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Interior official highlights ranchers’ stewardship role
When I was in 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 issues affecting western livestock producers. One topic that generated significant discussion was public lands grazing and the misconceptions Budd-Falen believes continue to surround the practice. According to Budd-Falen, one of the most common criticisms is the belief that ranchers receive inexpensive access to federal...
Sign-ups still open for PFI’s N Rate Risk Protection Program
Farmers are always looking for ways to increase their sustainability while also improving their ROI, but sometimes that comes with an unavoidable amount of risk. Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI) is offering its N Rate Risk Protection Program to help encourage farmers...
Iowa hit record E15 sales in 2023
JOHNSTON, IA – The Retailers Motor Fuel Gallons Annual Report, just released by the Iowa Department of Revenue, found E15 sales increased 47 percent year-on-year to a record 178 million gallons. The report also found a record 68 million gallons of biodiesel was...
February was another strong month for pork and beef exports
U.S. pork exports posted another excellent performance in February, which was fueled by growth in the Western Hemisphere, South Korea, and Australia. February pork exports increased 14% from a year ago to more than 250,000 metric tons (mt), while value jumped 15% to...
Biosecurity is paramount with dairy herds in wake of HPAI crossover
There have been concerns raised since we learned that High Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) crossed the species barrier to Dairy herds in different parts of the country, mainly in the plains. Producers are concerned about the safety of their herd and making sure that...
Deadline quickly approaching for rural nurse scholarship program
This year, the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses is recognizing April 7-13 as Occupational Health Nurses Week, and AgriSafe Network is celebrating by offering 125 continuing nursing education scholarships for the 2024 Nurse Scholar program. The...
Fuel and power prices climbing again
At a time of declining farm income, fuel and electricity costs are climbing once again. Unleaded gasoline averaged $3.54 a gallon nationally last week, that is up 14 percent from the start of the year. The national diesel price averaged $4. As planting season...
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Investing in the future of farming
Farmers are the backbone of America. Without them, we wouldn’t have the food to sustain our society. But even with how important that job is, farmers can have a hard time with the finances of running a successful operation. Ben Gordon, founder and CEO of Fractal, said...
On-Farm Pork Impact Reports showcase sustainability
Consumers want to know that the pork industry is sustainable, and the National Pork Board can help with its On-Farm Pork Impact Reports. Al Wulfekuhle, president of the National Pork Board, said the reports show off the positive environmental impact of farms with...
U.S. ethanol on pace for record year of exports
Geoff Cooper is the president and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association and he tells the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network that the United States ethanol industry is projected to have a record year for ethanol exports. He says that the countries importing U.S. produced...
Washington sees coordinated push for farm bill passage
In an unusual move, commodity groups are coordinating efforts in bringing producers and other ag stakeholders to Washington, DC in an effort to get a new Farm Bill passed before the end of 2024. Agri-Pulse reports that such a cross-commodity initiative has not been...
FDA is on top of HPAI testing in wake of new outbreaks
After a lull in the number of new HPAI outbreaks, we have seen three more dairy herds in California testing positive recently. It does bring the seasonal issue back into focus. The disease seems to flair up with the migration season of birds. As we enter into fall, we...
