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USDA releases December 2025 red meat export data
U.S. pork exports posted the second highest value and third largest volume on record in 2025, according to year-end data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom said this follows a record-setting year in 2024. Halstrom said December beef exports were the largest in eight months, but full-year shipments fell substantially year-over-year, largely due to the ongoing trade impasse with China. Halstrom added that exports of U.S....
New year farm bill funding boost not a given
Increased funding for the farm bill next year is not guaranteed. There is also no certainty that increased funding can be counted on for political support for a new five-year farm and nutrition bill. A streamlined budget process known as “reconciliation” allows the...
Iowa crop progress and condition report
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig commented on the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The report is released weekly April through November. Additionally, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and...
USDA continues to learn about H5N1 vs HPAI
It feels like we have had a broken record going around and around during the spring and fall of the past few years. We have talked at length about High Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). The main difference between the two is that when the virus jumped the species...
Make sure to heavily consider yield potential before replanting
The plentiful amount of rain we have received so far this crop season has been a blessing for the drought conditions across the state. In fact, Iowa is now entirely drought-free. However, receiving so much rain in a relatively short period of time also has some...
Middle East chefs and culinary students educated on U.S. beef
U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Corporate Chef Germán Navarrete is based in Mexico City, but his talents are employed throughout the world. With support from USDA and the Beef Checkoff Program, Chef Navarrete recently conducted training sessions for chefs and...
Getting the best deal possible as interest rate cuts remain elusive
To combat inflation, the Federal Reserve raised interest rates 11 times between March 2022 and July 2023. As inflation has receded, expectations for rate cuts have not materialized. 2024 has been a difficult interest environment for farmers with rates steady and no...
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Vets can help with swine traceability goals
Traceability is an important topic in the livestock industry. Dr. Patrick Webb, assistant chief veterinarian for the National Pork Board, said that real-time traceability is vital to keeping the pork industry safe from a disease outbreak. Webb said veterinarians play...
U.S. loss would be South America’s gain
A new economic study paints a troubling picture of the potential results a new U.S.-China trade war could have on hundreds of thousands of rural communities. It shows that American-imposed tariffs would come at a steep cost to American farmers and ranchers while...
Farm tire needs are changing and Firestone Ag has adapted
As the ag industry grows and changes, it is safe to assume that our equipment needs will change, too. As farms grow larger and more spread out, implements spend a lot of time on the road as well as in the field. This means that you need to drive those implements on...
Emerald ash borer has made its way into all 99 Iowa counties
It’s been 14 years since emerald ash borer (EAB), an invasive species of insect that kills ash trees, was first detected in Iowa. Now, with the latest confirmation of EAB in Emmet County, EAB has been detected in all 99 counties. The Emmet County samples were...
Farm, biofuel groups press administration for answers on 45Z tax credits
An American Farm Bureau official says the November election and the difficulty of rulemaking could push the ‘45Z’ tax credit rule for biodiesel and sustainable aviation fuel past a November 1st deadline. The calendar tells the story. AFB Director of Government Affairs...
