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Ecuador agrees to reciprocal trade agreement with U.S.
On March 13, Ecuador became the ninth country to sign an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade with the United States. The agreement will take some time to implement, but once in place it will remove both tariff and non-tariff barriers for U.S. beef and pork exports. U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Vice President for Economic Analysis Erin Borror has the details. The agreement also calls for recognition of all USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) inspected facilities as eligible for...
The push for a skinny farm bill before the end of the year
Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) was asked on Friday if a skinny farm bill can be passed before the end of the year. Grassley says that Senate Ag Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) is working towards that goal. Grassley expands on the landscape of the Senate and potential...
From the show ring to the Ronald McDonald House
What began in the show ring at the Iowa State Fairgrounds came full circle this fall as youth exhibitors from the 43rd Annual Iowa Governor’s Charity Steer Show reunited to deliver the true impact of their summer’s work. Their efforts extended beyond dollars raised to...
Trade trip aims to deepen ties with Vietnam and Indonesia
Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig was wheels up early this morning as he headed out on a state trade mission to Southeast Asia. The delegation will spend the next several days in Vietnam and Indonesia, two fast-growing markets that continue to show strong interest...
U.S. Export Sales Estimates (11-13-25)
With the end of the government shutdown, this will be the last time for the foreseeable future that we will only have export estimates to look at. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the corn sales are still expected to be strong. Over in the soybeans,...
Rare bipartisan agreement on USDA in bill to reopen government
In a rare show of bipartisanship Republicans and Democrats came together to pass the USDA spending bill, which was a part of the bill that reopened the government. The USDA spending bill was one of just three full-year spending bills passed. Here is top Ag...
Ag groups react to the end of the government shutdown
American agriculture groups reacted positively to the official end of the government shutdown this week. “American cattle producers need their government running at full capacity to provide critical services and market data,” said Ethan Lane, the senior vice president...
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More Ag News
Major takeaways from the 2025 crop season
This was a very eventful crop year for Iowa’s corn and soybean farmers. While the variety of issues felt lower than most years, the problems that did pop up threw many farmers for a loop. John Brien, agronomy division manager with AgriGold, said crop health proved to...
U.S. Export Sales Report (12-11-25)
The weekly export sales are continuing to catch up to where we are currently in the calendar year. This week’s sales covered data through the week of November 13th. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the data showed a good week for both corn and soybeans....
Ag Economy Barometer survey findings on farmer financial assistance intentions
The recent farmer bridge payment announcement from the White House and USDA is a welcome relief for farmers. Although the payments are not a permanent fix to any of the financial problems farmers face, they do help to provide assistance during the trade war with...
CoBank: Forces shaping the 2026 rural economy
A new CoBank Report on the forces shaping the economy in 2026 says ample grain supplies will likely continue burdening the markets in 2026. Global grain and oilseed markets are still oversupplied, but increased biofuels production and improving export conditions are...
Early beans, late rust, and a year full of surprises
You could not plan for the 2025 growing season. Farmers across Iowa saw everything from once-in-a-decade disease pressure to long stretches of uncooperative weather, along with a planting window that turned upside down more than once. Brad Gibson of Channel Seeds...
