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September rains may have damaged soybean crop
Parts of Iowa and other midwestern states were impacted by heavy rainfall in the month of September and the heavy moisture has discolored some of the soybean crop. Those beans discolored by fungus are designated as Soybeans of Other Color, or SBOC, and can have a big impact on a farmer’s bottom line. That is Jeff Peterson, an assistant professor of ag economics at the University of Nebraska. He says that discolored beans should be ok if they are taken to a crush facility. Peterson says that...
Fordyce explains unusual ARC and PLC signup
Persistent rain has kept combines parked across much of Iowa, leaving farmers waiting for fields to dry out and harvest to get moving. While they wait, there is another decision to make involving the 2026 crop. USDA has opened enrollment for the Agriculture Risk...
Secretary Naig welcomes applications for urban water quality project grants
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today announced that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) is accepting pre-applications for cost-share grants to support urban conservation and water quality projects. The locally led projects,...
China trade talks provide optimism for U.S. red meat
U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer over the weekend offered new details on the progress made in last week’s U.S.-China trade talks, which were held in conjunction with the summit meeting between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. In a...
President Trump announces $15 billion steel mill in Lee County
Governor Kim Reynolds and Mesabi Metallics Chairman Rewant Ruia joined President Donald Trump today at the White House for an announcement about a $15 billion economic development project in Iowa. Mesabi Metallics plans to make Iowa the home for its new fully...
Soybean prices plummet following Trump-Xi meeting
After the much-anticipated trade meeting between United States and Chinese trade officials and Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, the results for U.S. agriculture appear to be a mixed bag. While China did agree to reduce tariffs on a wide range of U.S. farm...
Rain-delayed soybean harvest leaves Midwest processors scrambling for supplies
Persistent rain across parts of the Midwest is delaying the soybean harvest, tightening supplies and forcing processors to offer large premiums for immediate deliveries. Reuters reports some soybean crushing plants have reduced production as old-crop supplies dwindle...
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USDA expands regenerative agriculture pilot
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is expanding its Regenerative Agriculture Pilot Program for fiscal year 2027, providing $1 billion in financial assistance to producers. USDA says $650 million will be provided through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program,...
Ag groups seek stability in uncertain markets
It has been a week since President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met at the White House, and U.S. agriculture continues to watch for signs that those discussions could lead to stronger trade relationships. Representatives from the ethanol and cattle...
U.S. Export Sales Report (10-1-26)
Following yesterday’s bearish Quarterly Grain Stocks report, this week’s export sales came in mixed for corn and soybeans. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the corn sales are still behind the USDA’s expectations, which will likely cause a correction to be...
Crop harvest pace on track nationally despite Midwest weather delays
Harvest is off to a slow start in Iowa with many farmers unable to begin due to the wet weather conditions in the early portion of the fall season. Despite the delay in harvesting in parts of the Corn Belt and Midwest, USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says that...
Old Farmer’s Almanac predicting a stormy first half of winter
Fall has officially started, and already a lot of focus is on what the weather might look like this winter. According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the first half of this coming winter might be similar to the winter of 1997-1998, which was one of the warmest and...
