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Trade talks boost grain markets ahead of Trump-Xi meeting
Following U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s preliminary negotiations with Chinese trade officials, the grain markets have rallied significantly ahead of President Trump’s meeting with President Xi Jinping of China. Commodity broker Joe Camp of Commstock Investments says that the rally has been driven by optimism of a U.S.-China ag trade deal. Camp says that while preliminary negotiations did include ag trade, including soybeans, the framework of the deal remains unknown. Soybeans have...
RFA cautiously optimistic about EPA’s renewable volume reallocation proposal
The Renewable Fuels Association today said it is encouraged by the Environmental Protection Agency’s new proposal to ensure that renewable fuel volumes lost to small refinery exemptions in 2023-2025 will be reallocated to future RFS standards. EPA is co-proposing two...
The most valuable commodity? Getting home safe
Next week is Farm Safety Week, and it’s a good reminder for all of us in agriculture to think carefully about how we approach safety during harvest. But the truth is, one week of reminders won’t cut it. Safety has to stick with us through the whole season, because the...
Warm temperatures will bring harvest here before we know it
The end of this crop year has been defined by disease pressure, specifically from diseases like Southern Rust and Sudden Death Syndrome. Unfortunately, farmers who did not prepare with fungicides are already seeing significant yield losses. Southwest Iowa Beck’s...
Iowa rural roadway safety considerations during harvest season
Rural roadway safety is one of the biggest safety challenges during harvest season. Dan Neenan of the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety says that rural drivers need to demonstrate patience as farmers share the roadways. Neenan says that motorists and...
Fertilizer decisions for 2026 crop will be a balancing act
Fertilizer prices aren’t at historic highs, but relative to last year’s prices and the current prices for crop commodities, they are elevated. According to data from USDA and analysis by University of Illinois Farmdoc, fertilizer prices in the state are 6% to 20%...
USMEF Heartland team reviews market investments in Korea
A team of producers representing the pork, beef, corn and soybean industries visited Korea last week to see first-hand the investments the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) is making in the market. Korea is the leading export market for U.S. beef, with purchases...
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More Ag News
Updated FMMOs show significant farmer losses in first few months
The years-long process of updating Federal Milk Marketing Orders finally concluded earlier this year, when final changes went into effect. The Federal Milk Marketing Orders govern how processors purchase milk from dairy farmers in defined marketing areas across the...
Secretary Naig urges Iowans to prioritize safety, mental health this harvest season
With the busy harvest season commencing across the state, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig is urging Iowans to keep safety top of mind in the field, around the farm and on the road. Farming can be physically exhausting and mentally demanding, and agriculture...
Nutrien’s ‘Click and Mortar’ approach powers new hub
Nutrien Ag Solutions has introduced a new digital platform designed to make farm management easier and more connected. The Nutrien Hub, recently released, serves as a one-stop shop where growers can securely access account information, review invoices, make payments,...
Tassel wrap issues originate from seed genetics
One of the biggest crop issues this year was tassel wrap, which severely limited the ability of affected corn plants from pollinating. This issue is also unique in that it isn’t caused by a pest or disease- tassel wrap is actually a genetic issue. As a result, some...
South American Weather and Crop Update (9-23-25)
While the weather is not too different from the usual in South America, the economy in Argentina is seeing some rough times. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest weather conditions in Brazil and Argentina. McBride said planting progress...
