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Fertilizer prices expected to stay elevated through 2028
Fertilizer prices are expected to remain above pre-Iran war levels through 2028, according to a new report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange. Farmers and agricultural retailers continue to face higher costs as conflicts and supply disruptions affect global fertilizer markets. CoBank economist Jacqui Fatka says Middle East instability, tight supplies, and limited phosphate availability could keep prices elevated well into 2027 and beyond. The Middle East supplies more than 60 million tons of...
County fairs teach lessons beyond the ribbon
County fairs are underway across Iowa, bringing communities together to celebrate agriculture while giving thousands of young people an opportunity to showcase months of hard work and preparation. While livestock shows and exhibits often draw the most attention,...
U.S. farmers planted fewer corn acres and more soybeans
Today the USDA published both the Planted Acreage and Quarterly Grain Stocks Reports. Commodity broker Greg McBride of Allendale says there were only slight adjustments to the corn acres from the March planting intentions report. McBride says the soybean acreage...
Iowa Corn Growers applaud suspension of phosphate countervailing duties
President Trump Takes Action to Lower Fertilizer Costs and Support American Farmers Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a proclamation temporarily suspending countervailing duties (CVDs) on certain phosphate fertilizer imports, providing immediate relief to...
Mexico’s restrictions on pork offal remain costly for U.S. industry
As a result of a recent pseudorabies detection in Iowa, Mexico closed its border to U.S. pork offal products for more than a month. According to U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) estimates, since its implementation, the closure has cost U.S. exporters roughly $7...
Weather will affect how much disease pressure we see in 2026
Due to the beautiful weather we have seen in Iowa recently, which has included some cool and wet nights, tar spot has already been detected in some fields across the state. However, this week’s much hotter temperatures should suppress any additional pressure from tar...
Naig stresses value of USMCA framework
Trade agreements often receive the most attention when negotiations become contentious, but for Iowa agriculture, their greatest value is often found in the stability they provide. Canada and Mexico remain Iowa's two largest international trading partners, making the...
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More Ag News
European weather supports wheat prices
The wheat market started the week after the Fourth of July holiday with a strong rally as traders responded to weather concerns in Europe. Although prices have since given back some of those gains, uncertainty surrounding overseas production continues to lend support...
U.S. Export Sales Report (7-9-26)
This week’s export sales were mostly within the range of estimates. Both corn and soybeans continue to see a lot of good news in the weekly reports. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the corn numbers were slightly low, but that doesn’t change the positive...
Hot and dry weather expected in the Corn Belt
A heat dome is moving northward from Southern California to the Dakotas and the Corn Belt, bringing temperatures more than 10 degrees above average for several days. AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Chad Merrill describes the weather across the Corn Belt as hot and...
Adjuvants are vital to drone spraying effectiveness
When spraying with a traditional ground rig, adjuvants can help to improve the efficacy of the application by improving droplet spread, increasing the amount of product that contacts the target, and reducing drift. Those same benefits can also be found when adding...
Study: U.S. producers pay more for inputs than Brazil producers
The National Corn Growers Association says a new study confirms what many farmers have suspected for years: U.S. producers are paying far more for crop inputs than their biggest global competitor, Brazil. The report found American corn farmers paid an average of 68...
