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A return to above normal temperatures in mid-September
USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says near to above normal temperatures and precipitation are expected for most of the nation for the week of September 16th-22nd. Rippey says the National Weather Service’s 8-14 day outlook calls for a return of warmer temperatures in the middle of the month. He also provides the precipitation forecast for large swaths of the United States. The Eastern Corn Belt has dealt with dryness for large stretches of the summer and Rippey says that relief is not in...
Crop insurance enhancements and improvements announced
A big piece of the farm safety net, crop insurance, is getting an overhaul courtesy of the Big Beautiful Bill. Risk Management Agency Administrator Pat Swanson explains the adjustments to enterprise and whole farm units. Swanson says there are also recently enacted...
Farmers feeling the fertilizer price squeeze
Farm groups are warning the White House that the tariff war is making already high fertilizer prices worse. That’s making it harder for farmers to afford to plant their typical amounts of corn, soybeans, and wheat. Politico said ag industry representatives have...
FBN seed platform offers leading traits and genetics to Iowa’s farmers
Farmers Business Network has relaunched its seed platform to provide industry leading traits and genetics to Iowa’s growers. FBN co-founder Charles Baron says Iowa farmers have a full selection of seed types available in one place on the FBN platform. Baron says that...
Pro Farmer Crop Tour finds another strong crop
For the second consecutive year, scouts on the Pro Farmer Crop Tour have found a record corn yield. The final report, released Friday on profarmer.com, projects a national average corn yield of 182.7 bushels per acre, which is about a 0.5% increase over last year’s...
Iowa Biodiesel Board urges EPA to reallocate RFS gallons lost to small refinery exemptions
Today, the Iowa Biodiesel Board joined other trade associations in evaluating EPA’s granting of full or partial exemptions from compliance with the Renewable Fuel Standards from 2016-2024 to 38 oil refineries. Grant Kimberley, executive director of the Iowa Biodiesel...
Heat and moisture create ideal conditions for disease pressure
As indicated by the results of the Pro Farmer Crop Tour, the crops in Iowa are looking good as we head into the end of the growing season. However, that doesn’t mean that there still aren’t some issues to look out for. Travis Ralfs, Eastern Iowa territory account...
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More Ag News
Modern Ag Alliance advocates for farmers from coast to coast
Even though the Modern Ag Alliance is only just over one year old, its impact in that short amount of time has been far-reaching. At this point, the coalition now contains over 100 ag organizations. At this year’s Farm Progress Show, Elizabeth Burns-Thompson,...
Consumers shrug off high beef prices
When retail prices for any product reach record-high levels, the demand usually plummets quickly. U.S. beef appears to be the exception to the basic rule of economics. Retail grocery store prices for beef skyrocketed and show no signs of descending. But demand hasn’t...
Wyffels Hybrids providing independent seed solutions for Iowa’s growers
The spring and summer seasons have delivered significant rainfall and warm weather to the state of Iowa and set the table for disease pressure. Mitch Heisler is product and agronomy manager at Wyffels Hybrids and he says the corn in Iowa has had everything thrown at...
Soybean leaders warn of growing tariff consequences
China has effectively shut U.S. soybeans out of its market, instead relying on Brazil to meet its massive demand. The real blow has come from retaliatory tariffs, which have priced American soybeans out and stripped farmers of access to their top export customer. To...
Cattle industry monitoring human screwworm case
A human case of New World screwworm was reported by the Centers for Disease Control after being discovered earlier this month. Colin Woodall, CEO of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, said the cattle industry will monitor the situation, but this isn’t a risk...
