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USDA sets April loan rates as farmers weigh borrowing costs
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced updated loan interest rates for April, offering a key benchmark for producers making financing decisions ahead of the planting season. Operating loans are set at 4.75%, while farm ownership loans will carry a 5.75% interest rate. The rates reflect broader trends in credit markets as borrowing costs remain elevated compared with recent years. Farmers often rely on USDA-backed loans to cover expenses such as seed, equipment and land purchases....
Iowa regulators highlight changes to pesticide guidance
New federal pesticide decisions and evolving endangered species requirements are expected to bring more field-specific guidance for Iowa applicators heading into the growing season. Conversations following the Agribusiness Association of Iowa Showcase highlighted how...
U.S. Export Sales Report (2-12-26)
Heading into this week’s export sales report, the markets were expecting to see negative corn sales and positive soybean sales. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the report turned out to be the complete opposite from those estimates. Flash sales were active...
Demand is shifting for U.S. farmland
Farmland values have been resilient and even robust in past several years. However, those prices are entering a new phase as profit margins continue to change. Colton Lacina, the senior vice president of real estate operations for the Farmers National Company, said...
Dietary guidelines implementation updates
Secretaries for the Agriculture and Health and Human Services Departments Wednesday provided an update on implementation progress for the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans. That was USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins. The guidelines provide guidance for federal food...
Smaller cattle herd means market volatility
It’s well-known that the U.S. cattle herd continues to shrink. The January U.S. Cattle Inventory report showed the total inventory at 86.2 million head on January 1. That was down 300,000 head from last year. American Farm Bureau analysis showed the combination of...
Naig says Iowa agriculture needs stability in uncertain cycle
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig says farmers and agribusinesses across the state are facing growing pressure from multiple directions, including higher operating costs, workforce challenges, and continued uncertainty in the broader farm economy. Speaking this...
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Naig highlights Iowa results as E15 access grows
As questions continue in Washington about the future of year-round E15, Iowa leaders say the state is already seeing what expanded access can do. From more fuel choices at the pump to stronger demand for corn, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig says Iowa’s...
Feenstra visits central Iowa FFA students during National FFA Week
Supporting the next generation of ag professionals starts at the school level, where students can participate in FFA to learn more about what the ag industry has to offer. This week is National FFA Week, and Iowa Congressman Randy Feenstra visited students in Gilbert,...
USDA releases December 2025 red meat export data
U.S. pork exports posted the second highest value and third largest volume on record in 2025, according to year-end data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom said this follows a record-setting...
Farmer bridge assistance enrollment period begins
During the keynote speech at USDA’s Ag Outlook Forum last Friday, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announced that the applications for the farmer bridge assistance program would open ahead of schedule. The application process is now open as of Monday February 23rd, says...
Farm Bill 2.0 provides additional certainty
House Ag Committee Chair GT Thompson recently released the text of Farm Bill 2.0, or the “Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026.” Groups like the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association welcomed the provisions that strengthen the agriculture measures included in...
