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Boozman defends excluding Prop 12 from farm bill
Senate Ag Chair John Boozman shares reasons for his decision not to limit the out-of-state reach of California’s Prop 12 restriction on extreme animal confinement in his farm bill draft. Boozman says although Republicans are ready to vote to restrict California’s animal confinement standards, the same can’t be said about Democrats. For Bozeman, without Democrats' votes, there is not much that can be done. He concludes with what is needed for something concrete to happen. California represents...
National Farmers Union endorses “Fertilizer Transparency Act”
American farmers are feeling the pressure of high fertilizer costs, and the National Farmers Union is bringing that message to Capitol Hill. Layla Soberanis, NFU senior government relations representative, said the organization has endorsed a newly introduced bill...
Grassley discusses E15 vote in the House
The United States House of Representatives will vote on year-round E15 legislation this week. United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) was asked about the legislation’s chances of passing in the House. Grassley also discusses what the next step for that legislation...
DOJ continuing investigation into alleged meatpacking antitrust violations
The U.S. Department of Justice is intensifying its investigation into possible antitrust violations in the beef packing industry, prompting renewed calls from ranching groups for greater competition and market transparency. Federal officials said investigators are...
Western drought intensifies despite Midwest rainfall
Recent rainfall across Iowa and much of the eastern Midwest has helped improve soil moisture conditions heading into the growing season, but USDA Chief Meteorologist Brad Rippey says many areas farther west continue battling intensifying drought conditions. Speaking...
TQA certification promotes efficient and safe animal handling
Transport Quality Assurance®, or TQA, focuses on practical, real-world skills that help handlers and drivers move pigs humanely and efficiently. Stephanie Wetter with the National Pork Board says the program is updated every three years to ensure continuous...
Grassley sows doubt on farm bill’s Senate prospects
The U.S. House of Representatives passed its version of the farm bill on April 30th by a 224–200 vote. With passage through the House, this is the furthest a farm bill has advanced since 2018. However, despite passage in the House, the farm bill still has a long way...
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More Ag News
U.S. Export Sales Report (5-21-26)
As more details come out about the trade agreement between the U.S. and China, the weekly export sales continued following along its recent trends. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the corn sales were the highest ever for this specific week. McBride said...
Importance of grower surveys in June Acreage Report
In the next few weeks producers will fill out USDA surveys that will provide the data for the June Acreage Report. Lance Honig of the National Agricultural Statistics Service says the surveys will provide a very important snapshot of the acreage for the year. Honig...
Naig: Recent weather helped Iowa farmers catch up
After a slow and uneven start to planting season this spring, Iowa farmers have made up significant ground over the past few weeks. Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig says favorable planting windows recently allowed farmers to move quickly and bring statewide...
Smithfield Foods awards 12 Impact Grants nationwide
Smithfield Foods has awarded more than $280,000 in Impact Grant funding to 12 nonprofit organizations working to strengthen communities where Smithfield employees live and work. These grants build on the more than $24 million Smithfield invested in 2025 to strengthen...
Don’t wait too long to take care of marestail
Marestail was one of the earliest weeds to become glyphosate-tolerant, and that resistance continues to make it tricky for farmers to manage. With rising spring temperatures, marestail is bolting fast, and it becomes significantly harder to control once it tops six...
