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Earlier planted soybeans reshape waterhemp management
Earlier soybean planting has become increasingly common as growers look to extend the growing season and capture more yield potential. But that shift can also change the timing of one of the crop's biggest weed management challenges. BASF Technical Marketing Manager Justin Moritz says planting soybeans earlier can move the crop ahead of the traditional window growers have used to manage waterhemp. Moritz says that changing the window puts additional emphasis on flexibility within a weed...
AFBF study shows ineffectiveness of U.S. beef import plan
Roughly one month after the Trump administration announced its plan to import beef in an effort to combat high prices at the grocery store, data is showing that prices have not been significantly lowered. New analysis shows that the plan to lower tariffs on imported...
South American Weather and Crop Update (9-29-26)
As the Americas prepare to face what is being called a “super El Niño,” farmers in Brazil and Argentina are moving along with planting season for the next crop. While there is a significant chance for excessive, damaging rains, Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride...
Beef prices and herd retention decisions
With turbulent cattle markets due to beef imports and the southern border with Mexico reopening for cattle imports cattle producers have a lot to think about when making decisions for the future of the herd. Will cattle ranchers and farmers make plans for starting the...
Fordyce explains unusual ARC and PLC signup
Persistent rain has kept combines parked across much of Iowa, leaving farmers waiting for fields to dry out and harvest to get moving. While they wait, there is another decision to make involving the 2026 crop. USDA has opened enrollment for the Agriculture Risk...
Secretary Naig welcomes applications for urban water quality project grants
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today announced that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) is accepting pre-applications for cost-share grants to support urban conservation and water quality projects. The locally led projects,...
China trade talks provide optimism for U.S. red meat
U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer over the weekend offered new details on the progress made in last week’s U.S.-China trade talks, which were held in conjunction with the summit meeting between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. In a...
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USDA expands risk management options for farmers
Farmers enrolled in Agriculture Risk Coverage now have more flexibility when putting together their crop insurance protection. USDA Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation Richard Fordyce says a previous restriction prevented producers from purchasing...
NPPC says a Prop 12 fix is still within reach
The National Pork Producers Council continues pushing lawmakers to address California's Proposition 12 through the next farm bill debate. NPPC President Rob Brenneman, who is also an Iowa pork producer himself, said the organization believes a fix would benefit both...
NASS reports corn ending stocks 35% higher than last year
Higher than expected corn production numbers were negative for the grain markets today and implied lower demand. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), old crop corn stocks on hand as of September 1st, 2026,...
The future of the farm bill could be decided by November elections
The future of the farm bill may be decided by what happens when voters head to the polls in November. Lawmakers have left Washington for a month of campaigning without passing a new five-year bill, leaving producers facing more uncertainty after the third extension of...
Clean Fuels applauds effort to extend biodiesel producer credit
This week, U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced bipartisan legislation to extend availability of the Small Agri-Biodiesel Producer Credit through 2029. U.S. companies that produce up to 60 million gallons of biodiesel per year using...
