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Extreme heat impacts the Midwest
Extreme heat has been impacting the western two-thirds of the United States in recent days as crops are in critical stages of growth. One example of the intense heat occurred recently in the badlands of South Dakota says USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey. Although temperatures are not expected to be as extreme this week, the threat to crops and grasslands in the Midwest still remains says Rippey. Some relief is on the way with more cloudy skies and expected rainfall, but Rippey says some of the...
Farmers applaud court decision on H-2A costs
Farms across America face razor-thin margins and rising input costs, especially when relying on seasonal labor. Family-run operations often struggle to hire and retain enough workers during peak seasons to get crops planted, tended, and harvested. Under the H-2A visa...
Hog farmers drive demand for U.S. soybeans
The Soy Checkoff is driving domestic demand for U.S. soybeans by creating and developing domestic demand opportunities. There are three main focuses that the United Soybean Board is acting on to achieve this goal and support American soybean producers. United Soybean...
U.S. Export Sales Report (8-28-25)
The weekly export sales continue to show two different stories, with corn having another record week while soybeans struggle. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said old crop corn sales will definitely hit the USDA’s goals. Soybeans rebounded slightly, but they...
Grassley says modern economy better able to handle tariffs, wary of uncertainty
United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) says that the modern economy is better suited to handle the current trade war but is still wary of the uncertainty brought on by ever changing tariffs. He says the economy today is better able to handle tariff shocks than...
Win tickets and sideline access to Iowa Hawkeyes annual ANF game
With the first full week of the college football season on the horizon, Iowa Farm Bureau and University of Iowa are offering Hawkeye fans a chance to win four tickets and on-field sideline access to the America Needs Farmers (ANF) game on Oct. 18 against Penn State...
FBI partners with agriculture to defend food supply
Protecting the nation’s food supply is a critical part of national security. While the likelihood of a bioterrorism attack on American agriculture may be low, the stakes are extraordinarily high. An intentional strike against crops or livestock would not only threaten...
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Supreme Court set to hear challenges to President Trump’s tariffs
The Supreme Court is set to hear challenges to President Trump’s use of a 1977 law to claim emergency tariff power. Recently just four GOP Senators from farm-heavy states backed a Democratic measure to end President Trump’s claim of emergency tariff power. However,...
Southern Rust limited corn crop from reaching lofty expectations
Expectations were high for this year’s crop, and even though disease pressure kept the crops from realizing those lofty expectations, many farmers still saw decent yields. Southwest Iowa Beck’s Agronomist Nate Meyer said harvest should wrap up soon, as these crops...
South American Weather and Crop Update (11-4-25)
Farmers in South America are in the early stages of their second crop season of the year. So far, the weather has been mostly favorable for planting progress. Allendale commodity broker Ben Breisch said it’s early enough that the markets aren’t too focused on the...
White House still planning billions in farmer trade aid
Three people familiar with the issue say the Trump administration still intends to roll out an initial payment of up to $12 billion for farmers struggling because of the president’s tariff policies. North Dakota Senator John Hoeven said that a program similar to the...
Learning from 2025 to build a better 2026
It’s been one of those Iowa harvests that went smoothly overall, but it gave us a clear look at any shortcomings we had this year. Early planting conditions looked ideal, but as the summer wore on, humidity, storms, and disease pressures really started to challenge...
