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Agriculture helps tell America’s story
As Americans celebrate Independence Day and the nation's 250th anniversary, it's an opportunity to reflect on the people, industries, and values that have helped shape the country over the past two and a half centuries. For Iowa, agriculture has long been one of the foundations of that story, providing the food, fuel, and fiber that have supported the nation's growth while strengthening rural communities from one generation to the next. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, who has served on...
U.S. Export Sales Report (2-21-25)
For the most part, this week marked another uneventful week of export sales. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest numbers from the USDA. Brazil still holds the discount for both corn and soybeans. However, McBride said U.S. corn sales...
Ag machinery manufacturers worried about tariffs
Many segments of U.S. agriculture are concerned about the possibility of the Trump administration implementing tariffs and the possibility of reciprocal tariffs put in place by trade partners. Curt Blades, senior vice president of the Association of Equipment...
Secretary Rollins releases the first tranche of funding under review
Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced that USDA will release the first tranche of funding that was paused due to the review of funding in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). In alignment with White House directives, Secretary Rollins will honor...
Innovation to Profit Series from Iowa Soybean Association Underway
The Iowa Soybean Association’s 2025 series of Innovation to Profit meetings are designed to provide accurate, insightful information to Iowa’s soybean farmers to help them increase profitability and productivity. There are four total meetings in the series, one in...
Longshoremen’s vote scheduled to take place next week
Positive developments in agriculture in the shipping sector, as the conflicting parties in the longshoremen’s dispute along the Gulf and East Coasts are making progress toward ratifying a new contract. According to Mike Steenhoek, Executive Director of the Soy...
Feenstra urging new EPA administrator to support biofuels
As the new administration continues to settle in, it’s important to make sure they are going to make supporting the ag industry a priority. Renewable fuels in particular need to receive the proper support in order to help the U.S. become more energy independent. Iowa...
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More Ag News
Record ethanol production slows ahead of summer driving demand
The U.S. has churned out record levels of ethanol since late 2024, largely due to a rise in exports and steady domestic demand. But Reuters said output has dropped from record levels during the last two weeks, which coincides with the buildup of the summer driving...
Vietnamese delegation signs MOUs for grain trade in Des Moines
A trade delegation led by the Vietnamese Minister of Agriculture signed several memorandums of understanding (MOUs) to purchase approximately 7.5 million metric tons of U.S. ag products on Monday. The signings took place at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines between...
Rain has been falling across Iowa in some large bursts
The weather has brought plenty of rain for most parts of the state recently, and it has done so in large bursts. In fact, some parts of central Iowa saw over 4.5 inches of rain in a single day. This is great for the soil moisture profiles, but it was almost too much...
U.S.-China trade a top focus at USMEF Spring Conference
The U.S.-China trade relationship was a major focus of the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Spring Conference, which wrapped up Friday, May 23rd, in Fort Worth, Texas. Guest speaker John Newton, the executive head of Terrain, said he expects the current tariff...
Cattle industry prepares for USMCA review
Since returning to office in January, President Trump has once again brought trade policy to the forefront of national discussion. His previous use of tariffs is now facing scrutiny from the U.S. Court of International Trade, reigniting debate over their impact. But...
