Top Stories
Iowa farmers tell story of American beef to Japanese consumers
Two Iowa farms will be the centerpiece of a U.S. beef marketing campaign in Japan. Chance and Shayne Wiese and their 1904 fifth-generation Herefords farm were the first one featured. Shayne shared the story of their farm and acknowledged the rare opportunity to communicate directly with Japanese consumers. His brother Chance followed up by highlighting their farm’s commitment to running their operation in the most ethical way possible. The second farm was a feedlot near Carroll, Iowa, operated...
Christmastime is here
“Christmastime is here.” Those are the opening words to one of my favorite holiday tunes and the theme of the Charlie Brown Christmas Special. It is one of my favorite specials of the season. I will be watching it here today as I celebrate the day. Also, one of the...
Lock in prices now for next year’s crop products
At this time of year, many farmers are making financial plans for the next crop season. It’s a good time to lock in some prices on inputs, especially since we can see some volatility in the global marketplace. Vince Restucci, market segment manager with Valent, said...
Mexico GMO corn ban found to violate USMCA
This year will end on a high note for U.S. corn growers as they take a victory in the trade dispute with Mexico. In February 2023, the Mexican government put out two decrees that dealt with corn imports from the U.S. Dave Salmonsen, senior director of government...
Margins improving for many hog producers
On Monday USDA published the latest quarterly hogs and pigs report. Based on the numbers from the quarterly report, hog producers are maintaining balance between production and demand. USDA livestock analyst, Michael McConnell says that margins improved for producers...
U.S. cattle on feed down slightly
Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 head or more totaled 12 million head on December 1, 2024. That inventory level was slightly below December 1, 2023. Placements in feedlots during November...
Argentina sees more soybeans this year
We watch what happens with our neighbors in South America regarding crop production and its effects on our markets. Brazil is the largest soybean producer and exporter in the world, and Argentina is one of our largest corn competitors. Their production capabilities...
Video
More Ag News
USB invests in innovation to grow U.S. soy demand
With tighter profit margins and a high carryout on U.S. soybean supplies, the pressure on farmers and the industry to find new avenues for growth has never been greater. As global competition intensifies and market dynamics shift, it's critical that we invest in...
Murphy Foundation and Fareway donate springtime meals to Food Bank of Iowa
After the end of the main holiday season, many food banks see a drop in donations. But in a time when many of those food banks are in limbo due to a lack of USDA funding, donations need to keep coming in. It was great to see an annual donation continue its tradition,...
Gas prices experiencing momentary relief
Oil prices have dropped roughly $10 a barrel in the past week, which was tumultuous to say the least. Patrick DeHaan with Gasbuddy.com said a lot of this turbulence and unease is happening because of President Trump's tariffs coming in more significant than expected,...
Making a list and checking it twice before planting season
Preparing for the growing season means a lot of maintenance and check lists for growers. Some of the items on the check list are obvious, seed selection, planter maintenance and optimization, and field work. However, there are several factors that might not be top of...
Trump tariff pause appreciated by farmers
Farmers across the U.S. were pleased to hear most countries will get a 90-day reprieve from the new individualized tariffs announced April 2—an opportunity for negotiations with our trading partners that could lead to consensus and potentially avoid permanent tariffs,...
