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Growing crush capacity shifts soy demand priorities
For decades, one of the soybean industry's biggest challenges was finding new markets for soybean oil. Today, however, the conversation is changing. Growing demand from renewable diesel and other biofuel markets has helped create new opportunities for soybean oil, while expanded processing capacity is creating a new challenge: finding markets for increasing supplies of soybean meal. When I visited Washington, D.C., I spoke with Pat Giberson, a New Jersey farmer and member of the United Soybean...
August ending on a very warm note
After we were blessed with amazingly comfortable temperatures for the Iowa State Fair, the temperatures got cranked up a notch just in time for the Farm Progress Show. Fortunately, the temps will be slightly off the highs for the show, as Iowa State Climatologist Dr....
Pork industry needs producer voices and leadership
Producer leadership is paramount to building trust in the U.S. pork industry. Iowa pork producer Al Wulfekuhle, president of the National Pork Board, said his deep love for the pork industry is why he got involved with the Board. Wulfekuhle said he’d like to see more...
Central Iowa is in the spotlight as Farm Progress Show gets underway
The Farm Progress Show is the largest outdoor farm show in the country and a showcase of the newest innovations and technology in agriculture. The show attracts big crowds and with the crowds comes a big economic boost for the central portion of Iowa. Don Tourte is a...
Secretary Naig announces grants for Iowa schools to purchase local food
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will provide $2,000 grants to 137 participating school districts or schools to purchase meat, eggs, produce, dairy and other local foods from area...
Canadian Railroad strike was short-lived
Federal Labor Minister Steve MacKinnon intervened on Thursday to impose binding arbitration on the parties involved, just sixteen hours after Canada's two main railway freight lines locked out Teamster Union personnel. A few weeks prior to the deadline, the union had...
Pro Farmer Crop Tour wraps up with record crop projections
The final estimate from the Pro Farmer Crop Tour shows record yields for both corn and soybeans. Corn yield is set at 181.1 bushels per acre, while soybeans are at 54.9 bpa. Eastern Leg Tour Leader Brian Grete said that, while these estimates are just a snapshot in...
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More Ag News
2024 A year without ag market shocks
Compared to the past four years, 2024 lacked a singular event causing shocks in the farm market and farm prices, according to USDA’s Chief Economist Seth Meyer. Meyer says that led to a relatively quiet market year in terms of market shocks. While there was not one...
NCBA President looks ahead to new administration
As he prepares to move back into the White House in Washington, D.C., Republican President-elect Donald Trump has nominated former White House aide Brooke Rollins to be his Secretary of Agriculture. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President Mark Eisele said he...
Iowa cattle producers are making their voices heard
Winter is a season that is often full of meetings in the ag industry, as it is generally a good time to plan out the next year. The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association held its annual convention in Ames last month, where members gathered to discuss and vote on their policy...
List of state crop assistance payments
In addition to a farm bill extension through September 30, the American Relief Act of 2025, recently passed by Congress, contains $9.8 billion in market relief payments for 20 covered crops. This economic assistance is intended to offset part of the economic loss...
Consumers aren’t just looking at price as the main purchasing factor
Last week, we talked about the challenges that are involved in helping producers of pork products understand the sometimes volatile relationship between the supply and demand sides of the industry. In that conversation with Glynn Tonsor, an economics professor at...
