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Ethanol exports on track to hit another record
Ethanol exports are on track to set another record according to USDA Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke Lindberg. Lindberg says that new and expanded overseas markets are increasing foreign demand and driving a likely third record year of ethanol exports. Lindberg also points to increased demand via a recent trade deal with the UK which included ethanol. The Energy Information Administration says the U.S. was exporting nearly 140-thousand barrels per day through...
Beef prices and herd retention decisions
With turbulent cattle markets due to beef imports and the southern border with Mexico reopening for cattle imports cattle producers have a lot to think about when making decisions for the future of the herd. Will cattle ranchers and farmers make plans for starting the...
Fordyce explains unusual ARC and PLC signup
Persistent rain has kept combines parked across much of Iowa, leaving farmers waiting for fields to dry out and harvest to get moving. While they wait, there is another decision to make involving the 2026 crop. USDA has opened enrollment for the Agriculture Risk...
Secretary Naig welcomes applications for urban water quality project grants
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today announced that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) is accepting pre-applications for cost-share grants to support urban conservation and water quality projects. The locally led projects,...
China trade talks provide optimism for U.S. red meat
U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer over the weekend offered new details on the progress made in last week’s U.S.-China trade talks, which were held in conjunction with the summit meeting between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. In a...
President Trump announces $15 billion steel mill in Lee County
Governor Kim Reynolds and Mesabi Metallics Chairman Rewant Ruia joined President Donald Trump today at the White House for an announcement about a $15 billion economic development project in Iowa. Mesabi Metallics plans to make Iowa the home for its new fully...
Soybean prices plummet following Trump-Xi meeting
After the much-anticipated trade meeting between United States and Chinese trade officials and Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, the results for U.S. agriculture appear to be a mixed bag. While China did agree to reduce tariffs on a wide range of U.S. farm...
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More farmer aid unlikely until after midterm elections
Republican lawmakers are warning that additional farm aid may not reach producers fast enough. Politico reported that Republicans are pushing to attach roughly $11 billion in direct farm assistance to a defense spending package. Payments likely would not arrive until...
USDA expands risk management options for farmers
Farmers enrolled in Agriculture Risk Coverage now have more flexibility when putting together their crop insurance protection. USDA Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation Richard Fordyce says a previous restriction prevented producers from purchasing...
NPPC says a Prop 12 fix is still within reach
The National Pork Producers Council continues pushing lawmakers to address California's Proposition 12 through the next farm bill debate. NPPC President Rob Brenneman, who is also an Iowa pork producer himself, said the organization believes a fix would benefit both...
NASS reports corn ending stocks 35% higher than last year
Higher than expected corn production numbers were negative for the grain markets today and implied lower demand. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), old crop corn stocks on hand as of September 1st, 2026,...
The future of the farm bill could be decided by November elections
The future of the farm bill may be decided by what happens when voters head to the polls in November. Lawmakers have left Washington for a month of campaigning without passing a new five-year bill, leaving producers facing more uncertainty after the third extension of...
