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Stay food safe as grilling season kicks off
The Memorial Day Weekend is the unofficial start of the summer grilling season. USDA’s Food Safety Expert Meredith Carothers said with the warmer weather, it’s important to protect against food safety risks. Carothers said the two-hour rule about leaving perishable food outside and not in a refrigerator still applies in avoiding foodborne illness. If you’re cooking outdoors without access to a water faucet, she recommends soap, bottled water, and paper towels to clean the grill. Carothers also...
U.S. Export Sales Report (5-2-24)
Despite an exciting day in the grain markets, export sales were very mild this week. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said corn and beans came within estimates. Corn sales are only slightly behind the 5-year average, but McBride said beans are far enough behind...
The 2024 Iowa’s best burger announced
From cheese curds to chip dust, burgers as big as dinner plates to multiple patty burgers, fresh veggies to cheeses, and sauces to spreads, this year’s Top 10 Iowa’s Best Burger restaurants had it all! However, only one can claim the title of Iowa’s Best Burger in...
Ag Committees release previews of Farm Bill
Yesterday, while the NAFB attended Washington Watch, House Ag Committee Chairman GT Thompson released a framework for the House Version of the Farm Bill, and Senate Ag Committee Chairwoman released the full Senate version. Both addressed the NAFB members in attendance...
EPA’s Regan Defends WOTUS Implementation
Regulatory overreach was a topic of debate in Washington D.C. this week regarding EPA and the implementation of the new WOTUS rule. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan told a House panel that the EPA is working in tandem with the Army Corps of...
Iowa Egg Council donates thousands of nutrient-dense eggs
As part of the Sack Hunger campaign, the Iowa Egg Council donated 14,100 dozen eggs to the Food Bank of Iowa today. The timing of the donation is also important, as May 1st marks the beginning of Egg Month. Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig said it’s a great example of the...
Extreme drought calls for extra soil management
As planting season starts to fully get rolling here soon in Iowa, farmers are thinking about how to handle extreme drought conditions that can hinder crop development. While farmers have been dealing with drought conditions for almost 4 years straight now, there’s...
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More Ag News
Quarterly Grain Stocks report didn’t make much of an impact
The grain markets were positioned for an impactful Quarterly Grain Stocks report, but what we got today was simply a neutral and slightly positive report. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the corn numbers were friendly to the marketplace. McBride said the...
Partisan gridlock and the election could again delay farm, ag spending bills
Partisan gridlock and fallout from the November election could again force Congress to postpone key decisions for agriculture into 2025. It’s not just the farm bill, but USDA and other spending bills are also stuck in months of political gridlock in a narrowly divided...
Coastal port strike will have a big impact on meat and livestock industries
Longshoremen at ports along the East and Gulf Coasts are set to strike when their current labor contract expires at midnight tonight. U.S. Meat Export Federation Vice President for Economic Analysis Erin Borror said a shutdown will have a significant economic impact...
Veterinarian shortage reaching crisis level
Veterinarian shortages are not new. Anyone who ever needed a vet in the middle of the night will tell you that. And any rural vet called in the middle of the night will agree. What is new is the realization that it is about to get worse. “If our veterinary workforce...
Secretary Naig excited for the harvest season
Harvest is well underway here in Iowa. Farmers are hitting the fields and getting the crops out while the weather is extremely cooperative. With no real rains in the forecast and warmer temperatures; it should hopefully make for a smooth harvest season. We know when...
