Top Stories
A different perspective on California Proposition 12
California Proposition 12 may be here to stay, as the Senate Farm Bill does not include any legislation to address it. Several swine industry groups, including the National Pork Producers Council, expressed their disappointment in the decision and are working to get it included in the final version of the farm bill, but there are swine producers who have actually seen benefits in their swine operations after becoming compliant to Prop 12. One of those swine producers is Brent Hershey, owner...
Marketing pork to domestic consumers and securing a long-term relationship
The National Pork Board’s board of directors has given the NPB the directive to help drive demand for pork in the United States in 2025. David Newman is the senior vice president of market growth for the National Pork Board and he says while there is more optimism for...
Without new farm bill, farmers are struggling to get loans
Leaders of some key American agricultural groups testified before the Senate Ag Committee on the state of the U.S. farm economy. American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) President Zippy Duvall said it’s been difficult for farmers to prepare for the upcoming growing...
Discovering Iowa’s best burger: the 16th annual contest is here
The Iowa Beef Industry Council (IBIC) and the Iowa Cattlemen's Association (ICA) are excited to announce the launch of the 16th annual Iowa's Best Burger contest. This much-anticipated event celebrates the culinary creativity of Iowa's talented chefs and...
Strong South American harvest facing a few challenges
South America’s agricultural sector is having a strong year, with high yields boosting expectations for tomorrow’s WASDE report. Markets anticipate impressive numbers, reflecting strong grain and oilseed production across the region. However, weather challenges,...
U.S. red meat exports thrived in 2024
Exports of U.S. pork eclipsed previous highs in both volume and value in 2024, according to year-end data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). Beef export value climbed 5% from 2023 despite a slight decrease in volume, as unit...
Early season weed control in corn
Having clean fields as corn plants emerge will get the crop off to the best possible start. Phil Krieg, an agronomy service representative with Syngenta, says early-season weeds fundamentally alter corn growth from the very beginning of the growing season. Krieg...
Video
More Ag News
First MAHA report undermines confidence in U.S. agriculture
The Make America Healthy Again Commission released its first report this week, and it contained some troubling assertions. The consequences of this report are causing concerns among farmers and ranchers. Sam Kieffer, vice president of public policy for the American...
2025 planting nearly done, but not easy
Iowa farmers got an early jump on planting this spring, taking advantage of favorable conditions in April. But progress hasn’t come without challenges, as scattered storms and temperature swings kept growers on their toes. With planting nearly complete, heavy rains...
Indigo Ag completes industry-leading fourth carbon crop
Recently, Indigo Ag announced the issuance of its fourth carbon crop, which totaled at nearly 1 megaton of carbon sequestration. This makes them the only company to complete four carbon harvests and pay participating farmers. Lauren Lindner, account director with...
U.S. Export Sales Report (5-22-25)
After a few weeks of excellent export sales, this week’s report was much quieter. This has helped the markets settle down ahead of the extended Memorial Day weekend. Allendale commodity broker Ben Breisch gave an update on the latest numbers from the USDA. Breisch...
SAF Coalition commends House for advancing 45Z extension
Today, the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Coalition’s Executive Director, Alison Graab, issued the following statement after the House passed its version of the budget reconciliation bill which includes an extension of 45Z: “The SAF Coalition applauds the House of...
