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Stand establishment offers one of the first real looks at yield potential
The first signs of emergence reveal far more than whether a crop came up. Stand establishment is one of the first meaningful tests of how well a planting plan is translating in the field. Uniform emergence, healthy seedlings and consistent populations can provide an early read on crop potential and reveal issues while there is still time to respond. “Early stand evaluation deserves close attention,” said Tom Larson, director of agronomy for Stine Seed Company. “Once the crop starts coming out...
Don’t hold your breath on a new Farm Bill in 2024
The lines are in the sand and the differences are glaring as we approach what could be one of the greatest exercises in futility the federal government has seen in quite some time. Of course, we are talking about the Farm Bill, which seems to carry all the optimism of...
Food Bank of Iowa receives generous grant from State Farm
Earlier this week the Food Bank of Iowa received a grant from State Farm to support their goal of mobile food distribution and to help Iowans recover from last month’s tornado outbreak. The funds will provide the equivalent of tens of thousands of nutritious meals,...
Nominations open for FSA local county committees
Nominations are now being accepted for farmers and ranchers to serve on local USDA Farm Service Agency county committees. The committees make important decisions about how federal farm programs are administered locally. All nomination forms for the 2024 election must...
Ag producers facing a record trade deficit
The U.S. is facing a record-large agricultural trade deficit in 2024. Betty Resnick, an economist at the American Farm Bureau Federation, said the deficit has deepened significantly in the last two years. Resnick said there are many challenges contributing to the ag...
Emissions lawsuit against EPA filed on Tuesday
The National Corn Growers Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association joined the American Petroleum Institute in filing a lawsuit against the EPA. The suit, filed in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, challenges...
United Soybean Board is committed to innovation
The secret to keeping the soybean markets strong is no secret. We have to keep driving demand for U.S. soybeans. It is imperative that we not only try to open up more international markets, but we also need to keep finding uses at home. The Soybean Checkoff sustains...
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U.S. Export Sales Report (11-7-24)
Strong export sales were reported again this week by the USDA. The hope is that these sales will continue past the week of the election. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest numbers. Recent flash sales have actually lightened up a...
National FFA leadership team has wide variety of farm experience
Thirty-seven candidates vied for the honor of being elected to the 2024-2025 National FFA Leadership Team during the recent National FFA Convention. This year’s team has a wide variety of farm experience, but they all share a common passion for agriculture. Mary...
Soybean markets turning more attention to planting in South America
As harvest wraps up in the United States, oilseed markets are turning more attention to planting progress in South America. USDA Outlook Board Chairman Mark Jekanowski says the markets have a new focus. He says oil seed analysts and traders are paying close attention...
Treasury expands foreign land purchase oversight
The U.S. Treasury Department issued a final rule that significantly expands its ability to review real estate transactions by foreign persons near more than 60 military bases across 30 states. The Treasury, as Chair of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United...
Is Ag in a recession? It depends on who you ask
We talked earlier in the week about the October Rural Mainstreet Index numbers being less than stellar. But what does that mean for the Ag industry? It all depends on who you ask. Most economists agree that things are slower and more sideways than in recent years, and...
