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USDA says Iowa near major weather boundary
Weather conditions across the United States continue to show a sharp contrast between wet and dry regions, and USDA Chief Meteorologist Brad Rippey says Iowa is sitting near the center of that dividing line. Speaking during a discussion in Washington, D.C., Rippey said drought conditions still dominate much of the country, even as parts of the Midwest and Great Lakes region have dealt with flooding and severe storms. Rippey, who authors the weekly U.S. Drought Monitor and contributes weather...
Farm Futures releases 2024 grower survey
The Farm Futures January Planting Survey shows corn and soybean acreage will shift across the U.S. this spring. Jacqueline Holland, grain market analyst for Farm Futures, said the shift might not be as much as what market prices are forecasting. Holland said soybean...
ISU dining chef Joshua Wilkins wins Pork Congress cooking competition
The nine chefs competing at this year’s Taste competition, which kicks off the Iowa Pork Producer’s Pork Congress week in Des Moines, were tasked with using boneless pork loin as the featured competition cut. Joshua Wilkins, Chef de Cuisine with Iowa State dining...
First sustainable aviation fuel plant represents opportunity
Sustainable aviation fuel could grow into the largest new market ever seen for U.S. farm commodities thanks to the start of production at LanzaJet Freedom Pines Fuels. However, groups in Midwestern states say they could miss out on the opportunity without low-carbon...
Sec Naig talks about poultry processing classification reform
During the pandemic, we saw the local meat locker's resurgence and discovered how vulnerable we were to disruptions in our meat processing supply chain. Since then, efforts have been made at the state and federal levels to make these supply chains more resilient and...
Maximizing the value of U.S. pork exports globally
The U.S. Meat Export Federation is always working to maximize the value of U.S. meat exports globally. For pork producers the monetary return on each pig through export sales is a vital piece of the profitability puzzle. The mission of USMEF is to “Increase the value...
Unverferth completes facility addition at Shell Rock plant
Unverferth Manufacturing has added a 5,000-square-foot facility complete with major renovations and top-of-the-line upgrades at its plant in Shell Rock, Iowa. Communications Manager Jerry Ecklund said this addition will help to streamline the production process. This...
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House Appropriations Committee to markup crucial labor bill
The U.S. House of Representatives’ Appropriations Committee is preparing to review a significant funding bill that may benefit farmers and ranchers. John Walt Boatright, director of government affairs for the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), notes that this...
Previewing Friday’s USDA reports
The July WASDE report will be published on Friday by the USDA and will feature data based on the new supply and demand numbers. The report is released monthly and provides annual forecasts for supply and use of U.S. and world wheat, coarse grains, and oilseeds....
IDALS encouraging cover crop adoption with increased cost share
As more and more farmers adopt cover crop practices, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is offering an increased incentive for both first-time and returning cover crop users through the Water Quality Initiative. Now, first-time users are eligible...
Top scientists defend biofuels in court
Eight of the nation’s top agricultural, biomass, and greenhouse gas lifecycle scientists filed a brief on July 3rd challenging the faulty assumptions underpinning a number of attacks on the Renewable Fuel Standard. The brief was filed in the District Court of Appeals...
Rooftop farms becoming more popular in urban areas
More and more, consumers are looking to produce their own food or have a better understanding of where the food comes from. However, land is hard to come by inside of urban sprawl. There are some community gardens, but they are limited to how many people can...
