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Farm bankruptcies continued climbing in 2025
A new American Farm Bureau Market Intel Report said Chapter 12 farm bankruptcies increased for the second year in a row, reaching 315 filings in 2025, a 46 percent increase from 2024. The Midwest and Southeast filed 121 and 105 Chapter 12 cases, respectively, far outpacing any other regions. Deep crop losses across commodities common in those two regions have compounded after years of declining receipts and rising expenses. Filing for Chapter 12 bankruptcy is a last resort for farmers who have...
NCBA: Supportive of talks, focused on details
The agriculture sector is keeping a close eye on the evolving trade and tariff signals coming from the Trump Administration. Historically, agriculture is often the first target when other nations retaliate with tariffs, putting added pressure on farmers and rural...
Map the Meal Gap study shows that food insecurity continues to increase
Many people underestimate the prevalence of food insecurity. Feeding America’s annual Map the Meal Gap study shows that food insecurity has increased in every county in Iowa and impacts 385,130 Iowans- over 120,000 of which are children. That’s 12% of Iowans and 16.6%...
Planting window has been wide open in Southwest Iowa
Aside from a few storms earlier this spring, the weather has been mostly wide open for planting season. With most of the crops planted at this point, farmers are now waiting for some timely rains. Southwest Iowa Beck’s Agronomist Nate Meyer said the planting window...
Outlook for summer and fall weather
The past week of weather in Iowa has felt more like July than May. The warm and dry conditions have allowed farmers to move quickly with planting, but the heat has some questioning if it is still spring. With abnormal warmth in mid-May, what do the summer and fall...
SAF Coalition commends House Ways and Means Committee for advancing 45Z extension
Today, the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Coalition’s Executive Director, Alison Graab, issued the following statement in response to the House Ways and Means Committee’s inclusion of a 45Z extension in its budget reconciliation markup. “Sustainable aviation fuel...
Ernst: keep food policy off Rodeo Drive
It’s been more than two years since California’s Proposition 12 took effect, and pork producers across the country are still grappling with its consequences. The law has done little to improve animal welfare, critics say, but has created significant financial strain,...
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Providing an extra boost to Iowa water quality projects
As the central Iowa water restrictions continue, organizations are working hard to do whatever they can to get the nitrate levels in the water back down to a safe level. For years, the Great Outdoors Foundation (GOF) has been working with its partners to mitigate...
South American Weather and Crop Update (7-8-25)
The weather is still mostly the same in South America, but there is finally some rain forecasted for some of the production areas in Argentina. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest weather forecasts. While Brazil’s safrinha harvest...
Reconciliation bill contains good news for ethanol and biofuels
The Big Beautiful Bill was signed into law over the weekend and critics argue that it did away with clean energy initiatives. However, Geoff Cooper, president and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association, disagrees from the viewpoint of ethanol and biofuels. Cooper says...
Secretary Naig announces new water quality project in central Iowa’s Beaver Creek Watershed
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) is partnering with the Boone County Soil and Water Conservation District and other public and private partners to launch a new Water Quality...
Iowa pork producers urged to share priorities
Maintaining the health of the U.S. hog herd has always required constant vigilance against animal disease threats. In recent years, much of the attention has centered on global concerns, such as African Swine Fever, with biosecurity efforts ramping up to prevent it...
