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Previewing USDA’s Prospective Plantings Report
The 2026 USDA Prospective Plantings Report is scheduled for release on Tuesday March 31st. The report surveys farmer planting intentions for major crops, including corn, soybeans, wheat, and more. This report gives us the first real snapshot of what planted acreage could look like for the upcoming growing season. Jim McCormick, co-founder of AgMarket.net, provides the numbers from AgMarket.net’s projections of the report. McCormick says that fertilizer prices will shift some acres from corn to...
Dairy producers in Iowa reminded to obtain 2026 dairy margin coverage by February 26
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is encouraging dairy producers to enroll in Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC), an important safety net program that helps offset milk and feed price differences. This year’s DMC signup began Jan. 12 and the deadline to enroll is...
Iowa regulators highlight changes to pesticide guidance
New federal pesticide decisions and evolving endangered species requirements are expected to bring more field-specific guidance for Iowa applicators heading into the growing season. Conversations following the Agribusiness Association of Iowa Showcase highlighted how...
U.S. Export Sales Report (2-12-26)
Heading into this week’s export sales report, the markets were expecting to see negative corn sales and positive soybean sales. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the report turned out to be the complete opposite from those estimates. Flash sales were active...
Demand is shifting for U.S. farmland
Farmland values have been resilient and even robust in past several years. However, those prices are entering a new phase as profit margins continue to change. Colton Lacina, the senior vice president of real estate operations for the Farmers National Company, said...
Dietary guidelines implementation updates
Secretaries for the Agriculture and Health and Human Services Departments Wednesday provided an update on implementation progress for the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans. That was USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins. The guidelines provide guidance for federal food...
Smaller cattle herd means market volatility
It’s well-known that the U.S. cattle herd continues to shrink. The January U.S. Cattle Inventory report showed the total inventory at 86.2 million head on January 1. That was down 300,000 head from last year. American Farm Bureau analysis showed the combination of...
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Naig voices frustration over stalled federal E15 progress
Federal movement on year-round E15 access remains uncertain as February winds down, leaving biofuels supporters waiting for clearer direction from Congress. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig says frustration is growing among ethanol advocates who believed...
RFA blames divided oil industry for no year-round E15 deal
The Renewable Fuels Association says that a deal on year-round E15 access could have crossed the finish line if not for infighting between a divided oil industry. Renewable Fuels Association Senior Vice-President Troy Bredenkamp says most of the oil industry was on...
U.S. Export Sales Report (2-20-26)
The weekly export sales report was significantly overshadowed by trade deal news and the Supreme Court’s decision to rule against President Trump’s tariff authority, but that doesn’t change the fact that both the corn and soybean markets saw uncharacteristically good...
Supreme Court rules against President Trump’s tariff authority
In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that President Trump does not have the authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to enact global tariffs, dealing a major blow to the President’s primary economic strategy. This decision comes...
Trump order protects glyphosate, phosphate production
President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order mobilizing the Defense Production Act to protect the domestic production of elemental phosphorus and glyphosate-based herbicides. The order says these two critical inputs are essential to military readiness and...
