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U.S. Export Sales Report (2-20-26)
The weekly export sales report was significantly overshadowed by trade deal news and the Supreme Court’s decision to rule against President Trump’s tariff authority, but that doesn’t change the fact that both the corn and soybean markets saw uncharacteristically good sales for this time of year. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said this should hopefully bring the corn ending stocks down. McBride said the bean sales weren’t particularly great in a vacuum, but they are relatively high...
Vilsack announces Bioproduct Pilot Program
The Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for a new pilot program to support the development of biobased products. Specifically, USDA is looking for products that have lower carbon footprints and increase the use of renewable agricultural materials,...
Mexico and the Caribbean driving soaring demand for U.S. lamb
U.S. lamb exports so far in 2022 are 49% over the previous year by volume. Export value during that same period climbed 76% to nearly $10 million. While much of the growth is in variety meat exports to Mexico, the Caribbean is the largest destination for U.S. lamb...
One in three nursery pigs do not make it to market
You read that headline right, one in three nursery pigs do not make it to market in the US. This is a figure that needs to be improved upon when you consider the cost of each animal, and the potential profit margin each one brings. Before you panic, there are...
U.S. drought monitor reintroduces D3 drought to Northwest Iowa
The most recent U.S. drought monitor included an increase in the severity of droughts in parts of Iowa. This includes the introduction of D3-level drought up in the northwest part of the state, which hasn?t happened since August of last year. Iowa State Climatologist...
New House Bill addresses farm input costs & regulatory burdens
A bill that supporters say would protect and promote American agriculture by reversing regulatory barriers to domestic production has been introduced to the House.U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse says the House Bill 8069, known as the Reducing Farm Input Costs and...
Iowa?s Region 8 crop update
Unlike some other parts of Iowa, the weather seems to be on the farmers side in East Central Iowa. It?s not every day that you see the weather giving some of us rain in a timely matter, but of course mother nature can?t be seen giving only some of Iowa the good...
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More Ag News
Davidson Prize winner revolutionizing greenhouse covers
The old saying is that ?necessity is the mother of invention.? There is a lot of truth to that, and it doesn?t always mean that there is a sense of urgency behind every idea. Sometimes it?s just time for an old idea to finally be improved upon, which seems to be...
ERS releases report on U.S. export crop competitiveness
The USDA?s Economic Research Service released a report titled ?U.S. Export Competitiveness in Select Crop Markets,? and it showed the U.S. is still the world?s top corn exporter. The report says that export shares and exports-to-production ratios indicate that the...
Corn fighting against E15 struggles and Mexico ban
Recently, we?ve talked a lot about corn?s success with export sales, especially when we discuss market prices. But there are two other things that the corn industry is battling right now that are really impeding it from reaching its full potential: the Biden...
Added facilities in Iowa improve production capability for Benson Hill
Benson Hill has been expanding its infrastructure in the state of Iowa in recent years. Jeff Johnson, the vice president of grower supply chain with Benson Hill says that the company?s recent facilities expansion in the state has been a big benefit for Iowa...
USDA trade mission to Panama brings good news for ethanol
Alexis Taylor, USDA Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, took her first trade mission trip to Panama. She led a group of almost 30 U.S. agribusinesses, farm groups, state and regional groups, and state departments of agriculture. Taylor says this...
