Top Stories
Midwest heat raises late-season corn and soybean concerns
Extreme heat remains a major agricultural issue across a large portion of the Corn Belt. Heat warnings stretch from Iowa and Kansas through Illinois and toward Ohio, with heat indexes expected to reach 105 to 110 degrees in some areas. The timing matters. USDA reported last week that 13% of corn was mature as of Aug. 30, while 13% of soybeans were dropping leaves. That leaves portions of both crops vulnerable to late-season stress. The immediate concern may be greatest for soybeans still...
U.S. Export Sales Report (8-14-26)
The export sales report this week didn’t have as much of an impact as the August WASDE report. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the corn markets are keeping an eye on the old crop shipment numbers. McBride said the soybean markets are monitoring the...
Sales of agricultural tractors and combines decline
U.S. sales of agricultural tractors dropped nearly 11% in July 2026 compared to the year before, with combine sales declining more than 5% in the same period. This is according to new data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. Canadian agricultural tractor...
Iowa Dairy Princess passes crown at state fair
The Iowa dairy industry has a new set of representatives following the crowning of the 73rd Iowa Dairy Princess and alternate at the Iowa State Fair. Hannah Hagen of Allamakee County was selected as the 73rd Iowa Dairy Princess, while Mae Wiedemeyer, representing the...
Next-generation Big Boar Zoomer takes top prize at Iowa State Fair
Zoomer, a six-year-old boar from Atlantic Iowa, is the 2026 Iowa State Fair Big Boar contest winner tipping the scale at 1,246 pounds. Zoomer is owned by Todd Schuler of Atlantic and he tells the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network that Zoomer has the frame to put on...
Largest-ever combined corn and soy planted acreage
U.S. farmers planted a record amount of corn and soybeans in the 2026/27 season, USDA reported this week. Combined planted acreage of the two crops reached 183.5 million acres, more than 3 million acres higher than the previous combined crop record. The record was...
Major reports can cause sudden market shifts
As we saw with the August WASDE report, sudden surprises can cause the grain prices to jump up at a moment’s notice. With the right preparations, farmers can take advantage of those price rallies to get premium prices for their stored grain. Michael Weidner, director...
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More Ag News
Connecting fairgoers with farmers and learning how food is produced
The Iowa Food & Family Project is an education and outreach initiative that connects consumers with farmers and provides information about how food is grown and raised in Iowa. The Iowa Food & Family Project features prominently at the Iowa State Fair inside...
U.S. approaching tariff deadline with Canada
It's Wednesday, August 19th, and we're just a few hours away from the deadline for negotiations between the U.S and Canada to avoid a 50 percent tariff on several Canadian imports into the U.S. Cameron Castillo, an associate economist for the American Farm Bureau...
Timely rains continue to benefit Iowa crops
The luck of Iowa’s farmers continues as timely rains have cycled through much of the state. As the Pro Farmer Crop Tour goes across the state, many analysts are predicting a hefty crop. Landus Cooperative Technical Agronomist Dan Bjorklund said the rain has been...
Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Awards presented to 33 farm families at the 2026 ISF
Gov. Kim Reynolds, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig and Iowa Department of Natural Resources Director Kayla Lyon today recognized 33 Iowa farm families with Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Awards during a ceremony at the 2026 Iowa State Fair. The Iowa Farm...
Thompson says SAWA could help Iowa livestock farms
Finding enough workers remains a challenge across agriculture. Still, House Agriculture Committee Chairman G.T. Thompson says the federal guest worker program has not kept pace with the changing needs of farms and livestock operations. Thompson is pushing the Securing...
