Top Stories
Pumpkin popularity from producer and consumer perspective
At this time of year, you are hard pressed to visit a retail store that doesn’t have pumpkins available for purchase. Pumpkin patches have also become extremely popular weekend destinations for people to visit for entertainment and family fun and to pick out a pumpkin to take back home. USDA research economist Seth Wechsler says that while pumpkins are grown nationwide, five states take the top spots in terms of pumpkin production. Wechsler says that pumpkin production has become more popular...
Iowa farmers elect new leadership to advance opportunities for U.S. soybeans
Farmer-leaders of the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) board of directors last week elected Lee Brooke of Clarinda as president during its September board meeting in Aberdeen, Washington. The association’s 22 volunteer farmer directors represent the state’s nine crop...
Solinftec robot adds another set of eyes
Scouting a cornfield is a job that never really ends. Crop development, plant populations, and disease pressure can all change throughout the growing season. Autonomous technology could provide farmers with another set of eyes that keeps watching even when they are...
Matching the ideal hybrid selection to a grower’s management style
SeedIQ™ is a digital platform developed by Beck's Hybrids that helps farmers make better seed placement and management decisions. Jon Skinner is a regional agronomy manager with Beck's Hybrids and he explains why SeedIQ can make a difference on a farmer’s operation....
U.S. Export Sales Report (9-11-26)
Many eyes were on the September World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report last week, but there was another USDA report that was released on Friday- the weekly U.S. export sales. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the report was a mixed...
Iowa cattle producer joins USMEF trip to Japan
A team of 24 leaders and producers from beef, pork, corn and soybean organizations from across the U.S. visited Japan last week to see firsthand the marketing efforts of U.S. beef and pork in the country by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). The group visited...
China continues buying U.S. soybeans ahead of Xi visit
China's recent buying spree continued Thursday when USDA announced another 272,000 metric tons of U.S. soybean sales to China for the 2026-27 marketing year. USDA also reported 206,500 tons sold to unidentified destinations. Those sales follow China's purchase of...
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More Ag News
USDA moving to modernize farm loan programs
The USDA is making efforts to streamline the farm loan process, but that’s only one piece of the puzzle that is the current farm economy. The changes to the farm loan program come as farmers face increasingly tight profit margins and greater credit demand. Danny...
ARC and PLC enrollment underway
Enrollment is open now for acreage in the ARC or PLC safety net programs. USDA Farm Production Undersecretary Richard Fordyce says enrollment is open through early December for farmers to choose either program. Fordyce explains the ARC safety net program. He says that...
South American Weather and Crop Update (9-22-26)
As planting for the next crop season continues in South America, a shift to a rainier weather pattern is providing a boost to the crops that are in the ground already. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest conditions in Brazil and...
Financial pressure persists for corn and soybean farmers
A new survey of corn and soybean farmers finds financial pressure remains high despite recent improvements in commodity prices. The National Corn Growers Association and American Soybean Association report nearly two-thirds of growers are moderately or very concerned...
Naig urges safety as harvest impatience grows
Rain has kept many Iowa combines parked as farmers wait for fields to dry, and with October approaching, the desire to finally get harvest underway continues to build. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said that anticipation is evident as he travels across the...
