Top Stories
The proof of pork demand is in consumer data
The National Pork Board has a comprehensive business intelligence team analyzing data throughout the supply chain, including consumer preference, volume, value, and purchase trends. Kiersten Hafer, NPB vice president of business intelligence and innovation, said they bring together all the information that matters most for growth in the industry. The extensive data collected by Hafer and her team played a critical role in shaping the “Taste What Pork Can Do®” consumer brand campaign. Those...
Small machines with big impact on Iowa farms
Utility vehicles may not always be the largest machines on an operation, but John Deere says they are often among the most used. As farms continue to look for efficiency in daily tasks, the company says feedback from producers is shaping how newer Gator models are...
Doubts around year-round E15 linger
Agreement on legislation to allow year-round E15 sales continued to elude farm and oil interests despite a Sunday deadline. A draft plan by the House GOP’s Rural Domestic Energy Council failed to win support by the weekend from mid-sized oil refiners who killed...
U.S. and Taiwan sign reciprocal trade agreement
Last week, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced the signing of a reciprocal trade agreement between the U.S. and Taiwan. U.S. Meat Export Federation President and CEO Dan Halstrom said the agreement includes significant market access gains for U.S....
NASCAR partnering with POET to use new zero-carbon fuel
As part of a new partnership with POET, NASCAR has become the first major U.S. motorsport to utilize zero-carbon ethanol. This makes POET, which is already the nation’s largest biofuel producer, the Official Biofuel Partner of NASCAR. POET Founder and CEO Jeff Broin...
Full-scale beef herd rebuild remains on hold
Typically, when beef prices are at a high level in the grocery store and herd numbers are low, the response is a rebuilding of supply. Nate Kauffman, the senior vice president and Omaha branch executive for the Kansas City Fed, says the numbers show there should be...
Secretary Naig calls on Congress for year-round E15 access
Today, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig urged the U.S. House of Representatives’ Rural Domestic Energy Council to find agreement to make year-round E15 available to drivers around the country. Secretary Naig, a longtime biofuels advocate, reinforced the...
Video
More Ag News
Iowa farmers need increased economic certainty
As concerns continue to rise regarding the possibility of year-round E15, farmers are still having to deal with heightened economic pressures. The increased demand from year-round E15 would go a long way in helping to alleviate much of that burden. Iowa Congressman...
More details released for USDA bridge payment program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced details of the bridge assistance payment program for specialty crop growers. Up to $1 billion was set aside in December for specialty crop growers to receive financial help through the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program. John...
Ethanol industry cites oil industry profits as year-round E15 deal stalls
The ethanol industry says a handful of mid-sized oil refiners are the major hangup for year-round E15 legislation and are prioritizing profits over a deal which would allow access to E15 year-round. Troy Bredenkamp of the Renewable Fuels Association says the six...
U.S. farm numbers decline for second straight year, USDA says
The number of farms in the United States fell by 15,000 in 2025, continuing a long-term decline in the nation’s agricultural landscape, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported. According to USDA’s annual Land in Farms report, the total number of farms dropped to...
Strong protein demand meets ongoing producer challenges
Growing consumer interest in protein-rich diets is helping drive optimism across the livestock industry, even as producers continue to manage risk and long-term investment decisions. Marshall Hansen, Senior Vice President of Corporate Proteins with Farm Credit...
