Top Stories
Representing the Iowa cattle industry at CattleCon
The cattle industry convention and NCBA trade show is in Nashville Tennessee this week and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association is in attendance to represent Iowa’s producers. Bryan Whaley is the CEO of the ICA and says that Iowa’s producers and ICA staff are in Nashville and using their voices to help shape the policy and future of the cattle industry in the United States. Each region of the country features different sectors of the cattle industry and faces unique challenges. However, Iowa is...
Groups ask for permanent extension of Section 199A
A large number of organizations representing farmers, ranchers, forest owners, agricultural cooperatives, and industry stakeholders sent a letter to Congressional leaders regarding Section 199A in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. “We urge Congress to permanently extend the...
Bullish news in latest Cattle on Feed Report
The recent Cattle on Feed Report brought some good news for the cattle industry. After several years of contraction, there may be some indicators that the U.S. cattle herd is rebounding. Bernt Nelson, an economist for the American Farm Bureau Federation, said the...
Bayer announces new Vyconic™ soybean platform
It’s not every day that we get to talk about a groundbreaking hybrid that can redefine crop protection, but Bayer has done just that with the release of its latest soybean brand. This new innovation offers farmers protection with up to five different modes of action,...
Food banks facing uncertainty as USDA suspends funding
Recently, the USDA announced that it is suspending $500 million in funding for food banks across America, saying that the previous administration “created unsustainable expectations for the Emergency Food Assistance program” and pointing to spending authority under...
Signup deadline approaching for Dairy Margin Coverage program
There’s a lot of volatility in the ag marketplace right now, and the dairy industry is no different. Fortunately, there are programs that can help to manage some of these risks. The signup deadline for the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) Program is rapidly approaching....
Senator Grassley discusses tax policy
During his weekly ag conference call with broadcasters and reporters, United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) on Tuesday was asked for an update on Senate work regarding tax policy. Senator Grassley provided an update on the Senate Finance Committee’s latest...
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More Ag News
Insecticide-resistant soybean aphids pose a challenge to Iowa farmers
For a few years, soybean aphids weren’t too much of a problem in Iowa. However, last year was a wake-up call for farmers in Northern Iowa especially. Kurt Maertens, BASF technical services representative for Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois, said that soybean aphids...
Mental Health Awareness Month is especially important for agriculture
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Farmers and ranchers experience higher rates of mental health issues compared to the general population. This is due to many factors, including financial strain and weather-related stress. Dr. Larry Tranel, a dairy field...
Farmland prices began to soften in 2024
2024 was the cooling period for farmland prices after several years of quickly rising farmland values. Randy Dickhut, farmland sales expert with Agricultural Economic Insights, says fluctuating farmland prices are a typical pattern over a multi-year period. According...
Iowa cash rents drop in 2025
The 2025 annual survey of cash rental rates for Iowa farmland shows that rates decreased, on average, by 2.9 percent in 2025 to $271 per acre. It’s the first decline in cash rents since 2019, after a peak of $279 per acre during the previous two years of the survey....
Congress yet to deliver on E15 promise
E15 fuel will be available again this summer thanks to another temporary waiver from the Trump Administration. While Iowa is one of eight Midwestern states already allowing year-round E15 sales, this fix remains only partial. Iowa lawmakers are still in the fight,...
