Top Stories
New Canada-U.S. trade route now open
Monday, July 27th should finally see an official opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, with that date confirmed by Washington and Ottawa. While the details have not yet been made public, the new agreement is based on an initial 15-year term. This new arrangement is based on net revenue, or profit, split between Michigan and Canada, with those net revenues to be divided after the bridge’s annual operating costs are covered. Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney said the nation will...
With trade in limbo, Iowa farmers wait
As economic anxiety builds across the broader economy, America’s farmers are once again among the first to feel the effects. Much like the trade battles of 2018, the agricultural sector is bearing the brunt of uncertainty. Since the beginning of the tariff era, ag...
RFS and USDA July bean and corn balance sheet
How does the recently announced Renewable Fuel Standard proposal play a role in USDA's U.S. soybean and corn supply and demand estimate in the July WASDE report? USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer says the RFS proposal plays a big role in the soybean numbers from this...
Great weather for pollination in Southwest Iowa
If you look at the nearest corn field, you might see tassels at the tops of each of the stalks of corn. That means pollination is in full swing, and farmers are praying for the stars to align and allow their crops to reach their full potential yields. Southwest Iowa...
USMEF talks global beef demand and more at Cattle Industry Summer Meeting
Tariffs and other trade issues were top of mind for cattle producers and other beef industry leaders attending the Cattle Industry Summer Business Meeting in San Diego, California. U.S. Meat Export Federation President and CEO Dan Halstrom said that, despite tariffs...
Shrinking labor force poised to threaten U.S. economic growth
Declining labor force participation, lower birth rates and a collapse in net migration are combining to squeeze the U.S. labor supply. The looming labor shortage could begin to weigh on businesses and strain economic growth as soon as later this year, according to a...
Iowa Eyes Below-Average Missouri River Runoff
Despite a wetter year in parts of the region, the runoff in the Missouri River Basin remains below average. Years of drought have left a lasting impact, and the system has yet to recover fully. Iowa depends on the Missouri River to the west and the Mississippi River...
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More Ag News
Naig urges vigilance as fall bird flu risk returns
As fall settles in across the Midwest, the return of migratory birds is once again raising concerns about Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), or H5N1. Neighboring states have already confirmed new cases of the virus, a reminder that the threat remains present...
Farmers need to be thinking about next year’s weed control
As harvest approaches, now is a great time to be evaluating how this crop season went in preparation for next year. Travis Ralfs, territory account manager with Valent, said weed control should be at the top of the list for soybean farmers in particular. Weeds like...
Warm weather to continue through the end of the month
The warm weather that has been present throughout much of the nation during the middle portion of September is expected to continue through the end of the month and beginning of October. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey details the 8-14 day outlook for the period of...
TFI praises Congressional support for phosphate as a critical mineral
The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) today praised members of Congress in both chambers for joining a letter sent to Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in support of adding phosphate to the U.S. Geological Survey’s list of critical minerals. The letter, a...
U.S. Export Sales Report (9-25-25)
This week’s export sales are continuing the usual trends. Corn sales are doing very well, while soybeans continue to struggle. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest corn numbers. While this week’s soybean sales weren’t terrible on their...
