Top Stories
Beef prices and herd retention decisions
With turbulent cattle markets due to beef imports and the southern border with Mexico reopening for cattle imports cattle producers have a lot to think about when making decisions for the future of the herd. Will cattle ranchers and farmers make plans for starting the rebuilding process for the remainder of 2026 and going into 2027? That is USDA Chief Economist Justin Benevidez. He says that price data will influence the choices of producers at the individual and national level when making...
Risk Management Agency giving farmers more time to pay
USDA is giving farmers more time to pay their crop insurance bills. The Risk Management Agency (RMA) is authorizing Approved Insurance Providers to give producers up to 60 additional days to pay crop insurance premiums, administrative fees, and other amounts with...
USGBC chairman sees opportunities for export growth
Strong export demand has provided an important outlet for U.S. farmers, but the new chairman of the U.S. Grains and BioProducts Council says maintaining that momentum will require protecting established customers while continuing to develop new markets. Nebraska...
Research highlights where agrivoltaics works best
As more farmland is considered for solar energy development, researchers are exploring whether crops and clean energy can successfully share the same acres. The USDA-funded SCAPES project – short for Sustainably Colocating Agricultural and Photovoltaic Electricity...
Iowa farmers need to keep scouting crops amid disease pressure
While it’s not as bad as last year, Southern Rust is spreading across Iowa, and it can take over fields quickly. On top of that, this is also the point in the crop season where tar spot tends to impact corn fields as well. This makes effective crop scouting more...
Senator Grassley discusses farm bill fallout
United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) is back in Iowa after the Senate Agriculture Committee failed to advance its farm bill last Thursday and the Senate is in its August recess. Senator Grassley says he will be engaging with Iowa’s farmers to talk to them about...
Secretary Naig invites fairgoers to get into the “Fair Spirit” with Choose Iowa
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig is inviting fairgoers to get into the “Fair Spirit” Choose Iowa during the 2026 Iowa State Fair, Aug. 13-23 in Des Moines. As an official sponsor of the Iowa State Fair, Choose Iowa will showcase the people, food, agriculture...
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More Ag News
Rural healthcare among top issues in Iowa Senate race
It’s no secret that the farm economy has been tough on our rural communities in recent years. On top of losing local restaurants and grocery stores, many small towns are now in healthcare deserts as rural clinics and other facilities continue to close. As we approach...
Beef supporters turned crisis into lasting impact
What started as an effort to recognize young livestock exhibitors during a canceled Iowa State Fair has grown into an organization that has raised $1.3 million in just a few years. The Iowa State Fair Beef Champions Supporters formed in 2020 after the COVID pandemic...
Senator Grassley discusses negotiations with Canada and USMCA review
United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) says that tough negotiating with Canada seems to be making progress with longstanding issues over dairy trade. Grassley says that some of the biggest hurdles in the way of renewing the USMCA have centered around dairy....
Iowa Farm Bureau promoting farm conservation practices
The Iowa State Fair brings hundreds of thousands of people to the fairgrounds each day of the fair- many of whom are several generations removed from the farm. This provides a fantastic opportunity to educate more people on the practices farmers use across the state...
514 Iowa Century and Heritage farm families honored at the 2026 Iowa State Fair
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig and Iowa Farm Bureau Federation President Brent Johnson today honored 514 Iowa farm families with Century or Heritage Farm designations during ceremonies at the 2026 Iowa State Fair. The annual recognition celebrates families...
