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Mississippi River system levels dropping
For the third year in a row, the Mississippi River is experiencing low water levels during harvest season. In the spring and early summer, precipitation and water levels were quite robust. Mike Steenhoek, executive director of the Soy Transportation Coalition, says once the calendar moved past mid-July, precipitation decline significantly, which caused a steady and dramatic decrease in water levels. There was a brief rise in water levels near Memphis after Hurricane Helene, but once the surge...
Secretary Naig announces availability of pesticide applicator testing options
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is again offering in-person and online pesticide applicator testing options for commercial and private applicators this fall. The Department encourages...
SW Iowa crops still looking great heading into harvest
There’s not much time left until harvest season will be upon us in Iowa, and the crops in the southwest part of the state are still looking great. SW Iowa Beck’s Agronomist Nate Meyer said he’s expecting a bumper crop for both corn and soybeans this year. Meyer said...
Financial benefits of climate-smart commodities
Approximately 13,000 American farms participate in the climate-smart commodity initiative, which covers about eight million acres of land. Ag Secretary Tom talked about the appeal of the initiative and said he expects those participation numbers to continue growing....
A drop in soybean condition ratings
USDA is reporting a drop in condition ratings for soybeans and a possible frost in parts of the Upper Midwest. That is USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey. There was no change to the corn condition rating this week with the number remaining at 65% good to excellent....
Koch completes $3.6 billion purchase of Iowa Fertilizer Co.
Koch Ag & Energy Solutions successfully purchased OCI Global’s fertilizer plant in Wever, Iowa, for $3.6 billion. After announcing the pending sale last year, the finished transaction gives Koch access to a state-of-the-art facility and its related businesses. The...
Keeping new dairy calves healthy from respiratory diseases
While we have talked at length about what H5N1 or bird flu looks like for dairy herds, we have to remember that this isn’t the only health concern we face. There are still the old standards we have to guard against, and at this time of year, we see more calves moving...
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The perfect mix of versatility and performance from John Deere
When it comes to the business of farming, getting the most out of your dollar is paramount. That’s why when making equipment decisions, a versatile piece of farm machinery can often be the best option for farmers. The 6M Series of tractors from John Deere fits the...
Pork producers talk farm bill, Prop 12 during fly-in
Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack and Senator John Boozman (R-AR) met with 120 pork farmers at the National Pork Producers Council’s Fall Legislative Action Conference. They discussed prospects for a 2024 Farm Bill and a federal solution to California’s Prop 12. NPPC said that...
USSEC Pleased with Connext event in San Francisco
A couple of weeks ago we had the chance to talk with Iowa soybean producer April Hemmes as she was in San Francisco for the Soy Connext event which connected soybean growers from around the country with international customers to help tell the story of what we're...
Kubota RTV-X designed to make farm chores easier
When you picture a farm, it’s easy to first imagine the massive tractors that are required to do many of the operating tasks. However, most farmers also have smaller utility vehicles that are great for less demanding jobs or even just for transportation. At this...
U.S. Export Sales Report (9-13-24)
With September being the beginning of the new marketing year, the export sales can be deceiving. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said this week’s numbers look better than they actually are. With all of that being said, though, McBride said the export sales...