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The many benefits of prairie strips
It may sound counterintuitive, but setting aside just 10 percent of a field for wildlife habitat can benefit both the environment and that field’s productivity in the long run. Prairie strips allow farmers to keep their soil in place, filter water runoff, and add some beneficial habitat. Tim Youngquist, vice president of the Practical Farmers of Iowa Board of Directors and agricultural specialist at Iowa State University’s Agronomy Department, said prairie strips are an adaptable and...
AFBF says Congress must make clearer laws after Chevron ruling
The American Farm Bureau says it’s now up to Congress to write clearer laws in the wake of the Supreme Court’s historic Friday ruling overturning legal precedent favoring federal bureaucrats over judges. AFB Deputy General Counsel Travis Cushman says the ruling...
Conditions are ideal for tar spot to thrive this growing season
Fortunately for Iowa growers, mother nature has delivered some much-needed rainfall to the state this spring and summer while eliminating all areas of drought in Iowa. Unfortunately for Iowa growers, wet conditions also provide the ideal environment for fungal...
Weekly 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...
Food safety important for July 4th cookout
As we get ready to celebrate our independence this Thursday, there will be lots of fun activities. We think of the fireworks displays and the safety required to take care of those involved, but what about something as simple as the July 4th cookout? Have you thought...
Corn acreage and storage numbers send market price lower
The USDA published the Acreage and quarterly Grain Stocks reports on Friday and several factors combined to send the corn price in the ag marketplace to the downside. On Friday the ag marketplace reacted with a double digit drop in the corn price after the USDA...
Smithfield Foods delivers 34,000 pounds of protein to NW Iowa
Smithfield Foods delivered 34,000 pounds of protein to Rock Valley, Iowa, to provide free, restaurant-quality hot meals to victims, first responders and volunteers impacted by severe flooding across Northwest Iowa. As a local employer with more than 600 employees in...
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More Ag News
South American Weather and Crop Update (10-22-24)
It’s still the rainy season down in South America, which is exactly what the farmers down there want to see. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the weather in Brazil and Argentina. McBride said planting progress is still behind the average pace,...
FFA encouraging members to “Engage” at national convention
Over 70,000 students in blue corduroy jackets are at the 97th National FFA Convention and Expo in Indianapolis this week. This year’s event starts on Wednesday, Oct. 23 and wraps up with the final session on Saturday, Oct. 26. Amara Jackson, who is serving out her...
Farm bill challenges not going away in 2025
Farm bill challenges will not go away in 2025 if Congress has to punt again on the top farming legislation. That is according to American Farm Bureau Director of Government Affairs Joe Gilson who says that hurdles will remain. A lot will also depend on what the budget...
Biofuel groups welcome Supreme Court decision on SREs
The Renewable Fuels Association and Growth Energy were pleased with a Supreme Court decision on Small Refinery Exemptions. They issued a joint statement saying the Fifth Circuit Court wasn’t the right venue to hear challenges on small refinery exemptions. “Because the...
John Deere updates its Ag training facility
When you work with sophisticated equipment, you need sophisticated training. As the precision agriculture industry has grown, the technology and tools need to be sold and serviced by people who are well-trained in the operation of these machines and can recommend the...
