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South American Weather and Crop Update (12-30-25)
As the crops in Brazil enter the critical yield-determining phase, timely rains are finally reentering the forecast. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest weather forecasts for South America. While the crops are virtually all planted in Brazil, McBride said planting progress in Argentina is roughly three-quarters of the way done. As the markets move out of the holiday season, there will be a much greater focus on the South American crops. The team at Allendale...
South American Weather and Crop Update (5-14-24)
A mix of moisture is still sitting over South America. Some regions are dry, and some are getting too much rain. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest weather patterns. CONAB just released its updated crop projections for Brazil and...
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...
NK soybeans striving for “versatility and consistency” in 2024
Each year more Midwestern farmers are adopting the practice of early soybean planting. When conditions allow for early planting, farmers are opting to plant soybeans earlier in the hopes of eventual increased yields. However, during a tricky planting season like the...
Ernst discusses latest biofuels developments
Yesterday, we shared the thoughts of Growth Energy’s Emily Skor about the state of things in the ethanol sector. One of the things that she mentioned she was most concerned about was what she perceived to be the waning support of lawmakers to find a permanent solution...
Finding profits in tight profit margins
Profit margins are always tight for farmers, with some years feeling tighter than others. However, there’s almost always a way to look through those margins and find the best profit levels possible. Chad Hart, Iowa State University professor of economics and ISU...
First quarter of 2024 sees phenomenal pork exports
The U.S. Meat Export Federation says March exports of U.S. pork were steady with last year’s volume but were slightly higher in value, according to data released by USDA. Kelli Wicks, manager of market growth for the National Pork Board, said diversification has been...
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More Ag News
South American Weather and Crop Update (9-10-24)
Drier conditions are persisting in Brazil as planting begins for the next crop. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest weather patterns in South America. While there is some rain forecasted for the southern areas of Brazil, most of the...
Secretary Naig announces availability of crop insurance discount program
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will once again offer its Crop Insurance Discount Program for acres that are planted with cover crops. Farmers and landowners who plant cover crops...
Grassley sees lame duck farm bill as unlikely
Prospects for a lame duck farm bill don’t look much better than those before the November elections, according to ag lawmakers and lobbyists. September will be full of debate over simply keeping the government funded. Congress returns after the elections for two weeks...
Ag groups urging Congress to pass new farm bill
As the U.S. ag economy continues to spiral downward, over 300 food and farm groups sent a letter to Senate and House leadership asking Congress to pass a new farm bill that would help to slow it. Joe Gilson, director of government affairs for the American Farm Bureau,...
More dairy included in school nutrition campaign
Making sure that our children have access to healthy food at lunch is something that everyone agrees on. However, that’s about where the agreement ends. How nutrition is provided has become a heated and increasingly political debate over the past decade or more. Many...
