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Looking back on 2025 and preparing for 2026 in the swine industry
It’s important for pig farmers to take a close look at the balance sheet because it helps set the fundamental outlook moving forward into the coming year. Lee Schulz, chief economist with Ever.Ag, says one of the key highlights has been production, which was projected to be down about 1.2 percent. That decline has tracked closely with year-to-date numbers, and the same can be said for U.S. pork exports, which have also remained largely in line with expectations. Looking ahead, Schulz notes...
U.S. corn and soy vital for success of red meat exports
Last week, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Chair Randy Spronk and other USMEF leaders were on hand at Commodity Classic in Houston to thank corn and soybean producers for their support. Spronk said it was very important for the red meat industry to show its...
Iowa Corn Growers highlight the benefits of your checkoff dollars
In a time when we are all having to tighten our belts again, it is not out of the question to take stock of monies being spent and make sure that you are getting the most out of each dollar. After all, any dollar not being spent wisely should be reallocated. This is...
Number of U.S. farms falls below two million
The USDA says the number of U.S. farms has fallen under two million for the first time since before the Civil War. The numbers come from the 2022 Census of Agriculture. In 2022, there were 1,900,487 farms in the country, a seven percent decline from the level in the...
Farm Bill differences continue to hinder legislation progress
United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack quoted USDA’s founder, President Abraham Lincoln at a USDA oversight hearing with Senate Ag Leaders this week. With the President Lincoln quote he made the unspoken point, that stubborn partisan differences...
Zalo herbicide available for farmers this spring
With how long the development process can take, it’s not every day that you see new herbicide products on the marketplace. However, this is one of those years at AMVAC, as they have announced the brand new Zalo herbicide. Mark Foster of AMVAC said that Zalo has been...
Nominations open for Iowa’s Pulled Pork Madness bracket
March Madness is almost here for college basketball fans, and that means it’s time for Pulled Pork Madness for Iowans who love delicious pulled pork sandwiches. The Iowa Pork Producers Association is accepting nominations for the restaurant that serves up Iowa’s best...
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Several changes for this year’s state fair, but the heart remains
The Iowa State Fair is less than a month away, and the people who run it are excited (with a healthy dose of fear) for it to kick off. Iowa State Fair CEO Jeremy Parsons said several events have taken place on the fairgrounds recently, and that helps them to be...
Despite bullish July WASDE, market expectations should be tempered
It seems like we only get one or two friendly USDA reports to talk about every year, and the July WASDE report was one of them. However, it’s not as bullish as it might initially seem, so expectations for the long term need to be tempered. Allendale commodity broker...
Sun powered sustainability taking shape at Chevron REG in Mason City
Chevron Renewable Energy Group is introducing an enhancement at its Mason City biodiesel production facility that includes the installation of a solar array. The project kicked off with a groundbreaking event at the site that included local leaders and project...
Secretary Naig anticipates record year for water quality wetlands in Iowa
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship anticipates a record calendar year for progress toward the construction of Department-sponsored water quality wetlands within Iowa. Over the past few...
Outlook for fall 2024 fertilizer shipments
While we just passed the 4th of July a week ago, it is not unreasonable to think about the supplies you will need for and after the fall harvest. One of the biggest inputs that will be thought about is the fall fertilizer and its availability. In the past, we saw some...
