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Iowa Farm Bureau accepting applications for “Grow Your Future” award
Iowa Farm Bureau is now accepting applications for its Grow Your Future Award, offering one young farmer $10,000 to scale their ag-related business. The competition highlights Farm Bureau members ages 18 to 35 who are building creative, value-added businesses from agritourism and specialized services to niche production that meet emerging consumer demand. Past participants have launched and grown businesses ranging from direct-to-consumer sales, cover crop seed services to cut flowers and...
AFBF applauds grazing MOU between USDA and Department of Interior
The Departments of Agriculture and Interior have recently announced plans to formalize collaboration between the two agencies when it comes to grazing on public lands. Shelby Hagenauer, senior director of government affairs for the American Farm Bureau, said these...
Status of Mexican cattle reentry into the U.S.
One of the biggest questions in animal agriculture is, when will cattle from Mexico once again be allowed across the southern U.S. border? In late February at Commodity Classic, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins stated that the border will not be reopened until the...
USDA sets April loan rates as farmers weigh borrowing costs
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced updated loan interest rates for April, offering a key benchmark for producers making financing decisions ahead of the planting season. Operating loans are set at 4.75%, while farm ownership loans will carry a 5.75%...
Know your number now on SCN
Even with BASF’s new Nemasphere soybean technology still targeted for a future launch, company officials say growers should already be taking steps to understand how much soybean cyst nematode may be costing them in today’s fields. Justin Moritz, BASF trait technology...
Corteva excited for farmers to use Forcivo fungicide in 2026
Last year’s crop season was defined by one major factor: late-season disease pressure. And while Southern Rust is not projected to be as big of an issue this year, farmers will always have to deal with other fungal diseases like frogeye leaf spot and tar spot. Madison...
A shift in weather conditions for April
Spring weather is always tricky for growers. On the one hand, after a dry winter, spring showers are needed to help replenish soil moisture. But on the other hand, too much moisture can disrupt field work and planting for farmers. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says a...
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More Ag News
Rural America needs more ag tax professionals
Tax season can be a stressful time of year, and that is especially true for farm country. As the number of tax preparers who are familiar with the unique complexities of agricultural income declines, a new program from Iowa State University is being developed to offer...
Rising farmer sentiment in March surprised some industry experts
Despite rapidly rising input prices for farmers the March Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer registered a rise in producer sentiment. Michael Langemeier, the director of the Center for Commercial Agriculture at Purdue University, says the rising March...
AFBF continues to push for new farm bill
The American Farm Bureau Federation is urging Congress to continue work on a new farm bill. More than one month ago, the House Agriculture Committee passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act on a bipartisan basis. Brian Glenn, director of government affairs for...
NCGA survey shows rising alarm over fertilizer costs
U.S. corn farmers are growing increasingly concerned about fertilizer affordability and availability, with worries extending beyond the current planting season. That’s according to new survey results released by the National Corn Growers Association. Surveys conducted...
Spring volatility gives way to El Niño watch
Spring weather across Iowa and much of the Midwest has been delivering the kind of rapid temperature swings farmers know all too well. Warm afternoons that hint at an early planting push have quickly been followed by colder air, gusty winds, and even lingering shots...
