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Lawmakers divided on whether Farm Bill can be passed in 2026
Congressional Republicans plan to revive stalled farm bill negotiations in January after failing to pass a new measure by year’s end, extending uncertainty for farmers facing high costs, inflation and trade disruptions. House Agriculture Committee Chairman G.T. Thompson said he hopes to schedule a committee markup ahead of a Jan. 30 funding deadline, though he acknowledged it may be difficult to attach the bill to must-pass spending legislation. The delay means Congress will enter a third year...
Floods leading to enhanced weed and disease pressure
This year will be remembered for the staggering amounts of rain that we received over the course of the growing season. While the weather itself caused plenty of damage, there are going to be more issues in the future from the flooding that occurred from the rain....
Farm Progress Show field demonstrations will showcase the newest ag innovations
The Farm Progress Show returns to Boone Iowa August 27th-29th and this year’s show will once again feature live field demonstrations. The show rotates host sites between Boone and Decatur Illinois and in 2022 poor weather did not allow for field demonstrations at the...
U.S. pork industry fueling jobs and economic growth
The U.S. Pork Industry has a significant impact on America’s agricultural and overall economy. The National Pork Producers Council released a new economic contribution report detailing the impact. Holly Cook, an economist for the NPPC, talked about the main takeaways....
Secretary Naig announces new Choose Iowa food purchasing pilot program
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today announced the launch of the Choose Iowa Food Purchasing Program – Food Bank Pilot. The pilot program, which was authorized during the 2024 legislative session and is an initiative of the state’s Choose Iowa Program, aims...
Return of wet conditions means the return of mosquitoes
There were a few things that became a new normal while we dealt with the drought of the past couple of years. A lot of it was unpleasant. Dry ground, brown grass, and fire hazards were just a few we can name. However, if you were going to look for a silver lining in...
South American Weather and Crop Update (7-30-24)
For the last few months, the weather has been mostly static in South America, and that trend isn’t getting bucked any time soon. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said Brazil is still seeing dry weather in its major growing areas. McBride said it’s the same...
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Supporting veterans who are in need of food
On this Veterans Day, take a moment to think of the veterans who may be living in less fortunate conditions. Nearly 1.5 million veterans in the U.S. are living below the federal poverty level, and veterans living in poverty are at higher risk than nonveterans for food...
Nebraska rancher Steve Hanson elected as USMEF chair
Steve Hanson, a rancher and cattle feeder from Elsie, Nebraska, was elected chair of the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) at the organization’s Strategic Planning Conference in Tucson, Arizona on Friday. Hanson said one of his priorities will be to highlight the...
A November soybean surprise
In most years the USDA November WASDE report does not make significant changes to the yield and production forecast for soybeans. That’s USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer. He says that last Friday’s WASDE report provided a November surprise by cutting the previous...
Updated estimates of renewable diesel through 2026
University of Illinois analysts looked into the future of renewable diesel production in the U.S. and saw some headwinds. Renewable diesel production capacity has exploded in recent years, increasing by more than three billion gallons. This substantially impacted fats...
AI’s presence continues to grow in agriculture
It seems like every time that we blink, artificial intelligence, or AI, has found a new way of helping us do our tasks a little bit better. Sometimes, it can also be a little scary. We harken back to some classic movies where AI has become too smart and has put...
