Top Stories
Will EPA back rural America or Big Oil?
As the push for higher ethanol blends accelerates, Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor says some of the most important decisions still ahead rest with the Environmental Protection Agency. She says the way EPA handles small refinery exemptions, reallocation, and long-term certainty for E15 will have major consequences for both retailers and rural communities. The issue of reallocation has become a central point in the ongoing biofuels conversation. When EPA grants a small refinery exemption, the...
South American Weather and Crop Update (10-7-25)
With the current government shutdown, the markets are looking for any headlines to react to. There’s definitely a watchful eye on the crop conditions in Brazil and Argentina, but some political meetings may cause more of a shakeup. Allendale commodity broker Greg...
Crop farmers still facing a rough ag economy
As the broader ag economy continues to struggle, row crop farmers face a particularly difficult time. Now, many farmers and ranchers are studying their balance sheets. Faith Parum, an economist for the American Farm Bureau Federation, said the difficult ag economy is...
Senator says time is running out for US growers, help needed now
United States Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) told the Senate that U.S. growers can’t wait much longer for help from Washington. Nebraska Senator Deb Fischer says that the combination of high input costs and uncertainty in trade has brought farm finances dangerously close...
Secretary Naig announces grants to bolster access to E15, biodiesel in Iowa
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program (RFIP) Board recently approved an additional 48 grants, totaling more than $1.86 million, to support new and expanded biofuel infrastructure projects. These...
Scout from the combine seat as weed escapes show
The combines are running full throttle across Iowa, and while farmers are focusing on bringing in the crop, another reality is emerging along the field edges and in bare spots: weeds that slipped through this year’s control programs. Those escapes may look harmless...
Government shutdown adding more uncertainty to the ag markets
The agriculture industry and ag markets have been dealt a lot of uncertainty in 2025. From the tariffs of the trade war to the new world screwworm shutdown of the border between Mexico and the United States, the markets have dealt with many unknowns. Now amid the...
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More Ag News
Navigating tough decisions on fertilizer this fall
The discussion on fertilizer this fall has put a lot of farmers between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand prices for commodities are low but on the other hand fertilizer prices are elevated. That leaves the grower often wondering if they should cut back on...
U.S. Export Sales Estimates (10-16-25)
As the government shutdown persists, we still don’t have any official export numbers to look at. We can, however, look again at the weekly estimates. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the corn numbers are still projected to be well above the average. On the...
Falling oil prices should indicate cheaper fuel
For the past several weeks and even several months, oil prices have held fairly steady, remaining in the mid-$60 per barrel range. But, thanks to OPEC’s increased production, that trend is no more. Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy.com, said banks...
Secretary Naig announces eight additional abandoned mine land reclamation projects
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today announced that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is beginning construction on eight additional abandoned mine land (AML) reclamation projects in southeast Iowa. The eight projects, which represent...
From the mine below to the fields beyond
In our previous story on Nutrien’s Allan Facility, we heard how Environmental Engineer Curtis Ferguson and his team work to protect the land, air, and water surrounding one of Saskatchewan’s largest potash operations. Today, we delve beyond the surface to explore how...
