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NFU welcomes federal inquiry into ag equipment market
The National Farmers Union (NFU) is welcoming a new USDA and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) inquiry into competition concerns in the agricultural equipment market. NFU President Rob Larew said farmers have been raising concerns about consolidation and limited competition for many years and said the investigation could help ensure that existing antitrust laws are enforced. Many of the concerns stem from the concentration of power among a small number of equipment manufacturers, and Larew said...
Grassley: House-Senate Farm Bill pre-conferencing is likely underway
House and Senate Ag staff are likely trying to iron out farm bill differences ahead of the Senate’s return next week to save time, according to a key senator. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he’s optimistic about the process. Pre-conferencing could speed the farm...
Dairy again at center of Canada trade war escalation
The dairy industry once again finds itself in the middle of the trade tug-of-war between the United States and Canada. President Trump has banned Canadian dairy products and other goods along with government contracts in the latest trade war escalation. Trump says the...
Corn harvest begins as U.S. crop condition continues to decline
The U.S. corn harvest is underway as farmers enter the final stages of a growing season marked by uneven weather and declining crop conditions. USDA's latest Crop Progress report showed 5% of the nation's corn had been harvested as of Sept. 6, compared with the...
John Deere turns years of farm data into answers
Artificial intelligence is becoming another tool available to farmers, and John Deere is developing an AI assistant designed to help producers make better use of years of data they have already collected. John Deere unveiled JD, its new AI assistant embedded in...
Adjuvants can help to maximize every spray application
When applying herbicide, fungicide, or insecticide it makes sense that farmers want those products to work as effectively as possible. One of the ways in which those products are better applied and reach their full potential is by using adjuvants. Austin Anderson is a...
Rain has been good for crops, but too much rain can cause issues
Storms from last night dumped a considerable amount of rain across central and eastern Iowa, which feeds into the trends we’ve seen for the crops this year. While western Iowa has been drier than the rest of the state, Kurt Maertens of BASF says there’s not too much...
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Growing Iowa’s cattle herd
The Iowa Cattlemen's Association held a press conference on Thursday at the Pastour Family Farm near Mitchellville to announce its Building Iowa’s Cattle Future policy package. The press conference featured ICA’s plans for strengthening Iowa’s cattle industry,...
Fuel prices will likely keep climbing higher
Diesel fuel is at an all-time high of more than six dollars a gallon as farmers start a busy harvest season. Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy.com, said the price for fuel in the U.S. is hard to swallow. DeHaan said the U.S. and Iran war isn’t...
Ag Committee advances Farm Bill 2.0 to uncertain future in full Senate
The Senate Agriculture Committee advanced its 2026 farm bill on a narrow 12-11 party-line vote after Sen. Mitch McConnell’s return enabled action on the measure. The bill includes major agriculture priorities such as year-round E15, mandatory country-of-origin...
Soybean checkoff turns research into new demand
Soybeans are most commonly associated with food, livestock feed, and renewable fuels, but a growing share of soybean research is looking at what the crop can do beyond those traditional markets. From tires and lubricants to firefighting foam, industrial uses are...
Propane can be used for more than just grain drying
Many farmers primarily use propane in grain drying equipment, but with the ever-rising prices of fuel and energy, propane can offer a more affordable power option. Michael Newland, director of agriculture business development at the Propane Education and Research...
