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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...
USDA: Iowa leads all states in hog production
New data confirms Iowa is the top producer of hogs in the United States, with about $10.9 billion in cash receipts in 2022, according to USDA’s Economic Research Service. Cash receipts represent the value of sales of hogs by farmers to processors or final users....
National Ag Day to be celebrated next week
March 19th is National Ag Day. It’s a celebration of the hard work and dedication of American farmers to feed the world. Increasingly we are finding ourselves having to educate our consumers and defend against slanted misinformation. The day is a great way to also...
Nitrogen stabilization key for spring application
A very mild fall and winter allowed for plenty of early nitrogen work to be done, which has set up an interesting planting season. Andrew Luzum, nutrient maximizer specialist with Corteva Agriscience, gave an update on how the soil is faring heading into this spring....
Ag secretary’s CCC spending discretion limited in bill
The USDA spending bill that President Biden just signed for the rest of this fiscal year limits the Ag Secretary’s discretion in spending funds from the Commodity Credit Corporation, which is USDA’s financing institution. The Ag spending bill requires the Secretary to...
AM radio supports quality of life in rural America
AM radio is a critical to rural America, according to National Farmers Union President Rob Larew. Speaking at the NFU annual convention this week, Larew said automakers shouldn’t limit access to information. “In terms of like emergency information and getting the word...
Farms received nearly a quarter of each food-at-home dollar in 2022
In 2022, farm establishments received 24.1 cents for each dollar spent on food at home and 3.6 cents for each dollar spent on food away from home. These amounts, called farm shares, highlight the different paths that food takes from farms to consumers' points of...
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Navigating the biological marketplace
Biologicals are among the many new tools farmers can use on their farms. But with any new products, it’s important to make sure you’re getting something of a high quality that will provide the maximum benefit for your farm. Jacob Parnell, head agronomist at Biome...
Real Pork Trust Consortium brings information to consumers
The Real Pork Trust Consortium is a team of academia striving to listen to and answer consumer questions about pork and pork production. Nick Gabler, an animal science professor at Iowa State University, talked about the Real Pork Consortium and what it addresses. The...
Cattle on feed report offers no clear answers on herd contraction
Overall numbers of beef cattle in the United States remain historically low. The USDA published the latest Cattle on Feed report on Friday but the report did not clear up the future of the cattle herd. The latest Cattle on Feed report from USDA shows that placements...
Low prices continue pressure on farm income
Farmers are on track to harvest some of their biggest corn and soybean crops ever. The Federal Reserve’s Beige Book says the ongoing decline in commodity prices is putting farm income in questionable territory. “Regional Fed banks in Chicago and Minneapolis say the...
Managing stressors for dairy calves
Any livestock producer knows herd health doesn’t begin or end with the germs and bacteria causing illnesses. It is about creating an environment that manages your animal’s overall well-being. Just like humans, stressors can affect an animal's health, and minimizing...
