Top Stories
Trade developments are encouraging, but more progress is needed with China
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced agreements on reciprocal trade with Malaysia and Cambodia and frameworks for agreements on reciprocal trade with Thailand and Vietnam. U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO Dan Halstrom said that while Southeast Asia holds excellent growth potential for U.S. red meat, exporters face significant tariff and non-tariff barriers in the region. President Trump also met last Thursday with Chinese President Xi Jinping. While...
NCGA campaign calls for a level playing field
The National Corn Growers Association launched a grassroots advocacy campaign to encourage the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to provide a level playing field for biofuels like ethanol. The organization wants corn growers and advocates to make their...
SCN Coalition launches new Profit Checker tool
We have talked for years about the damage that Soybean Cyst Nematodes (SCN) do to soybean fields around the country. They are a pest that has only a few methods for attack, and they are adapting well to those methods. However, it seems that it has been hard to put...
U.S. Export Sales Report (9-28-23)
A fairly normal report ahead of tomorrow’s Quarterly Grain Stocks Report. Both corn and soybeans mostly came within the estimates. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave a breakdown of this week’s U.S. Export Sales Report. The markets are looking for any news to...
“Surprises in soybeans” the story of this growing season
In row crop agriculture, farmers generally know which diseases and pests they will likely face in their fields during the growing season. However, this season has managed to deliver some surprises to soybean growers. That is Ryan Dunsbergan soybean product manager...
National Cattle Congress queen reflects on 2023 fair season
Wrapping up Iowa’s County Fair and Festival season with our final royalty visit, always a popular attraction and feature at Iowa’s County Fairs and Festivals. Emily Ingalls is serving as National Cattle Congress Queen this year from Van Horn, and she says it's been an...
IDALS to offer crop insurance discount program
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will again offer its crop insurance discount program for acres that are planted with cover crops. Farmers and landowners who plant fall cover crops...
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More Ag News
U.S. is at a record trade deficit in 2024
The USDA published its third trade outlook for fiscal year 2024. The trade outlook is unfortunately still showing the United States with a record trade deficit. Betty Resnick, an economist for the American Farm Bureau Federation, says 2024 will see lower agricultural...
Significant headwinds remain before U.S. beef herd expands
The U.S. cattle herd is at record low-levels. In fact the herd size has not been this small in many decades. Yet despite that fact, there are still significant headwinds that remain before the U.S. beef herd expands once again says Kevin Good, vice president of...
Iowa farmland sells for a near-record amount
Not one but two tracts of farmland in Sioux County, Iowa, sold for a near-record $29,600 per acre in a public auction this week. In November 2022, a sale of 73.19 acres in the same county sold for the current state record of $30,000 per acre. A spokesman for Zomer...
ISA delegates bring concerns to Commodity Classic meetings
Commodity Classic is so much more than the trade show that sees all kinds of technology unveiled to the farmers of the United States. More importantly, it is the time that delegates from across the United States come together to set the policy that their respective...
Red Sea shipping issues among conversation at Gulfood
More than 150,000 attendees from 190 countries were in Dubai, UAE, last week for Gulfood, the world’s largest annual food and beverage show. U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO Dan Halstrom provided insight on what he describes as the busiest Gulfood...
