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Recapping a disappointing week in the grain market trade
It has been a difficult week of trade in the grains and oilseeds markets to say the least. Corn and soybeans grinded lower to begin the week and then saw significant losses on Thursday and Friday. Matt Bennett is the CEO and co-founder of AgMarket.Net and he tells the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network that Thursday’s big price movement to the downside left producers feeling pessimistic to close the week. He details some of the losses for the corn contracts. One of the biggest drivers of the...
Officials want fix for foreign-owned farmland disclosure process
Senate Ag Committee members Chuck Grassley (R-IA), John Fetterman (D-PA), and Joni Ernst (R-IA) are asking the USDA to improve its process for foreign-owned farmland disclosures. The letter follows alleged inaccuracies posted online by the Farm Service Agency under...
Ukrainian Ambassador Markarova visits Iowa and State Fair
The Russian invasion of Ukraine started over 900 days ago, and the fighting continues. In the last weeks, the Ukrainian forces have liberated over 50% of the land that the Russian military took control of as the invasion started. Ukraine has been looking for help...
60th annual Cookout Contest highlights Farm Bureau Day at the fair
Today, August 13th, is Farm Bureau Day at the Iowa State Fair, and it’s a beautiful day to stop by Farm Bureau Park. It wasn’t hard to find the park today either, because the Iowa Farm Bureau hosted its 60th annual Cookout Contest, and the smells were carried on the...
U.S. pork preferred by Mexican consumers
Mexico is a leading market for U.S. pork exports. According to Courtney Knupp, Vice President of International Market Development for the National Pork Board, the cultural connection to pork in Mexico is deeply rooted in family gatherings, which often revolve around...
A Teddy Bear of a Super Bull
Teddy Bear is the big bull of the 2024 Iowa State Fair, weighing in at 3,064 pounds and earning the win in the Super Bull Contest. The purebred Simmental bull was the heaviest of the three bulls competing and is now on display at the entrance to the Cattle Barn for...
Weekly crop progress and condition report
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig commented on the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The report is released weekly April through November. Additionally, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and...
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More Ag News
Lock in prices now for next year’s crop products
At this time of year, many farmers are making financial plans for the next crop season. It’s a good time to lock in some prices on inputs, especially since we can see some volatility in the global marketplace. Vince Restucci, market segment manager with Valent, said...
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...
