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Iowa dairy farmers brace for market & labor challenges in 2026
As 2025 winds down, northwest Iowa dairy farms are taking stock of a year that brought both optimism and new pressures. Sioux County dairy producer Christina Zuiderveen says harvest conditions set a positive tone, even though the year still delivered its share of challenges. Zuiderveen says the fall harvest came together smoothly for most dairy operations in her region. Wind damage and rust reduced yields in some fields, but overall, the season moved quickly, helped by a stretch of favorable...
Food insecurity will only get worse without federal aid
In a time where there is a large amount of uncertainty surrounding government funding, food banks and pantries across the country are certain of one thing: food insecurity is only going to get worse if things don’t change. Here in Iowa, we are seeing hunger growing in...
Secretary Naig announces 9 Choose Iowa Butchery Innovation Grants
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today nine Choose Iowa Butchery Innovation Grant recipients to expand small-scale meat processing capacity within Iowa. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship says in a press release that these...
HPAI detected in Nebraska dairy herd
A dairy herd in Nebraska is the latest to test positive for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), or bird flu. Dr. Roger Dudley, State Veterinarian for Nebraska, said testing confirmed the virus came from dairy cows in California that moved to the state. As...
EPA draft rule on reallocation of RFS refinery exemptions furthers uncertainty
The Iowa Soybean Association and Iowa Biodiesel Board reiterated its call for upholding the integrity of the Renewable Fuel Standard today, in response to the draft rule issued by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regarding the potential reallocation of recently...
Iowa delegation finds Ag opportunities in India
Governor Kim Reynolds recently led a trade delegation to India, marking Iowa’s second visit to the country in less than a year. Joining her were Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig, business leaders, and representatives from agriculture, who met with officials and industry...
Keeping up with evolving crop diseases and pests
Crop diseases and pests tend to adapt and evolve quickly, so it’s important that the available seed hybrids are able to change along with them. Dustin Bowling, LG Seeds brand product manager, said they brought a healthy number of new varieties to market this year....
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More Ag News
Ag marketplace is navigating blind without USDA reports
With the government shutdown in full effect, there won't be any export sales reports until Congress can pass a budget resolution. However, we can still look at the estimates this week for a rough idea of what the sales might look like. Allendale commodity broker Greg...
Government shuts down as Congress fails to pass budget resolution
The Congressional budget year runs through September 30, and the clock has recently run out. Emily Buckman, director of government relations for the American Farm Bureau Federation, said Congress was unable to reach an agreement to keep the federal government open....
Favorable fall weather conditions assisting Iowa’s farmers
Mother Nature is lending a helping hand to farmers this week as conditions are excellent for many aspects of agriculture. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says the Central U.S. is experiencing nearly ideal conditions for both harvest and planting cover crops. Rippey...
California Governor signs landmark E15 legislation
In a historic move, California Governor Gavin Newsom today signed Assembly Bill 30 into law, authorizing the sale of gasoline blends containing up to 15% ethanol (E15) at retail fuel stations across the state. With this action, E15 is authorized for sale by all 50...
Stronger soils mean smarter decisions in 2026
Harvest is running full throttle across Iowa, and while combines are rolling, many farmers are already thinking ahead to what comes next. Rising input costs and shrinking profit margins mean every decision matters more than ever. As planning for 2026 begins to take...
