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Golden Harvest delivering trait choices that Iowa growers need
The Golden Harvest line-up of corn is continuing to find new ways to innovate in the push for higher yields, protection from disease, and trait choices that growers want. Rex Gray is a product manager with Golden Harvest and says the Syngenta brand has been investing more with its Golden Harvest corn offerings to deliver farmers what they need. Gray tells the Iowa Ag Radio Network what growers have been asking for Golden Harvest to deliver in each bag of seed. He says that farmers can look...
Wetter weather leads to enhanced disease pressure
We’ve had a very successful crop year, but the intense amount of moisture recently has led to some concerns. Emily Prevo, an AgriGold agronomist in southern Iowa, said farmers are worried about water pooling and nitrogen runoff from all of the rain. Prevo said the...
U.S. ag trade deficit continues climbing in 2025
The U.S. agricultural trade deficit hit a record high in the first half of 2025. Bloomberg said that only highlights American farmers’ longtime dominant role in world exports, which is hurt by President Donald Trump’s trade wars. Agricultural export value trailed the...
Grilling up fun at the Iowa Pork Producers Tent
Mother Nature tried to put a damper on the Iowa State Fair yesterday, spending much of the morning tossing thunderstorms our way. Nothing severe, but enough to keep the early crowds in check. By the time I arrived for my 11 a.m. “celebrity chef” shift at the Iowa Pork...
The Iowa State Fair is one big ag education opportunity
In true Iowa fashion, the weather was unpredictable for the first day of the Iowa State Fair. Thunderstorms rolled across the Des Moines metro, and many state fair attendees decided to wait out the storms before making their visit to the fair. But once the storms...
Farmer sentiment weakened in July
Farmer sentiment continues to weaken. The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer declined again in July, falling to 135, an 11-point month-over-month decline from June. The July Current Conditions Index dropped 17 points to 127, while the Future Expectations...
First annual Heart of the County Fair Award recipients
The Heart of the County Fair Award honors exceptional Iowans who have made significant contributions to their local fairs and communities. The families will be honored at the Iowa State Fair with a plaque and special recognition, made possible by Beck’s Hybrids in...
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Iowa’s young exhibitors show agriculture’s future is strong
Each year at the Iowa State Fair, the Governor’s Charity Steer Show draws crowds eager to see outstanding cattle and the young people who raise them. The event pairs youth exhibitors with celebrities and other Iowa leaders, all in support of the Ronald McDonald House...
August WASDE threw a curveball at the corn markets
With trade uncertainty on the minds of many farmers, the USDA threw the corn market a curveball. The August WASDE report gave farmers and ranchers across the country an interesting look into how production might look this fall. Faith Parum, an economist with the...
449 Century and Heritage Farm families honored at the 2025 Iowa State Fair
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig and Iowa Farm Bureau Federation President Brent Johnson honored 449 Iowa farm families with Century or Heritage Farm designations at the 2025 Iowa State Fair. The program celebrates farms that have been owned by the same...
Crops are promising, but yields need to be protected
The recent WASDE report from the USDA confirmed that this year’s crops have great potential. Now, it’s important for farmers to keep a close eye on their crops and do whatever they can to realize those potential yields. Kurt Maertens, BASF technical service...
Corn yield estimate will affect local basis levels
On Tuesday, USDA published the August WASDE report with a corn yield estimate of 188.8 bu. That number was well above the trade guesses going into the report and signifies the potential for a massive crop. That is Naomi Blohm of Total Farm Marketing who says that the...
