Top Stories
How Southern Rust changed Iowa corn plans
Just ahead of the 2025 growing season, many in the crop protection industry expected tar spot to be the primary disease concern in corn. Instead, southern rust emerged as the dominant threat across much of Iowa, forcing growers to quickly evaluate their management plans as the season unfolded. Todd Cogdill with FMC says even those watching the disease closely were surprised by how quickly southern rust took over. Instead of tar spot, southern rust became the disease that separated growers who...
Iowa dairy farmers brace for market & labor challenges in 2026
As 2025 winds down, northwest Iowa dairy farms are taking stock of a year that brought both optimism and new pressures. Sioux County dairy producer Christina Zuiderveen says harvest conditions set a positive tone, even though the year still delivered its share of...
Iowa Pork and Fareway serve up warm meals for Giving Tuesday
Today, Fareway Stores and the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) teamed up with Central Iowa Shelter & Services (CISS) for the ninth annual Giving Tuesday breakfast. Hundreds of warm meals were prepared and served to individuals experiencing homelessness...
South American Weather and Crop Update (12-2-25)
As planting season continues in South America, the dry weather is starting to raise some eyebrows. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest weather forecasts for Brazil and Argentina. McBride said planting progress is still close to the...
Fertilizer supply and price outlook for 2026
As farmers stare at the market screen and continue to see depressed prices for their commodities, it doesn’t help that fertilizer prices remain high. But what is the outlook for supplies and prices of fertilizers in 2026? Josh Linville, vice president of fertilizer at...
Secretary Naig opens sign-up window for Iowa’s crop insurance discount program
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the sign-up is now open for the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s (IDALS) annual Crop Insurance Discount Program. The innovative program offers farmers a $5 per acre premium reduction for...
SHIC continues proactive approach to H5N1 threat
H5N1 may not be grabbing the headlines every day, but it remains a major concern for livestock producers. While the virus continues circulating in both avian and dairy populations, the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) says there is some positive news for pork...
Video
More Ag News
Farmers still struggling to find enough farm labor
Finding enough labor to get the work done on the farm and navigating the regulations for the workforce have become increasingly troublesome in recent years. Mike Stranz, Vice President of Advocacy for the National Farmers Union, said reform is more important now than...
Iowa Farm Bureau members gather for 107th annual meeting
Iowa Farm Bureau members gathered in Des Moines to connect, learn, and celebrate Iowa agriculture. It’s been an eventful year for the Iowa ag industry, which made for plenty of insightful discussions. Iowa Farm Bureau President Brent Johnson said profitability was one...
Trump discusses year-round E15, addresses farm input costs
President Trump this week discussed the importance of year-round E15 for America’s farmers and the potential for more domestic production of fertilizer. During the President’s farm aid announcement at the White House, the topic of year-round E15 was brought up....
How will food prices affect holiday meals in 2025?
The holidays bring large increases in food spending for both food at home and food away from home. Consumers’ decisions during this season can have important implications for farmers and ranchers. Farmdoc, at the University of Illinois, said persistent inflation has...
Farmers see stronger results from Deere autonomous tillage
Autonomous technology has been one of the most talked about advancements in production agriculture over the past few years, but 2025 was the first season when many farmers were able to see it working at scale. Labor was tight, weather windows were narrow, and every...
