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Interior seeks flexibility on predator management
When I visited Washington, D.C. recently, I had the opportunity to speak with Karen Budd-Falen, Associate Deputy Secretary at the Department of the Interior, about several wildlife management issues affecting western ranchers. Among the topics discussed were wolves and grizzly bears, both of which continue to generate debate between livestock producers, wildlife advocates, and government regulators. Budd-Falen said wolf management remains particularly complex because different populations are...
South American Weather and Crop Update (4-24-24)
Variable amounts of rain can be seen across South America currently. This is good news for Argentina, as they have been worried about getting too much rain. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest weather conditions. McBride said harvest...
USTR Tai insists efforts underway to ease Brazil ethanol tariffs
U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai insists that U.S. efforts to get Brazil to ease its protectionist tariffs on American ethanol are being taken seriously. However, United States congress members have pushed back pointing out that Brazil increased its duties on...
Farmers oppose sale of Iowa fertilizer plant
The University of Illinois Farm Policy News says Iowa farmers told officials that they should block the sale of the Iowa Fertilizer Company to Koch Industries. The sale is worth 3.6 billion dollars. Farmers attending the Iowa Farmers Union’s listening session told...
Secretary Naig recaps legislative session for agriculture
Now that the state legislature has wrapped up their session, it’s time to look back at a few things that were of concern to agriculture. Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig had a few policies he was most concerned about, and those were foreign land ownership and Meat...
Recent rains are quenching one of Iowa’s longest droughts
Over the past few months, the weather has largely been characterized by warmer-than-normal temperatures. Since the ground didn’t freeze as hard, that means the recent storms have been able to get moisture deeper into the soil. Iowa State Climatologist Dr. Justin...
Despite HPAI outbreak, U.S. milk is still safe to drink
The last couple of years have seen outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in the spring and fall as temperatures change. However, this year has seen an unusual outbreak of the virus among dairy cattle. Bernt Nelson, an economist with the American Farm Bureau...
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Colombia fully reopens to U.S. beef trade
The Colombian government recently lifted its ban on U.S. beef originating from states in which H5N1 was detected in dairy cows. U.S. Meat Export Federation President and CEO Dan Halstrom notes that the reopening of beef trade comes after tireless work from USDA and...
Landus Advantage keeps farmer freight trucks rolling
Landus recently announced the acquisition of DSM Advantage, which also marks the launch of a new freight brokering division, Landus Advantage. Farmer-owners rely on Landus to consistently provide them with opportunities to keep their trucks moving. Andy Unruh,...
Secretary Naig encourages Iowans to celebrate Iowa Local Food Day
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig is encouraging Iowans to celebrate Iowa Local Food Day on Wednesday, September 25. Initiated in 2018 by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa Local Food Day is held annually on the fourth Wednesday in...
MyPlate partnership touts the benefits of pork consumption
MyPlate is a visual tool used to translate the USDA’s dietary guidelines for Americans. Kristen Hicks-Roof is the director of human nutrition for the National Pork Board (NPB), and she says that MyPlate helps create a balanced plate. She says that NPB can demonstrate...
EPA still very murky on WOTUS clarity
This has been going on for more than a decade already. The back and forth between the Waters of The United States (WOTUS) from the Obama Administration, the Navigable Waters Act of the Trump Administration, and now the New WOTUS from President Biden’s EPA. Definitions...
