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Getting a comprehensive look at soil nutrients with tissue and soil tests
Harvest is approaching fast- in fact, some parts of the state have rolled out combines already. Once this year’s crop is out of the field, it’ll be an ideal time to do some soil testing. Eileen Bernard, director of farm and retail growth at Farmers Edge, said farmers need to be purposeful with the tests they conduct. Bernard said that having healthier soil can help crops to better handle late season disease pressure. Bernard said they also recently added tissue testing to their Grimes...
Iowa’s wet July fueling foliar disease concerns
The state of Iowa continues to receive persistent rainfall which is leading to near ideal conditions for fungal diseases to flourish. John Long is a retail sales agronomist with Brevant seeds and he covers the southwest and west central portions of Iowa. He says that...
Food spending increases from 2023-2024
USDA says per capita total U.S. food spending increased 3.2 percent from 2023 to 2024, slightly outpacing the 2.3 percent increase in food prices during the same period. That showed a stronger demand for food despite higher prices. However, national trends in sales...
GROWMARK launches the “FS Start to Finish” Brand Campaign
Growmark FS has introduced a new brand campaign, “Start to Finish,” aimed at highlighting the company’s commitment to being a reliable partner throughout every stage of the growing season. Whether it’s selecting the right seed, applying fertility and crop protection...
U.S. Export Sales Report (7-10-25)
This week brought yet another great report for U.S. export sales. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the corn numbers are continuing to impress. Soybeans also had an impressive week and nearly set another weekly record. Rounding out the positive feeling from...
Iowa producers can now receive disaster aid
Iowa producers will soon be able to receive funds that were earmarked for 2023 and 2024 natural disasters. The USDA is opening the signup period for the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program for farmers and ranchers across the country. Danny Much, an economist for the...
Rollins shuts down southern ports again
A new case of New World screwworm appeared this week, only 160 miles from the Mexico-U.S. border. USDA had previously announced a risk-based phased-in port reopening strategy for cattle, bison, and equine from Mexico that began on July 7. The new case raises...
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Managing weeds in Iowa with multiple effective modes of action
For most of the state, this year’s crop season has gone great. The weather has been mostly cooperative, and damage has been kept to a minimum. But if the weather is good for the crops, you can correctly assume that it’s great for weeds as well. Lynn Hurley, account...
Pioneer striving to provide additional protection against corn rootworm
You don’t need a degree in agronomy to understand the threat of rootworms to Iowa’s corn. The pest attacks corn root systems and leads to reduced nutrient uptake, lodging, and yield loss. Macy Marek is a product marketing manager for Pioneer corn and says that Pioneer...
Taking care of farm tires year-round
Whether it’s harvesting, planting, or moving from field to field, tires can make an operation run smoothly or make simple tasks take all day. Greg Jones, Senior Manager for Global Field Engineering at Firestone Ag, said one of the most important things for farmers and...
2025 ISF Super Bull contest gets a $5,000 prize bump
Enter Your Big Bull by August 1 This Is No Bull! Thanks to a generous boost from Chemorse Chemical and the Roadside Bar-and-Grill—and an enthusiastic push from 2024 Super Bull exhibitor Gary Ruebel—the first prize for this year’s Super Bull competition is now a...
New 2026 Hagie sprayers roll off line
The 2026 Hagie STS sprayers are officially here, rolling off the line just yesterday morning at the company’s Clarion, Iowa plant. The new lineup features a series of updates designed to improve comfort, efficiency, and performance. Hagie says these changes were made...
