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Corn harvest begins as U.S. crop condition continues to decline
The U.S. corn harvest is underway as farmers enter the final stages of a growing season marked by uneven weather and declining crop conditions. USDA's latest Crop Progress report showed 5% of the nation's corn had been harvested as of Sept. 6, compared with the five-year average of 3%. About 25% of the crop had reached maturity. However, only 56% of the crop was rated good to excellent, down another percentage point from the previous week and the lowest rating of the 2026 growing season....
FFA grows as Iowa students return to school
As many Iowa students return to the classroom this week, FFA is beginning another school year with continued growth both in Iowa and across the country. National FFA recently wrapped up its latest membership year with more than one million members nationwide. National...
Farm credit conditions weaken across Upper Midwest
Financial pressure is building in farm country. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago reports that agricultural credit conditions across the Upper Midwest weakened in the second quarter compared with a year ago. Bankers highlight commodity price volatility, high...
Attorney General Todd Blanche addresses Iowa farmers’ fertilizer price concerns
On Thursday United States Attorney General Todd Blanche and Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward visited the Iowa Ag Radio Network at the Iowa State Fair to discuss some of the most prominent agriculture issues relevant to the Department of Justice’s...
Pro Farmer Crop Tour concludes, projects lower corn, higher soybean yields vs. 2025
Pro Farmer is projecting a smaller U.S. corn crop in 2026 after its annual Crop Tour found lower yield potential across much of the Corn Belt. The organization estimates the national corn yield at 173.2 bushels per acre, with production totaling 15.344 billion...
Rural healthcare among top issues in Iowa Senate race
It’s no secret that the farm economy has been tough on our rural communities in recent years. On top of losing local restaurants and grocery stores, many small towns are now in healthcare deserts as rural clinics and other facilities continue to close. As we approach...
Beef supporters turned crisis into lasting impact
What started as an effort to recognize young livestock exhibitors during a canceled Iowa State Fair has grown into an organization that has raised $1.3 million in just a few years. The Iowa State Fair Beef Champions Supporters formed in 2020 after the COVID pandemic...
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Pork demand continues to build in consumers
A growing appetite for pork is building momentum with consumers. Dr. Glynn Tonsor, an economist at Kansas State University, said the pork industry is turning appetites into action by making pork a favorite every day. One of the key shifts has been looking more closely...
Cooler weather in store for the end of August
After bouts of extremely hot weather in July and early August, a week of cooler temperatures is welcome across Iowa. The cooler temperatures could even help with soil and crop conditions as we approach the final stretch of the growing season. USDA meteorologist Brad...
Farm Bureau urges U.S., Canada to resume trade talks
American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall is urging the United States and Canada to return to the negotiating table after trade talks broke down and additional tariffs were imposed. Duvall said Canada has been one of U.S. agriculture’s most important trading...
Ag groups speak out against President Trump’s beef import plan
The Trump administration has announced a new plan aimed at lowering beef prices in the grocery stores, but the plan- which will bring up to 300,000 metric tons of ground beef into the U.S. over the next 90 days- will negatively impact the farm economy. Beef industry...
Iowa water quality progress requires everyone at the table
Clean water is not solely a rural concern or an urban concern. Water moves across property lines, through communities, into rivers, and eventually downstream. Whatever reaches it moves with it. That makes Iowa’s water quality challenge a shared problem, even though...
