Top Stories
Weekly exports of soybeans and corn decline
Data from the USDA said that inspections of soybeans and corn for offshore delivery declined week to week, while wheat assessments increased during the week ending on November 20. Soybean inspections were reported at almost 800,000 metric tons, down from the 1.21 million tons inspected during the previous week. That’s also well below the 2.12 million tons assessed during the same week last year. Examinations of corn for overseas delivery dropped to 1.63 million metric tons, down from 2.97...
Strong yields & weak margins: Financial pressures mount on farmers
The 2025 season has been defined by both resilience and strain in the farm economy. Strong yields in many regions helped keep optimism alive, but they were tempered by financial pressures that have made every decision more critical. Interest rates remain historically...
Dry Iowa weather can make harvest more complicated
Combines are rolling across much of the state, and the dry weather has allowed harvest to continue mostly uninterrupted. However, that dryness can bring with it a whole different slate of issues. Southwest Iowa Beck’s Agronomist Nate Meyer said corn yields might seem...
Turkey inventory squeezed as Thanksgiving approaches
As the weather turns cooler across the US, many shoppers are beginning to plan holiday meals. American Farm Bureau Federation Economist Bernt Nelson said USDA’s latest Turkeys Raised Report gives us some important insight on the size of the U.S. flock ahead of...
Farm bankruptcies on the rise in 2025
The latest data from the Administrative Office of the United States Courts shows farm bankruptcies increasing year over year. Joe Peiffer, an attorney with Ag & Business Legal Strategies in Hiawatha Iowa, says the numbers are disturbing. Peiffer says the...
Iowa Corn Growers congratulate California on approval of E15
Yesterday in California, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 30, which legalizes the sale of E15, a fuel blend made with 15% corn ethanol that is cleaner-burning, homegrown and more affordable than ordinary fuels. With the addition of California, it is now legal in...
District Court advances ranchers’ challenge to tag mandate
A legal challenge over the USDA’s electronic identification (EID) tag mandate for certain cattle and bison is moving forward after the U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota denied much of the USDA’s attempt to dismiss the case. The lawsuit, brought by...
Video
More Ag News
Looking ahead at financing options for 2026
It’s never too early to start thinking about the next crop season already. Vince Restucci, market segment manager with Valent, said farmers can start making next year’s plans as they sit in their combine cabs during harvest. Restucci said many financing programs for...
Grassley not optimistic for soybeans at Trump-Xi meeting
Longtime United States Senator and farmer Chuck Grassley is not optimistic that the upcoming meeting between President Trump and China’s Xi Jinping will reach a satisfactory conclusion on soybeans. The two presidents are set to meet at the upcoming Asia-Pacific...
Farmers are still flying blind in the ag economy
As harvest rolls on, farmers are flying blind when it comes to the ag economy. On top of the government shutdown, the lack of a new farm bill makes much of the future uncertain as well. Iowa Congressman Randy Feenstra said farmers are missing out on several resources...
Study shows ag exports faltering
The U.S. has traditionally had a healthy agricultural trade surplus for years. As global dynamics change due to multiple political and economic factors, U.S. agricultural imports now exceed exports. A new study says the deficit is likely to get worse in the years...
Efficiency without reward in today’s dairy markets
Trying to make sense of today’s dairy markets might feel like trying to churn butter with a whisk. You can put in the effort, but the results may not make much sense. After a short stretch of stronger prices that gave producers a little breathing room, milk values...
