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How El Niño will impact agriculture
The weather pattern shifting to El Niño this year has been a topic of conversation in weather forecasts for some time. Chad Merrill, senior meteorologist at AccuWeather, says the El Niño weather pattern arrived earlier this month. Merrill says the forecast for July is calling for dry conditions, even in areas that have already received a lot of moisture this spring and in the early summer. In addition to the dryness, many rural areas of the country will also expect to experience increased...
Food fight: US dietary guidelines could cut meat and potatoes
Beef groups slammed recommendations for consumers to increase their protein intake via beans, peas and lentils, calling the proposal “unhinged.” A major battle is brewing over how much red meat Americans should consume — and it has the beef industry seeing red. The...
“Culture Celebrators” have a particular affinity for pork
The Culture Celebrator is one of seven consumer segments identified in an in-depth consumer segmentation study completed by the National Pork Board. Sarah Showalter, manager of business and consumer insights at NPB, said the Culture Celebrator segment shows an...
Gaining an understanding of SCN biology
We talk extensively about Soybean Cyst Nematodes, and there is a good reason. They are a fast-moving pest located in all 99 counties in Iowa. Iowa is one of only two states in the U.S. with populations in every county. The other is Illinois. So, what else can we learn...
Cold air blasts across the state
After some warmer temperatures, a blast of cold wind hit the state. It seems that the switch to winter may be upon us already, as those cold temperatures are projected to stick around for a while. Fortunately, it looks like the precipitation will stick around as well....
U.S. Export Sales Report (11-21-24)
While global demand looks like it might start to shift soon, the USDA released another positive export sales report this week. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest numbers. Flash sales were predicted to potentially fall off, but McBride...
Ag experts agree new farm bill not likely until new Congress
Ag experts agree that a new farm bill is now unlikely until next year when the new Congress is in session. Leadership elections have been held in Congress, but lawmakers have a lot of non-farm bill related work left to complete including the annual defense bill. John...
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More Ag News
Using corn seed traits to manage pest issues
Disease, pest, and weed pressure get stronger every year, so it’s important to have new seed traits that can better handle those problems. The corn lineup at Pioneer is currently going through some changes to make sure that farmers will have enough tools in their...
Forecasts for soybean world supplies and soybean oil and meal
USDA will release the prospective plantings report on March 31st and will give the first glimpse into what to expect for acreage numbers this planting season. The industry expectation is that there will be a shift of acres from soybeans to corn. However, USDA grains...
USDA expediting direct help for producers
On National Ag Day, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said the agency is issuing up to $10 billion directly to ag producers through the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program for the 2024 crop year. ECAP will help agricultural producers mitigate the impacts of increased...
U.S. milk industry projected to see modest growth in 2025
What are USDA’s projections for the American dairy industry in the coming year? At this year's Ag Outlook Forum, USDA dairy analyst Peyton Ferrier said the industry might see modest growth. When it comes to price projections for the year ahead, Ferrier said prices for...
Earth Optics’ Predictive Ag Report promises a deep dive into ag data
Advancements in precision agriculture, data collection, and soil sampling are revolutionizing how farmers understand and manage their land. With cutting-edge technology providing unprecedented insights, farmers of all sizes can make more informed decisions to boost...
