump Takes Action to Lower Fertilizer Costs and Support American Farmers Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a proclamation temporarily suspending countervailing duties (CVDs) on certain phosphate fertilizer imports, providing immediate relief to...
Mexico’s restrictions on pork offal remain costly for U.S. industry
As a result of a recent pseudorabies detection in Iowa, Mexico closed its border to U.S. pork offal products for more than a month. According to U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) estimates, since its implementation, the closure has cost U.S. exporters roughly $7...
Weather will affect how much disease pressure we see in 2026
Due to the beautiful weather we have seen in Iowa recently, which has included some cool and wet nights, tar spot has already been detected in some fields across the state. However, this week’s much hotter temperatures should suppress any additional pressure from tar...
Naig stresses value of USMCA framework
Trade agreements often receive the most attention when negotiations become contentious, but for Iowa agriculture, their greatest value is often found in the stability they provide. Canada and Mexico remain Iowa's two largest international trading partners, making the...
