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Corn farmers looking out for tar spot and southern rust in 2026
Iowa farmers are always on the lookout for disease issues, but there are two diseases from 2025 that have farmers the most alert: tar spot and southern rust. Last year, these two diseases popped up in unexpected areas around the country, causing some of the highest damaging disease pressure on record. Unfortunately, many farmers were caught off guard by how quickly conditions favored infection and spread for tar spot and southern rust. Kim Tutor, technical marketing manager for corn and wheat...
NPB bringing back a familiar face to increase pork demand
Patrick Fleming returned for his second tenure with the National Pork Board, where he now serves as the vice president of demand development. Fleming shared his goals for the first 90 days in his new role. He discusses the potential of pork in relation to consumer...
Sam’s Club buyers from China learn about merchandising U.S. pork
In China, Sam’s Club is one of the leading retail outlets for high quality beef and pork. With support from the Beef Checkoff Program and the National Pork Board, the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) recently brought a team of Sam’s Club buyers from China to South...
July rains benefitting most major crop areas
The United States primary growing regions for corn and soybeans have been receiving beneficial rainfall during the crucial stretch of the growing season. For corn and soybean production areas of the United States, USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says drought levels are...
Ag history and modern technology on display at the Smithsonian
When you think of museums, you may think of old artifacts and history, but museum curators are also watching modern-day technology and how it tells the story of changing times. Abeer Saha, curator of the Smithsonian American History Museum in Washington, D.C., said...
Grassley says farmers fed up with no new farm bill
Farmers are fed up with Congress’ failure to produce a new farm bill and will likely feel the economic impact. That’s according to United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA). Grassley (R-IA) was hopeful early in 2024 that a new farm bill would be agreed to in the new...
Modernizing the Federal Milk Marketing Orders
In early July, the USDA released its recommendations for modernizing the Federal Milk Marketing Orders. Stephen Cain, senior director of economic research and analysis for the National Milk Producers Federation, shared his initial reaction to the proposal. The...
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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...
Hemmes reflects on time on United Soybean Board (Part 2)
On Friday, we started talking with April Hemmes, a Hampton, Iowa farmer who had spent the better part of a decade working with the United Soybean Board (USB) and has now stepped down. We talked about the growth she had seen and the improvements made both to innovation...
