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Costs going higher in 2027
USDA's latest Commodity Cost and Returns report shows production expenses are expected to climb for every major crop in 2026 as global energy and fertilizer market disruptions continue to ripple through agriculture. The report follows months of volatility tied to conflict involving Iran and concerns about shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Higher fertilizer costs are adding pressure to already tight farm margins. The findings mirror a recent American Farm Bureau Federation survey in which...
Last minute push underway for economic farm aid in stopgap spending bill
Republicans and ag groups in Washington D.C. are making a last-minute push to include economic farm aid in the stopgap spending bill that will avoid a government shutdown. The last gasp campaign for farm aid comes as farmers are faced with another one-year extension...
John Deere ready for planting in 2025
We have just recently finished the 2024 harvest, and it won’t be long before we say, “Break’s over. Back to work” for 2025. Many farms are already getting the ball rolling on equipment preparation for the next season. Winter gives you a great chance to give your...
USMEF expanding Costco’s sales of U.S. meat in Mexico
In Mexico, Costco is a leading distributor of U.S. beef and pork cuts – not just to everyday shoppers, but also to businesses. With Costco looking to expand its sales of U.S. red meat to foodservice clientele in Mexico, the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) recently...
Fish and Wildlife Service proposes ESA listing for monarch butterflies
A new species might be added to the Endangered Species list, with a threatened designation. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently announced a proposal to list the Monarch Butterfly. Shelby Hagenaur, senior director of government affairs for the American Farm...
A plan to resume Mexican live cattle imports into the U.S.
The United States-Mexico border was closed for the importation of Mexican cattle into the U.S. in late November, after a case of New World Screwworm was detected in Mexico. Import restrictions on live cattle imported into the U.S. were put in place out of an...
U.S. corn, soy oil exports outdo previous forecasts
The USDA recently had to significantly boost its 2024-2025 export outlooks thanks to better-than-expected export sales for corn and soybeans. Last Tuesday’s WASDE shows record-low stocks to use for U.S. soybean oil. There was also a surprising number in corn ending...
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Ag groups call for swift trade resolution
U.S. agriculture groups are responding to the reciprocal tariffs announced by President Donald Trump by calling for a swift resolution to the trade conflict. “Approximately 15 percent of the U.S. corn crop is exported every year, and international markets are critical...
Pure Prairie Poultry producers still waiting as promises go unfulfilled
In late September 2024, Pure Prairie Poultry, Inc., based in Fairfax, Minnesota, filed for bankruptcy, leaving numerous poultry producers in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin without essential resources to feed their broiler chickens. The company's financial collapse...
Applications open for PFI’s 2025 N Rate Risk Protection Program
Farmers who are on the fence about reducing nitrogen applications might want to consider enrolling in the Practical Farmers of Iowa’s N Rate Risk Protection Program. The program is designed to help farmers reduce their input costs while also protecting the local...
U.S. economy facing uncertainty as tariff reactions continue
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Canada will levy a tariff on all American-made vehicles that are not compliant with the USMCA and that those Canadian counter-tariffs will match tariffs put on Canada’s auto industry. This Canadian measure follows...
NCBA reacts to reciprocal tariff announcement from President Trump
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane issued the following statement after attending President Donald J. Trump’s reciprocal tariff announcement at the White House on Wednesday: “For too long, America’s...
