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Phosphate, potash added to critical minerals list
The United States Geological Survey has added both phosphate and potash to the federal list of minerals considered critical to national security and economic stability. The decision—published Thursday by the U.S. Department of the Interior—raises the total number of designated critical minerals to 60. Phosphate had been omitted from earlier drafts despite pleas from farm and fertilizer industry groups that it is vital for crop production and vulnerable to international supply disruptions....
Learning from 2025 to build a better 2026
It’s been one of those Iowa harvests that went smoothly overall, but it gave us a clear look at any shortcomings we had this year. Early planting conditions looked ideal, but as the summer wore on, humidity, storms, and disease pressures really started to challenge...
Scouting crops from inside the combine cab
As harvest continues to wrap up, farmers need to be scouting their fields for what things need to be changed for next year. Fortunately, the combine cab is the perfect mobile office to do this scouting from. Northwest Iowa AgriGold Agronomist Jeff Morey said there are...
Trade developments are encouraging, but more progress is needed with China
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced agreements on reciprocal trade with Malaysia and Cambodia and frameworks for agreements on reciprocal trade with Thailand and Vietnam. U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO Dan Halstrom said...
Big week for tariffs and SNAP
It’s a big week for President Trump’s tariffs with the issue set to be addressed in court. The Supreme Court is set to hear challenges to President Trump’s tariffs, brought by small businesses and several states. Critics argue that the 1977 law doesn’t grant the...
NASS reports returning this month
The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service will release several key agriculture reports in November, including a monthly crop supply and demand report that wasn’t issued last month because of the government shutdown. According to a post on its website, NASS...
China’s soybean purchases seen as symbolic, not transformative
It’s been months of uncertainty between the United States and China since President Trump placed new tariffs on Chinese goods, sparking another round of back-and-forth tension in the ag sector. Now, an agreement reached last week has China pledging to resume purchases...
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Supreme Court set to hear challenges to President Trump’s tariffs
The Supreme Court is set to hear challenges to President Trump’s use of a 1977 law to claim emergency tariff power. Recently just four GOP Senators from farm-heavy states backed a Democratic measure to end President Trump’s claim of emergency tariff power. However,...
Southern Rust limited corn crop from reaching lofty expectations
Expectations were high for this year’s crop, and even though disease pressure kept the crops from realizing those lofty expectations, many farmers still saw decent yields. Southwest Iowa Beck’s Agronomist Nate Meyer said harvest should wrap up soon, as these crops...
South American Weather and Crop Update (11-4-25)
Farmers in South America are in the early stages of their second crop season of the year. So far, the weather has been mostly favorable for planting progress. Allendale commodity broker Ben Breisch said it’s early enough that the markets aren’t too focused on the...
White House still planning billions in farmer trade aid
Three people familiar with the issue say the Trump administration still intends to roll out an initial payment of up to $12 billion for farmers struggling because of the president’s tariff policies. North Dakota Senator John Hoeven said that a program similar to the...
Learning from 2025 to build a better 2026
It’s been one of those Iowa harvests that went smoothly overall, but it gave us a clear look at any shortcomings we had this year. Early planting conditions looked ideal, but as the summer wore on, humidity, storms, and disease pressures really started to challenge...
