Top Stories
Previewing USDA’s Prospective Plantings Report
The 2026 USDA Prospective Plantings Report is scheduled for release on Tuesday March 31st. The report surveys farmer planting intentions for major crops, including corn, soybeans, wheat, and more. This report gives us the first real snapshot of what planted acreage could look like for the upcoming growing season. Jim McCormick, co-founder of AgMarket.net, provides the numbers from AgMarket.net’s projections of the report. McCormick says that fertilizer prices will shift some acres from corn to...
USDA releases new dietary guidelines for Americans
The Department of Health and Human Services and the USDA released the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030, marking what the agencies call a significant reset of federal nutrition policy. They said the new Guidelines deliver a clear, common-sense message to the...
Iowa Farm Act brings Iowa Ag voices to the Capitol
As the 2026 legislative session approaches, Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig is introducing a new concept aimed at bringing focus to agricultural policy in the state. The proposal, known as the Iowa Farm Act, is designed to bundle a wide range of...
Will the January WASDE report feature a yield reduction?
The January USDA WASDE report will be released on Monday January 12th and right now market analysts are leaning towards an expectation for a yield cut to corn and or soybeans. How much of a cut is still to be determined, if it happens at all, but last year’s January...
USDA is officially caught up on export sales
With the latest numbers released on Monday, the USDA is now officially caught up on export sales. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the reports came out a little slower than expected due to the holidays, but we are now fully caught up, especially with this...
Secretary Rollins announces new slate of political appointments to USDA
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced a new slate of presidential appointments to key positions at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). “Under President Trump’s leadership, USDA is building a powerhouse team of Presidential Appointees deeply...
North American Bee Strategy aims to improve honeybee health
Honeybee colonies in the U.S. experienced significant losses in 2024, with an estimated 55% of managed colonies reported as lost from April 2024 to April 2025. That is the highest loss rate since tracking began in 2010. In response, the Honey Bee Health Coalition...
Video
More Ag News
Rural Energy Council is a “disgrace”
Growth Energy, the nation’s largest biofuel trade association, was very unhappy after it was announced that a legislative fix for year-round E15 was dropped from the January government funding bill. It was further incensed that Congress would instead form a “rural...
Iowa ag efforts meet setbacks as policy debates continue
Iowa agriculture continues to face pressure from growing production and slower demand growth, a dynamic that has weighed on commodity prices and raised broader questions about market access for farmers. Those issues were discussed earlier this week during a...
Potential ag impacts from significant winter system
A winter storm is set to move across the country this week and could have adverse effects for agriculture. The storm is unique in that it is tracking farther south than would be expected at this time of the year says USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey. Southern states are...
Trump’s tariffs make a tough economy even tougher
As President Trump continues with his trade policies, farmers in Iowa are feeling the squeeze economically. It’s going to take much more than a bridge payment to make sure that family farms in Iowa are able to keep operating in the future. Iowa Farmers Union President...
Analysis shows the farm economy still needs help
While some progress has been made in stabilizing the farm economy through the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program and Emergency Commodity Assistance Program, recent numbers show that farmers still need help. Faith Parum, an economist with the American Farm Bureau...
