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Concerns over Mississippi River levels as harvest approaches
There's continued evidence that we may once again experience some low water conditions on the lower Mississippi River this fall. The prospects for restricted barge transportation this fall may come as a surprise for many given the healthy amounts of rainfall throughout much of the Midwest this spring and summer. However, the spigot has mostly been turned off throughout August – particularly in states that feed into the Ohio River, which feeds the Mississippi. According to the U.S. Army Corps...
Rural America helping to power AI innovation
Rural America is becoming the home of more data centers to power artificial intelligence. Jeff Johnston, Lead Economist for Infrastructure with CoBank, says the rural areas of the United States are helping to lead the charge forward for AI technology. Johnston says...
South American Weather and Crop Update (6-10-25)
Much of the forecast for Brazil and Argentina has remained the same week-over-week. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an explanation of the latest weather patterns in South America. Safrinha harvest progress in Brazil is behind the yearly average, but...
Deadline extended for AFBF Ag Innovation Challenge
Aspiring entrepreneurs now have more time to complete their applications for the Ag Innovation Challenge. The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), in partnership with Farm Credit, has extended the deadline to register for the 2026 Ag Innovation Challenge to June...
Crafting the message for the consumer
Taste What Pork Can Do™ is the new industry wide consumer campaign from the National Pork Board. The campaign is similar in size and scope to successful campaigns of the past such as Pork, The Other White Meat. Kiersten Hafer with the National Pork Board says the...
Chevron’s new Iowa based tech center to drive innovation in future fuels
State and local leaders along with company leaders at Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) celebrated the grand opening of the Ames Technology Center this morning on the Chevron Renewable Energy Group (CREG) Campus. The 45,000 square foot facility, which sits on the...
U.S. pork industry eyes growth in Vietnam & beyond
As the pork industry continues its push to expand global demand, the importance of both established and emerging markets is more evident than ever. While long-standing trade relationships remain vital, there’s growing momentum behind newer and evolving partnerships....
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More Ag News
Extreme heat creating concerns for Iowa’s livestock and crops
The extreme heat in recent days has felt more like late July or August and is causing stress for livestock and crops in Iowa. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says the more immediate concern is for livestock. High humidity and overnight temperatures in the upper 70s and...
U.S. Export Sales Report (6-26-25)
Export sales are looking good ahead of the Quarterly Grain Stocks report that will be released next Monday. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the corn sales were especially great in the latest data. Soybeans also looked good this week, which is a far cry...
Tar spot has already been observed in East Central Iowa
Pollination is quickly approaching for corn and soybeans, and it’s important to make sure that crops are performing at a high level in order to maximize yields down the road. Diseases can enter and impact a field very quickly, so prevention is key to disease...
Landus, Iowa’s largest farmer-owned cooperative, launches nationwide CEO search
Landus is launching a nationwide search for its next Chief Executive Officer. Since April, the Board of Directors and interim CEO Sam Caton have met with farmer-owners and employees to gather feedback. Their input has been crucial in identifying the qualities needed...
Naig reports encouraging crop conditions in much of Iowa
Before planters even rolled into Iowa fields this spring, there were early warnings that a hot and dry summer could pose serious challenges for the 2025 growing season. While summer is still in its first week, crop conditions across much of the state are holding up...
