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Boozman: farm bill markup only weeks away
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill returned from the Easter recess with growing optimism that a new five-year farm bill could soon advance. Agri-Pulse said John Boozman, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, signaled progress. The Arkansas Senator said he expects movement within weeks rather than months and anticipates a markup in the near future. The bill cleared the House Agriculture Committee in March with unified Republican support and backing from several Democrats. It now awaits...
Farm credit continues strong support for beginning farmers
Farm Credit continued its strong support for beginning farmers during 2022. That was detailed in a report at the Farm Credit Administration’s Board meeting where it issued the annual report on the Farm Credit System’s lending to young, beginning, and small farmers....
August WASDE creates mild reaction in the grain markets
If we’ve learned anything from this year’s WASDE reports, it’s that you always have to be prepared for the unexpected. More often than not, the estimates turn out to be mostly accurate, and that was the case with this month’s report. Looks can be deceiving, though, as...
The importance of increasing traceability in the pork industry
Increasing traceability in the pork industry protects Iowa pork producer profitability. The National Pork Producers Council is developing a resolution to adopt updated Swine Traceability Standards. NPPC President Scott Hays said it’s all about filling...
Showing at the Governor’s Steer Show is an honor for the kids
One of the highlights that we focus on at the beginning of the Iowa State Fair is the Iowa Governor’s Charity Steer show, which raises money for the Ronald McDonald Houses in Iowa. This year will be the 41st show. The kids that are chosen to show a steer with their...
One thousand pounds of pig
The Big Boar contest at the Iowa State Fair is annually one of the biggest draws at the swine barn and this year was no exception. Despite a small field of contestants, a big crowd was on hand Monday for the show to see which boar tipped the scales at the heaviest...
U.S. Export Sales Report (8-10-23)
Ahead of tomorrow’s WASDE report, this week’s export sales didn’t bring too much excitement. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride provided a breakdown of the latest U.S. Export Sales Report.While we will obviously learn more about the USDA’s shipment goals...
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EPA’s E15 final decision welcome, but some questions remain
The Environmental Protection Agency has granted the request from eight Midwestern states, including Iowa, to sell year-round E15 beginning in 2025. The EPA approved the long-delayed petitions from eight Midwest governors to allow summertime sales of E15 in these...
U.S. Export Sales Report (2-23-24)
This week was not a good one for the grain markets, and that could be seen in this week’s export sales as well. Corn is still looking fine, but soybeans posted the lowest numbers for this week in over thirty years. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an...
U.S. milk production to grow slower in 2024
The good news is U.S. milk production is expected to grow in 2024. Michael McConnel of the USDA’s Chief Economist Office says the bad news is the growth rate will slow compared to last year. The good news for U.S. dairy farmers is it will cost less to feed their...
Brazil soybean exports double U.S. shipments
Brazil’s 2023 soybean exports reached a record 3.74 billion bushels, 29 percent higher than the previous year as Brazilian production hit record levels. Meanwhile, U.S. shipments dropped 14 percent to 1.78 billion bushels in the same period. The two countries are...
Farm loan repayments are beginning to slip
After a couple of years of great prices and good profit margins, we have seen the ag profit forecasts start to dip lower year by year. However, we had been consistently reassured that the ag economy was holding its own. Several indicators are considered when these...
