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Grassley discusses the USMCA ahead of July 1st review
Last week President Trump said that he does not plan to renew USMCA (U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement) ahead of its mandatory July 1 review. On Tuesday United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) was asked about the president’s comments and whether Grassley and other Senators in favor of USMCA have been in discussions with the president. Senator Grassley says the trade agreement is very important to Iowa’s ag producers. Grassley says the administration has the right to renegotiate within the...
U.S. beef regains duty-free access to UK market
When the United Kingdom departed from the European Union in 2020, U.S. beef no longer had duty-free access to the UK. This increased costs for British importers and the entire U.S. beef supply chain, making the UK market more difficult to serve. Now, duty-free...
USDA reorganizes FSIS and establishes Food Safety Center in Iowa
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced a major reorganization of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), aiming to modernize operations and better align the agency with today’s agricultural landscape. Central to the plan is the creation of a National...
Pilot program targets nitrogen efficiency
As Iowa farmers prepare to get planters rolling this spring, a new soil testing effort is aiming to help producers better manage fertilizer costs while also improving environmental outcomes. Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig says the pilot program focuses on...
Farmers need to have flexible weed control programs
Weeds like water hemp are at the top of every farmer’s mind, especially as planting season rolls along. Producers need to have a broad spectrum of control in their weed management plans, or they will risk having those weeds develop resistances to the products they...
Canada patiently pursuing USMCA despite pressure from U.S.
The Trump administration is demanding what amounts to an ‘entry fee’ from Canada, in the form of agreeing to some concessions just to engage in trade talks relating to the USMCA deal. In particular, the U.S. administration is demanding pre-negotiation concessions from...
Iowa’s official America250 tree planted on Arbor Day at the Iowa State Fairgrounds
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig and other state leaders gathered at the Iowa State Fairgrounds today to plant Iowa’s official America250 tree. The event is part of a year-long, statewide initiative celebrating the nation’s 250th birthday and honoring Iowa’s...
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It’s still too risky to ship fertilizer globally
The Strait of Hormuz has become a major focus in global markets as disruptions have created bottlenecks that are driving input costs even higher. Josh Linville, vice president of fertilizer for StoneX, said it doesn’t matter if the strait is declared open or closed-...
South American Weather and Crop Update (5-6-26)
Dry weather is still causing concerns for some of the crops down in South America. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest conditions for Brazil and Argentina. At the very least, the dry weather is allowing for harvest to continue at a...
Helping Iowa’s growers prepare for whatever the crop season throws at them
When building their plans for the 2026 growing season this spring, farmers have been making tough decisions across the board. Decisions on high priced fertilizer and whether to cut back on inputs are being made as growers encounter lower prices for their commodities...
Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award nomination deadline extended to May 22nd
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has extended the deadline for nominations for the 2026 Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award. The deadline to nominate a farmer or farm family is now Friday, May 22. The Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award...
NASA technology helping farmers from space
Interest in NASA and America’s return to the Moon has surged again following the Artemis missions and the growing focus on deep space exploration. But while much of the public attention is focused on rockets and astronauts, NASA says some of its most important work is...
