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USDA finalizes stage two of Supplemental Disaster Relief Program
Eligible farmers and ranchers are now invited to apply for specific disaster relief. The American Relief Act, passed in late 2024, authorized the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program, and applications for farmers and ranchers are now open. Danny Munch, an economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation, said the program provides relief from natural disasters that occurred in 2023 and 2024. Munch said this program shares some similarities with previous disaster assistance programs, but also...
Grassley critical of tariff-led trade policy
United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) has made comments this week critical of both the Biden administration and the Trump campaign over policies that directly impact agriculture. Grassley on Tuesday continued to criticize the Environmental Protection Agency’s...
Secretary Naig announces Sac County water quality project
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has formed a partnership with Sac County and the Sac County Soil and Water Conservation District to launch the first phase of the North Raccoon...
Midwestern states on lookout for corn rootworm
The growing season in the Midwest is going on with a new set of challenges than we faced last year. Well, maybe a new set of challenges isn’t the way we should think about it, but a new combination of familiar challenges. Instead of catastrophic drought, we are seeing...
House Appropriations Committee to markup crucial labor bill
The U.S. House of Representatives’ Appropriations Committee is preparing to review a significant funding bill that may benefit farmers and ranchers. John Walt Boatright, director of government affairs for the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), notes that this...
Previewing Friday’s USDA reports
The July WASDE report will be published on Friday by the USDA and will feature data based on the new supply and demand numbers. The report is released monthly and provides annual forecasts for supply and use of U.S. and world wheat, coarse grains, and oilseeds....
IDALS encouraging cover crop adoption with increased cost share
As more and more farmers adopt cover crop practices, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is offering an increased incentive for both first-time and returning cover crop users through the Water Quality Initiative. Now, first-time users are eligible...
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U.S. Export Sales Report (10-24-24)
The pattern of strong export sales has continued, and this week was even stronger than the last. This is a far cry from the way we ended the last marketing year. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest numbers from the USDA. Flash sales...
Ag exports will suffer without a new farm bill
With the September 30 expiration of the current farm bill, many important agriculture programs are on hold, including several trade promotion programs. Betty Resnick, an economist for the American Farm Bureau Federation, said Title III programs generate outstanding...
CARB, the RFS, and used cooking oil
U.S. farmers remain hopeful that the push for renewable diesel will open a large market for the vegetable oil pressed from soybeans. However, used cooking oil, particularly from China, is also used as a feedstock in biofuels and has been depressing the need for...
Fall harvest double digits ahead of last year’s pace
Reports show the U.S. corn and soybean harvests are double digits ahead of their five-year averages. Farm Policy News credits the fast pace to dry weather stretched across most of the U.S. through the past week. Corn harvest jumped 18 points nationally to 65 percent...
South American planting is behind schedule
You don’t have to tell farmers how much Mother Nature can change our plans. In Iowa alone, we went from a multi-year drought to a period when we were caught back up in a matter of weeks. And then suddenly, we were back in a drought again. While it probably isn't...
