Top Stories
Earlier planted soybeans reshape waterhemp management
Earlier soybean planting has become increasingly common as growers look to extend the growing season and capture more yield potential. But that shift can also change the timing of one of the crop's biggest weed management challenges. BASF Technical Marketing Manager Justin Moritz says planting soybeans earlier can move the crop ahead of the traditional window growers have used to manage waterhemp. Moritz says that changing the window puts additional emphasis on flexibility within a weed...
Propane can be used for more than just grain drying
Many farmers primarily use propane in grain drying equipment, but with the ever-rising prices of fuel and energy, propane can offer a more affordable power option. Michael Newland, director of agriculture business development at the Propane Education and Research...
Weather systems and precipitation slowing early harvest efforts
As farmers are beginning to harvest in Iowa, they are encountering some slowdowns with a widespread weather system delivering rain to the Midwest. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says that a moisture laden weather system is making its way across the country this week....
Pork producers advocating for industry priorities on Capitol Hill
The National Pork Producers Council has brought nearly 100 pig farmers from about 20 states to Capitol Hill for the Legislative Action Conference this week. NPPC Vice President Todd Marotz said they are meeting face-to-face with lawmakers and sharing the story of an...
Secretary Naig announces 125 schools receive Choose Iowa local food for schools grants
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today announced that 125 Iowa public and private schools will receive funding through the Choose Iowa Local Food for Schools Program to purchase Iowa grown and raised food. Each participating school will receive approximately...
Iowa farmers can put soybean quality to test
Soybean harvest is just barely getting started in Iowa, and heavy rains across the state have put much of that early progress on hold. Once combines can get back into the fields, however, soybean growers can learn more about the quality of this year’s crop while...
Rain has defined the 2026 crop year in Iowa
As the Pro Farmer Crop Tour traveled across the Midwest, many reports came in of dry crop conditions and lower yields. That was not the case for the Iowa leg of the tour, though, as yields were actually higher due to significant rains, especially in the eastern and...
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More Ag News
Details from September Cattle on Feed Report
USDA published the September Cattle on Feed Report on Friday September 18th, and the report shows another increase in cattle and calves on feed. That’s according to USDA livestock analyst Anthony Fischer. However, Fischer says that when examining cattle that were...
Long-term effects of data centers must be considered
As the development of large-scale data centers continues to be pushed in rural areas, many communities across the nation have one major question: what is the long-term impact on the local environment? University of Illinois environmental science student Bruce Beam...
Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling advances with Senate farm bill
Mandatory country-of-origin labeling for beef moved closer to returning after the Senate Agriculture Committee advanced its version of the 2026 farm bill. The legislation includes an amendment tied to the American Beef Labeling Act that would restore mandatory...
USMEF holds seminars to grow demand in Saudi Arabia
For over a decade, U.S. beef faced technical barriers in Saudi Arabia that left only a small fraction of U.S. production eligible for the market. With those obstacles now removed, the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) – with support from USDA and the Beef Checkoff...
Technology and value added ag guide ISU priorities
Iowa State University President David Cook is spending his first year on the job looking at where the university can have the greatest impact in the years ahead, and agriculture remains a major part of that conversation. Cook has been traveling across Iowa during his...
