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South American Weather and Crop Update (6-23-26)
Once again, the weather forecasts in South America are leaning more towards drier weather. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said both Brazil and Argentina should see a lack of rain. McBride said that, once the El Nino weather pattern kicks in more, South America could see even more dry weather. Right now, however, the dry weather won’t impact much directly, as both Brazil and Argentina are going through harvest. McBride said harvest in Brazil is still in the very early stages. McBride...
Grassley discusses Secretary of Agriculture nominee Brooke Rollins
President-elect Donald Trump has announced Brooke Rollins as his pick for ag secretary when the new administration takes office in January. Rollins is a former White House aide that served with President Trump during his first term in office. Rollins is the current...
Secretary Naig announces investments in Iowa’s food supply chains
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is investing more than $5.2 million in 24 Iowa projects and other supply chain improvement initiatives through the United States Department of...
November Farm Labor Survey shows wages rising in 2025
The November Farm Labor Survey shows farmworker wages are heading up in 2025. The cost of farm labor is yet another rising supply cost for farmers and ranchers, particularly for farmworkers hired through the H-2A visa program. Samantha Ayoub, an economist for the...
Secretary Naig talks the end of Harvest 2024
As the combines are put away, the tillage is finished, and the fertilizers are being applied, we see the 2024 harvest ending in Iowa. On my travels to Kansas City, I only passed one cornfield still standing. It marks a harvest in which Mother Nature had a rare moment...
Using multiple modes of action against corn rootworm
Corn rootworm is a pest that robs farmers of yields every year. When fighting against it, though, it’s important to make sure that you’re not relying on just one method. Wen Carter, marketing manager with AMVAC, said there was a notable amount of corn rootworm...
USDA reports rising cattle feedlot placements
The key takeaway from the USDA November Cattle on Feed report is that the number of placements into feedlots remains high. That’s USDA livestock analyst Michael McConnell who says that producers placed more cattle into feedlots in October than a year ago with...
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More Ag News
U.S. Export Sales Report (3-20-25)
This week’s export sales contained some good and some bad, which has the markets moving in several different directions. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the corn export sales almost set a weekly record. On the other hand, the soybean export totals for...
Over $1.6 million raised for FFA
The National FFA Organization is proud to announce that its more than one million members, alumni, and supporters raised more than $1.6 million during the tenth annual Give FFA Day. The money raised will directly support FFA and agricultural education for local FFA...
Farmers and ranchers need Tax Cuts and Jobs Act extended
The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) is set to expire this year if Congress doesn’t take action. Dustin Sherer, director of government affairs for the American Farm Bureau Federation, said that letting the TCJA expire would have significant impacts to agriculture and...
Support announced for HPAI prevention research
USDA is continuing to roll out its plan to combat Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in poultry flocks. On Thursday United States Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced funding for research to assist prevention. The emergency funding is available through a...
Weed control savings versus future costs
Last fall, we had the chance to talk with FMC’s Gail Stratman. We discussed the challenge facing farmers in 2025. We knew that cutting input costs would be an option that farmers would consider going into this growing season, but we mentioned a few places where...
