Top Stories
U.S. red meat exports were strong in March
March exports of U.S. pork were among the largest on record, concluding a very strong first quarter, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom said increased year-over-year to leading market Mexico, as well as to Japan, Central America, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines and Taiwan. Through the first quarter, pork exports were 3% above last year’s pace in both volume (778,939 mt) and value ($2.17...
Sec Naig talks about poultry processing classification reform
During the pandemic, we saw the local meat locker's resurgence and discovered how vulnerable we were to disruptions in our meat processing supply chain. Since then, efforts have been made at the state and federal levels to make these supply chains more resilient and...
Maximizing the value of U.S. pork exports globally
The U.S. Meat Export Federation is always working to maximize the value of U.S. meat exports globally. For pork producers the monetary return on each pig through export sales is a vital piece of the profitability puzzle. The mission of USMEF is to “Increase the value...
Unverferth completes facility addition at Shell Rock plant
Unverferth Manufacturing has added a 5,000-square-foot facility complete with major renovations and top-of-the-line upgrades at its plant in Shell Rock, Iowa. Communications Manager Jerry Ecklund said this addition will help to streamline the production process. This...
AFBF adopts policy supporting AM radio in vehicles
Delegates of The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) adopted policy to support the continued inclusion of AM radios in vehicles. On Tuesday, the AFBF set the 2024 policy direction for the organization at the conclusion of the 2024 Farm Bureau Annual Convention in...
Iowa Senate bill would support small grocers
A bill introduced last week in the Iowa Senate seeks to provide resources to small grocery store owners fighting to keep their stores open amidst economic and workforce challenges and competition from big box retailers. The legislation would create the Grocer...
Beef on Dairy crossbreeding offers another option in beef production
The demand for beef remains high in the United States. Supplies are tight after drought conditions forced the culling of many herds. As we are working to rebuild the supply, producers are looking at all kinds of options as they come back. Purina is talking about one...
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More Ag News
House Appropriations Committee to markup crucial labor bill
The U.S. House of Representatives’ Appropriations Committee is preparing to review a significant funding bill that may benefit farmers and ranchers. John Walt Boatright, director of government affairs for the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), notes that this...
Previewing Friday’s USDA reports
The July WASDE report will be published on Friday by the USDA and will feature data based on the new supply and demand numbers. The report is released monthly and provides annual forecasts for supply and use of U.S. and world wheat, coarse grains, and oilseeds....
IDALS encouraging cover crop adoption with increased cost share
As more and more farmers adopt cover crop practices, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is offering an increased incentive for both first-time and returning cover crop users through the Water Quality Initiative. Now, first-time users are eligible...
Top scientists defend biofuels in court
Eight of the nation’s top agricultural, biomass, and greenhouse gas lifecycle scientists filed a brief on July 3rd challenging the faulty assumptions underpinning a number of attacks on the Renewable Fuel Standard. The brief was filed in the District Court of Appeals...
Rooftop farms becoming more popular in urban areas
More and more, consumers are looking to produce their own food or have a better understanding of where the food comes from. However, land is hard to come by inside of urban sprawl. There are some community gardens, but they are limited to how many people can...
