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Strong soybean yields meet steep quality discounts
Soybean producers across the country, including here in Iowa, are dealing with quality discounts that are cutting into the value of their crops despite strong yields in many areas. While discolored soybeans have received much of the attention, concerns over test weight and foreign material are also affecting what farmers receive for their bushels. The severity of those discounts varies by region, but they are adding another challenge for producers already dealing with pressure in the soybean...
NPPC says a Prop 12 fix is still within reach
The National Pork Producers Council continues pushing lawmakers to address California's Proposition 12 through the next farm bill debate. NPPC President Rob Brenneman, who is also an Iowa pork producer himself, said the organization believes a fix would benefit both...
NASS reports corn ending stocks 35% higher than last year
Higher than expected corn production numbers were negative for the grain markets today and implied lower demand. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), old crop corn stocks on hand as of September 1st, 2026,...
The future of the farm bill could be decided by November elections
The future of the farm bill may be decided by what happens when voters head to the polls in November. Lawmakers have left Washington for a month of campaigning without passing a new five-year bill, leaving producers facing more uncertainty after the third extension of...
Clean Fuels applauds effort to extend biodiesel producer credit
This week, U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced bipartisan legislation to extend availability of the Small Agri-Biodiesel Producer Credit through 2029. U.S. companies that produce up to 60 million gallons of biodiesel per year using...
Iowa farmers juggle two crop year decisions
Iowa farmers will soon find themselves making ARC and PLC decisions for two different crop years at nearly the same time. As we reported Tuesday, USDA has opened an unusual enrollment period for the 2026 crop that runs through December 11. That signup was delayed as...
AFBF study shows ineffectiveness of U.S. beef import plan
Roughly one month after the Trump administration announced its plan to import beef in an effort to combat high prices at the grocery store, data is showing that prices have not been significantly lowered. New analysis shows that the plan to lower tariffs on imported...
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Seed Sovereignty Initiative capitalizes on U.S. seed collection
Yesterday, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announced a $180 million investment into the new Seed Sovereignty Initiative. This provides much-needed support for the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS). Dr. Scott Hutchins, USDA...
Diesel tax relief is appreciated, but costs are still high
Earlier this week, President Trump made an executive order to temporarily allow tax-free dyed diesel to be used on highways and defer the federal diesel tax through the end of the year. While farm groups are welcoming any relief this move could provide, many say the...
Fall warmth kickstarts harvest in Iowa
After an abnormally wet September, drier conditions have returned to some of the key row crop growing regions of the country in October. USDA Chief Meteorologist Brad Rippey says the drier conditions are leading to a slow and steady return to harvest activity in...
Farm bill expiration leaves rural programs in uncertainty
The latest extension of the 2018 Farm Bill expired September 30, leaving Congress without a new long-term agriculture policy. The Farm Bill covers farm safety-net programs, conservation, crop insurance, food assistance, and other programs important to rural America....
Earlier planted soybeans reshape waterhemp management
Earlier soybean planting has become increasingly common as growers look to extend the growing season and capture more yield potential. But that shift can also change the timing of one of the crop's biggest weed management challenges. BASF Technical Marketing Manager...
