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Previewing the first WASDE report since the government shutdown
After not getting a WASDE report in October due to the government shutdown, the USDA announced that there will be a WASDE report this month regardless of whether or not the shutdown has ended. This has the commodity markets very excited, as there has not been much news to react to without any government reports. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said there will be important updates to yield and production numbers. Since this year’s yields have been mostly disappointing compared to the...
Navigating transportation disruptions on the Mississippi river
Low water levels along the Mississippi River are causing transportation disruptions for agriculture, as the river saw record low levels earlier this month. The lower levels mean less product can flow along the river which limits barge traffic and slows the movement of...
Secretary Naig announces NE Iowa water quality project additions
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that a successful Water Quality Initiative (WQI) project in Howard and Winneshiek Counties in northeast Iowa is expanding into a new phase, with a specific focus on edge-of-field conservation practices. Since the...
Farming stays in your blood for life
When the story of Bob Pflughaupt hit my inbox, it said that once you’re a farmer, you are always a farmer. There’s a lot of truth to that. But it goes beyond that. You may decrease your direct involvement in the operations as you get older, but it’s always in your...
Carbon capture projects can potentially boost rural communities
With the USDA’s 2023 Farm Sector Income Forecast predicting that farm income is going to decrease in 2023, farming communities are looking for ways to boost their economies and maintain higher income levels. Carbon capture technology could help in this by creating...
Cattlemen keep up pressure for new farm bill
Past President of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Kevin Kester was on Capitol Hill recently, pressing for a new farm bill, despite big questions surrounding its fate. Kester told NCBA’s Beltway Beef podcast, that Cattlemen have several priorities they would...
Environmental on-farm evolution is expanding
The evolution continues on Iowa farms as it relates to sustainable tillage practices and improved edge of field practices. One of the longtime leaders on the cutting edge is Kellie Blair, who with husband AJ are fourth generation producers in Central Iowa. She says...
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Latter half of 2024 could hold optimism for dairy prices
Dairy prices have been low for some time, but there may be reasons for optimism during the second half of 2024. Lucas Fuess, the senior dairy analyst for Rabo AgriFinance, says the industry needs to get through the next few months first. Looking ahead to the second...
USDA Angola trade mission successful for U.S. red meat
The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) recently led an agribusiness trade mission to Angola from Feb. 26-29. U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Africa Representative Matt Copeland, who participated through support from the Beef Checkoff Program, said having key...
Secretary Naig to announce 26 Choose Iowa grants on March 20th
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig will announce the recipients of 26 Choose Iowa Value-Added Grants during an event at Cortum Farm and Co. near Indianola on Wednesday, March 20. The announcement event, which is part of Iowa Ag Week, will begin at 2:30 p.m. The...
Bayer agronomist talks about strategies for 2024 growing season
The weather has been throwing us for a loop in agriculture. Whether you are an advocate of permanent climate change, climate cycles, or just luck of the draw; you know that something is going on. No matter what is causing it, we have to be prepared to navigate it to...
Expiration of Tax Cuts and Jobs Act would hurt family farms
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is a comprehensive tax cut package enacted in 2017. Dustin Sherer, director of government affairs for the American Farm Bureau, says it’s important legislation for farmers and ranchers. A new Economic Research Service report shows that if the...
