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Grassley says modern economy better able to handle tariffs, wary of uncertainty
United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) says that the modern economy is better suited to handle the current trade war but is still wary of the uncertainty brought on by ever changing tariffs. He says the economy today is better able to handle tariff shocks than the U.S. economy of the early 20th century. Senator Grassley is consistently vocal in calling himself a “free trader” but has softened his stance from earlier in the spring when tariffs were first announced by President Trump. The...
April rainfall delivers drought relief
April delivered on its promise of April showers and helped to shrink drought coverage across the nation with much needed rainfall. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says the latest U.S. Drought Monitor looks much improved to begin May. Rippey says that last fall’s peak...
Iowa Corn, Hy-Vee, Growth Energy partner on Unleaded 88 branding
On Monday, Iowa Corn and Growth Energy announced that they have partnered with Hy-Vee to update the branding for Unleaded 88 at Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh convenience stores across the Midwest. Unleaded 88 is a fuel blend with 15% ethanol, usable in 96% of today’s cars...
Secretary Rollins sends letter about screwworm spread to Mexican government
The threat of New World screwworm is looming, but not enough progress has been made towards containing it. Recently, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins wrote a letter to Mexico Secretary of Agriculture Julio Berdegué Sacristán, urging the Mexican government to...
Japan ramen chain now using underutilized U.S. pork cuts
Two national ramen noodle chains in Japan are now using underutilized U.S. pork cuts in popular dishes, thanks to product development efforts led by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) and funded through support from the National Pork Board and USDA. USMEF...
USDA trade nominee Lindberg cites litany of ag trade barriers
USDA Undersecretary for Trade nominee Luke Lindberg says the United States ag sector is facing too many unfair trade barriers in world trade. Lindberg told Senate Ag lawmakers at his recent confirmation hearing that the U.S. for too long has let other nations “rig”...
Nomination deadline for the Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award extended to May 19
Iowans seeking to nominate individuals or families who are conservation leaders in their community for the 2025 Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award now have two additional weeks to complete and submit the application. The nomination deadline for the prestigious...
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More Ag News
Insecticide-resistant soybean aphids pose a challenge to Iowa farmers
For a few years, soybean aphids weren’t too much of a problem in Iowa. However, last year was a wake-up call for farmers in Northern Iowa especially. Kurt Maertens, BASF technical services representative for Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois, said that soybean aphids...
Mental Health Awareness Month is especially important for agriculture
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Farmers and ranchers experience higher rates of mental health issues compared to the general population. This is due to many factors, including financial strain and weather-related stress. Dr. Larry Tranel, a dairy field...
Farmland prices began to soften in 2024
2024 was the cooling period for farmland prices after several years of quickly rising farmland values. Randy Dickhut, farmland sales expert with Agricultural Economic Insights, says fluctuating farmland prices are a typical pattern over a multi-year period. According...
Iowa cash rents drop in 2025
The 2025 annual survey of cash rental rates for Iowa farmland shows that rates decreased, on average, by 2.9 percent in 2025 to $271 per acre. It’s the first decline in cash rents since 2019, after a peak of $279 per acre during the previous two years of the survey....
Congress yet to deliver on E15 promise
E15 fuel will be available again this summer thanks to another temporary waiver from the Trump Administration. While Iowa is one of eight Midwestern states already allowing year-round E15 sales, this fix remains only partial. Iowa lawmakers are still in the fight,...
