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Iowa response limits pseudorabies trade impacts
Iowa's response to a recent pseudorabies case demonstrated how established animal health protocols can protect both livestock and export markets. The virus was detected in a small commercial swine herd after pigs that had previously been housed in Texas were moved into Iowa. Those animals had been exposed to feral swine, which are known carriers of pseudorabies in parts of the southern United States. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said Iowa's response followed long-established disease...
Old farm bill doesn’t give farmers necessary risk management tools
As Congress returns to D.C., it is now expected that they will pass another extension of the 2018 farm bill. This is a far cry from what the ag industry was wanting- and hoping for- earlier this year. American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall, during a...
How to pick the right Christmas tree
If you haven't done so already, time is running out to pick that perfect Christmas tree. Barbara H. Smith is a horticulture specialist with Clemson University Extension, and she said the tradition of decorating the modern tree goes back almost 200 years. Smith gave...
Next Senate Majority Leader vows to upend slow Senate pace
Incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune vows to kick-start legislative action on farm and other legislation in 2025 when the GOP takes over leadership of the new Congress. Thune says that the Senate has not done enough during this Congress, beginning with the farm...
Soybean meal exports set a new record
U.S. soy remains America’s number one agricultural export, adding $31.2 billion to the U.S. economy in marketing year 2023-2024. Total soy export volumes were down from the prior year at 60.8 million metric tons, partly due to fewer carry-in stocks and the expansion...
EPA working on outreach with Farmers
Frequently, we find ourselves scratching our heads about AG’s relationship with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). More often than not, regulations and interpretations of their authority have ended up in the country's courtrooms. It’s been a strained...
A surprisingly active December WASDE report to end the calendar year
The December WASDE report, which is normally rather tame, was surprisingly active this time around. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the numbers were almost definitively bullish for this month’s report. When you consider the fantastic demand for U.S....
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Secretary Rollins pushes for USDA focus and reform
The nation is sharply divided over the role of the newly empowered Department of Government Efficiency, with fierce party-line battles over its true purpose. Critics argue that it has become a political weapon, wielded to justify what they see as the systematic...
Still plenty of questions about climate-smart agriculture
There’s been a lot of discussion in recent years about the opportunities within climate-smart agriculture. It’s a far cry from how the ag industry was even 30 years ago. Jon Doggett, former CEO of the National Corn Growers Association, said that, unfortunately, we’ve...
Cattle producers want to keep Section 199A
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is renewing its push for the Section 199A tax deduction. Kelsea Kemp, NCBA associate director of government affairs, said this is a very important tool for producers, and it’s one of their top priorities for the...
How Prospective Plantings estimates compare to trade expectations
On Monday USDA published the much-anticipated Prospective Plantings and Quarterly Grain Stocks reports. USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer explains where the USDA’s Prospective Plantings forecasts fall within the range of trade expectations. Meyer says that the...
Poultry markets strong but face headwinds
Improved economic conditions in many regions, together with ongoing high prices for other proteins, make poultry an attractive option for worldwide consumers. Rabobank says global consumption growth is predicted to reach 2.5 to three percent this year. This marks the...
