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Small refinery exemptions offer a mixed bag for U.S. farmers
The Environmental Protection Agency granted 29 Small Refinery Exemptions under the Renewable Fuel Standard this week. Brian Glenn, director of government affairs for the American Farm Bureau Federation, says the exemptions create a shortfall for biofuels demand by allowing small oil refineries to blend less biofuel into the U.S. fuel supply. While these exemptions would generally result in less demand for American-grown biofuels, EPA pledged to make up the difference in upcoming years. The...
Pro Farmer Crop Tour concludes, projects lower corn, higher soybean yields vs. 2025
Pro Farmer is projecting a smaller U.S. corn crop in 2026 after its annual Crop Tour found lower yield potential across much of the Corn Belt. The organization estimates the national corn yield at 173.2 bushels per acre, with production totaling 15.344 billion...
Rural healthcare among top issues in Iowa Senate race
It’s no secret that the farm economy has been tough on our rural communities in recent years. On top of losing local restaurants and grocery stores, many small towns are now in healthcare deserts as rural clinics and other facilities continue to close. As we approach...
Beef supporters turned crisis into lasting impact
What started as an effort to recognize young livestock exhibitors during a canceled Iowa State Fair has grown into an organization that has raised $1.3 million in just a few years. The Iowa State Fair Beef Champions Supporters formed in 2020 after the COVID pandemic...
Senator Grassley discusses negotiations with Canada and USMCA review
United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) says that tough negotiating with Canada seems to be making progress with longstanding issues over dairy trade. Grassley says that some of the biggest hurdles in the way of renewing the USMCA have centered around dairy....
Iowa Farm Bureau promoting farm conservation practices
The Iowa State Fair brings hundreds of thousands of people to the fairgrounds each day of the fair- many of whom are several generations removed from the farm. This provides a fantastic opportunity to educate more people on the practices farmers use across the state...
514 Iowa Century and Heritage farm families honored at the 2026 Iowa State Fair
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig and Iowa Farm Bureau Federation President Brent Johnson today honored 514 Iowa farm families with Century or Heritage Farm designations during ceremonies at the 2026 Iowa State Fair. The annual recognition celebrates families...
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Fertilizer concentration concerns Iowa Corn leadership
A concentrated fertilizer industry and stubbornly high prices are drawing increased scrutiny from farmers and federal investigators. The United States Department of Justice is reportedly investigating several leading fertilizer producers to determine whether pricing...
Ag Secretary Rollins addresses President Trump’s beef import plan
Last Friday, President Trump announced via Truth Social his plan to lower the tariff on 300,000 metric tons of ground beef imports in order to lower costs for consumers. However, this has generated a largely negative reaction from cattle producers as the U.S. cattle...
August Cattle on Feed report shows decline in placements
USDA published the August Cattle on Feed report last Friday and while it shows increased cattle inventory in feedlots compared to last year, there are still lower placements. USDA livestock analyst Anthony Fischer breaks down the numbers in the August report. Fischer...
ICA responds to announcement on foreign beef imports
The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association President Craig Moss issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s post regarding beef imports: "President Trump's announcement today about importing foreign beef is extremely disappointing to the Iowa Cattlemen’s...
Nigeria now open to receive U.S. red meat exports
U.S. agriculture has seen another market access win, as Nigeria is now open to a wide range of U.S. beef and pork products. Previously, Nigeria only accepted a limited number of processed meat items, but the USDA Export Library now says that U.S. red meat products can...
