Top Stories
Technology and value added ag guide ISU priorities
Iowa State University President David Cook is spending his first year on the job looking at where the university can have the greatest impact in the years ahead, and agriculture remains a major part of that conversation. Cook has been traveling across Iowa during his first several months as president, meeting with communities and learning more about what the university is doing well, where there may be opportunities to improve, and what Iowans will need from Iowa State in the future. Those...
TQA builds trust through consistent training
Transportation Quality Assurance® (TQA®), the pork industry’s certification program, provides science-based training for animal handlers and professional transporters who are responsible for moving pigs from farms to other facilities. Stephanie Wetter, director of...
Farm production costs mixed last year, soaring in 2026
Farm production costs were mixed last year but are up significantly in 2026. USDA Chief Economist Justin Benevidez provides the specifics from 2025. Benevidez says the largest increase occurred in livestock and poultry production. However, the latest farm expenditure...
Greater consistency and quality for consumers and retailers
Familiar USDA grading systems, such as those for beef at your local store, are becoming more technologically advanced to ensure greater consistency and quality for consumers and retailers alike. Robert Eaton at the Agricultural Marketing Service explains how...
USDA: Phased reopening for livestock in southern U.S. ports
USDA will begin reopening the southern border to cattle imports from Mexico next month after determining conditions have improved in the fight against New World screwworm. The Agriculture Department says the Douglas, Arizona, port of entry will reopen August 24 for...
Multiple diseases threaten Iowa corn crop
Southern rust has now been confirmed in several Iowa counties, but crop experts say this year's situation looks much different than the widespread outbreak growers experienced in 2025. Even so, they caution that producers should continue scouting fields, as southern...
Consolidation trends in the U.S. nitrogen fertilizer industry
While geopolitical conflicts often take the balme for volatile nitrogen fertilizer prices, decades of deep industry consolidation- driven by natural gas costs- may be the true underlying factor. Henrique Monaco, a Ph.D. candidate in agricultural economics at the...
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Senate farm bill stalls over SNAP dispute
The Senate Agriculture Committee failed to advance its Farm Bill Thursday after Democrats rejected the Republican proposal in a 10-11 vote, leaving the legislation without a clear path forward. Committee Chairman John Boozman recessed the markup after negotiations...
Iowa producers can use RFID tags to improve traceability and check-in for exhibition swine
Swine exhibition sites, state pork associations, and Extension programs with a current Premises Identification Number (PIN) are eligible to apply for up to four handheld radio-frequency identification, or RFID, tag readers. Brent Pepin, director of swine health at the...
Crop disease progression has been slower in Iowa this year
As a general statement, disease pressure has been lower this year in Iowa than in 2025. However, farmers still have their hands full dealing with disease pressure as familiar threats like tar spot and newer problems such as southern rust are being found in Iowa’s...
U.S. Export Sales Report (8-6-26)
This week’s export sales were decent once again and provided some baseline support for the grain markets. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest corn numbers from the USDA. While the soybean sales weren’t bad, McBride said they were...
Iowa farmers urged to act before options disappear
As many farm operations continue working through a challenging economic environment, experts say recognizing financial problems early can make a significant difference. While many producers wait until lenders raise concerns, addressing financial issues sooner can...
