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Senators push USDA for faster bird flu vaccine plan
A bipartisan group of 23 senators called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture to expedite development of a comprehensive bird flu vaccination strategy amid rising infections in livestock flocks. Lawmakers warn that outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI, have killed millions of birds nationwide, threatening poultry producers already coping with supply chain pressures and volatile markets. While USDA announced plans earlier in the year to pursue a vaccine, senators say 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...
Scouting crops from inside the combine cab
As harvest continues to wrap up, farmers need to be scouting their fields for what things need to be changed for next year. Fortunately, the combine cab is the perfect mobile office to do this scouting from. Northwest Iowa AgriGold Agronomist Jeff Morey said there are...
Trade developments are encouraging, but more progress is needed with China
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced agreements on reciprocal trade with Malaysia and Cambodia and frameworks for agreements on reciprocal trade with Thailand and Vietnam. U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO Dan Halstrom said...
Big week for tariffs and SNAP
It’s a big week for President Trump’s tariffs with the issue set to be addressed in court. The Supreme Court is set to hear challenges to President Trump’s tariffs, brought by small businesses and several states. Critics argue that the 1977 law doesn’t grant the...
NASS reports returning this month
The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service will release several key agriculture reports in November, including a monthly crop supply and demand report that wasn’t issued last month because of the government shutdown. According to a post on its website, NASS...
China’s soybean purchases seen as symbolic, not transformative
It’s been months of uncertainty between the United States and China since President Trump placed new tariffs on Chinese goods, sparking another round of back-and-forth tension in the ag sector. Now, an agreement reached last week has China pledging to resume purchases...
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AFBF recognizes Veteran Farmer Award of Excellence recipient
A retired Army veteran is the second winner of the American Farm Bureau Federation Veteran Farmer Award of Excellence. The award, presented with the support of Farm Credit, goes to retired Army Command Sergeant Major Matthew Rutter of South Carolina, who had an...
Soybean meal promotes herd health for U.S. swine
With the FY2026 budget approved, the United Soybean Board (USB) is looking forward to continuing to drive soybean demand for U.S. soybean farmers. The majority of that demand comes from the livestock industry, where soybean products can be used to enhance feedstocks....
September soybean crush likely sets record
A new Reuters poll said soybean processors likely crushed a record number of soybeans in September as new facilities ramp up operations. That poll took place as market watchers continued relying on private estimates during the government shutdown. According to a note...
Putting safety first when managing manure systems
Manure from hog operations is a renewable, sustainable resource that adds significant value to agricultural systems. However, as with all aspects of agriculture, safety is the first priority when managing manure systems says Marguerite Tan, director of environmental...
Fall tillage and field angles matter for Iowa soybeans
It has been a smooth fall across most of Iowa, with combines running steadily and fields opening up early. Harvest went about as well as anyone could hope for, but that does not mean the season was without its challenges. Disease pressure was the bigger story in 2025,...
