Top Stories
Trump orders changes to support ranchers, increase beef market competition
President Donald Trump signed two executive orders Friday aimed at strengthening the U.S. cattle industry, increasing competition and expanding opportunities for ranchers and smaller meat processors. USDA said one order directs stronger enforcement of the Packers and Stockyards Act and calls for USDA to coordinate with the Justice Department on livestock-market competition. It also directs USDA to expand programs allowing more state-inspected meat to move across state lines and provide...
Cattle producers aren’t surprised that NWS made it across the border
New World Screwworm (NWS) finally made its way into the U.S. last week, but the cattle industry isn’t surprised it happened. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) CEO Colin Woodall said they have been expecting this to happen for a while. Woodall said it’s been...
USMCA trade agreement vital to Iowa’s ag trade
The USMCA (United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement) is a free trade agreement between the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The agreement lasts for 16 years, with reviews every six years. With the July 1st renewal deadline drawing near Farmers for Free Trade held a...
IDALS issues guidance to protect animals from New World Screwworm
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) issued the following guidance for livestock producers, pet owners, and veterinarians to help protect animals from the parasitic New World Screwworm (NWS) fly. The guidance comes after multiple cases of...
USDA reports new screwworm cases in Texas, New Mexico
Additional cases of New World Screwworm have now been confirmed in both Texas and New Mexico, prompting USDA to further expand its response efforts. During a briefing on Monday, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins outlined the latest detections and provided an update on the...
Iowa livestock producers should be tracking NWS cases
Recently, New World Screwworm (NWS) was officially confirmed in the U.S. after it made its way closer to the border through Mexico. Now that it is in the U.S. cattle herd, we have also seen our first case of NWS in a different mammal- a dog in Lea County, New Mexico....
Secretary Rollins talks ag trade with lawmakers
The Agriculture Secretary Thursday discussed agricultural trade opportunities and gains with House Agriculture Committee members. Secretary Rollins began by touting trade deals that have been made by the current administration to increase U.S. farm and food export...
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More Ag News
What to expect from the USDA acreage and grain stocks reports
On Tuesday June 30th USDA will publish the planted acreage and quarterly grain stocks reports. These reports typically have been known to move the ag marketplace one way or the other based on the updated numbers for planted acreage and the grain on hand in the stocks...
US hog inventory edges lower; productivity ticks up
The U.S. hog and pig inventory totaled 73.7 million head as of June 1, down slightly from a year earlier and from March, USDA said Thursday in its quarterly report. Market hogs accounted for 67.8 million head, while 5.88 million were kept for breeding, according to...
Next week’s heat dome could stress Iowa crops
We’re roughly halfway through the growing season here in Iowa, and there are varying crop conditions across the state. Much of the crop looks very strong currently, but there are some areas struggling with disease, pest, and weather issues. Dan Bjorklund, technical...
Uncertainty around Brazil’s production forecast for 2027
Brazil’s corn and soybean crops could have a major impact on global grain markets. Joanna Colussi, a research assistant professor of agricultural economics at Purdue University, identified fertilizer as the root of the problem. Colussi discussed how the stagnant...
Screwworm far from Iowa, but worth watching
New World Screwworm remains hundreds of miles from Iowa, with confirmed cases confined to parts of Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico. While there is no indication the pest is moving into Iowa anytime soon, state officials say it's important for livestock producers to...
