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AFBF highlights gaps in Dairy Margin Coverage Program
The Dairy Margin Coverage Program is a farm safety net program that helps U.S. dairy farmers manage risk when the gap between milk prices and feed costs shrinks. Danny Munch, an economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation, said the program has been a big help to dairy farmers. However, Munch said that recent years have highlighted limits in the program’s effectiveness because it only covers milk prices against feed costs, which doesn’t account for other input costs. Munch said Congress...
Examining the factors currently influencing the grain markets
Geopolitics, trade, and weather are all making an impact on the grain markets in recent weeks and that trend looks to continue as the calendar turns to May. Commodity broker Greg McBride of Allendale says that the upcoming meeting between President Trump and Xi...
New tariff push raises farm trade concerns
New efforts by the Trump administration to impose fresh import tariffs are drawing concern across U.S. agriculture, where producers fear another round of retaliatory trade measures could weaken export demand for key commodities. The administration is pursuing...
Ernst: Senate Path tough after House Farm Bill vote
The U.S. House has passed its version of the Farm Bill, but the focus now turns to the Senate, where the path forward is expected to be more difficult. While in Washington last week, I spoke with Iowa Senator Joni Ernst just as the House was preparing to vote on...
USDA confirms pseudorabies in swine herds in Iowa and Texas
On Thursday April 30th the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) confirmed via ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay) and latex agglutination testing (LAT) a detection of...
Growers fear 2027 prices will put fertilizer out of reach
A recent survey by the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) left no doubt that high fertilizer prices will continue to be a big concern for farmers, especially in 2027. NCGA President Jed Bower talked about the ag community is on the verge of having some very big...
Midwest’s premier dairy conference is happening next month
One of the longest-running dairy nutrition conferences in the country will take place again this year from June 3-4 in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The Four-State Dairy Nutrition and Management Conference- a collaboration between the extension services of Iowa State...
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More Ag News
U.S. Export Sales Report (5-7-26)
Once again the corn sales were strong this week, and the soybean sales were disappointing. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest U.S. Export Sales Report. Even with the strong corn exports, McBride said the USDA will likely have to make...
Students need career development skills on top of classroom education
Employers today aren’t just looking for diplomas- they want people who can think creatively, lead teams, and solve problems in new and innovative ways. On top of earning an agriculture degree, students at Iowa State University can use the Pathways Program to gain...
Farmers already expect higher breakeven prices in 2027
The Purdue University/CME Group's Ag Economy Barometer declined in April as economic uncertainty caused a dip in farmer optimism for the future of their operations. Michael Langemeier, director of Purdue University’s Center for Commercial Agriculture, says that corn...
Iowa Farm Bureau Federation names Katherine Mackenzie young farmer program coordinator
The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) has named Katherine MacKenzie as its young farmer program coordinator. MacKenzie began her Farm Bureau career on April 20, serving as the primary point of contact for young farmer members and working closely with IFBF’s Young...
USDA says Iowa near major weather boundary
Weather conditions across the United States continue to show a sharp contrast between wet and dry regions, and USDA Chief Meteorologist Brad Rippey says Iowa is sitting near the center of that dividing line. Speaking during a discussion in Washington, D.C., Rippey...
