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Farm Bureau focuses on farm economy beyond Farm Bill
During NAFB Washington Watch in Washington, D.C., much of the discussion centered on the Farm Bill and whether the House would finally move legislation forward. But according to the American Farm Bureau Federation, the broader concern extends beyond any single bill and centers on the overall health of the farm economy. Ryan Yates, Managing Director of Government Affairs for the American Farm Bureau Federation, said producers continue to face economic pressures from low commodity prices and...
Celebrating the past, present, and future of agriculture
The 36th annual Celebration of Agriculture dinner took place in Cedar Rapids last week to celebrate Iowa Ag Week. Both Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig and former U.S. Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue, who was this year’s featured speaker, were in attendance to highlight Iowa...
Grain stocks report shows more corn, beans in storage
The USDA’s Grain Stocks Report shows corn stocks in all positions on March 1, 2024, totaled 8.35 billion bushels, up 13 percent from March 1, 2023. Of the total stocks, 5.08 billion bushels were stored on farms, 24 percent higher than last year. Off-farm stocks were...
Unleashing potential with advancements in soybeans
The Research Center for Farming Innovation at Iowa Soybean Association features an on-farm research center, an analytics and insights team, and a conservation team. Christie Wiebbecke is the chief officer of research and conservation at Iowa Soybean Association and...
2024 farmland prices could be anybody’s guess
As we look ahead to the new growing season, one thing that will certainly be on the minds of producers and farm families is the acquisition of more land for either expansion of the family operation, or for beginning farmers looking to make a start. Of course, we know...
Quarterly Grain Stocks and Acreage numbers were good, but not miraculous
The grain markets were positioned to react to basically anything that came out of today’s Quarterly Grain Stocks and Acreage Report, so when the friendly numbers came in, the prices jumped upwards and held those gains through the end of the day. Allendale commodity...
SE Iowa producer focusing on building trust with consumers
Farmer Grade, a new business idea birthed out of the rise of social media, is focusing on building trust with consumers. Sawyer Whisler, a farmer from southeast Iowa, wanted to do something different while selling meat directly from the farm to the table. So, he built...
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More Ag News
SW Iowa crops still looking great heading into harvest
There’s not much time left until harvest season will be upon us in Iowa, and the crops in the southwest part of the state are still looking great. SW Iowa Beck’s Agronomist Nate Meyer said he’s expecting a bumper crop for both corn and soybeans this year. Meyer said...
Financial benefits of climate-smart commodities
Approximately 13,000 American farms participate in the climate-smart commodity initiative, which covers about eight million acres of land. Ag Secretary Tom talked about the appeal of the initiative and said he expects those participation numbers to continue growing....
A drop in soybean condition ratings
USDA is reporting a drop in condition ratings for soybeans and a possible frost in parts of the Upper Midwest. That is USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey. There was no change to the corn condition rating this week with the number remaining at 65% good to excellent....
Koch completes $3.6 billion purchase of Iowa Fertilizer Co.
Koch Ag & Energy Solutions successfully purchased OCI Global’s fertilizer plant in Wever, Iowa, for $3.6 billion. After announcing the pending sale last year, the finished transaction gives Koch access to a state-of-the-art facility and its related businesses. The...
Keeping new dairy calves healthy from respiratory diseases
While we have talked at length about what H5N1 or bird flu looks like for dairy herds, we have to remember that this isn’t the only health concern we face. There are still the old standards we have to guard against, and at this time of year, we see more calves moving...
