Top Stories
July started with heavy rain but has since dried out
This month has already been a crazy one when it comes to the weather. July started off with unrelenting rainfall across much of central Iowa, but since then it has transitioned to a warm and dry pattern. Dan Bjorklund, technical agronomist with Landus Cooperative, said he saw plenty of flooded corn and soybean fields in central Iowa. However, Bjorklund there are still parts of the state that hardly got any rain. The areas with the heaviest rainfall saw significant flood damage, but Bjorklund...
Egg production down year-over-year
U.S. egg production totaled 8.63 billion in March 2025, a 7% drop from the same month last year. That figure includes 7.35 billion table eggs and 1.28 billion hatching eggs — with 1.18 billion from broiler-type hens and 104 million from egg-type hens. The average...
U.S. Export Sales Report (4-25-25)
The export sales might seem a little low this week, but getting any sales with the state of the global economy and President Trump’s tariffs is a good thing. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest corn export numbers from the USDA....
Congress must act to protect family farms
Farmers and ranchers could face higher estate taxes if Congress fails to act before the end of the year. The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act contains provisions that are set to end in 2025, many of which are beneficial to farmers and ranchers. Samantha Ayoub, an associate...
More farmers are tapping into the power of AI
As agricultural technology continues to evolve, farmers are finding faster and more accurate ways to produce their goods. Among the latest tools gaining traction in the farming community is AI, a technology once known mostly for helping students with research or...
Farmers should use a varied approach to combat SCN
Often referred to as the “billion-dollar pest,” soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is a major pest that farmers have to deal with every year. While we do have several great options, especially in genetics, it’s important to keep from relying too much on one single mode of...
USDA provides publicly available resources to farmers
USDA reports can be a very valuable resource for hog producers. Lee Schulz, chief economist with Ever.Ag, says fundamentals are key when digging through publicly available data. Dr. Schulz points to additional market pressures, including changes in the World...
Video
More Ag News
Naig: Conservation, cooperation needed for Iowa water
Iowa agriculture has a responsibility to be a partner in protecting and improving water quality—not just for the benefit of rural communities, but also for our urban neighbors. That partnership was thrust into the spotlight earlier this summer when Des Moines Water...
Managing weeds in Iowa with multiple effective modes of action
For most of the state, this year’s crop season has gone great. The weather has been mostly cooperative, and damage has been kept to a minimum. But if the weather is good for the crops, you can correctly assume that it’s great for weeds as well. Lynn Hurley, account...
Pioneer striving to provide additional protection against corn rootworm
You don’t need a degree in agronomy to understand the threat of rootworms to Iowa’s corn. The pest attacks corn root systems and leads to reduced nutrient uptake, lodging, and yield loss. Macy Marek is a product marketing manager for Pioneer corn and says that Pioneer...
Taking care of farm tires year-round
Whether it’s harvesting, planting, or moving from field to field, tires can make an operation run smoothly or make simple tasks take all day. Greg Jones, Senior Manager for Global Field Engineering at Firestone Ag, said one of the most important things for farmers and...
2025 ISF Super Bull contest gets a $5,000 prize bump
Enter Your Big Bull by August 1 This Is No Bull! Thanks to a generous boost from Chemorse Chemical and the Roadside Bar-and-Grill—and an enthusiastic push from 2024 Super Bull exhibitor Gary Ruebel—the first prize for this year’s Super Bull competition is now a...
