Top Stories
Drought pressures western rangeland management
When I visited Washington, D.C. recently, I had the opportunity to speak with Karen Budd-Falen, Associate Deputy Secretary at the Department of the Interior, about the challenges facing western rangelands as drought conditions continue to affect large portions of the country. Budd-Falen said those conditions are forcing difficult decisions for both ranchers and federal land managers as they work to balance livestock production, wildlife needs, and long-term resource health. Budd-Falen said...
Paris Olympics dealing with shortages of quality protein
In the most recent installment of their Beltway Beef Podcast, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association discussed some of the issues raised at the 2024 Paris Olympics. NCBA Executive Director of Government Affairs Kent Backus talked about how the Olympic organizers...
U.S. Export Sales Report (8-1-24)
As we get closer to the end of the marketing year, we saw another neutral export sales report this week. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest numbers. This week also saw a flash sale to China, but flash sales are still far behind where...
USDA says food inflation easing, while farm input costs remain high
The USDA says food inflation is easing, but farm input costs remain high. USDA economist Megan Sweitzer says that consumers may be getting a bit of a break from grocery price inflation which topped 11 percent in 2022. USDA’s grocery price forecast for next year looks...
Officers elected to lead Iowa Farm Bureau’s young farmer program
The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmer Advisory Committee elected officer positions for 2024-25: Chair: Zac Preston, Warren County Vice Chair: Megan McAllister, Dubuque County Secretary: Mitchell Sievers, Buena Vista County Public Relations Co-Chairs: Alyssa...
Secretary Vilsack announces DFAP program
Yesterday, the Biden administration announced it has issued payments to eligible applicants under the Inflation Reduction Act’s Discrimination Financial Assistance Program (DFAP), which aims to provide financial assistance to farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners...
Floods leading to enhanced weed and disease pressure
This year will be remembered for the staggering amounts of rain that we received over the course of the growing season. While the weather itself caused plenty of damage, there are going to be more issues in the future from the flooding that occurred from the rain....
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More Ag News
Iowa Cattlemen continuing to push for better farm bill
At this point, it is very likely that the 2018 farm bill will get extended for another year. This is not what the ag industry was hoping for, but that doesn't mean that the battle is over. Iowa Cattlemen’s Association CEO Bryan Whaley said the ag industry needs to...
Informing the influencers of pork consumers
Pork producers are great at telling their stories to each other, but the focus needs to be on the consumer. The National Pork Board recently invited a social media influencer and avid cook from Los Angeles to a farm to see how pigs are raised. Morgan Wonderly, NPB...
Soybean oil exports remain strong
The USDA published the December World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates this week and made just one change to the domestic soybean balance sheet. A 60-cent month over month decrease in the season ending average price with the price now at $10.20 per bushel....
Judge blocks rule strengthening protections for temporary farmworkers nationwide
The regulation, which grants organizing and safety protections to H-2A visa holders, had already been overturned in a number of states. A federal court blocked a rule strengthening legal protections for temporary farmworkers from going into effect nationwide. The U.S....
Hemmes reflects on time on United Soybean Board (Part 1)
The best promotion we can ask for is the word of those in the fields and feedlots across our country, advocating for the producers. Telling the first-hand story of the American farmer resonates with our customers domestically and internationally. As the second largest...
