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Specialty crop payment rates due in April
The USDA has already allocated over $6 billion in payments under the Farmer Bridge Assistance Programs. Payment rates for specialty crops under the program are due in early April. “I believe we’ll have those payment rates in place by early next month,” Deputy Ag Secretary Stephen Vaden told Politico. “We’ll publish those payment rates as soon as we have them, and then quickly get going on the payment part of it.” He added that sugar beets, cotton, and rice are the commodities in the most...
Smart Swaps keeps dairy strong in school meals
School meal programs have been through a lot of change in recent years. From the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act under the Obama Administration to multiple revisions and rollbacks that followed, school nutrition teams have had to constantly adjust to new federal...
ICA responds to President Trump’s comments on the cattle industry
Yesterday, President Trump made a post to his Truth Social account regarding U.S. cattle producers and his plan to increase beef imports from Argentina in an effort to lower beef prices for consumers. The post is causing what the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association (ICA)...
FSA offices resume limited service during shutdown
Farm Service Agency offices are reopening on a limited basis despite the government shutdown. The USDA made this move despite the ongoing stalemate in funding the federal government. Brian Glenn, director of government affairs for the American Farm Bureau Federation,...
Grassley urges shift from temporary waivers to permanent E15 legislation
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa is continuing to seek President Trump’s support of Grassley’s bipartisan year-round E15 legislation. Grassley says that at a time when farmers are set to receive aid because of the trade war and low prices for commodities, year-round E15...
Despite challenges, beef demand at 40-year high
For the past year, the drumbeat across cattle country has been lower herd numbers, market fluctuations and rising input costs. Total beef supply tightened by 3% and beef retail prices climbed to an average of $8 per pound. Yet consumer demand for beef surged to a...
Tariffs pressure sheep industry, but opportunities remain
Over the past week, we have been looking at how tariffs and trade disputes have affected several parts of American agriculture, from soybeans and pork to dairy. But those are not the only producers feeling the impact. The American sheep industry has also been caught...
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Leveraging genetic diversity to combat annual crop issues
Farmers have to deal with unique combinations of diseases, weather events, and pests each crop season. Fortunately, there are things they can do to mitigate the risks of these annual problems. LG Seeds Agronomist Dave Hoy said genetic diversity is one of the main...
Record corn crop and supply and use forecasts
In the latest USDA forecast how is the record corn crop expected to be divided between supply and demand? World Agricultural Outlook Board Chair Mark Jekanowski breaks down some of the details. The season ending average price for corn was $4.00 per bushel, that’s a...
U.S. Export Sales Report (11-20-25)
With the government slowly reopening, the weekly government reports- including the export sales- are covering the data that was missed during the shutdown. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said it will take a while for the government to catch up. This report...
Secretary Naig congratulates winners of the Iowa Restaurant Association’s culinary competition
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today congratulated the winners of the Iowa Restaurant Association’s (IRA) Culinary Competition. The annual event highlights the creativity, skill and imagination of Iowa’s top chefs while celebrating the depth and diversity of...
Lenders want clear plans as farmers seek 2026 credit
Farmers are already looking ahead to the next growing season, and that means it is time to start preparing for an operating line of credit for 2026. Lenders want to see more than a basic snapshot of your plans. They want a clear picture of how you intend to manage the...
