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Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling advances with Senate farm bill
Mandatory country-of-origin labeling for beef moved closer to returning after the Senate Agriculture Committee advanced its version of the 2026 farm bill. The legislation includes an amendment tied to the American Beef Labeling Act that would restore mandatory country-of-origin labeling, or MCOOL, for beef. The proposal directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Trade Representative to develop a World Trade Organization-compliant labeling system within one year. MCOOL requires...
Secretary Naig opens sign-up for annual cover crop cost-share program
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today encouraged Iowa farmers and landowners who are planning to seed cover crops this fall to enroll in the state's annual Cover Crop Cost-Share Program. This program is open to first-time and returning cover crop users in all...
USDA could regain food aid programs
Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman wants two major U.S. foreign food aid programs returned to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Boozman says USDA is better equipped than the State Department to oversee programs built around American agriculture....
Vaccinating swine without using traditional syringes
One of the most stressful parts of raising livestock is vaccinating your herd, and that’s especially true for swine producers. The process can be risky for both the livestock and the farmhands administering the vaccines. For the past 20 years, Merck Animal Health has...
U.S. chilled beef may see opportunity in South Korea
Shipments of Australian beef into South Korea have reached more than 90% of the 2026 safeguard volume of 196,00 mt, meaning the tariff rate on Australian beef will soon jump from 5.3% to 24% for the remainder of the year. U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Vice...
Methods to combat heat stress in cattle
With most of the country experiencing on and off instances of extreme heat in recent weeks, producers are working hard to prepare for a potentially long and hot summer for their cattle. Producers need to be preparing for ways to mitigate heat stress in their animals...
Ethanol production reaches highest level in two months
U.S. ethanol production climbed to its highest level in more than two months last week, according to the latest report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Ethanol output averaged 1.117 million barrels per day during the week ending June 26, up from 1.09...
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Pork exports continue to build momentum
Strong global demand continues to boost U.S. pork exports, with both export value and volume running ahead of last year's pace. Through May, U.S. pork exports totaled $3.59 billion, up five percent, while export volume climbed five percent to 1.28 million metric tons....
Satellite technology gives farmers another perspective
Weather has always been one of agriculture's biggest wild cards, but today's farmers have more information than ever before to help them understand what is happening in their fields and around the world. Beyond the forecast on your phone or the rain gauge outside the...
Barn owls take the night shift to protect farms from rodents
Today, more farmers are taking advantage of barn owls for rodent control on their farms. Jennifer Ackerman, an ornithologist and author, discussed what makes barn owls so effective for pest management. She said that barn owls are excellent rodent hunters and a better...
South American Weather and Crop Update (7-21-26)
Not much has changed in the weather patterns for Brazil and Argentina, as the conditions are still defined by a lack of rain. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest forecasts for Brazil and Argentina. While the dry weather normally allows...
Nominations open for the 2026 Iowa Agribusiness Impact Award
The Agribusiness Association of Iowa (AAI) is now accepting nominations for the 2026 Iowa Agribusiness Impact Award, which recognizes individuals, businesses, or initiatives making a meaningful and lasting impact on Iowa’s agricultural economy, rural communities, or...
