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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 to complain about with this year’s crops. Some of the rain has led to heightened disease pressure, but Maertens said he is still excited about the yields farmers could see this fall. Maertens said diseases like sudden death...
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...
Farm production costs mixed last year, soaring in 2026
Farm production costs were mixed last year but are up significantly in 2026. USDA Chief Economist Justin Benevidez provides the specifics from 2025. Benevidez says the largest increase occurred in livestock and poultry production. However, the latest farm expenditure...
Greater consistency and quality for consumers and retailers
Familiar USDA grading systems, such as those for beef at your local store, are becoming more technologically advanced to ensure greater consistency and quality for consumers and retailers alike. Robert Eaton at the Agricultural Marketing Service explains how...
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Rainfall supports higher yield estimates for Iowa crops
Another round of rain has gone through the state, and this time the western region finally got some relieving moisture. As indicated by the August producer survey from StoneX, this may lead to a strong crop for most Iowa farmers. Dan Bjorklund, technical agronomist at...
U.S. bison gains duty-free access to European Union
Under a newly implemented tariff rate quota (TRQ), U.S. bison now has duty-free access to the European Union. The TRQ is for 3,000 metric tons annually. As National Bison Association Executive Director Jim Matheson explains, U.S. bison has been gaining interest in the...
Weather forecast keeping pressure on corn and soybean marketplace
While there are a lot of factors that are exerting influence on the grains in the ag marketplace, including the crude oil price and the stock market, the main influence remains the weather forecast. While the forecast is positive in terms of crop conditions and...
Record ethanol blend rate lowers fuel costs for drivers
The average ethanol content in U.S. gasoline reached a record 11.29 percent in May, according to new data from the Energy Information Administration. The Renewable Fuels Association says the increase was driven by strong blending economics as ethanol sold at a...
Tight margins make financial analysis critical
As many farmers continue to navigate a difficult economic environment, understanding the financial health of their operations has become increasingly important. While many producers complete financial statements to satisfy their lenders, one agricultural attorney says...
