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Iowa growers urged to scout for tar spot
Tar spot has already been confirmed in nine Iowa counties, and crop protection specialists say its early appearance should have corn growers thinking about disease management well before symptoms become widespread. While much of Iowa's corn crop has benefited from favorable growing conditions this season, those same conditions have also created an environment where fungal diseases like tar spot can establish themselves early. According to Nate Quam, Technical Service Representative with BASF,...
Dairy starts 2025 on shakier ground
In the last couple of months, we have seen some solid footing return to the dairy markets. After years of nothing going their way, losses of dairy farms, and a market that was allowing producers to barely survive at best, it was nice to see good fortune return to...
Long-term contract reached for East and Gulf Coast ports
On Wednesday night, the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) announced that they reached a tentative agreement on all items for a new six-year master labor contract covering ports on the East and Gulf Coasts. The...
Farmers may shift grain acreage in 2025
Early indications are that U.S. farmers will increase planted grain acres this year despite continuing low prices. That’s according to a survey done by Farm Futures magazine. In the survey conducted in December, farmers in major corn-producing states seem swayed by an...
America’s farms and ranches at a glance
USDA’s “America’s Farms and Ranches at a Glance” report studies many categories of the American farm. One of those categories is farm income. One of the report’s authors, Katherine Lim, discusses some of the 2023 farm income trends. She expands on the negative farm...
USDA FAS leads successful trade mission to Morocco
The USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service led a trade mission to Morocco on the African continent in early December. FAS Administrator Daniel Whitely says the mission was a big success. Morocco has a large livestock industry, so they need a lot of feed for their...
National Pork Board marketing to a new brand of customer (Pt2)
Yesterday, we discussed the work being done by the National Pork Board (NPB) to change its marketing approach as we work to inform a new generation of consumers. The goal is to work closely with dieticians and medical professionals to highlight how pork is part of a...
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IDALS supports urban & rural initiatives for clean water
As we kick off National Soil and Water Conservation Week, we realize that water quality has long been a hot-button issue in Iowa, drawing attention from communities across the state. While much of the spotlight has been on how farmers are working to protect and...
EPA grants summertime E15 fuel waiver
On Monday the Environmental Protection Agency announced an emergency fuel waiver to allow the summertime sale of E15 in 2025. Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor says her group is grateful for the announcement. Skor says the emergency waiver will save drivers money at the...
Corn grower groups urging Ford to stand with rural America
The Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA), alongside more than 20 other state corn organizations and the National Corn Growers Association, is formally calling on Ford Motor Company to reinstate its production of Flex Fuel Vehicles (FFVs) and reengage in advancing...
Dairy industry partners with NFL to promote youth nutrition
Over 600,000 people traveled to Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, for the 2025 NFL Draft. GENYOUth, an organization founded by American dairy farmers and the NFL, used the hype of the NFL Draft to raise awareness of child hunger. GENYOUth CEO Ann Marie Kroutheim...
Building a Modern Alliance for agriculture
In an era defined by rapid change and increasing complexity, the future of agriculture hinges on an unprecedented level of collaboration.The agricultural sector stands at a critical juncture, one that demands a united front encompassing innovation, sustainability, and...
