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USDA sets spring crop insurance prices
As spring planting gears up across the country, the Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency has determined crop insurance prices for 2026. Faith Parum, an economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation, has details on three major crops. Parum said these are slight changes from what farmers saw in spring 2025. Parum said farmers have a stronger safety net this year, thanks in part to the updates in last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. For more information, visit...
Chaos in the cattle complex
After a sustained run of lofty prices, we have seen a substantial selloff in the cattle complex in recent weeks. Commodity broker Eric Relph of Commstock Investments says that we have seen multiple limit down moves in recent trading days. Relph says traders are now...
Secretary Naig invites Iowa-based livestock vaccine developers to apply for research grant
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today announced the availability of the Livestock Protection Innovation Grant to support an Iowa-based company working to develop vaccines that help protect livestock from foreign animal diseases. The Iowa Department of...
Ag group rolls into Washington with a message
The Farmers for Free Trade motorcade made its way across the country, carrying the voices of producers worried about how ongoing trade tensions are squeezing their operations. Earlier this year, agricultural leaders cautioned the Trump administration that while they...
Food Bank of Iowa receives another crucial donation
Today, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints brought in a second truckload of food to complete a 72,000-pound donation to the Food Bank of Iowa. This is the organization’s second donation to the Food Bank of Iowa, with the first being in February 2024. Food...
More details still needed on U.S. and China trade agreement
Details remain scarce on the framework agreement of a trade deal between the United States and China although some optimism has returned to the soybean complex in the ag marketplace. Chinese officials did confirm some of the details of the framework agreement...
No plan yet to open U.S. to Mexican cattle imports
Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins said the U.S. isn’t ready to open its border once again to cattle imports from Mexico. Despite that, Rollins said Mexico’s efforts to contain the flesh-eating New World Screwworm are progressing well. The border has been largely closed to...
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Soybean demand can still grow in livestock industry
The United Soybean Board (USB) is looking at every opportunity to expand demand for U.S. soybeans. And even though the livestock industry is currently the biggest customer for soybeans, there is still plenty of room for growth. USB Chair Philip Good said the dairy...
Tariff aid expected this week or next
With farm margins under pressure, USDA is expected to roll out long anticipated tariff assistance soon. That’s Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation Richard Fordyce during his Senate confirmation hearing this year. Fordyce says USDA is adding up farm...
USTR holding public hearing on USMCA
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) will hold a public hearing this week on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The hearing is in anticipation of a scheduled review of the trade pact set for next year. A keynote session of the U.S. Meat Export...
Secretary Naig welcomes applications for Choose Iowa value-added grants
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is accepting applications for the next round of Choose Iowa Value-Added Grants. The highly competitive cost-share grant expands access to Iowa-grown,...
Why animal movement matters in screwworm control
Last week, we focused on the on-farm threats posed by New World Screwworm and the small wounds that can serve as entry points for the fly. But the effort to keep the pest out of U.S. herds goes far beyond the pasture. There is an even bigger challenge tied to the...
