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ASA’s Ragland says farmers facing a thousand cuts
Soybean farmers have been battling more than slow demand and market uncertainty this year. The cost of doing business has climbed steadily, pushed higher by tariffs, input inflation, and the ripple effects of a prolonged trade war. American Soybean Association President Caleb Ragland says those pressures have created a financial environment that many growers simply cannot outrun. Ragland describes it as “death by a thousand cuts” as farmers face higher input prices at the same time commodity...
Abnormally wet weather creates difficult nitrogen decisions
The excessive rainfall in the Midwest, which is on top of an already mild winter, is increasing the risk of nitrogen and other nutrients leaching through the soil before the crops- specifically corn- can use them. As such, farmers must decide if they need to stick...
Public Lands Council accepting rolling submissions for research funding
The Public Lands Council (PLC) this week announced a rolling notice of funding availability that accompanies the existing grant funding process for Fiscal Year 2025. This two-track process allows individuals and organizations to submit proposals at any point during...
Grassley calls for common sense on SAF tax credits
United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) says the next version of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel tax credit needs common sense, something he says is lacking in this year’s credit that’s due to run out in December. Senator Grassley says the 45Z tax credit due by the...
U.S. hog inventory up one percent
The U.S. inventory of all hogs and pigs on June 1 was 74.5 million head. USDA says that was up one percent from June 1, 2023, and up slightly from March 1, 2024. Breeding inventory, at 6.01 million head, was down three percent from last year and down slightly from the...
Keep your sprayers in tip-top shape
As the wet weather has us thinking about fungicides, and we plan for late-season herbicides and insecticides; it is good to make sure you are doing everything you can to keep your sprayer running efficiently. Your bottom line is going to heavily weigh on this...
Smithfield foods closing its Altoona Iowa facility
Smithfield Foods will close its Altoona, Iowa, ham boning facility and consolidate the production volume at other locations to improve the efficiency of its manufacturing platform. Smithfield says it will provide transition assistance to the 314 employees at the...
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Pork industry using research to overcome trade barriers
Recently published research demonstrates how Pork Quality Assurance® Plus on-farm standards and partnerships between national pork organizations and USDA can overcome trade barriers specific to trichina. Courtney Knupp, vice president of international market...
USMEF honoring recipients of two prestigious awards
The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) announced the 2024 recipients of its two most prestigious awards, who will be honored Nov. 7th at the USMEF Strategic Planning Conference in Tucson, Arizona. Nick Giordano, the former lead lobbyist for the National Pork...
Seed technology advancements helping growers stay one step ahead
With a very wet start to the growing season followed by an extremely dry and warm finish in August and September, the weather has thrown a lot of curveballs at growers this year. Eric Bartels is a northwest Iowa Beck’s Hybrids agronomist, and he says that advancements...
Distressed agricultural borrowers get $250 million in USDA assistance
The Department of Agriculture announced an additional $250 million in automatic payments for distressed direct and guaranteed farm loan borrowers under Section 22006 of the Inflation Reduction Act. With the assistance more than 4,600 producers across the country will...
Nutrien makes multi-year commitment to FFA
Later this week the National FFA convention will be expected to hit a record attendance in Indianapolis. More than 70,000 students from all over the country are set to assemble to discuss agricultural leadership and gain more insight into leadership training and the...
