Top Stories
Why animal movement matters in screwworm control
Last week, we focused on the on-farm threats posed by New World Screwworm and the small wounds that can serve as entry points for the fly. But the effort to keep the pest out of U.S. herds goes far beyond the pasture. There is an even bigger challenge tied to the movement of livestock and wildlife, and the work being done behind the scenes to keep the fly from moving north. Those efforts are less visible than border announcements, but they remain a central part of the prevention strategy....
USMEF pursuing opportunities for U.S. beef in Angola
The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) is leading a trade mission to Angola this week, and with the support of the Beef Checkoff Program, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Africa Representative Matt Copeland is participating. Copeland said that there are...
Ethanol powering America and helping to save farms
The National Ethanol Conference was held in San Diego last week and it provided a morale boost to the ethanol industry. That’s Renewable Fuels Association Chair Erik Huschitt who wasn’t alone in praising the corn powered fuel’s achievements since the 1980s and those...
Waste in EPA environmental justice grant spending
Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley says millions of taxpayer dollars funneled through the Environmental Protection Agency’s grant programs weren’t used correctly. While the funds were used to cover recipient organizations’ overhead costs and operating expenses,...
NASDA Members make trade trip to Cuba
As we look to open up new trade options around the globe, we are also looking at opening doors with former trade partners that have been estranged for political reasons for some time. Recently a delegation from the National Association of State Departments of...
EPA’s E15 final decision welcome, but some questions remain
The Environmental Protection Agency has granted the request from eight Midwestern states, including Iowa, to sell year-round E15 beginning in 2025. The EPA approved the long-delayed petitions from eight Midwest governors to allow summertime sales of E15 in these...
U.S. Export Sales Report (2-23-24)
This week was not a good one for the grain markets, and that could be seen in this week’s export sales as well. Corn is still looking fine, but soybeans posted the lowest numbers for this week in over thirty years. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an...
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Sec Naig wraps up Dairy Month at Thelma’s
Last month was Dairy Month, and to finish off that celebration, Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig (a known dairy connoisseur) visited Thelma’s in Des Moines to tour the facility and check out their famous ice cream sandwiches. Highlighting dairy isn’t just for the month of...
USDA releases proposed FMMO updates
The USDA held a 49-day Federal Milk Marketing Order hearing and listened to hundreds of hours of testimony, which resulted in reform proposals released this week. Roger Cryan, chief economist with the American Farm Bureau, said the changes have some positives. Cryan...
Grassley says Vilsack wrong on lowering farm bill expectations
United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) says USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack’s call for the GOP to lower its farm bill expectations is “wrong.” During a conference call with ag broadcasters this week, Senator Grassley was asked about Ag Secretary Vilsack’s call for...
Mexico to drop plan to cut yellow corn imports
The incoming government in Mexico will discard a key goal of the previous administration to reduce yellow corn imports and achieve self-sufficiency in yellow corn production. Investing Dot Com says the incoming ag minister, Julio Berdegue, says Mexico will focus on...
Pork industry expanding story around the globe
It takes a lot of hard work to market our goods around the globe. American farmers have become so good at what they do to produce food to feed the world that we have more of it than we can consume. The global marketplace is a fickle thing because we aren't the only...
