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New report showcases positive impacts of biofuels on ag productivity
U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action's recent report from S&P Global Energy shows biofuels' potential for boosting farm profitability and rural economies. For Chip Bowling, vice chair of U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action, expanding the market for biofuels is vital, as they present a unique opportunity for creating a long-term market-driven demand that rewards farmers from modern practices while revitalizing rural economies. Bowling added that the declining numbers of farms between 2002...
FDA is on top of HPAI testing in wake of new outbreaks
After a lull in the number of new HPAI outbreaks, we have seen three more dairy herds in California testing positive recently. It does bring the seasonal issue back into focus. The disease seems to flair up with the migration season of birds. As we enter into fall, we...
South American Weather and Crop Update (9-10-24)
Drier conditions are persisting in Brazil as planting begins for the next crop. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest weather patterns in South America. While there is some rain forecasted for the southern areas of Brazil, most of the...
Secretary Naig announces availability of crop insurance discount program
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will once again offer its Crop Insurance Discount Program for acres that are planted with cover crops. Farmers and landowners who plant cover crops...
Grassley sees lame duck farm bill as unlikely
Prospects for a lame duck farm bill don’t look much better than those before the November elections, according to ag lawmakers and lobbyists. September will be full of debate over simply keeping the government funded. Congress returns after the elections for two weeks...
Ag groups urging Congress to pass new farm bill
As the U.S. ag economy continues to spiral downward, over 300 food and farm groups sent a letter to Senate and House leadership asking Congress to pass a new farm bill that would help to slow it. Joe Gilson, director of government affairs for the American Farm Bureau,...
More dairy included in school nutrition campaign
Making sure that our children have access to healthy food at lunch is something that everyone agrees on. However, that’s about where the agreement ends. How nutrition is provided has become a heated and increasingly political debate over the past decade or more. Many...
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U.S. agriculture dominated by family farms
In 2023, roughly 86 percent of all farms were small family farms. A USDA report says these farms have a gross cash income below $350,000 and operate on 41 percent of all U.S. agricultural land. The family farms produced 17 percent of the total value of U.S....
La Niña has brought drier trends back
After a double-dip La Niña in 2022 and 2023, we were relieved to see El Niño return to start 2024, bringing us back a mild winter and more moisture. After a few years of heavy drought, farmers breathed a sigh of relief. However, it was soon announced that we were...
ICGA reacts to recent USDA guidelines
Yesterday, the USDA published an interim rule on Technical Guidelines for Climate-Smart Agriculture Crops Used as Biofuel Feedstocks. The interim rule establishes guidelines for quantifying, reporting, and verifying the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with...
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...
