Top Stories
USMCA review begins July 1 with an uncertain future
Mexico and Canada, two of the three USMCA nations, have said they want this collaboration to continue, unlike U.S. President Donald Trump. President Trump, speaking to reporters at the June G7 meeting in France, seemed unconvinced about continuing this collaboration. In the same exchange, President Trump made some concessions about possibly signing it, yet still expressed pessimism about the agreement's future. The Mexican President, Claudia Sheinbaum, shared thoughts on Mexico and Canada's...
When to make that land purchase
In these uncertain economic times, farmers and ranchers are weighing what their balance sheets can handle. Whether it is inputs, equipment, or expansion, there are many factors to consider before you shell out hard-earned money. This is especially true when it comes...
Preparing the next generation of advocates for the pork industry
The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) introduced a new initiative in 2024 called the “Young Pork Advocates” for students aged 18-22. The program is intended to help young advocates for the pork industry learn more about the industry and in turn pass that...
Keeping cattle healthy by minimizing stress
Many producers are rightfully worried about managing cattle diseases from infecting their herds, but there is another part of disease management that sometimes gets overlooked- stress management. When cattle are stressed, they have a tougher time fighting off those...
Corn and soybean harvests nearly complete
As of November 10, 95% of the 2024 corn crop in the top 18 corn-growing states was harvested. This was up from 91% a week prior and ahead of the five-year average of 84%. USDA said 96% of the soybean crop in the top 18 growing states was in the bins. This was up from...
Turkeys and egg layers see greatest impact from H5N1
Since 2022, the U.S. poultry industry has been battling a particularly persistent strain of H5N1, or avian influenza, and more than 100 million birds have been affected over the last two and a half years. Bernt Nelson, an economist with the American Farm Bureau, said...
BASF providing farmers with more tools to grow successful crops
Nobody in the state of Iowa would describe 2024 as normal. While it gave us more moisture than in years past, it also gave us a very dry second half of the year, which opened the door to different diseases and pests. The best we can do is learn from the lessons...
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More Ag News
U.S. Export Sales Report (3-13-25)
Despite a slight miss to the corn sales, the grain numbers from this week’s export sales were positive for the marketplace. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest numbers from the USDA. McBride said the markets will keep a close eye on...
Farm lenders and insurers implore ag lawmakers for new farm bill
Farm lenders, insurers, and growers pleaded with Senate Ag lawmakers to pass a new farm bill now with improved crop insurance, reference prices, and loan programs. That is Ben Noble, a former Senate staffer and head of Arkansas’ Riceland Foods. Caleb Hopkins with...
Urban farmers can apply for cost-share to boost beneficial insects
Urban farmers can now get cost-share and technical support to boost beneficial insect habitat on their farms through Practical Farmers of Iowa’s and Xerces Society’s beneficial insects cost-share. Sign-ups are now open and available until funding runs out. “Urban...
New NPPC President looks ahead to a busy term
The National Pork Industry Forum is one of the most important industry events of the year. The event, which is a joint annual business meeting of the National Pork Producers Council and the National Pork Board, is taking place right now in Orlando, Florida. Duane...
Data-driven success with GHX
In today’s challenging agricultural economy, farmers must leverage every piece of data available to maximize their return on investment. Programs like GHX from Golden Harvest are empowering growers by providing data-driven insights to select the right hybrids,...
