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Farmers applaud court decision on H-2A costs
Farms across America face razor-thin margins and rising input costs, especially when relying on seasonal labor. Family-run operations often struggle to hire and retain enough workers during peak seasons to get crops planted, tended, and harvested. Under the H-2A visa program, employers must meet wage requirements that can dramatically increase labor costs, disproportionately burdening small farms. In this strained environment, any change to labor requirements can offer vital relief to farming...
Iowa?s Region 2 crop update
The weather in Iowa is notorious for hardly ever being on the farmers side when it comes to all things planting and harvesting. While a few counties are facing drought, most of the state seems to be in good shape for crop development.As some of the state is dealing...
Crop insurance is essential to the survival of family farms
As the 2023 Farm Bill gets rolling in discussion sessions, a lot of attention will be paid to the crop insurance portion of the legislation. Crop Insurance has long been a cornerstone in the Farm Bill and is also one of its biggest targets. Many non-farmers believe...
U.S. beef exports thriving in Taiwan
While U.S. beef exports to Taiwan set a new value record last year at $668 million, volume declined slightly from the previous year. But the market has set a blistering pace in 2022, with beef exports through April up 45% from a year ago in volume- nearly 26,000...
Animal ag groups highlight real goal of referendums like Prop 12
Proposition 12 in California is something we have been hearing about for far too long. We know that the Supreme Court plans to take up the ballot initiative this fall and determine if a single state can dictate its rules to the other 49 states on how they should...
Ag groups support the Ocean Shipping Reform Act
Ag groups positively reacted to President Biden signing the Ocean Shipping Reform Act, which will address the supply chain and shipping port issues hampering U.S. exports. ?Exports add significantly to the bottom line of each producer,? says National Pork Producers...
South American Weather and Crop Update (6-28-22)
The conditions in South America still haven?t changed much. Both Brazil and Argentina are wrapping up harvest, and it?ll be a while before the markets start to focus on them again. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride provided an update on the current weather...
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More Ag News
Property rights concerns are understood by proponents of carbon pipelines
As we talk about the carbon pipeline projects that are in the works across the state, we hear a lot of concerns being raised. One of those concerns has to do with property rights and the two most frightening words in Iowa Agriculture, and that is ?eminent domain.?...
Checkoff research identifies $400 million in soybean value
A new partnership, the first of its kind in more than 40 years, aims to increase soybean flower and pod retention. Suzanne Shirbroun, president of the North Central Soybean Research Program and an Iowa farmer, said the research is an investment in the future of...
IAWA recognizes 10 years of Iowa NRS
The Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy, a science and technology-based framework to assess and reduce nutrients to Iowa waters and the Gulf of Mexico, will be turning 10 this year. The Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance (IAWA) is celebrating this defining decade by...
Biologically treating manure pays off in the long run
Biological manipulation of manure can make a waste byproduct of agriculture more manageable and safe says Dr. Jim Ladlie of ProfitProAg.Dr. Ladlie says that money spent treating manure can benefit the producer agronomically many times over.Ladlie says ProfitProAg can...
Farmers for Free Trade outlines 2023 priorities
As we move through the second month of 2023, many Ag groups have their priorities already thought out, however as new information comes in and events unfold, they sometimes have to regroup and tweak their strategies and priorities a little bit. That is especially true...
