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South American Weather and Crop Update (6-23-26)
Once again, the weather forecasts in South America are leaning more towards drier weather. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said both Brazil and Argentina should see a lack of rain. McBride said that, once the El Nino weather pattern kicks in more, South America could see even more dry weather. Right now, however, the dry weather won’t impact much directly, as both Brazil and Argentina are going through harvest. McBride said harvest in Brazil is still in the very early stages. McBride...
Mexico GMO corn ban found to violate USMCA
This year will end on a high note for U.S. corn growers as they take a victory in the trade dispute with Mexico. In February 2023, the Mexican government put out two decrees that dealt with corn imports from the U.S. Dave Salmonsen, senior director of government...
Margins improving for many hog producers
On Monday USDA published the latest quarterly hogs and pigs report. Based on the numbers from the quarterly report, hog producers are maintaining balance between production and demand. USDA livestock analyst, Michael McConnell says that margins improved for producers...
U.S. cattle on feed down slightly
Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 head or more totaled 12 million head on December 1, 2024. That inventory level was slightly below December 1, 2023. Placements in feedlots during November...
Argentina sees more soybeans this year
We watch what happens with our neighbors in South America regarding crop production and its effects on our markets. Brazil is the largest soybean producer and exporter in the world, and Argentina is one of our largest corn competitors. Their production capabilities...
Third stopgap passes with farm, disaster aid
The third time was the charm, as the House and then the Senate passed stopgap funding legislation with farm and disaster aid to avert a midnight Friday government shutdown late last week. The legislation passed 366 to 34, clearing a two-thirds ‘yes’ vote threshold to...
Secretary naig cheers USMCA dispute resolution decision
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig provided the following statement after a United States – Mexico – Canada Agreement (USMCA) dispute resolution panel ruled against Mexico’s baseless decree banning imports of genetically modified corn. “Iowa produces more corn...
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More Ag News
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,...
Crop nutrition is more important than ever
With the ag economy facing mounting pressure from rising input costs, unpredictable weather, and tightening margins, this season is shaping up to be one of the most challenging in recent memory. Farmers are feeling the weight of uncertainty, and every decision carries...
