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Sac County bird flu case renews biosecurity concerns
With much of Iowa agriculture focused on finishing harvest, poultry producers are being reminded that another seasonal threat demands their attention. Highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI, remains a concern as wild birds migrate through the state. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirmed a case of H5N1 HPAI in a commercial turkey flock in Sac County on October 28. It marks Iowa's eighth confirmed detection of...
U.S. Export Sales Report (10-1-26)
Following yesterday’s bearish Quarterly Grain Stocks report, this week’s export sales came in mixed for corn and soybeans. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the corn sales are still behind the USDA’s expectations, which will likely cause a correction to be...
Crop harvest pace on track nationally despite Midwest weather delays
Harvest is off to a slow start in Iowa with many farmers unable to begin due to the wet weather conditions in the early portion of the fall season. Despite the delay in harvesting in parts of the Corn Belt and Midwest, USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says that...
Old Farmer’s Almanac predicting a stormy first half of winter
Fall has officially started, and already a lot of focus is on what the weather might look like this winter. According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the first half of this coming winter might be similar to the winter of 1997-1998, which was one of the warmest and...
More farmer aid unlikely until after midterm elections
Republican lawmakers are warning that additional farm aid may not reach producers fast enough. Politico reported that Republicans are pushing to attach roughly $11 billion in direct farm assistance to a defense spending package. Payments likely would not arrive until...
USDA expands risk management options for farmers
Farmers enrolled in Agriculture Risk Coverage now have more flexibility when putting together their crop insurance protection. USDA Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation Richard Fordyce says a previous restriction prevented producers from purchasing...
NPPC says a Prop 12 fix is still within reach
The National Pork Producers Council continues pushing lawmakers to address California's Proposition 12 through the next farm bill debate. NPPC President Rob Brenneman, who is also an Iowa pork producer himself, said the organization believes a fix would benefit both...
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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...
Farm bill expiration leaves rural programs in uncertainty
The latest extension of the 2018 Farm Bill expired September 30, leaving Congress without a new long-term agriculture policy. The Farm Bill covers farm safety-net programs, conservation, crop insurance, food assistance, and other programs important to rural America....
Earlier planted soybeans reshape waterhemp management
Earlier soybean planting has become increasingly common as growers look to extend the growing season and capture more yield potential. But that shift can also change the timing of one of the crop's biggest weed management challenges. BASF Technical Marketing Manager...
