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Cutting nitrogen inputs without cutting yields
As input costs continue to rise, farmers are looking for ways to reduce costs while maintaining yields. Nitrogen is one of the costliest inputs, and fortunately there is a way to reduce the amount of nitrogen you apply without kneecapping your yields. Mark Peterson, a Practical Farmers of Iowa member from Stanton, Iowa, said he’s using cover crops to build organic matter, hitting 220-bushel of corn while keeping inputs low and proving that what’s good for the environment can be even better for...
Renovations underway at Iowa State Fair’s historic sheep barn
Believe it or not, the livestock buildings at the Iowa State Fair have each been there for over 100 years. And if you drive across the fairgrounds right now, you’ll notice that one barn in particular- the sheep barn- is getting some modern renovations that will...
Celebrating the past, present, and future of agriculture
The 36th annual Celebration of Agriculture dinner took place in Cedar Rapids last week to celebrate Iowa Ag Week. Both Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig and former U.S. Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue, who was this year’s featured speaker, were in attendance to highlight Iowa...
Grain stocks report shows more corn, beans in storage
The USDA’s Grain Stocks Report shows corn stocks in all positions on March 1, 2024, totaled 8.35 billion bushels, up 13 percent from March 1, 2023. Of the total stocks, 5.08 billion bushels were stored on farms, 24 percent higher than last year. Off-farm stocks were...
Unleashing potential with advancements in soybeans
The Research Center for Farming Innovation at Iowa Soybean Association features an on-farm research center, an analytics and insights team, and a conservation team. Christie Wiebbecke is the chief officer of research and conservation at Iowa Soybean Association and...
2024 farmland prices could be anybody’s guess
As we look ahead to the new growing season, one thing that will certainly be on the minds of producers and farm families is the acquisition of more land for either expansion of the family operation, or for beginning farmers looking to make a start. Of course, we know...
Quarterly Grain Stocks and Acreage numbers were good, but not miraculous
The grain markets were positioned to react to basically anything that came out of today’s Quarterly Grain Stocks and Acreage Report, so when the friendly numbers came in, the prices jumped upwards and held those gains through the end of the day. Allendale commodity...
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60th annual Cookout Contest highlights Farm Bureau Day at the fair
Today, August 13th, is Farm Bureau Day at the Iowa State Fair, and it’s a beautiful day to stop by Farm Bureau Park. It wasn’t hard to find the park today either, because the Iowa Farm Bureau hosted its 60th annual Cookout Contest, and the smells were carried on the...
U.S. pork preferred by Mexican consumers
Mexico is a leading market for U.S. pork exports. According to Courtney Knupp, Vice President of International Market Development for the National Pork Board, the cultural connection to pork in Mexico is deeply rooted in family gatherings, which often revolve around...
A Teddy Bear of a Super Bull
Teddy Bear is the big bull of the 2024 Iowa State Fair, weighing in at 3,064 pounds and earning the win in the Super Bull Contest. The purebred Simmental bull was the heaviest of the three bulls competing and is now on display at the entrance to the Cattle Barn for...
Weekly 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...
Iowa Turkey celebrating new look and new menu items
The Iowa Turkey Federation Grill has been a go-to destination for hungry fairgoers for over four decades. They have been offering their traditional staples of a smoked turkey leg and a turkey tenderloin sandwich plus mixing in some new foods here and there. This year...
