Top Stories
Trade policy affecting farmer voting decisions nationwide
Midterm elections are less than a week away, and the farm community has been a hot topic among many of the candidates running for office. There are many ag issues to consider, but one of the most impactful issues from the federal government has been the Trump administration’s trade policy. President Trump’s aggressive tactics have brought in both wins and losses for the farm economy. Ron Baumgarten, who served as Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative in the first Trump administration,...
Farmers hit hardest by high transportation costs
The impact of higher fuel prices goes beyond just what farmers pay to plant and harvest a crop. These prices are also driving up transportation costs throughout the supply chain. Mike Steenhoek, Executive Director of the Soy Transportation Coalition, said that...
Trends in cover crop use and production
An annual survey provides the latest trends regarding cover crop use and production in agriculture. The producer-based cover crop survey is conducted in part by USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. Under Secretary for Farm Production...
Iowa farmers elect new leadership to advance opportunities for U.S. soybeans
Farmer-leaders of the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) board of directors last week elected Lee Brooke of Clarinda as president during its September board meeting in Aberdeen, Washington. The association’s 22 volunteer farmer directors represent the state’s nine crop...
Solinftec robot adds another set of eyes
Scouting a cornfield is a job that never really ends. Crop development, plant populations, and disease pressure can all change throughout the growing season. Autonomous technology could provide farmers with another set of eyes that keeps watching even when they are...
Matching the ideal hybrid selection to a grower’s management style
SeedIQ™ is a digital platform developed by Beck's Hybrids that helps farmers make better seed placement and management decisions. Jon Skinner is a regional agronomy manager with Beck's Hybrids and he explains why SeedIQ can make a difference on a farmer’s operation....
U.S. Export Sales Report (9-11-26)
Many eyes were on the September World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report last week, but there was another USDA report that was released on Friday- the weekly U.S. export sales. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the report was a mixed...
Video
More Ag News
Heavy rains reveal both water quality progress and needs
Heavy rains can put Iowa’s water quality challenges under a microscope. When water starts moving across farm fields, erosion and nutrient loss can become much easier to see. But those same conditions can also highlight the progress being made on farms where...
BASF pleased with herbicide weed control in 2026
This crop season has been defined by heavy rains across much of Iowa, especially as we get into harvest. Mid-season rains made weed control more difficult, but BASF has heard a lot of good feedback about the performances of their herbicide portfolio. Kurt Maertens of...
Trump administration weighs diesel export ban
Record-high diesel prices are pressuring farmers heading into harvest, and the Trump administration is considering whether restricting diesel exports could provide relief. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says officials are examining whether a full or partial export...
China’s ag purchase pledge back in spotlight ahead of Trump-Xi meeting
President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping of China are set to meet Thursday September 24th in Washington D.C. Jim McCormick, co-founder of AgMarket.net, says that the agriculture industry will be closely following the meeting to determine what agriculture topics...
Oil prices move lower in response to peace talk rumors
After weeks of steady improvement, oil prices traded lower to start this week as they were down 4-5% in Monday’s trading action. Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst at Gasbuddy.com, said the markets are likely hopeful that the Trump administration is going to...
