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Producer-led Advisory Committee to advance National Swine Health Strategy
The industry’s Swine Health Advisory Committee helps build on what’s working and accelerates action to ensure the National Swine Health Strategy reflects producers’ needs. Paul Ayers, chair of the advisory committee, said producers are working hand in hand with common goals. Programs such as the U.S. Swine Health Improvement Plan (U.S. SHIP) and the Certified Swine Sample Collector Program serve as foundational tools for pork producers. These initiatives help strengthen on-farm biosecurity,...
U.S. ethanol exports up 27 percent year-over-year
U.S. ethanol exports have crossed the one-billion-gallon threshold halfway through Marketing Year (MY) 2024/2025, a 27 percent increase from the same period in MY 2023/2024, according to new information from the USDA. The sharp rise in ethanol sales contributed to an...
USB invests in innovation to grow U.S. soy demand
With tighter profit margins and a high carryout on U.S. soybean supplies, the pressure on farmers and the industry to find new avenues for growth has never been greater. As global competition intensifies and market dynamics shift, it's critical that we invest in...
Murphy Foundation and Fareway donate springtime meals to Food Bank of Iowa
After the end of the main holiday season, many food banks see a drop in donations. But in a time when many of those food banks are in limbo due to a lack of USDA funding, donations need to keep coming in. It was great to see an annual donation continue its tradition,...
Gas prices experiencing momentary relief
Oil prices have dropped roughly $10 a barrel in the past week, which was tumultuous to say the least. Patrick DeHaan with Gasbuddy.com said a lot of this turbulence and unease is happening because of President Trump's tariffs coming in more significant than expected,...
Making a list and checking it twice before planting season
Preparing for the growing season means a lot of maintenance and check lists for growers. Some of the items on the check list are obvious, seed selection, planter maintenance and optimization, and field work. However, there are several factors that might not be top of...
Trump tariff pause appreciated by farmers
Farmers across the U.S. were pleased to hear most countries will get a 90-day reprieve from the new individualized tariffs announced April 2—an opportunity for negotiations with our trading partners that could lead to consensus and potentially avoid permanent tariffs,...
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Shrinking labor force poised to threaten U.S. economic growth
Declining labor force participation, lower birth rates and a collapse in net migration are combining to squeeze the U.S. labor supply. The looming labor shortage could begin to weigh on businesses and strain economic growth as soon as later this year, according to a...
Iowa Eyes Below-Average Missouri River Runoff
Despite a wetter year in parts of the region, the runoff in the Missouri River Basin remains below average. Years of drought have left a lasting impact, and the system has yet to recover fully. Iowa depends on the Missouri River to the west and the Mississippi River...
Markets decided to sell off in reaction to July WASDE
There were slight expectations that the USDA would adjust corn yields in this month’s WASDE report, but that did not end up happening. And while the report as a whole was still fundamentally friendly to the marketplace, the commodity prices did not like missing out on...
One Big Beautiful Bill contains both wins and losses for Iowa producers
The reconciliation bill, referred to as the One Big, Beautiful Bill, was signed into law. The reaction across the ag industry was mixed, with many farmers celebrating the tax provisions while also lamenting the cuts to SNAP benefits. Mike Stranz, Vice President of...
Iowa’s wet July fueling foliar disease concerns
The state of Iowa continues to receive persistent rainfall which is leading to near ideal conditions for fungal diseases to flourish. John Long is a retail sales agronomist with Brevant seeds and he covers the southwest and west central portions of Iowa. He says that...
