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Des Moines Water Works feeling the strain from elevated nitrate levels
On June 12th Central Iowa Water Works issued a residential and commercial lawn watering ban citing strain on water treatment facilities because of elevated nitrate concentration in raw source waters. The press release from CIWW says “Central Iowa Water Works needs to limit the amount of river water that is used in the treatment process because nitrate concentrations in the Raccoon and Des Moines rivers have climbed to near record levels.” Des Moines Water Works CEO and General Manager Ted...
President Trump discusses solutions for potential labor shortage
As deportations continue to increase, many farm laborers are worried about whether or not they will be able to work in the U.S., and their employers are worried about having enough labor to get through the crop year. That issue now appears to be on the President’s...
Expanding U.S. ag exports to South Asia
Intensified by tariffs, volatility in the grain marketplace has put pressure on the industry to adapt. In response, stakeholders are working to strengthen their foothold in existing markets while pursuing new buyers abroad. These efforts aim to ensure continued demand...
Integrating livestock into row crop management practices
Diversified agriculture provides many opportunities for improvements to efficiency and sustainability. But with so many factors to consider, it can be difficult to take everything into account when making management decisions. Austin Knight, technical advisor of...
Tips to reduce stress during planting season
Planting season is one of the busiest times of the year for farmers. Growers are building a plan for the growing season and then implementing that plan with many hours spent getting inputs and seed into the soil. With all the hard work of planting season putting a...
South American Weather and Crop Update (4-15-25)
The skies are still rainy down in Brazil, and dry conditions are persisting in Argentina. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest conditions in South America. McBride said harvest in Brazil has continued to move along nicely. The dry...
Governors ask EPA for more renewable fuels
Four state governors sent a letter to Lee Zeldin, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, asking him to set higher Renewable Volume Obligation levels. “Over the past several years, the biofuels industry made significant investments to expand domestic...
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Using your data to increase farm efficiency
Managing your data is very important with how high-tech things are in this day and age. However, managing your data doesn’t just mean keeping it away from those who want to abuse it. Farmers can share their data with trusted ag companies, like Farmer’s Edge, and...
Ag trade mission to Hong Kong to offer unique opportunities for delegates
A USDA led ag trade mission to Hong Kong will take place May 12th-16th allowing stakeholders to build new and expand existing market opportunities. That is Foreign Agricultural Service Acting Associate Administrator Mark Slupek who says more than three dozen...
Secretary Naig announces expansion of drivers’ access to E15 in Iowa
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program (RFIP) Board recently approved an additional 95 applications from Iowa gas stations to support new and expanded ethanol infrastructure projects. These...
Quick start to planting season unlikely to impact May WASDE
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that the nation’s farmers are off to a fast start this planting season, which could impact the supply-side factors in their May reports. However, Iowa State University Agricultural Economist Chad Hart said...
Homegrown horticulture joins Choose Iowa program
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) continues to champion local agriculture by supporting the Choose Iowa program, a state-branded initiative connecting consumers with Iowa-grown, raised, and made products. Launched in 2022, Choose Iowa has...
