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HPAI detected in a multi-species backyard flock in Buena Vista County
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have detected a case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1 HPAI) in a multi-species backyard flock in Buena Vista County. This case is Iowa’s sixth detection of H5N1 HPAI in 2026. About H5N1 HPAI in Birds H5N1 HPAI is a viral disease that affects both wild and domestic bird populations. H5N1 HPAI can travel in wild birds without...
Rural Mainstreet Index turns negative
The August Rural Mainstreet Index covering a multi-state region shows one-fifth of grain farmers will experience a negative cash flow in 2025. For the seventh time this year, the overall regional economic index sank below growth-neutral, falling to 38.5 in September,...
Iowa farmers face costly lessons from disease year
It was anything but a typical growing season, with shifting weather patterns and disease pressure forcing farmers to make quick, difficult decisions in their fields. For many, the call was not just about agronomy but also economics, as tighter margins made another...
Pork producers can’t forget about the dangers of African Swine Fever
The U.S. pork industry is staying vigilant when it comes to foreign animal diseases. Dr. Meredith Petersen, director of swine health for the National Pork Board, said they’re keeping an eye on multiple diseases, including African Swine Fever. Petersen said African...
EU looking to further delay deforestation regulation
The European Commission has once again begun the process to delay implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation. U.S. Meat Export Federation Vice President of Economic Analysis Erin Borror said that is good news for the U.S., as the U.S. and several EU countries...
Agribusiness retailers facing uncertainty amid trade war
The trade war between the United States and many of its top trade partners has created tariff uncertainty for agribusiness across the United States. Charles Baron is a co-founder of Farmers Business Network and says the unknowns of the trade war has created hurdles...
USDA issues second assistance payment to producers
The USDA will issue a second Emergency Commodity Assistance Program payment to eligible producers for the 2024 crop year. Of the authorized $10 billion in ECAP assistance, USDA’s Farm Service Agency has already provided over $8 billion in payments to eligible...
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President Trump announces framework for China trade deal
The trade meeting between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping resulted in an agreement of a framework for a trade deal. While the news is reassuring, there is still a lot of information that we don’t know about this potential deal yet. Allendale commodity...
Connecting insights, strategies, and sales for pork
The National Pork Board’s Retail Advisory Committee (RAC) serves as a vital link between pork industry leaders and the retail community. At their recent NPB-hosted event, retailers voiced insights to help shape important strategies to make pork more relevant to more...
China commits to future soybean buys
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that China has agreed to buy 12 million metric tons of soybeans this year. The announcement by Bessent follows President Trump’s meeting with President Xi Jinping of China in South Korea. Bessent told Fox Business that China...
Iowa soybean farmers encouraged by tangible progress with China
The Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) welcomes the Trump administration’s latest action to prioritize Iowa farmers in today’s announcement regarding U.S.-China trade. Following months of uncertainty around Chinese purchases of U.S. soybeans and other agricultural...
Calls grow louder for Washington to deliver a Farm Bill
It’s been another week of reminders that Washington still hasn’t delivered on one of agriculture’s most basic needs: a new Farm Bill. Earlier this week, Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig said that agriculture craves certainty, and that’s something producers haven’t had in a...
