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Calls for increased ag trade opportunities continue
United States agriculture continues to push for new trade opportunities in 2024. Ted McKinney, CEO of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, says the Biden administration is taking more action than in past years to increase those opportunities. Net farm income is on the decline and the ag trade balance is in the negative so far in fiscal year 2024 according to USDA. McKinney says that even more trade opportunities need to be created. That was CEO of the National...
The 2024 Iowa’s best burger announced
From cheese curds to chip dust, burgers as big as dinner plates to multiple patty burgers, fresh veggies to cheeses, and sauces to spreads, this year’s Top 10 Iowa’s Best Burger restaurants had it all! However, only one can claim the title of Iowa’s Best Burger in...
Ag Committees release previews of Farm Bill
Yesterday, while the NAFB attended Washington Watch, House Ag Committee Chairman GT Thompson released a framework for the House Version of the Farm Bill, and Senate Ag Committee Chairwoman released the full Senate version. Both addressed the NAFB members in attendance...
EPA’s Regan Defends WOTUS Implementation
Regulatory overreach was a topic of debate in Washington D.C. this week regarding EPA and the implementation of the new WOTUS rule. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan told a House panel that the EPA is working in tandem with the Army Corps of...
Iowa Egg Council donates thousands of nutrient-dense eggs
As part of the Sack Hunger campaign, the Iowa Egg Council donated 14,100 dozen eggs to the Food Bank of Iowa today. The timing of the donation is also important, as May 1st marks the beginning of Egg Month. Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig said it’s a great example of the...
Extreme drought calls for extra soil management
As planting season starts to fully get rolling here soon in Iowa, farmers are thinking about how to handle extreme drought conditions that can hinder crop development. While farmers have been dealing with drought conditions for almost 4 years straight now, there’s...
Secretary Naig comments on updated GREET model for Sustainable Aviation Fuel credit
Following yesterday’s release of guidance by the U.S. Department of Treasury and Internal Revenue Service on the 40B Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Credit, which incorporates an updated version of the GREET (Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, Energy use in...
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Using data to drive change in fertilizer use
Pivot Bio’s N-OVATOR™ program rewards farmers for replacing synthetic fertilizer via Pivot Bio’s microbial nitrogen, delivering an environmental benefit to all. Lori Reese is the director of commercial sustainability programs with Pivot Bio and says that by using data...
Free counseling available for Iowa farmers
Affordability and accessibility are the top barriers for farmers seeking mental health services, per an American Farm Bureau Federation survey. During May Mental Health Awareness Month, the Iowa Farm Bureau wants to remind farmers support is readily available—and at...
Secretary Vilsack comments on USDA response to H5N1
During my trip to Washington this week, it was driven home that the bird flu is no longer the bird flu. It isn’t even Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, or HPAI, anymore. The Federal government and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) are now calling it...
Silver linings to rainy weather planting delays
As we finish up the 200th consecutive week of drought in Iowa, there’s actually some hope to be found, as the drought conditions are very much trending in the right direction. The recent storms have dumped off plentiful amounts of rainfall for the soils across the...
The latest tool to help growers battle SCN
If you are a soybean grower in the Midwest you are well aware of the threat of soybean cyst nematode or SCN. The yield robbing pest is responsible for $1.5 billion dollars in loss annually. To give growers another tool to help fight SCN, BASF has developed a new...