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IDALS issues guidance to protect animals from New World Screwworm
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) issued the following guidance for livestock producers, pet owners, and veterinarians to help protect animals from the parasitic New World Screwworm (NWS) fly. The guidance comes after multiple cases of NWS have been detected in livestock in Texas and one infestation was confirmed in a canine in New Mexico. All livestock caretakers and pet owners should routinely inspect animals for open wounds. If maggots are detected in an open...
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...
SW Iowa crops still looking great heading into harvest
There’s not much time left until harvest season will be upon us in Iowa, and the crops in the southwest part of the state are still looking great. SW Iowa Beck’s Agronomist Nate Meyer said he’s expecting a bumper crop for both corn and soybeans this year. Meyer said...
Financial benefits of climate-smart commodities
Approximately 13,000 American farms participate in the climate-smart commodity initiative, which covers about eight million acres of land. Ag Secretary Tom talked about the appeal of the initiative and said he expects those participation numbers to continue growing....
A drop in soybean condition ratings
USDA is reporting a drop in condition ratings for soybeans and a possible frost in parts of the Upper Midwest. That is USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey. There was no change to the corn condition rating this week with the number remaining at 65% good to excellent....
Koch completes $3.6 billion purchase of Iowa Fertilizer Co.
Koch Ag & Energy Solutions successfully purchased OCI Global’s fertilizer plant in Wever, Iowa, for $3.6 billion. After announcing the pending sale last year, the finished transaction gives Koch access to a state-of-the-art facility and its related businesses. The...
Keeping new dairy calves healthy from respiratory diseases
While we have talked at length about what H5N1 or bird flu looks like for dairy herds, we have to remember that this isn’t the only health concern we face. There are still the old standards we have to guard against, and at this time of year, we see more calves moving...
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More Ag News
January WASDE causes big moves in corn and soybean prices
As we’ve been reporting on throughout the week, many estimates for the January WASDE said that it would likely be a rather uneventful report. The USDA loves to prove us wrong though, and they did that today by making cuts to both the corn and soybean numbers while...
PFI sees promising growth at annual conference
As they continue to grow across Iowa, the Practical Farmers of Iowa are hosting a record number of attendees at their annual conference. Liz Kolbe, farmer-led education director with the Practical Farmers of Iowa, said this year’s event is packed with information for...
New technologies increasing the effectiveness of seed treatments
The value of seed treatments is very apparent to soybean growers. Additional protection from diseases is welcomed by producers who are planting earlier and encountering wet and cool conditions, says Dair McDuffee of Valent. McDuffee says that seed treatments are...
Growth Energy statement on 45Z guidance
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Growth Energy—the nation’s largest biofuel trade association—issued the following statement after the U.S. Treasury released its long-awaited guidance for the Section 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit. “This long-overdue guidance is far from...
Dairy starts 2025 on shakier ground
In the last couple of months, we have seen some solid footing return to the dairy markets. After years of nothing going their way, losses of dairy farms, and a market that was allowing producers to barely survive at best, it was nice to see good fortune return to...
