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RMA changes offer farmers added financial flexibility
Farmers will have some additional flexibility in the federal crop insurance program following two recent changes announced by USDA’s Risk Management Agency. RMA Administrator Pat Swanson, who is also an Iowa farmer, says one of those changes is the return of the Prevent Plant 5 buy-up option. The option will allow farmers to purchase an additional five percent of prevented planting coverage beginning with the 2027 crop year. Swanson says prevented planting coverage is already part of the...
Farm credit conditions weaken across Upper Midwest
Financial pressure is building in farm country. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago reports that agricultural credit conditions across the Upper Midwest weakened in the second quarter compared with a year ago. Bankers highlight commodity price volatility, high...
Attorney General Todd Blanche addresses Iowa farmers’ fertilizer price concerns
On Thursday United States Attorney General Todd Blanche and Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward visited the Iowa Ag Radio Network at the Iowa State Fair to discuss some of the most prominent agriculture issues relevant to the Department of Justice’s...
Pro Farmer Crop Tour concludes, projects lower corn, higher soybean yields vs. 2025
Pro Farmer is projecting a smaller U.S. corn crop in 2026 after its annual Crop Tour found lower yield potential across much of the Corn Belt. The organization estimates the national corn yield at 173.2 bushels per acre, with production totaling 15.344 billion...
Rural healthcare among top issues in Iowa Senate race
It’s no secret that the farm economy has been tough on our rural communities in recent years. On top of losing local restaurants and grocery stores, many small towns are now in healthcare deserts as rural clinics and other facilities continue to close. As we approach...
Beef supporters turned crisis into lasting impact
What started as an effort to recognize young livestock exhibitors during a canceled Iowa State Fair has grown into an organization that has raised $1.3 million in just a few years. The Iowa State Fair Beef Champions Supporters formed in 2020 after the COVID pandemic...
Senator Grassley discusses negotiations with Canada and USMCA review
United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) says that tough negotiating with Canada seems to be making progress with longstanding issues over dairy trade. Grassley says that some of the biggest hurdles in the way of renewing the USMCA have centered around dairy....
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Fertilizer concentration concerns Iowa Corn leadership
A concentrated fertilizer industry and stubbornly high prices are drawing increased scrutiny from farmers and federal investigators. The United States Department of Justice is reportedly investigating several leading fertilizer producers to determine whether pricing...
Ag Secretary Rollins addresses President Trump’s beef import plan
Last Friday, President Trump announced via Truth Social his plan to lower the tariff on 300,000 metric tons of ground beef imports in order to lower costs for consumers. However, this has generated a largely negative reaction from cattle producers as the U.S. cattle...
August Cattle on Feed report shows decline in placements
USDA published the August Cattle on Feed report last Friday and while it shows increased cattle inventory in feedlots compared to last year, there are still lower placements. USDA livestock analyst Anthony Fischer breaks down the numbers in the August report. Fischer...
ICA responds to announcement on foreign beef imports
The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association President Craig Moss issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s post regarding beef imports: "President Trump's announcement today about importing foreign beef is extremely disappointing to the Iowa Cattlemen’s...
Nigeria now open to receive U.S. red meat exports
U.S. agriculture has seen another market access win, as Nigeria is now open to a wide range of U.S. beef and pork products. Previously, Nigeria only accepted a limited number of processed meat items, but the USDA Export Library now says that U.S. red meat products can...
