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Updating Iowa’s corn harvest progress
While Iowa was delayed in starting harvest this year due to rain and wet conditions, farmers have made up significant ground in recent weeks. However, Iowa still lags behind the national corn harvest pace which has almost caught up to the five-year average. That is USDA Chief Meteorologist Brad Rippey who says that several states in the Western Corn Belt have dealt with slower progress in harvesting corn this year. Rippey points to Iowa as the state that trails the most in corn harvest...
Markets await October USDA supply and demand estimates
USDA’s October Crop Production Report and World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates, or WASDE, are scheduled for release at noon Eastern Time on Oct. 9. World Agricultural Outlook Board Chair Mark Jekanowski says the October reports will incorporate key data...
NPB launches advisory committees to strengthen producer input
One of the cornerstones of the National Pork Board (NPB) is focusing on producer priorities. Six producer-led advisory committees were established recently to align with NPB’s strategic plan. NPB CEO David Newman said the board is built by farmers, for farmers. Unlike...
Opening the playbook on soybean variety selection
Managing soybean cyst nematode can influence more than how farmers protect yield. The resistance needed to manage the pest can also affect which soybean varieties are available to match the other agronomic needs of an individual field. BASF is developing its...
Seed Sovereignty Initiative capitalizes on U.S. seed collection
Yesterday, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announced a $180 million investment into the new Seed Sovereignty Initiative. This provides much-needed support for the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS). Dr. Scott Hutchins, USDA...
Diesel tax relief is appreciated, but costs are still high
Earlier this week, President Trump made an executive order to temporarily allow tax-free dyed diesel to be used on highways and defer the federal diesel tax through the end of the year. While farm groups are welcoming any relief this move could provide, many say the...
Fall warmth kickstarts harvest in Iowa
After an abnormally wet September, drier conditions have returned to some of the key row crop growing regions of the country in October. USDA Chief Meteorologist Brad Rippey says the drier conditions are leading to a slow and steady return to harvest activity in...
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Soybean checkoff looks ahead after 35 years
With tight margins continuing to squeeze farm budgets, soybean producers are scrutinizing every dollar they spend. That includes their investments in the soybean checkoff, which has spent the past 35 years developing markets and creating additional demand for American...
Harvest pace per USDA Mid-October progress report
Despite the slower than usual pace of harvest for parts of the Midwest and Corn Belt, including Iowa, other regions of the country have made substantial progress. How are major row crops coming along with their harvest progress as October approaches its midway point?...
EPA Proposes restoring biofuel volumes exempted from refinery requirements
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced Tuesday a proposal to restore renewable fuel blending requirements affected by additional small refinery exemptions, a move intended to protect demand for American corn and soybeans. The EPA said exemptions granted for 2025...
John Deere Foundation announces $18.5 million investment in food bank system
Today, the John Deere Foundation announced an $18.5 million multi-year Farm-to-Plate strategy to address food insecurity in the Midwest. The investment will support Feeding America partner food banks, recover farm-grown food, and connect over one hundred Iowa farmers...
AFBF encouraged by progress on Renewable Fuel Standard
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin was in Peosta, Iowa, today to announce a draft rule to reallocate renewable fuel volumes lost through small refinery exemptions. The rule would provide 100 percent reallocation of the renewable fuel volume...
