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Senator Grassley discusses Senate Farm Bill 2.0 discussion draft
Today the office of Senate Ag Chairman John Boozman released the outline for the Senator’s Farm Bill 2.0 discussion draft. United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) says that while he prefers the House version of the farm bill, he is excited to move forward with the Senate version and get the bill passed. Grassley says there are several key pieces of the Senate version that he is in favor of but laments some of the missing language that could address important ag issues. With Prop 12...
Coastal port strike will have a big impact on meat and livestock industries
Longshoremen at ports along the East and Gulf Coasts are set to strike when their current labor contract expires at midnight tonight. U.S. Meat Export Federation Vice President for Economic Analysis Erin Borror said a shutdown will have a significant economic impact...
Veterinarian shortage reaching crisis level
Veterinarian shortages are not new. Anyone who ever needed a vet in the middle of the night will tell you that. And any rural vet called in the middle of the night will agree. What is new is the realization that it is about to get worse. “If our veterinary workforce...
Secretary Naig excited for the harvest season
Harvest is well underway here in Iowa. Farmers are hitting the fields and getting the crops out while the weather is extremely cooperative. With no real rains in the forecast and warmer temperatures; it should hopefully make for a smooth harvest season. We know when...
Cool and dry fall impacted by Hurricane Helene
It’s officially fall now, and the temperatures have chosen to represent that. It’s been mostly cooler mornings and mild temperatures across the state. Justin Glisan, state climatologist for Iowa, said that the month of September as a whole has been slightly warmer...
Health and wellness professionals learn about pork nutrition
The Pork Checkoff’s Pork and Partners Road Show events highlighted the nutritional benefits of consuming pork. Emily Krause, director of nutrition health and wellness initiatives for the National Pork Board, talked about the two roadshows that took place in August....
Seed selection is important, but don’t overlook seed placement
Even though harvest season has just gotten underway in Iowa, growers are already thinking about and making plans for the 2025 growing season. Bryan Perry is the head of U.S. seeds and traits at BASF and he says that as farmers prepare for next season, they need to be...
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Protecting your pasture cattle from parasites
Parasites will be close by when cattle are out on pasture. Good pasture management and a strategic deworming protocol can limit the chances of parasites affecting the efficiency and performance of your beef herd. Dr. D.L Step, a professional services veterinarian with...
Lower domestic cattle inventory to start the year
USDA’s first Cattle Inventory report for 2025 reflects a year over year decrease says USDA livestock analyst Mike McConnell. The overall herd size continues to contract with numbers remaining very low, but McConnell says that there are some interesting takeaways from...
Secretary Naig launches the Choose Iowa butchery innovation grant program
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today announced the launch of the Choose Iowa Butchery Innovation Grant program. Small-scale meat processors and custom lockers are encouraged to submit proposals to expand meat processing capacity within Iowa. This grant is...
Strong U.S. red meat presence at Tokyo’s Yakiniku Business Fair
With support from USDA, the Beef Checkoff Program and the United Soybean Board, U.S. beef and pork were showcased at the Yakiniku Business Fair in Tokyo, one of the most important annual trade shows for Japan’s restaurant sector. Tom Kasatani, U.S. Meat Export...
What will tariffs mean for fertilizers?
EDIT: Since the following article was published earlier this morning, the White House announced that tariffs on Mexico would be suspended for a month. The deadline came and went, and the United States has placed tariffs on some of our closest trading partners and...
