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Ethanol production reaches highest level in two months
U.S. ethanol production climbed to its highest level in more than two months last week, according to the latest report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Ethanol output averaged 1.117 million barrels per day during the week ending June 26, up from 1.09 million barrels the previous week and the strongest production rate since April. The Midwest, the nation's largest ethanol-producing region, accounted for most of the increase, with production rising to 1.053 million barrels per...
Naig says E15 backers finally proved their case
Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig says the recent House vote approving nationwide year-round E15 sales confirmed what biofuels supporters have argued for years: once lawmakers finally allowed the issue to reach the floor, it had enough bipartisan backing to pass....
Meat industry professionals invited to gather in central Iowa for Midwest Meat Summit
Demand for locally produced meat is on the rise, which provides a unique market opportunity for livestock producers, butchers, and other meat industry experts. All members of the meat supply chain are invited to attend the Practical Farmers of Iowa’s (PFI) second...
AFBF highlights gaps in Dairy Margin Coverage Program
The Dairy Margin Coverage Program is a farm safety net program that helps U.S. dairy farmers manage risk when the gap between milk prices and feed costs shrinks. Danny Munch, an economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation, said the program has been a big help...
Grassley sees several Senate pathways for year-round E15
United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) says there are several avenues for year-round E15 to pass in the Senate. Grassley says the freestanding House-passed E15 bill needs to be attached to another piece of legislation to make its way through the Senate. Senator...
Stand establishment offers one of the first real looks at yield potential
The first signs of emergence reveal far more than whether a crop came up. Stand establishment is one of the first meaningful tests of how well a planting plan is translating in the field. Uniform emergence, healthy seedlings and consistent populations can provide an...
Naig urges Senate action on Farm Bill
The House has passed its version of the Farm Bill, but Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig says the focus now turns to the Senate, where the legislation could face a much more difficult path forward. Naig said House passage was an important step toward giving farmers...
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New research studies connection between PRRS and gastric ulcer development in pigs
Porcine Respiratory and Reproductive Syndrome, or PRRS, is a disease that is always top-of-mind for swine producers. On top of its primary symptoms, there are many side effects that can occur in infected hogs. Boehringer Ingelheim has led some new research into the...
USDA finalizes specialty crop assistance program details
The USDA announced it has finalized the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers Program, announced late last year. Danny Munch, an economist for the American Farm Bureau Federation, said the funds are part of the USDA’s broader Farmer Bridge Assistance Program. The...
Taste What Pork Can Do is celebrating global flavors
The Taste What Pork Can Do® campaign from the National Pork Board launched in May 2025 with the aim of getting younger generations of consumers interested in buying more pork. Jose De Jesus is vice president of market growth with the National Pork Board and he says...
Farmers trim input costs as profit margins remain tight
Farmers across the Corn Belt are reducing spending on fertilizer, seed and crop protection products as they prepare for another year of narrow profit margins. Agricultural economists and industry analysts report that many producers are carefully managing expenses...
Interior seeks flexibility on predator management
When I visited Washington, D.C. recently, I had the opportunity to speak with Karen Budd-Falen, Associate Deputy Secretary at the Department of the Interior, about several wildlife management issues affecting western ranchers. Among the topics discussed were wolves...
