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New report showcases positive impacts of biofuels on ag productivity
U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action's recent report from S&P Global Energy shows biofuels' potential for boosting farm profitability and rural economies. For Chip Bowling, vice chair of U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action, expanding the market for biofuels is vital, as they present a unique opportunity for creating a long-term market-driven demand that rewards farmers from modern practices while revitalizing rural economies. Bowling added that the declining numbers of farms between 2002...
Iowa Agriculture on full display at the Iowa State Fair
We have been discussing for the past few days and weeks how the Iowa State Fair is a showcase for agriculture, which happens to be the state’s leading industry. Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig always calls it the “Super Bowl of Iowa Agriculture.” As I sit here writing...
2024 ISF floriculture show sees over one thousand entries
The Iowa State Fair kicked off today, and at the crack of dawn this morning, floriculture exhibitors were in the John Deere Ag Building preparing their flowers that they spent all summer growing. This year’s show was the biggest one in several years with over 1,000...
A new record setting Big Boar at the 2024 Iowa State Fair
The Big Boar competition is one of the fan favorite livestock events at the Iowa State Fair each year. This year’s winner, Finnegan, weighed in at a staggering 1,420 lbs on Monday. Finnegan weighed in as the heaviest of the seven hogs competing. The Big Boar from...
USB boosting soy demand and producer productivity
The United Soybean Board met in Baltimore, Maryland, for its July meeting. Brent Gatton, a Kentucky farmer and the Treasurer of the United Soybean Board, mentioned that the board has been focused on finalizing its investment portfolio for 2025. The aim is to ensure...
Large loss of Midwest farmland
The loss of agricultural land to different types of development is a long-standing topic at the national and state level. The University of Illinois’ Farmdoc Daily says development accounted for 55 percent of the 1.6 million acres lost in eight Midwestern states...
Iowa Governor’s Charity Steer Show is a great way to give back to Iowans
As the Iowa State Fair kicks off this morning in Des Moines, we look forward to all the ways we celebrate the agriculture industry in this state. The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association and the Iowa Beef Industry Council embody the “Cattlemen Care” mantra. It’s a way that...
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Third stopgap passes with farm, disaster aid
The third time was the charm, as the House and then the Senate passed stopgap funding legislation with farm and disaster aid to avert a midnight Friday government shutdown late last week. The legislation passed 366 to 34, clearing a two-thirds ‘yes’ vote threshold to...
Secretary naig cheers USMCA dispute resolution decision
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig provided the following statement after a United States – Mexico – Canada Agreement (USMCA) dispute resolution panel ruled against Mexico’s baseless decree banning imports of genetically modified corn. “Iowa produces more corn...
Unnecessarily burdensome EU deforestation rule has been delayed
The European Parliament this week voted to delay implementation of a deforestation regulation- which was scheduled to go into effect on December 30th- for a year, providing a reprieve for U.S. cattlemen. The rule will require imports of beef and other goods to include...
Marketing pork to different types of consumers
The Pork Checkoff is re-imagining pork in consumer hearts and minds to build a bigger appetite for pork. National Pork Board Member Bill Luckey said the recent consumer segmentation research project showed a wide range of pork consumers. Short-term and long-term...
Iowa’s late-season H5N1 outbreaks are thanks to warmer fall
As we are now in winter, we know that prolonged exposure to colder temps will not be far away. Mother Nature has already given us a taste or two here in December. As much as we don’t always like the brisk cold, it is going to be a necessity to stop the latest round of...
