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250 years of agriculture transformed America
250 years of agriculture has transformed America through innovation and marketing to industrial development and mass production. American agriculture was not just transformed by America, but it helped to transform America says retired Smithsonian Institution curator Peter Liebhold. Liebhold says it all began with marketing. Liebhold says the next step for agriculture was standardized weights, measures, and quality. The late 1800s and early 1900s saw innovation play a big role in the industry....
U.S. Export Sales Report (1-16-25)
As we continue to a new marketing year and prepare for a new administration, the export sales are still looking good. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest numbers from the USDA. As Trump prepares to take office for the second time,...
Mosaic’s solution to maximizing fertilizer efficiency
Market conditions and grain prices are setting up 2025 to be a year of tough decisions for farmers. Growers do not want to cut back on inputs at the risk of harming yields but when faced with tough economic decisions, tough management decisions need to be made. In the...
USDA issues final rule on amendments to Federal milk marketing orders
Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced a final rule amending the uniform pricing formulas applicable in all 11 Federal milk marketing orders (FMMOs). The final rule was made available for viewing on Jan. 16,...
USDA Releases guidance on 45z; Trump Treasury must still approve
Yesterday marked a moment that farmers and the biofuels industry eagerly anticipated for over a year. The USDA released guidance on 45z tax credits for climate-smart Ag, feedstocks, and biofuels. Many ag industry leaders and entities have praised Secretary Vilsack for...
Collecting financial data for flower farms
Iowa is no stranger to specialty crop farming, and flowers are one of those specialty crops. Since they can be planted so close together, flowers can offer substantial yields on smaller acreages. However, as it is with many specialty crops, there isn’t a lot of data...
USDA announces more regulatory reforms for Packers and Stockyards Act
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a third installment in regulatory reforms to the Packers and Stockyards Act. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack said this third change, in combination with the others, is intended to level the playing field for farmers raising...
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More Ag News
Cercospora leaf blight poses a heightened challenge for soybean farmers
As planting season continues and the 2025 crop season gets fully underway, it’s important for farmers to be aware of the diseases that can impact their crops and limit yields. Last year, the top yield-limiting foliar disease for soybeans was Cercospora leaf blight...
National Farmers Union hosting a week of action
The National Farmers Union is hosting a Week of Action May 5th-9th, 2025. Rob Larew, president of the National Farmers Union, says that farmers are dealing with too much uncertainty and are in desperate need of a new five-year farm bill. Larew says that America’s...
U.S. ag groups react to EPA strategy
The EPA released an updated draft Insecticide Strategy, and U.S. agriculture groups and supporters reacted to the news. “EPA’s numerous pragmatic improvements to the draft Insecticide Strategy have created a final strategy that can be better implemented by applicators...
Chinese government urging other countries to oppose U.S. tariffs
China and the U.S. have officially drawn lines in the sand regarding trade and tariffs. China seems to be digging in for the long term and looking for allies. Arlan Suderman, chief commodities economist for StoneX, said the Chinese government released a video this...
GROWMARK driving growth in carbon marketplace
Momentum is building in the carbon credit marketplace as demand from companies seeking to meet sustainability goals continues to rise. Farmers are increasingly benefiting from this trend, receiving additional revenue by adopting climate-friendly practices such as...
