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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 bill process, but the House version is even less to Democrats’ liking, lacking any delay in SNAP funding penalties for states with high error rates. On top of that, Senator McConnell hasn’t formally announced his return date, which...
USDA reminds farmers of important deadlines
USDA is reminding farmers and ranchers that deadlines are approaching for several programs designed to help offset higher input costs, recover from disasters, and strengthen financial protection. The Farm Service Agency says applications for the Assistance for...
Extreme heat impacts the Midwest
Extreme heat has been impacting the western two-thirds of the United States in recent days as crops are in critical stages of growth. One example of the intense heat occurred recently in the badlands of South Dakota says USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey. Although...
Farmers continue embracing conservation practices
Iowa farmers continue adopting conservation practices at a record pace, and Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig says new state investments will help keep that momentum going. During a recent interview, Naig said conservation remains one of the department's top...
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...
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Senate farm bill stalls over SNAP dispute
The Senate Agriculture Committee failed to advance its Farm Bill Thursday after Democrats rejected the Republican proposal in a 10-11 vote, leaving the legislation without a clear path forward. Committee Chairman John Boozman recessed the markup after negotiations...
Iowa producers can use RFID tags to improve traceability and check-in for exhibition swine
Swine exhibition sites, state pork associations, and Extension programs with a current Premises Identification Number (PIN) are eligible to apply for up to four handheld radio-frequency identification, or RFID, tag readers. Brent Pepin, director of swine health at the...
Crop disease progression has been slower in Iowa this year
As a general statement, disease pressure has been lower this year in Iowa than in 2025. However, farmers still have their hands full dealing with disease pressure as familiar threats like tar spot and newer problems such as southern rust are being found in Iowa’s...
U.S. Export Sales Report (8-6-26)
This week’s export sales were decent once again and provided some baseline support for the grain markets. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest corn numbers from the USDA. While the soybean sales weren’t bad, McBride said they were...
Iowa farmers urged to act before options disappear
As many farm operations continue working through a challenging economic environment, experts say recognizing financial problems early can make a significant difference. While many producers wait until lenders raise concerns, addressing financial issues sooner can...
