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July was strong for pork exports, weak for beef
July exports of U.S. pork were slightly below last year but accounted for a larger share of production, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). Market access obstacles continued to weigh heavily on exports of U.S. beef, with the vast majority of plants still ineligible to ship to China. USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom said pork exports totaled 238,922 metric tons (mt), down just 1% from a year ago, while value fell 4% to $680.9 million,...
$450,000 in state cost-share directed to water quality practices around 8 public Iowa lakes
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced today that nine Iowa Soil and Water Conservation District partners will receive $451,176 in water quality cost-share funding from the Publicly...
Agriculture watches as U.S.-Canada tensions rise
The global trade war rhetoric is heating up again, but this time, America’s closest allies are signaling they’ve had enough. Canada, long known for its diplomatic restraint, is beginning to openly express frustration with the Trump Administration’s trade tactics. As...
July 2025 brought historic rainfall to Iowa
After experiencing an already wet month in June, history would suggest that July would back off on the faucets a little bit. That was not the case this year, though, as Iowa experienced the second wettest July on record. Dr. Justin Glisan, state climatologist for...
USMEF applauds confirmation of new USDA Undersecretary for Trade
On Saturday evening, the U.S. Senate confirmed Luke Lindberg as USDA Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs on a vote of 77-18. U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO Dan Halstrom said there was strong bipartisan support in the...
USDA says farmland values up, cash rents stable
USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer says that USDA’s annual snapshot of farmland value and cash rents shows a slowdown in year over year growth. He expands on land values when breaking down the numbers for cropland and pasture values. Farm real estate value by state...
Secretary Naig announces start of construction on Middle Cedar watershed project
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that construction is starting on a “batch and build” water quality project in Tama and Grundy Counties. This project, led by Heartland Co-op, will include the installation of 14 saturated buffers and four...
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IDALS to host Iowa State Fair ceremonies
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will host three award ceremonies this week celebrating and commemorating Iowa agriculture as part of the 2025 Iowa State Fair. Each of the three ceremonies is open to the media, and the public is invited to...
State Fair showcases the heart of Iowa agriculture
Yesterday, we celebrated the grit and legacy of Iowa’s Century and Heritage Farm families, but that is just one piece of the agricultural spotlight at the Iowa State Fair. Across the fairgrounds, agriculture takes center stage in ways both big and really big, from the...
Connecting consumers with dairy producers at the Iowa State Fair
The Iowa State Fair is a major opportunity to connect consumers with the farmers who raise their food. One of the most in-depth experiences is in the dairy industry, as fairgoers can witness the milking process, milk a cow themselves, and watch youth connect with the...
Iowa raised “Judah” wins the 2025 ISF Big Ram Competition
Abby Willson of Shell Rock Iowa and her 7-year old Columbia ram “Judah” are the winners of the 2025 Iowa State Fair Big Ram Competition. Judah weighed in at 505 ½ pounds to win a close contest inside the sheep barn on the first day of the 2025 fair. Abby Willson is a...
USMEF comments on U.S.-Japan Trade and Investment Agreement
Japan’s lead tariff negotiator was in Washington, D.C. this past week to finalize the details of the U.S.-Japan Trade and Investment Agreement that was recently announced by the White House. U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO Dan Halstrom was in...
