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May meat exports paint a complex picture
Exports of U.S. beef and pork were held back in May by key market access issues, beginning with suspensions of beef plants in China. According to USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom, market access issues in China and Mexico have limited U.S. beef and pork exports. For him, addressing this issue is vital for boosting market expansion. Despite those challenges, Halstrom noted that overall exports were strong, with pork leading the way. As he noted, this is proof that people are still trusting...
Strong South American harvest facing a few challenges
South America’s agricultural sector is having a strong year, with high yields boosting expectations for tomorrow’s WASDE report. Markets anticipate impressive numbers, reflecting strong grain and oilseed production across the region. However, weather challenges,...
U.S. red meat exports thrived in 2024
Exports of U.S. pork eclipsed previous highs in both volume and value in 2024, according to year-end data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). Beef export value climbed 5% from 2023 despite a slight decrease in volume, as unit...
Early season weed control in corn
Having clean fields as corn plants emerge will get the crop off to the best possible start. Phil Krieg, an agronomy service representative with Syngenta, says early-season weeds fundamentally alter corn growth from the very beginning of the growing season. Krieg...
Expanding the reach of the National FFA Organization
FFA alum Aaron Wetzel recently took over as the 2025 Chairman of the National FFA Sponsors’ Board. Wetzel is the Vice President of Production and Precision Agriculture with John Deere, where he’s spent over 35 years. Wetzel said technological curiosity will be a big...
Farm sector profits to grow in 2025
USDA’s Economic Research Service forecasts inflation-adjusted U.S. net cash farm income, defined as gross cash income minus cash expenses, to increase by $30.6 billion from 2024 to $193.7 billion in 2025. U.S. net farm income, a broader measure of farm sector...
Iowa cannot take foot off the pedal pushing for year-round E15
Iowa has led the way in securing year-round access to E-15 for eight midwestern states, but the fight isn’t over—we must continue pushing to make it permanent nationwide. Expanding E-15 access across the country strengthens our rural economy, lowers fuel costs, and...
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More Ag News
First MAHA report undermines confidence in U.S. agriculture
The Make America Healthy Again Commission released its first report this week, and it contained some troubling assertions. The consequences of this report are causing concerns among farmers and ranchers. Sam Kieffer, vice president of public policy for the American...
2025 planting nearly done, but not easy
Iowa farmers got an early jump on planting this spring, taking advantage of favorable conditions in April. But progress hasn’t come without challenges, as scattered storms and temperature swings kept growers on their toes. With planting nearly complete, heavy rains...
Indigo Ag completes industry-leading fourth carbon crop
Recently, Indigo Ag announced the issuance of its fourth carbon crop, which totaled at nearly 1 megaton of carbon sequestration. This makes them the only company to complete four carbon harvests and pay participating farmers. Lauren Lindner, account director with...
U.S. Export Sales Report (5-22-25)
After a few weeks of excellent export sales, this week’s report was much quieter. This has helped the markets settle down ahead of the extended Memorial Day weekend. Allendale commodity broker Ben Breisch gave an update on the latest numbers from the USDA. Breisch...
SAF Coalition commends House for advancing 45Z extension
Today, the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Coalition’s Executive Director, Alison Graab, issued the following statement after the House passed its version of the budget reconciliation bill which includes an extension of 45Z: “The SAF Coalition applauds the House of...
