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Specialty crop payment rates due in April
The USDA has already allocated over $6 billion in payments under the Farmer Bridge Assistance Programs. Payment rates for specialty crops under the program are due in early April. “I believe we’ll have those payment rates in place by early next month,” Deputy Ag Secretary Stephen Vaden told Politico. “We’ll publish those payment rates as soon as we have them, and then quickly get going on the payment part of it.” He added that sugar beets, cotton, and rice are the commodities in the most...
CROPLAN Offers Crop Management Advice for Iowa
As Iowa farmers prepare for another growing season, agronomists say planning ahead for disease pressure and crop management decisions can help growers stay ahead of potential problems. Jeff Osterhaus with CROPLAN says many conversations with farmers right now focus on...
Iowa Soybean Association is evolving to face ag industry issues
This year’s Commodity Classic in San Antonio saw a record number of farmers in attendance. In many discussions throughout the event, it was clear that farmers are prepared to give this crop season their all, no matter what challenges they may face. Aaron Putze, chief...
Expanding export markets for U.S. biofuels
Deputy Agriculture Secretary Stephen Vaden is bullish on export opportunities for U.S. produced biofuels. Vaden was a speaker at this year’s USDA Ag Outlook Forum and says the potential for biofuel exports is ever expanding. Vaden says that U.S. biofuels are a key...
SNAP funding debate slows farm bill markup process
The House Ag farm bill markup has entered its second day, but the key stumbling block to a bipartisan bill has now come into sharp focus. The fight over SNAP versus farm programs has kept a new farm bill off the books for at least three years. Republicans got around...
Secretary Naig extends popular cattle and conservation working lands project
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today announced a three-year extension of the popular, farmer-led Cattle and Conservation Working Lands Project. The extension renews program agreements in Taylor, Page, Carroll, Cherokee, Guthrie, and Ida counties through...
Cutting input costs key for Iowa farmers
As farmers prepare for the 2026 growing season, managing input costs remains a top priority. With tighter margins across much of agriculture, many producers are looking for ways to improve efficiency while still protecting yield potential. Shane Brockhoff, who works...
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Loveland tools help Iowa farmers maximize crop protection
Farmers are constantly working to stay ahead of weeds, disease pressure, and early-season pest challenges. Getting the most performance from crop protection applications can make a significant difference in protecting yield potential, especially when weather and...
U.S. Export Sales Report (3-5-26)
This week’s export sales were very different between corn and soybeans. Corn saw great sales, while soybeans had another disappointing report. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said there were record-setting corn sales this week. On the other hand, soybeans...
Number of farms and total acreage of farm ground down in the U.S.
According to the latest USDA report, the number of farms in the United States is down year over year. National Agricultural Statistics Service Administrator Joseph Parsons also provides the statistics for total acreage of farm ground in use in the U.S. Parsons says...
HPAI detected in a multi-species backyard flock in Buena Vista County
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have detected a case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1 HPAI) in a multi-species backyard flock in...
National Pork Industry Forum shapes the future of U.S. pork
As the pork industry’s largest annual meeting across both the National Pork Producers Council and the National Pork Board, the National Pork Industry Forum in Kansas City, Missouri, brings together producers and industry stakeholders from across the country. Rob...
