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Farmer sentiment bounces back
October provided a surprising pre-election bounce in farmer sentiment as the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer climbed to 115, 27 points above the September index. The biggest driver of the sentiment improvement was an increase in producers’ confidence in the future. The Future Expectations Index jumped 30 points to 124. The Current Conditions Index also rose in October but by a smaller amount. With a reading of 95, the Current Conditions Index confirmed that farmers think...
Solinftec’s new docking station takes autonomy to new level
We have talked in the past about Solinftec’s autonomous sprayers that can go around your field, under solar power, and take care of your spraying needs 24/7. However, there have been questions about how often the unit needs attending. Just like with any piece of...
Biden announces $7.3 million investment in rural electrification
President Biden traveled to Wisconsin today to announce an investment of $7.3 billion in affordable and reliable electricity for rural America through the Inflation Reduction Act. Sixteen rural electric cooperatives across 23 states- including Iowa- will be selected...
USDA net farm income report highlights need for new farm bill
The latest Net Farm Income Report shows a 23 percent drop in net farm income compared to 2022. Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, says farms losing a quarter of their income isn’t economically sustainable. Duvall says there are a number of...
DEKALB seed technology in the spotlight at The Field of Dreams
DEKALB corn is once again in the spotlight in eastern Iowa, with DEKALB announcing that it is the exclusive corn seed brand featured at the Field of Dreams Movie Site near Dyersville. That is DEKALB brand manager Jamie Horton who says this is the third installment of...
GHX system offers Iowa farmers a year-round seed company partnership
In the past, it seemed like once we got our seeds, our interaction with our dealers was over until it was time to order next year’s seeds. Nowadays, each season is a full year or more from planning to harvest. Seed companies are often the ones providing us with crop...
Secretary Naig announces availability of pesticide applicator testing options
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is again offering in-person and online pesticide applicator testing options for commercial and private applicators this fall. The Department encourages...
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Iowans testify before Senate committee on disaster relief programs
Today, the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, which is chaired by U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), hosted a hearing to discuss the challenges facing rural small businesses and the federal support they have received, specifically through the U.S....
Research reaffirms safety of properly prepared pork
USDA released research confirming a negligible risk of trichinella from their study of 3.2 million samples taken from Pork Quality Assurance® Plus (PQA Plus) farms. Heather Fowler, director of producer and public safety for the National Pork Board, said this research...
Grassley speaks on possible Stabenow farm aid add to CR
There are rumblings on Capitol Hill that Senate Ag Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow is considering attaching temporary relief for farmers, in place of a new farm bill, to a must-pass stop-gap spending bill. Farm broadcasters asked United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA)...
Trade policy shifts impact on U.S. agriculture
Agricultural economists from North Dakota State University have examined the proposed trade policies of the two presidential candidates and one proposal being floated in Congress. The NDSU experts laid out the potential losses to soybean, corn, wheat, and beef exports...
John Deere’s See and Spray hits milestone
It was only a few years ago when we got to see John Deere’s See and Spray Technology on display at the facility near Bondurant. The technology has changed the game in how farmers can attack weeds and cuts down on the input costs for the products needed to protect our...