Top Stories
Greater consistency and quality for consumers and retailers
Familiar USDA grading systems, such as those for beef at your local store, are becoming more technologically advanced to ensure greater consistency and quality for consumers and retailers alike. Robert Eaton at the Agricultural Marketing Service explains how artificial intelligence is being used as a time- and cost-saving tool for meat grading. The use of this technology for grading is not limited to beef; as Eaton’s colleague Charles Parr puts it, weeks of development have made it an...
NCGA highlights high production costs amid crisis
The National Corn Growers Association continued to raise the alarm about the economic crisis hitting rural America, as commodity prices drop at a time when input costs remain at near-record highs. As NCGA urges Congress and the administration to act to drive increased...
USDA forecasts farm income rise amid cost pressures
Despite falling crop prices and stubbornly high input costs, USDA’s latest farm income forecast points to stronger bottom lines in 2025. The report, released on Wednesday, projects net farm income to climb well above earlier expectations, marking a reversal after...
Consistent soil testing can help detect soybean cyst nematodes
One of the most problematic soybean pests is also one of the most difficult to detect. And once it’s in your field, it’s there for good. Dylan Mangel, SCN Coalition plant pathologist, said farmers need to be alert and take preventative actions against soybean cyst...
Appeals court rules against Trump’s reciprocal tariffs
An appeals court recently ruled against the president’s authority on tariffs. However, the playing field stays the same for now. The Federal Court of Appeals recently decided that President Donald Trump does not have the power to set tariffs on imports based on the...
Grassley to seek more aid for soybean producers
As soybean growers voice their frustrations due to low prices for their crops and rising input prices United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) says he plans to speak with USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins about the need for aid. Grassley says that legislation may be...
Secretary Naig announces inaugural statewide Choose Iowa farm open house
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that Choose Iowa will host its inaugural statewide Choose Iowa Farm Open House on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 13-14. This two-day event coincides with the Iowa Barn Foundation's (IBF) Fall All-State Barn Tour....
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More Ag News
USDA to issue full November SNAP benefits
On Friday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a letter to SNAP State Agency Directors informing them that it will be releasing full November SNAP funding. The move is in compliance with a federal court order issued Thursday by the District Court of Rhode...
Chinese trade deal framework may not be as bullish as it seems
With the lack of government reports we’ve seen during the shutdown, the ag marketplace is desperately searching for any news to react to. The Chinese trade deal framework provided a decent shot of energy to the market prices, but the deal may not be as bullish as it...
Ag Economy Barometer looks ahead to 2026
The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer is a monthly index that measures the economic sentiment of U.S. agricultural producers. It is used as a weathervane to determine general farmer sentiment of the ag economy in the present while also looking towards...
Phosphate, potash added to critical minerals list
The United States Geological Survey has added both phosphate and potash to the federal list of minerals considered critical to national security and economic stability. The decision—published Thursday by the U.S. Department of the Interior—raises the total number of...
Fall brings carbon credit opportunities for farmers
As combines start cooling down and planners begin thinking ahead to 2026, it’s also a good time to look at new ways to add value on the farm. One area getting plenty of attention lately is the carbon credit market and how it could fit into long-term management plans...
