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Connecting fairgoers with farmers and learning how food is produced
The Iowa Food & Family Project is an education and outreach initiative that connects consumers with farmers and provides information about how food is grown and raised in Iowa. The Iowa Food & Family Project features prominently at the Iowa State Fair inside the south entrance of the Varied Industries Building at the Iowa State Fair. Lydia Zerby is the Iowa Soybean Association consumer insights manager, and she tells the Iowa Ag Radio Network about the coalition of ag groups that work...
US hog inventory edges lower; productivity ticks up
The U.S. hog and pig inventory totaled 73.7 million head as of June 1, down slightly from a year earlier and from March, USDA said Thursday in its quarterly report. Market hogs accounted for 67.8 million head, while 5.88 million were kept for breeding, according to...
Next week’s heat dome could stress Iowa crops
We’re roughly halfway through the growing season here in Iowa, and there are varying crop conditions across the state. Much of the crop looks very strong currently, but there are some areas struggling with disease, pest, and weather issues. Dan Bjorklund, technical...
Uncertainty around Brazil’s production forecast for 2027
Brazil’s corn and soybean crops could have a major impact on global grain markets. Joanna Colussi, a research assistant professor of agricultural economics at Purdue University, identified fertilizer as the root of the problem. Colussi discussed how the stagnant...
Screwworm far from Iowa, but worth watching
New World Screwworm remains hundreds of miles from Iowa, with confirmed cases confined to parts of Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico. While there is no indication the pest is moving into Iowa anytime soon, state officials say it's important for livestock producers to...
Heavier cattle weights bring bonuses and challenges at marketing time
As everyone knows by now, the total number of cattle in the U.S. herd is historically low. One of the ways that the low supply is being compensated for to meet the high demand for beef is by keeping cattle on feed longer and feeding them to heavier finishing weights....
Soybean growers applaud Supreme Court decision on glyphosate
The American Soybean Association is praising a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that federal pesticide labeling requirements take precedence over state failure-to-warn claims. The decision in Durnell v. Monsanto found that pesticide labels approved under federal law cannot...
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Boozman seeks to shift foreign food aid to USDA in farm bill
Senate Ag Committee Chair John Boozman says that USDA should operate foreign food aid programs, not the State Department. Boozman, says he hopes to make the switch if he can pass a new farm bill. Most U.S. foreign food aid was transferred to the State Department after...
Missouri River runoff remains well below average
Runoff into the Missouri River Basin remains well below normal, prompting the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to shorten this year's navigation season. June runoff above Sioux City, Iowa, totaled 2.9 million acre-feet, just 52 percent of average. The Corps now forecasts...
House Ag ranking member calls for stability
House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Rep. Angie Craig says Congress must do more to address the financial challenges facing American farmers. During a press call with agricultural reporters, the Minnesota Democrat argued that continued economic uncertainty and...
South American Weather and Crop Update (7-7-26)
Not much has changed with the weather in South America, as dry conditions are persisting across the growing regions of the continent. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest forecasts for Brazil and Argentina. McBride said progress for the...
Food hubs: the connecting piece for local farmers and producers
When people think of agriculture, they tend to focus only on what happens on the farm, namely planting, harvesting, or raising livestock. However, farmers still need to find a way of reaching consumers, which is where food hubs come in. Market access can be...
