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Fertilizer price probe opens as farm margins tighten
The Federal Trade Commission has opened an industrywide investigation into fertilizer prices after sharp increases during spring planting. Reuters reported that FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson said the agency is using civil investigative demands to gather documents and testimony. The probe comes as growers face higher fertilizer and fuel costs, drought in parts of the Plains and another year of narrow margins. Reuters said urea prices have climbed 55% since shipping through the Strait of Hormuz...
Secretary Naig thanks Iowa Senate for unanimous passage of Iowa Farm Act
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today thanked the Iowa Senate for its unanimous passage of the Iowa Farm Act, Senate File 2465, by a vote of 47-0. “I appreciate members of the Iowa Senate for their support in advancing the Iowa Farm Act with a strong...
Trade deals only first step for USDA
As new trade agreements take shape, USDA officials say the next step is making sure those deals translate into real opportunities for U.S. agriculture. USDA Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke Lindberg says securing market access is only...
Rollins says bird flu vaccine still not ready
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins says that a bird flu vaccine is still not ready for a full rollout although efforts to produce an effective vaccine are still underway. Bird flu has not been as prevalent in headlines recently, but Rollins says that USDA is still very...
Improving the return on fresh cow protocols
While advancements in managing clinical milk fever have reduced cases, its invisible counterpart, subclinical hypocalcemia, remains a significant challenge for fresh cows. Dr. Curt Vlietstra, a professional services veterinarian with Boehringer Ingelheim, said...
U.S. beef regains duty-free access to UK market
When the United Kingdom departed from the European Union in 2020, U.S. beef no longer had duty-free access to the UK. This increased costs for British importers and the entire U.S. beef supply chain, making the UK market more difficult to serve. Now, duty-free...
USDA reorganizes FSIS and establishes Food Safety Center in Iowa
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced a major reorganization of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), aiming to modernize operations and better align the agency with today’s agricultural landscape. Central to the plan is the creation of a National...
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DOJ confirms probe into beef processors
The U.S. Department of Justice has launched an antitrust investigation into the nation’s beef processing industry, raising concerns about market concentration and its impact on cattle producers. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said officials are examining whether...
Ernst builds on USDA food safety center announcement
Following up on last week’s announcement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture about establishing a National Food Safety Center in Iowa, more details are emerging about what that move means for the state and the broader ag industry. The USDA’s Food Safety and...
Inspiring consumers to add more pork to their diets
The National Pork Board’s Retail Advisory Committee (RAC) meeting serves as a direct, industry-focused platform to connect retail leaders with key insights into the organization’s consumer campaigns and third-party consumer research. Neal Hull, NPB’s director of state...
U.S. beef has great new opportunities in the UK marketplace
U.S. beef recently regained duty-free access to the United Kingdom under a 13,000 metric ton quota included in the trade framework reached by the Trump administration last year. The quota provides the first zero-duty access to the UK since its exit from the European...
Examining the factors currently influencing the grain markets
Geopolitics, trade, and weather are all making an impact on the grain markets in recent weeks and that trend looks to continue as the calendar turns to May. Commodity broker Greg McBride of Allendale says that the upcoming meeting between President Trump and Xi...
