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Brazilian soybean harvest underway
With a main global competitor of U.S. soybeans now beginning harvest for this year's crop, what is the outlook for Brazil’s production this season? USDA World Agricultural Outlook Board Chair Mark Jekanowski provides the latest update on the Brazilian growing season. Jekanowski says the three-million-ton month over month increase in Brazilian soybean production is the biggest factor in the 3.1-million-ton rise in global production in the January WASDE report. He adds that Brazil and the United...
Grassley discusses Secretary of Agriculture nominee Brooke Rollins
President-elect Donald Trump has announced Brooke Rollins as his pick for ag secretary when the new administration takes office in January. Rollins is a former White House aide that served with President Trump during his first term in office. Rollins is the current...
Secretary Naig announces investments in Iowa’s food supply chains
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is investing more than $5.2 million in 24 Iowa projects and other supply chain improvement initiatives through the United States Department of...
November Farm Labor Survey shows wages rising in 2025
The November Farm Labor Survey shows farmworker wages are heading up in 2025. The cost of farm labor is yet another rising supply cost for farmers and ranchers, particularly for farmworkers hired through the H-2A visa program. Samantha Ayoub, an economist for the...
Secretary Naig talks the end of Harvest 2024
As the combines are put away, the tillage is finished, and the fertilizers are being applied, we see the 2024 harvest ending in Iowa. On my travels to Kansas City, I only passed one cornfield still standing. It marks a harvest in which Mother Nature had a rare moment...
Using multiple modes of action against corn rootworm
Corn rootworm is a pest that robs farmers of yields every year. When fighting against it, though, it’s important to make sure that you’re not relying on just one method. Wen Carter, marketing manager with AMVAC, said there was a notable amount of corn rootworm...
USDA reports rising cattle feedlot placements
The key takeaway from the USDA November Cattle on Feed report is that the number of placements into feedlots remains high. That’s USDA livestock analyst Michael McConnell who says that producers placed more cattle into feedlots in October than a year ago with...
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More Ag News
Conservation ag funding is stuck in Farm Bill fiasco
The failure to pass a new farm bill has left critical agricultural programs in limbo, creating uncertainty for farmers and rural communities nationwide. Among the many casualties of this legislative gridlock is funding for climate-smart agriculture, which helps...
Feenstra supporting legislation to exempt farm assets from FAFSA
For years, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) has not been kind to college students in farming families. Due to some flaws in the program, farmers must label their machinery, land, and small businesses as liquid assets, even though they are not...
Management strategies are vital to controlling resistant weeds
The Agribusiness Association of Iowa held its annual Agribusiness Showcase & Conference last week in Altoona. The event brings together professionals in agriculture to discuss the latest trends and technologies. The showcase also features educational sessions and...
Demand for U.S. beef is very strong in Mexico’s foodservice sector
U.S. beef is thriving in Mexico’s foodservice and hospitality sectors, but each major destination in Mexico has specific product needs. Gerardo Rodriguez, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) regional director for Mexico, Central America, and the Dominican Republic,...
Brazil says U.S. ethanol tariff would be unreasonable
Brazil’s Energy and Mining Minister Alexandre Silveira said on Thursday that a potential U.S. tariff on Brazilian ethanol would be unreasonable, emphasizing that the two countries have historically negotiated ethanol and sugar trade together. His remarks came after...
