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Grassley discusses E15 vote in the House
The United States House of Representatives will vote on year-round E15 legislation this week. United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) was asked about the legislation’s chances of passing in the House. Grassley also discusses what the next step for that legislation would be if it makes its way through the House and to the Senate. Grassley also details the timeline for the Senate and how it will affect legislation this year. Senator Grassley made his comments on Tuesday during his weekly ag...
Be cautious of damage to alfalfa this winter
This has been a winter we will likely remember for a long time. It’s been pretty comfortable, unseasonably warm, and we got a large amount of snow and bitter cold quickly. Then as quickly as it arrived, it was gone. We have also noted that our ground hasn’t seen the...
Tax relief package is now heading to the Senate
A tax relief package passed the House of Representatives this week and heads to the Senate for consideration. The Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act restores tax provisions left out of the 2017 tax reform efforts. American Farm Bureau Federation...
U.S. Export Sales Report (2-1-24)
This week’s export sales were very mixed. Corn saw another good week, but soybean numbers were well below expectations. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest numbers. McBride said the flash sale of soybeans to Mexico was nice, but we...
U.S. cattle herd smallest since 1951
Before the release of Wednesday’s semi-annual cattle inventory report, various trade estimates called for a reduction in overall herd size. The USDA’s report confirmed those estimates with a herd size of 87.2 million head of cattle as of January 1st, 2024. That is a...
Secretary Naig welcomes applications for specialty crop block grants
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is now accepting applications for the 2024 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program through March 1, 2024. The grant program, which is designed to support...
Fertilizer is impacted by numerous global conflicts
As we enter year three of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and as tensions are boiling over in the Middle East, we can’t help but realize the impact these events are going to continue to have on our farms. While disputes throw off demand and shipping, especially in...
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Farmers tracking pollination and disease pressure in mid-July
At this time of year, our crops are pollinating, and we need the weather to cooperate in order to make sure our yields can be as high as possible. Since we have plenty of moisture in the soil, it’s mostly up to the temperatures to cooperate. Nate Meyer, southwest Iowa...
Edge-of-field conservation practices are simple and effective
Edge-of-field conservation practices aren’t complicated, but they are highly effective at improving water quality. These can be as simple as a grass waterway or a buffer strip beside a small creek, or they can be much more intensive, like a bioreactor at the end of a...
Vilsack discusses expected record farm trade deficit
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack says this year’s expected record farm trade deficit is due to a strong U.S. economy and U.S. criticism of a major trading partner, China. Vilsack says the U.S. economy’s strength, with its stronger dollar, is largely to blame for USDA’s...
U.S. soybean supply to rebound in 2024-2025 marketing year
The U.S. soybean supply for marketing year 2024-2025 is forecast at 4.8 billion bushels, eight percent higher than the previous marketing year but down 20 million bushels from last month’s forecast. According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service Acreage...
The Midwest will enjoy a little bit of a cooldown
On Monday, we saw storms roll across central and eastern Iowa, which rolled to the Indiana/Ohio border. Rain, hail, tornadoes, and high wind gusts were recorded after what NOAA classified as a derecho. Wind gusts of over 100 miles an hour were recorded near New Vienna...
