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Southern Rust has exploded in many Iowa fields
Southern Rust has exploded in many Iowa corn fields this year, and farmers who did not treat their fields beforehand are feeling the pain. Kurt Maertens, BASF technical service representative in Eastern Iowa, said that, while no fungicide is able to perfectly handle the disease, he has been pleased with how BASF’s fungicide lineup has performed so far this year. Maertens said there is a stark difference between untreated corn and Veltyma-treated corn in their Story City test plots. While...
South American Weather and Crop Update (7-1-25)
Not much has changed for the weather in South America, and the upcoming forecast is still looking to be dry. The dryness should be good for harvest progress, but at some point the weather will get too dry and start to cause some problems. Allendale commodity broker...
Iowa beef producers and consumers will benefit from reconciliation bill
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is encouraged by the Senate’s passing of the “One Big Beautfiul Bill” and is now urging the House to quickly pass the revised version so President Trump can sign it into law. Notably, this version does not include the...
Iowa reacts to Senate passage of reconciliation bill
Ernst Celebrates Big Beautiful Win for Iowans WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) released the following statement celebrating the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act: “President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill delivers on what Iowans voted for in...
Iowa’s experience informs national H5N1 effort
Concerns about H5N1’s potential impact on America’s hog herds have been building for some time, especially since the virus crossed the species barrier in 2024, infecting dairy cattle and a handful of humans. While it hasn’t proven as deadly to mammals as it has to...
Concerns for Iowa farmers remain as Canada negotiations resume
Canada’s Department of Finance announced over the weekend that it would rescind a digital services tax at the center of a trade dispute between the U.S. and Canada, allowing negotiations between the countries to continue. However, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF)...
Quiet Quarterly Grain Stocks and Acreage report surprises analysts
There was a little bit of buzz heading into the Quarterly Grain Stocks and Acreage reports today, with many analysts predicting a slight increase to corn acres in particular. However, the reports did not deliver on that, and the market prices were mostly unbothered....
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RFS and USDA July bean and corn balance sheet
How does the recently announced Renewable Fuel Standard proposal play a role in USDA's U.S. soybean and corn supply and demand estimate in the July WASDE report? USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer says the RFS proposal plays a big role in the soybean numbers from this...
Great weather for pollination in Southwest Iowa
If you look at the nearest corn field, you might see tassels at the tops of each of the stalks of corn. That means pollination is in full swing, and farmers are praying for the stars to align and allow their crops to reach their full potential yields. Southwest Iowa...
USMEF talks global beef demand and more at Cattle Industry Summer Meeting
Tariffs and other trade issues were top of mind for cattle producers and other beef industry leaders attending the Cattle Industry Summer Business Meeting in San Diego, California. U.S. Meat Export Federation President and CEO Dan Halstrom said that, despite tariffs...
Shrinking labor force poised to threaten U.S. economic growth
Declining labor force participation, lower birth rates and a collapse in net migration are combining to squeeze the U.S. labor supply. The looming labor shortage could begin to weigh on businesses and strain economic growth as soon as later this year, according to a...
Iowa Eyes Below-Average Missouri River Runoff
Despite a wetter year in parts of the region, the runoff in the Missouri River Basin remains below average. Years of drought have left a lasting impact, and the system has yet to recover fully. Iowa depends on the Missouri River to the west and the Mississippi River...
