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....
South American Weather and Crop Update (2-7-23)
Not a lot of new news down in South America. There are some slight worries about how the rainfall in Brazil will affect harvest and planting, but otherwise it?s mostly status quo. Allendale commodity broker Mike Lung provided a breakdown on the latest conditions in...
Feenstra talks advocacy efforts and the importance of promoting facts
The lists of Congressional committee members have been announced, and we are well-represented in Iowa. Iowa 4th District Congressman Randy Feenstra has been named to two different committees: the Agriculture Committee and the Ways and Means Committee. Feenstra said...
Senator Grassley hoping for more traction with cattle price transparency bill
Iowa Republican U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley says that there could be some roadblocks in the current congress to his bill which is designed to increase transparency In cattle pricing.Senator Grassley was also asked if last week?s Chinese balloon incident has increased...
Senators urge USDA to address avian flu immediately
A group of Senators urges the Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to take swift action to address the ongoing avian influenza outbreak. The lawmakers ask Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to quickly use funds provided by Congress in...
Organic farmers look to increase trust in their label
Agriculture comes with a set of challenges, no matter what arena you are in. We have to deal with misunderstanding, misinformation, and outright lies about what it is we do. No one in agriculture is immune to it. While organic products are sometimes at odds with more...
What are ag bankers looking at in the next Farm Bill?
As conversations over the 2023 Farm Bill intensify in the coming months, all corners of the farming economy will watch the debate very closely for a variety of reasons. But what about the ag lending community? Ed Elfmann, Sr. Vice President for Ag and Rural Banking...
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More Ag News
Grains & markets both challenged as harvest approaches
If you are holding onto grain to sell before harvest, you may have checked cash bids or listened to the Basis Matters program this morning and got a big surprise. The basis level has dropped like a stone overnight. I have seen drops as small as a nickel to a buck and...
Heat hits cattle, USDA updates LIP payments
The extreme heat is taking its toll not just on crops, but also cattle says United States Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack as USDA is updating its payment rates for cattle losses. So, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack says the department will update Livestock Indemnity...
Ethanol production hits three-month low
The Energy Information Administration says ethanol output dropped to a three-month low while inventories hit the lowest point since November. Ethanol production dropped to an average of 1.007 million barrels a day during the week ending on August 25. The EIA report...
South American Weather and Crop Update (8-31-23)
A little bit of rain in South America, but that’s not enough to deter farmers from finishing harvest. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest weather patterns. Harvest in Brazil is slightly behind the average, but McBride said this might...
Beef Promotion Operating Committee meeting next week
The Cattlemen’s Beef Board will hold its Beef Promotion Operating Committee meeting in Denver on September 6-7. The Committee consists of 20 cattle producers- ten from the beef board and ten from the federation. Jimmy Taylor, chairman of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board,...
