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Making every drop count
Despite drones rapidly gaining popularity among farmers as a viable alternative for spraying, they remain a relatively new technology in farming. Tyler Steinkamp, technical agronomist for Winfield United, oversaw the station showcasing how droplets travel after leaving the drone’s rotor at Winfield United's field day in Story City. Steinkemp believes there is no standardized speed for spraying with a drone because drones differ in their intended use. He shared thoughts on the importance of...
Pork is an ideal holiday meal
The holiday season is upon us and it’s time to feed family and friends during the celebrations. Charlie Torgerson, contractor for the National Pork Board, says pork is a great protein to serve a crowd during those upcoming holiday get-togethers. Torgerson said several...
U.S. “high value” exports on the rise
Bulk ag commodity exports such as soybeans and wheat were running 8% behind a year ago after 10 months of 2024 but the story is much different for “high value” ag export products. That is USDA economist Bart Kenner who says that sales of U.S. fruit and fruit products...
Secretary Naig announces water quality partnership project
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) has formed a public-private partnership with the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) and United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to...
Looking back at some of the year’s market performance
As we are halfway through the last normal trading week of the year, we looked back at some of the trends in different areas of the markets, especially the ones that seemed to make the biggest splashes. On the grain side, it hasn’t been the rosiest picture by any...
Charitable giving can be part of end-of-year tax plans
As we approach the end of 2024, now is a great time to prepare for tax season. There are plenty of things you can do to set yourself up in a better position before you need to file. Matt Roberts, chief planning officer with Syverson Strege, said that, if you plan on...
South American Weather and Crop Update (12-17-24)
It’s smooth sailing for the crops in South America right now, as the weather has been fairly cooperative recently. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest conditions in Brazil and Argentina. Since the weather has been good, the crop...
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More Ag News
Sticking with financial plans during economic volatility
It’s no secret that the economy is extremely volatile right now. Things were looking pretty grim after President Trump announced his plan for widespread tariffs, and now the markets have shot back up following his announcement today that the retaliatory tariffs will...
There’s nothing micro about the importance of micronutrients
Micronutrients play a huge role in the success of our crops, especially here in the Corn Belt. Tim Laatsch, North America director of agronomy with Koch Agronomic Services, said a deficiency in micronutrients impacts the overall health and potential yield of both corn...
Optimizing the planting season for a strong start
Planting season has already started for some of the warmer portions of the United States and it won’t be long before farmers in Iowa cross the start line and begin planting crops. Paul Sauer is a product manager for Helena Ag and covers the northern portion of Iowa....
NPPC Praises Sens. Ernst and Grassley’s efforts to avert pork industry crisis
National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) President Duane Stateler, a pork producer from McComb, Ohio, released the following statement after U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Roger Marshall (R-KS) introduced the Food Security and Farm...
Dairy’s quiet comeback: Signs of strength and hope ahead
After enduring years of challenges marked by fluctuating prices and shifting consumer trends, the dairy industry has recently shown signs of renewed strength. Improved demand, stabilizing input costs, and a growing global appetite for dairy products have all...
