Top Stories
Rural America needs more ag tax professionals
Tax season can be a stressful time of year, and that is especially true for farm country. As the number of tax preparers who are familiar with the unique complexities of agricultural income declines, a new program from Iowa State University is being developed to offer free ag-tax training to tax-prep professionals across the country and bring those numbers back up. Kristine Tidgren, director of Iowa State’s Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation (CALT), said they are spending the next year...
Making it easier to share on-farm data
On-farm data can help a producer to make informed decisions about their operation. Now Climate Fieldview is making it easier for farmers to share that information when they need to share their data outside of the farm.Climate FieldView is a software tool that allows...
Pork producers encouraged to enroll in U.S. SHIP
The U.S. Swine Health Improvement Plan (U.S. SHIP) is a national certification program modeled after the National Poultry Improvement Plan. Dr. Tyler Holck, senior project coordinator, explained how the program would work should there be a foreign animal disease...
Truterra celebrates success of carbon program, encourages signups
In the past few years, we have become increasingly focused on conservation farming practices and carbon sequestration. Like any other period of the industry?s history, farmers are looking at ways to improve their practices. Carbon credit programs have popped up...
Iowa cash rents hit highest average value on record
The recent yearly survey of Iowa?s cash rental rates for farmland shows rates jumped by nine percent so far in 2023. The average is now $279 per acre, the highest average value on record. This new peak rate is three percent higher than the previous high of $270 in...
USDA cuts ribbon on national bio and agro-defense facility
Recent history is proof that animal disease outbreaks like mad cow, foot and mouth disease, avian influenza, and African swine fever can devastate livestock industries both home and abroad. The importance of a strong defense system against animal disease cannot be...
Smart Carbon Network launches in support of carbon capture management
Last week, the Smart Carbon Network was launched in order to bring agriculture, energy, and academic leaders together and raise awareness of the benefits of carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies. The network will collaborate with farmers and...
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More Ag News
2024 livestock market outlook contains highs and lows
To say that this year was a rollercoaster in the livestock industry is an understatement. From policy changes to fluctuations in market prices and input costs, it felt like the entire marketplace could change course from week to week. Iowa Farm Bureau Economist...
Applications open for Bayer Fund’s 2024 Grow Ag Leaders Scholarship Program
In their continued effort to strengthen the future of agriculture, Bayer Fund’s Grow Ag Leaders program will once again partner with farmers to award scholarships to students pursuing careers in any agriculture-related field of study. Grow Ag Leaders Program...
HPAI case confirmed in Mahaska County
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have confirmed a case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Mahaska County, Iowa. The affected...
Diesel situation still sticky into new year
We have talked about the cost of inputs in the past, and that no matter if the prices of one input are going down, there will be a higher input somewhere else. We have seen fertilizer price spikes and retreats after the pandemic exposed supply chain issues. However,...
U.S. Export Sales Report (12-21-23)
Being in the slowest time of the year does also mean that the export sales are slower than usual. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest numbers from the USDA. Even with a slower report, McBride said the total sales numbers up to this...
