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EPA backs innovation that works for farmers
As farmers continue to face high input costs, new precision technology could provide opportunities to reduce expenses while also limiting environmental impacts. Doug Jones, agriculture advisor for EPA Region 7, says the agency is watching several new technologies that could help farmers become more precise with fertilizer and crop protection products. Jones pointed to seed and spray technology that can identify and target individual weeds rather than applying herbicide uniformly across an...
U.S. pork exports to Japan show strong rebound
Exports of U.S. pork to Japan have shown an impressive rebound in 2026. The market has faced challenges such as high energy costs and a weak yen against the U.S. dollar, but some value sectors have increasingly relied on U.S. pork loin and pork butt. USMEF President...
Grassley says farm bill markup possible next week even without McConnell
United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) says that the Senate Ag Committee could still mark up a farm bill next week before the August recess without sidelined Mitch McConnell and a GOP majority. Senator Grassley says Ag Chair John Boozman still hopes to take up...
Markets react to July USDA cattle reports
The USDA released two important reports last week that each had a direct impact on the U.S. cattle industry: the July Cattle Inventory and July Cattle on Feed Reports. Bernt Nelson, an economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation, said the two reports offer a...
ICA lead on CRP reform at NCBA summer business meeting
The Iowa Cattlemen's Association (ICA) continues to deliver results for Iowa cattle producers, both in Iowa and across the nation. At the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Summer Business Meeting held in Denver, Colorado, earlier this month, ICA led...
Naig: Heat, timely rain shaping Iowa crops
Iowa farmers have faced a little bit of everything this summer. Extended stretches of heat have increased stress on crops and livestock, while scattered thunderstorms have brought much-needed rainfall to some areas and flooding, hail, and damaging winds to others....
TQA builds trust through consistent training
Transportation Quality Assurance® (TQA®), the pork industry’s certification program, provides science-based training for animal handlers and professional transporters who are responsible for moving pigs from farms to other facilities. Stephanie Wetter, director of...
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More Ag News
South American Weather and Crop Update (8-4-26)
As harvest continues to progress in South America, the weather is staying mostly the same. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the current forecast is pretty much a carbon copy of what they have seen recently. With the amount of rain they have seen, McBride...
Build-out continues on state-of-the-art animal disease lab
The Plum Island Animal Disease Center is being replaced by a brand-new facility in Kansas. The federal government continues relocating the animal disease laboratory from Plum Island, New York, to the new National Bio and Agro Defense Facility, or NBAF, in Manhattan,...
A disaster plan for your livestock operation is vital
Unfortunately for farmers and livestock producers, disaster can strike a farming operation at any time. A fire, flood, or tornado for example does not allow for much time to react. Dr. Mark van der List, a professional services veterinarian with Boehringer-Ingelheim,...
U.S. cropland value surpasses $6,000 per acre for first time
The average value of U.S. cropland has climbed above $6,000 per acre for the first time, underscoring the resilience of farmland prices despite weaker farm income and tighter profit margins. New data compiled by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service show...
Early action can preserve farm financial options
The current farm economy continues to put financial pressure on many producers. While government assistance has helped offset some losses, several years of tight margins have left many farm operations facing difficult financial decisions. Legal experts say recognizing...
