Top Stories
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 herd sits at a 75-year low, with industry leaders like Iowa Cattlemen’s Association President Craig Moss saying the decision is “extremely disappointing” and creates “unnecessary market volatility.” During her media availability at...
Takeaways from disease pressure during the growing season
2025 was a year of disease pressure that caused headaches for farmers throughout the growing season. Southern rust was a major yield robber and invaded corn growing areas that normally do not have to deal with the disease. Lynn Justesen is a technical services lead...
USMEF looking to further develop strong demand for U.S. protein
Even though we are waiting for the final export numbers for 2025 to be tallied, we already know that demand for U.S. beef, pork, and lamb remained strong last year despite several strong headwinds, including tariffs, a strong dollar, and tight beef supplies. U.S. Meat...
USDA sets new research priorities for 2026
The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Tuesday announced a new slate of research priorities for 2026, focusing on farm profitability, climate resilience and food system innovation. USDA officials said upcoming competitive grants will emphasize soil health, water...
Could a coast to coast railroad help or hurt agriculture?
A major shakeup could be coming to the U.S. railroad network, and agriculture is keeping a close eye on it. Union Pacific is working on a deal to acquire Norfolk Southern. If it goes through, it will create the first true coast-to-coast rail system in the country. The...
Highlighting major economic factors to observe in 2026
The U.S. macroeconomy is influencing agriculture input costs, commodity price trends, and supply and demand fundamentals. Matt Erickson, senior analyst at Terrain, said inflation, tariffs, and interest rates will be major factors to keep an eye on in 2026. Erickson...
What to expect in the January WASDE report
The January USDA WASDE report will be released on Monday January 12th and while we don’t know what changes will be made, if there are changes, they could move the ag marketplace. Matt Bennett of AgMarket.net says that if we get a January WASDE report similar to 2025...
Video
More Ag News
Iowa ag professionals encouraged to broaden their industry knowledge
A new statewide program is available for mid-career Iowa ag professionals to increase their industry knowledge and professional development in 2026. America’s Cultivation Corridor is hosting the Cultivate 360 program in order to deepen the understanding of Iowa’s food...
CoBank projects increased soybean acres in 2026
A new report from CoBank said farmers may be planting more soybeans in 2026. Tanner Ehmke, the lead economist for grains and oilseeds, talked about the numbers. Ehmke said most of the basis price problems appear to be limited to the Dakotas. On the other hand,...
Iowa Century Farms celebration will tie legacy to America250
As Iowa prepares to mark the nation’s 250th birthday, state agriculture leaders are encouraging farm families to take part in a long-standing tradition that honors generations of stewardship on the land. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is now...
NCBA starts at the grassroots
Buck Wehrbein is the outgoing president of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. Wehrbein tells the Iowa Ag Radio Network that his year as president in 2025 went by in a flash. He says profitability for producers is in a great spot and is hopeful that the current...
Biofuel leaders want accelerated action on year-round E15
The Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy, and the National Corn Growers Association released a statement regarding the lack of progress toward a legislative solution offering consumers permanent year-round E15 access. After reaching an impasse in January, House...
