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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...
Hot and humid conditions and the impact on agriculture
This week in Iowa has been hot, humid, and wet with frequent rainfall and humidity that has stressed humans and livestock. Iowa is not alone as the United States has featured wide swaths of similar weather. The extremes of the hot and humid weather have been felt in...
Smallest U.S. cattle herd since 1973
The July Cattle on Feed Report offered little relief to customers paying higher prices for beef. That’s despite the cycle of herd liquidation that seems to be slowly ending. There were 94.2 million cattle and calves in the U.S. as of July 1, the lowest mid-year number...
Iowa farmers urged to keep tar spot from ruining bumper crop
Iowa has received plenty of rain recently, and the temperatures have finally cooled off as well. On top of that, we’re looking at one of the biggest crops in recent history. Southwest Iowa Beck’s Agronomist Nate Meyer said he’s not sure that he’s ever seen such a big...
South American Weather and Crop Update (7-30-25)
The weather in South America has still not changed much, with farmers in Brazil and Argentina seeing mostly clear and dry conditions. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said there are scattered rain showers, but otherwise the weather remains status quo. The dry...
Basis matters now, say Midwest ag economists
Tight corn supplies might normally trigger a rally in the market, but so far, that hasn’t been the case. Despite strong demand and dwindling stocks, futures prices have stayed relatively steady. That’s because—while the numbers show a squeeze—markets may be confident...
Argentina makes permanent tax cuts to ag exports
Recently, Argentina President Javier Milei announced permanent export tax cuts for a wide variety of agricultural commodities. The biggest impact globally will be seen in the soybean marketplace, as Argentina is the world’s largest exporter of soybean meal. Allendale...
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2025 Iowa Teacher of the Year has roots in agriculture
One of Iowa’s top leaders in ag education was recognized as the 2025 Iowa Teacher of the Year. Melanie Bloom, who has been teaching agriculture at Sioux Central Community School District in Sioux Rapids for 16 years, was announced as the recipient of the award last...
NPB strengthening connection between consumers and pork
The National Pork Board’s strategic brand campaign is all about taste and flavor. Patrick Fleming, vice president of demand development, says the new tagline, “Taste What Pork Can Do™,” aims to strengthen consumers' connection with pork by highlighting its flavor and...
Thune pushes Farm Bill, farmers push harder
Farmers are running out of patience as depressed commodity prices and razor-thin profit margins continue to squeeze their operations. The much-celebrated “Big Beautiful Bill” passed earlier this summer, offering some relief, but it did little to calm the frustration...
Crop insurance enhancements and improvements announced
A big piece of the farm safety net, crop insurance, is getting an overhaul courtesy of the Big Beautiful Bill. Risk Management Agency Administrator Pat Swanson explains the adjustments to enterprise and whole farm units. Swanson says there are also recently enacted...
Farmers feeling the fertilizer price squeeze
Farm groups are warning the White House that the tariff war is making already high fertilizer prices worse. That’s making it harder for farmers to afford to plant their typical amounts of corn, soybeans, and wheat. Politico said ag industry representatives have...
