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EPA issues Right to Repair guidance for farm equipment repairs
The EPA is weighing in on a debate farmers and independent repair shops have been having for years, issuing new Right to Repair guidance focused on non-road diesel equipment. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin says the move is intended to clear up long-standing confusion over how the Clean Air Act applies when farmers or local mechanics need to fix equipment. Zeldin says equipment manufacturers have leaned on a misinterpretation of federal environmental law to restrict access to diagnostic tools and...
The many benefits of prairie strips
It may sound counterintuitive, but setting aside just 10 percent of a field for wildlife habitat can benefit both the environment and that field’s productivity in the long run. Prairie strips allow farmers to keep their soil in place, filter water runoff, and add some...
FarmMind is this year’s AFBF Ag Innovation Challenge winner
Innovation is at the heart of everything farmers and ranchers do, and this year’s Ag Innovation Challenge winner is the first to bring AI, or artificial intelligence, to the fields. FarmMind, winner of the 12th annual American Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge, was...
Update to FSA County Committee election schedule
USDA Farm Service Agency County Committee elections were delayed in the fall by the federal government shutdown. However, FSA Administrator Bill Beam says that the voting period will begin again soon. Candidates have already been nominated and are on the ballots that...
ARC/PLC enrollment delayed until after planting
Enrollment for the USDA’s ARC and PLC Programs will not open until after the 2026 planting season. AgroLatam said the announcement comes as USDA readies a 61-page final rule implementing updates required by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025. Key changes include...
Behind the disease insects crept through Iowa corn
Southern rust dominated the conversation during the 2025 growing season in Iowa, forcing growers to react quickly to unexpected disease pressure. But while disease grabbed most of the attention, other problems were quietly developing in the field. Insects and weeds...
Markets reacted negatively to today’s slew of USDA reports
Several USDA reports were released today, including the January WASDE report and the Quarterly Grain Stocks. Unfortunately, most of these reports were negative for the ag marketplace. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the markets really did not like seeing...
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Strong opinions on proposed railroad merger
A proposed merger between the Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern Railroads is now before the Surface Transportation Board for possible approval. Mike Steenhoek, the executive director of the Soy Transportation Coalition, called this a “seismic development” for the...
South American Weather and Crop Update (1-16-26)
Right now is the short timeframe in which the crops in both Brazil and Argentina are in the critical yield determining phase. As a result, the weather is a huge focal point for the global grain markets. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the weather forecast...
Latest outlook on soybean oil
While much of the focus in the USDA WASDE reports centers on row crops such as corn and soybeans, the reports also help provide a snapshot of the situation for various products such as soybean oil. The most recent WASDE report for January helps to detail the current...
Farmland values enter a new phase
The U.S. agricultural land market is shifting after years of steady growth. Although land values are still historically high, current signs indicate a more complex situation driven by local and regional factors rather than nationwide trends. “After years of steady...
Ernst says loan delays hurt Iowa growth
Farmers and rural businesses across Iowa are facing growing challenges when it comes to accessing capital. Tight margins, lower commodity prices, and rising input costs are colliding with loan processes that many lenders say have become increasingly difficult to...
