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E15 heads to House vote under cloud of distrust
A standalone bill allowing nationwide year-round sales of E15 is still expected to receive a vote in the U.S. House this week, but the path to that vote has created growing frustration among many agriculture state lawmakers. The tension began when Speaker Mike Johnson removed E15 language from the larger Farm Bill package during negotiations aimed at securing support from oil state Republicans and advancing other legislative priorities. While House leadership has maintained that E15 would...
Farm Bureau applauds House passage of 2026 farm bill
After several months of work and negotiation, the House of Representatives passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, also known as the farm bill, with a bipartisan vote. Brian Glenn, director of government affairs for the American Farm Bureau...
U.S. Export Sales Report (4-30-26)
This week’s export sales continued the recent trends we have seen. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the corn sales had another strong report. The soybean sales, however, were disappointing once again. Additionally, there have been no flash sales since last...
Demand for soy oil driving price to the upside
When petroleum diesel prices rise, renewable diesel and biodiesel become more competitive. As the crude oil price has climbed in the weeks since the beginning of the war in Iran, soy oil prices have followed suit. However, it’s not just the war that is causing price...
Farmers face another year of tight margins
U.S. farmers are entering another growing season with tight profit margins as lower crop prices, elevated input costs, and trade uncertainty weigh on the outlook for 2026. Corn and soybean prices remain below levels seen during recent highs, while expenses for...
Prop 12 repeal rides with Farm Bill to House floor
As the House prepares to take up the Farm Bill this week, pork producers are watching closely to see if Congress will finally address California’s Proposition 12. The National Pork Producers Council has made repeal of Prop 12 one of its top priorities, and Todd...
High diesel prices bite into Food Bank of Iowa’s budget
Gas prices have hit the highest level in four years, and with no end to the Iran war in sight, the impacts of these elevated prices will be felt for the foreseeable future. Diesel prices in particular have increased even more quickly, surging up 45% since the...
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New tariff push raises farm trade concerns
New efforts by the Trump administration to impose fresh import tariffs are drawing concern across U.S. agriculture, where producers fear another round of retaliatory trade measures could weaken export demand for key commodities. The administration is pursuing...
Ernst: Senate Path tough after House Farm Bill vote
The U.S. House has passed its version of the Farm Bill, but the focus now turns to the Senate, where the path forward is expected to be more difficult. While in Washington last week, I spoke with Iowa Senator Joni Ernst just as the House was preparing to vote on...
USDA confirms pseudorabies in swine herds in Iowa and Texas
On Thursday April 30th the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) confirmed via ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay) and latex agglutination testing (LAT) a detection of...
Growers fear 2027 prices will put fertilizer out of reach
A recent survey by the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) left no doubt that high fertilizer prices will continue to be a big concern for farmers, especially in 2027. NCGA President Jed Bower talked about the ag community is on the verge of having some very big...
Midwest’s premier dairy conference is happening next month
One of the longest-running dairy nutrition conferences in the country will take place again this year from June 3-4 in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The Four-State Dairy Nutrition and Management Conference- a collaboration between the extension services of Iowa State...
