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Retailers plans for feature protein deals for grilling season
As we are now in the heart of the summer grilling season, consumers are busy studying their weekly store fliers and ads for some featured deals in the meat section. USDA livestock analyst Michael McConnell explains an advertising method used by groceries and retailers to bring customers in, with emphasis on products at the meat counter. He details the difference between the feature rate of beef compared to last year in stores at this time. Other proteins are also being featured says McConnell...
Food Bank of Iowa appoints familiar face as new CEO
After a nearly six-month national search, the Food Bank of Iowa has appointed a familiar face to be its next president and CEO. Since joining the Food Bank of Iowa in 2016, Tami Nielsen has held several important roles and helped to build many valuable relationships...
NRCS celebrating 90 years and looking ahead to future
The Natural Resources Conservation Service recently celebrated 90 years of protecting soil health and serving farmers to do so. However, they aren’t resting on their laurels. Aubrey Bettencourt, NRCS Chief, said connecting with farmers is something they talk about a...
Spring weather tests crop nutrition, protection plans
The next stage of the 2025 growing season is well underway, as crops emerge across the state and farmers shift their focus to post-emergence crop protection. With applications on the horizon, timing and field conditions will be key. Spring started off warm and dry,...
Insecticide-resistant soybean aphids pose a challenge to Iowa farmers
For a few years, soybean aphids weren’t too much of a problem in Iowa. However, last year was a wake-up call for farmers in Northern Iowa especially. Kurt Maertens, BASF technical services representative for Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois, said that soybean aphids...
Mental Health Awareness Month is especially important for agriculture
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Farmers and ranchers experience higher rates of mental health issues compared to the general population. This is due to many factors, including financial strain and weather-related stress. Dr. Larry Tranel, a dairy field...
Farmland prices began to soften in 2024
2024 was the cooling period for farmland prices after several years of quickly rising farmland values. Randy Dickhut, farmland sales expert with Agricultural Economic Insights, says fluctuating farmland prices are a typical pattern over a multi-year period. According...
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NPB kicking off its national swine health strategy at WPX
At World Pork Expo 2025 the National Pork Board is kicking off its national swine health strategy. The initiative is a collaborative effort between the NPB and pork producers in which the NPB is gathering input from producers about their biggest swine health...
Norbrook offering antibiotic to target swine respiratory diseases
One of the most pressing health challenges in today’s swine industry is respiratory disease, as outbreaks are increasing in frequency and severity. Of course, vaccination is the primary method to control and prevent respiratory diseases, but when that doesn’t work,...
U.S. Export Sales Report (6-5-25)
Ahead of next week’s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report, the export sales are almost lined right up with where they should be. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said corn sales had another good report this week. At this point, the...
World Pork Expo panel discusses pork industry’s policy goals
At the 2025 World Pork Expo, leaders from the National Pork Producers Council delivered a clear message: the pork industry’s future will be strengthened by a united, proactive approach to advocacy. NPPC leaders outlined how a comprehensive, coordinated strategy is...
NPPC criticizes activist tone in MAHA
The reaction to the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) report has been mixed, largely depending on which side of the debate you're on. For the ag industry, though, it raises fresh concerns, especially regarding how Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F....
