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USDA expands regenerative agriculture pilot
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is expanding its Regenerative Agriculture Pilot Program for fiscal year 2027, providing $1 billion in financial assistance to producers. USDA says $650 million will be provided through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, while another $350 million will come through the Conservation Stewardship Program. The funding supports voluntary conservation practices designed to address whole-farm resource concerns. Members of the Food and Agriculture Climate...
Solinftec robot adds another set of eyes
Scouting a cornfield is a job that never really ends. Crop development, plant populations, and disease pressure can all change throughout the growing season. Autonomous technology could provide farmers with another set of eyes that keeps watching even when they are...
Matching the ideal hybrid selection to a grower’s management style
SeedIQ™ is a digital platform developed by Beck's Hybrids that helps farmers make better seed placement and management decisions. Jon Skinner is a regional agronomy manager with Beck's Hybrids and he explains why SeedIQ can make a difference on a farmer’s operation....
U.S. Export Sales Report (9-11-26)
Many eyes were on the September World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report last week, but there was another USDA report that was released on Friday- the weekly U.S. export sales. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the report was a mixed...
Iowa cattle producer joins USMEF trip to Japan
A team of 24 leaders and producers from beef, pork, corn and soybean organizations from across the U.S. visited Japan last week to see firsthand the marketing efforts of U.S. beef and pork in the country by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). The group visited...
China continues buying U.S. soybeans ahead of Xi visit
China's recent buying spree continued Thursday when USDA announced another 272,000 metric tons of U.S. soybean sales to China for the 2026-27 marketing year. USDA also reported 206,500 tons sold to unidentified destinations. Those sales follow China's purchase of...
Autonomous sprayer targets weeds around the clock
Autonomous equipment is becoming increasingly common in agriculture, but Solinftec is taking the concept beyond simply removing an operator from the cab. Its SOLIX robot is designed to remain in the field, continuously scouting for weeds and treating them as they...
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U.S. Export Sales Report (9-17-26)
This week’s export sales were good once again, especially for this time of year. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the corn sales are slightly behind the USDA’s pace, so this report was very much appreciated. McBride said the soybean sales have continued to...
Growing Iowa’s cattle herd
The Iowa Cattlemen's Association held a press conference on Thursday at the Pastour Family Farm near Mitchellville to announce its Building Iowa’s Cattle Future policy package. The press conference featured ICA’s plans for strengthening Iowa’s cattle industry,...
Fuel prices will likely keep climbing higher
Diesel fuel is at an all-time high of more than six dollars a gallon as farmers start a busy harvest season. Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy.com, said the price for fuel in the U.S. is hard to swallow. DeHaan said the U.S. and Iran war isn’t...
Ag Committee advances Farm Bill 2.0 to uncertain future in full Senate
The Senate Agriculture Committee advanced its 2026 farm bill on a narrow 12-11 party-line vote after Sen. Mitch McConnell’s return enabled action on the measure. The bill includes major agriculture priorities such as year-round E15, mandatory country-of-origin...
Soybean checkoff turns research into new demand
Soybeans are most commonly associated with food, livestock feed, and renewable fuels, but a growing share of soybean research is looking at what the crop can do beyond those traditional markets. From tires and lubricants to firefighting foam, industrial uses are...
