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Upcoming USDA reports to feature key data for hog producers
USDA livestock reports can offer valuable insights into the hog industry. Lee Schulz, Ph.D., chief economist of Ever.Ag, says that reports such as the annual livestock slaughter report, set for release on April 22, can give producers a snapshot of the state of the industry and allow them to make plans for their operations. Another key report for hog producers is the Meat Animal PDI, which Schulz calls the final balance sheet for the year. He says that when breaking down the disappearance data,...
Connecting with customers to deliver sustainable pork products
Studies from within the pork industry have shown that customers value sustainable pork products and seek out those products in the marketplace, says Chris Hostetler the director of animal science with the National Pork Board.Chris says that customers often purchase...
NPPC talks about strategies in trade
Last week, we started a conversation with Maria Zieba, Vice President of International Affairs for the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC). In the conversation we talked a little bit about the strong start that trade has had in 2023 for the pork industry. Also, we...
Hardin county project to add proven water quality practices
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will lead a Water Quality Initiative (WQI) partnership focused on adding proven edge-of-field water quality practices in the South Fork Iowa River...
Early summer Iowa crop update
It feels like this crop season just started, and it?s already been a challenging one. Continued drought conditions have been the main issue so far. DEKALB Asgrow technical agronomist Andrew Penney provided an update on the current crop conditions in Iowa.While it?s...
U.S. Export Sales Report (6-23-23)
This week?s export sales were good for soybeans, but the corn numbers were unremarkable once again. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride provided a breakdown of the latest report.While the report wasn?t bullish by any means, McBride did say that it is in line with...
EPA’s RVO numbers could have been “more aggressive”
The Environmental Protection Agency released its Renewable Volume Obligations earlier this week with lower numbers than expected for 2024 and 2025.In the final rule, EPA increases RFS volumes for biodiesel and renewable diesel by only 60 million gallons in 2023, 220...
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El Nino and its effect on global weather patterns
If you’ve been keeping up with the weather reports lately, then you’ve probably heard a lot about El Nino and its impact on the current weather. Shane Hubbard, research scientist at the Space Science and Engineering Center at University of Wisconsin-Madison, said that...
NCBA policy chair lays out farm bill priorities
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Policy Division Chair Gene Copenhaver recently met with House Speaker Mike Johnson to discuss the farm bill. Copenhaver says Johnson was hopeful on the prospects for a new farm bill after the old bill expired last September...
Pork producers concerned about FDA antibiotics proposal
The National Pork Producers Council submitted comments critical of the Food and Drug Administration’s draft guidance on the duration of use of certain antibiotics in food animals. NPPC says the proposal would “deny the ability for a veterinarian to prescribe...
John Deere has new balers ready for 2024
We spend a lot of time talking about the planting, maintenance, and harvesting of crops. However, we don’t always think about the work that needs to be done to secure forage for our livestock. Balers are a huge part of the operation when you have cattle, horses, or...
South American Weather and Crop Update (1-16-24)
We’re looking at a drier forecast this time in South America, particularly in Brazil. However, that’s what Brazilian farmers want, as they are trying to fully kick off harvest season. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest weather...
