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Corn condition drops amid heatwaves
The damage from triple-digit heat across the Midwest and Plains is showing up in the numbers, reports AgWeb. USDA’s weekly crop progress report shows the steepest week-over-week decline in corn good to excellent condition ratings for this point in the growing season in nearly 20 years, catching analysts off guard. USDA now rates the corn crop at 63% good to excellent, 25% fair, and 12% very poor to poor. Last year at this time, 73% of the corn crop was in good to excellent condition, according...
The most valuable commodity? Getting home safe
Next week is Farm Safety Week, and it’s a good reminder for all of us in agriculture to think carefully about how we approach safety during harvest. But the truth is, one week of reminders won’t cut it. Safety has to stick with us through the whole season, because the...
Warm temperatures will bring harvest here before we know it
The end of this crop year has been defined by disease pressure, specifically from diseases like Southern Rust and Sudden Death Syndrome. Unfortunately, farmers who did not prepare with fungicides are already seeing significant yield losses. Southwest Iowa Beck’s...
Iowa rural roadway safety considerations during harvest season
Rural roadway safety is one of the biggest safety challenges during harvest season. Dan Neenan of the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety says that rural drivers need to demonstrate patience as farmers share the roadways. Neenan says that motorists and...
Fertilizer decisions for 2026 crop will be a balancing act
Fertilizer prices aren’t at historic highs, but relative to last year’s prices and the current prices for crop commodities, they are elevated. According to data from USDA and analysis by University of Illinois Farmdoc, fertilizer prices in the state are 6% to 20%...
USMEF Heartland team reviews market investments in Korea
A team of producers representing the pork, beef, corn and soybean industries visited Korea last week to see first-hand the investments the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) is making in the market. Korea is the leading export market for U.S. beef, with purchases...
Rollins: Mexico cooperation key to screwworm defense
The New World screwworm has not entered U.S. herds, but the threat has officials on guard. The parasite can devastate livestock, particularly cattle, and poses risks to any mammal. A recent case in a U.S. traveler returning from El Salvador underscored that danger....
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More Ag News
South American Weather and Crop Update (11-18-25)
As global trade issues continue to develop, planting progress in South America is quietly rolling along. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest weather forecasts for Brazil and Argentina. McBride said farmers have continued to make good...
American Farm Bureau applauds WOTUS rule
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers released a new rule Monday on the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) law. Courtney Briggs, Senior Director of Government Affairs with the American Farm Bureau Federation, said this rule is a positive...
Farm gate receipts are down, farm lending is up
Third quarter financials continue to demonstrate the tough situation in farm country this year. Joe Mahon, Regional Outreach Director at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, says their third quarter survey of agricultural bankers in the Fed’s Ninth District show...
NCBA secures new WOTUS proposed rule that protects family farmers and ranchers
Today, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) announced support for the new proposed Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The revised WOTUS rule comes after decades of advocacy by NCBA and our state...
Goettsch highlights key seed decisions for Iowa farmers in 2026
As Iowa farmers wrap up another harvest season, many are already shifting their attention to what they want from their seed choices in 2026. After a year that produced solid yields but also revealed pockets of disease pressure in several parts of the state, growers...
