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EPA Proposes restoring biofuel volumes exempted from refinery requirements
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced Tuesday a proposal to restore renewable fuel blending requirements affected by additional small refinery exemptions, a move intended to protect demand for American corn and soybeans. The EPA said exemptions granted for 2025 exceeded earlier projections by 770 million renewable identification numbers, or RINs, which represent renewable fuel volumes. Under the proposal, EPA would reallocate 100% of those additional exempted volumes through one of two...
Map the Meal Gap study highlights growing presence of food insecurity
The latest Map the Meal Gap study from Feeding America shows the harrowing impact of food insecurity in Iowa and across the country. In this year’s study, data shows that 1 in 8 Iowans and 1 in 6 Iowa children face food insecurity. Additionally, the annual meal gap in...
GLP-1 trend fuels demand for U.S. dairy
Consumer demand is reshaping the dairy industry, introducing new market opportunities for versatile dairy producers. The biggest growth isn't coming from traditional products like cheese and butter. Instead, processors are investing heavily in high-protein milk,...
USDA reminds farmers of important deadlines
USDA is reminding farmers and ranchers that deadlines are approaching for several programs designed to help offset higher input costs, recover from disasters, and strengthen financial protection. The Farm Service Agency says applications for the Assistance for...
Extreme heat impacts the Midwest
Extreme heat has been impacting the western two-thirds of the United States in recent days as crops are in critical stages of growth. One example of the intense heat occurred recently in the badlands of South Dakota says USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey. Although...
Farmers continue embracing conservation practices
Iowa farmers continue adopting conservation practices at a record pace, and Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig says new state investments will help keep that momentum going. During a recent interview, Naig said conservation remains one of the department's top...
U.S. pork exports to Japan show strong rebound
Exports of U.S. pork to Japan have shown an impressive rebound in 2026. The market has faced challenges such as high energy costs and a weak yen against the U.S. dollar, but some value sectors have increasingly relied on U.S. pork loin and pork butt. USMEF President...
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Next-generation Big Boar Zoomer takes top prize at Iowa State Fair
Zoomer, a six-year-old boar from Atlantic Iowa, is the 2026 Iowa State Fair Big Boar contest winner tipping the scale at 1,246 pounds. Zoomer is owned by Todd Schuler of Atlantic and he tells the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network that Zoomer has the frame to put on...
Largest-ever combined corn and soy planted acreage
U.S. farmers planted a record amount of corn and soybeans in the 2026/27 season, USDA reported this week. Combined planted acreage of the two crops reached 183.5 million acres, more than 3 million acres higher than the previous combined crop record. The record was...
Major reports can cause sudden market shifts
As we saw with the August WASDE report, sudden surprises can cause the grain prices to jump up at a moment’s notice. With the right preparations, farmers can take advantage of those price rallies to get premium prices for their stored grain. Michael Weidner, director...
U.S.-Canada trade negotiations are vital to agriculture success
U.S. farmers and ranchers are paying close attention to the negotiations on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement. Virginia Houston, the senior director of congressional affairs for the American Farm Bureau Federation, highlights the vital roles Mexico and Canada...
Active August weather could boost Iowa crops
Strong thunderstorms rolled through Iowa on the opening morning of the Iowa State Fair, putting the weather front and center. While the storms may not have been what fairgoers wanted to see, the broader weather pattern could be arriving at a good time for Iowa crops....
