Top Stories
Details from the USDA March Cattle on Feed Report
USDA published the March Cattle on Feed Report on Friday March 20th and with the cattle industry in a pattern of low supply and continued high demand, the report can offer clues on the industry’s direction. USDA livestock analyst Michael McConnell provides the numbers of cattle in feedlots on March 1st. He notes that last year at this time is roughly when the effects of closing the Mexico border for feeder cattle imports due to New World Screwworm started to impact the numbers. McConnell says...
Optimizing plant health and improving crop performance with biologicals
Each farmer would like to maximize production efficiently and effectively. One area that farmers and producers are turning to in order to optimize plant health and improve crop performance is through the use of biologicals.Corey Nikkel, a senior field scientist with...
RMA to host crop insurance workshop for specialty crops, organics
Farmers in Iowa can attend a USDA's Risk Management Agency workshop to learn more about crop insurance options, including those designed for agricultural producers who grow specialty and organic crops. RMA will host the free in-person workshops Tuesday, January 24, in...
Cold winter has given way to unseasonable warmth
Now is a slow time of year for the U.S. Drought Monitor. With January being the coldest month in Iowa, the soil profiles are usually too frozen to allow any moisture in. However, with these unseasonably warm temperatures we?ve been experiencing, there?s actually been...
Getting started in agriculture no easy task for young farmers
With high input costs and rising interest rates, farming can be difficult to navigate for even seasoned farmers and ranchers. But what about someone who is trying to break into the agriculture industry?Getting started in farming is no easy task. Input costs are high...
U.S. bison industry pursuing market opportunities in Japan
U.S. bison is seeking access to the Japanese market, and importers in Japan are eager for the product. National Bison Association Executive Director Jim Matheson said the bison industry recently had an opportunity to make their case to Japanese officials in a visit to...
Mike Naig sworn-in for second term as Iowa Secretary of Agriculture
DES MOINES, Iowa (Jan 13, 2023) ? Mike Naig was sworn-in for his second full term as Iowa Secretary of Agriculture today during a formal public ceremony at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines. Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Susan Christensen administered the oath...
Video
More Ag News
Solix Sprayer robot sees huge success in pilot year
Solinftec, a global leader in artificial intelligence solutions and sustainable agriculture practices, showcased the latest technology in the Solix AG Robotics Platform at this year’s Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Illinois. Specifically, the Sprayer robot was on...
After August recess, still no farm bill text
United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) says that there is still no farm bill text, despite time running short on getting a new farm bill done. Grassley says that the August recess was supposed to be a time in which lawmakers could make progress on the farm bill,...
IDALS Announces Another Conservation Record
DES MOINES, Iowa (Sept. 6, 2023) – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, working with Iowa’s 100 Soil and Water Conservation Districts and other partners, once again shattered a record for...
Yield numbers starting to roll in
Going out in the field for some early harvest results in some of the driest areas of the state. Jason Russell farms near the Linn-Jones County line, where his rain gauge has measured just under four inches of precipitation this growing season. With harvest results so...
NCBA says WOTUS changes are “a start”
Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency released its revised rules for the Water of the United States (WOTUS). This was in response to the Biden Administration’s reintroduction of the Obama-era rule which drew the ire of farmers and Ag groups for being far too...
