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U.S. Export Sales Report (7-24-26)
This week saw another mostly uneventful export sales report, but that is typical for this time of year. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the corn markets are mostly done looking at the old crop sales and have instead shifted their focus to the shipment numbers. McBride said the soybean markets are also not too worried about old crop sales, but the new crop sales were great. As far as the U.S.-China trade agreement goes, McBride said there is still some good progress being made. The...
Rain has been falling across Iowa in some large bursts
The weather has brought plenty of rain for most parts of the state recently, and it has done so in large bursts. In fact, some parts of central Iowa saw over 4.5 inches of rain in a single day. This is great for the soil moisture profiles, but it was almost too much...
U.S.-China trade a top focus at USMEF Spring Conference
The U.S.-China trade relationship was a major focus of the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Spring Conference, which wrapped up Friday, May 23rd, in Fort Worth, Texas. Guest speaker John Newton, the executive head of Terrain, said he expects the current tariff...
Cattle industry prepares for USMCA review
Since returning to office in January, President Trump has once again brought trade policy to the forefront of national discussion. His previous use of tariffs is now facing scrutiny from the U.S. Court of International Trade, reigniting debate over their impact. But...
Iowa is still slightly dry, but rains have been helpful
The beginning of May was quite dry compared to years past, but the last third of the month brought enough rain to make it wetter than average overall. The timing couldn’t have been much better either, as many farmers were able to get their crops in the ground before...
U.S. Export Sales Report (5-30-25)
The USDA released its weekly U.S. Export Sales Report on Thursday. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the corn sales were decent this week, but that’s still high for what we expect at this time of year. On the other hand, soybean exports were slightly lower...
Quantifying genetics can lead to premium profits
Beef demand remains strong, but it’s important to always be thinking about the future and ways to improve production practices and maximize return on investment. Kara Lee, director of producer engagement for Certified Angus Beef, says that a focus on quality genetics...
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More Ag News
Thune pushes Farm Bill, farmers push harder
Farmers are running out of patience as depressed commodity prices and razor-thin profit margins continue to squeeze their operations. The much-celebrated “Big Beautiful Bill” passed earlier this summer, offering some relief, but it did little to calm the frustration...
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...
