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Thinking about fall diesel fuel needs
Crude oil prices are returning to levels that were familiar before the United States war with Iran, but diesel and gasoline prices are still higher. It is expected that diesel and gasoline prices will recede to normal levels, but it may take a few months, probably at least until the end of August. That’s the opinion of an agricultural and energy analyst in Champaign, Illinois. That is Dave Chatterton with Strategic Farm Marketing. He says that farmer-customers will need to be cautious when...
Secretary Naig opens sign-up for crop insurance discount program
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the sign-up for the state’s Crop Insurance Discount Program is now open and available. Farmers who planted cover crops this fall can apply for a $5 per acre discount on their spring crop insurance premiums....
USMEF participates in USDA trade mission to Morocco
USDA this week is leading a delegation of 50 ag companies and organizations on a trade mission to Morocco. U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Africa Representative Matt Copeland said Morocco is a key trading partner with a free trade agreement and a growing middle...
HPAI should wane over the winter, but the battle is not over
Snow is now on the ground in Des Moines. With this cold snap, it is safe to say that winter has arrived. It comes with many challenges and frustrations, but there are also positives. One of those positives is the expected seasonal slowdown of H5N1 or High-Pathogenic...
Agriculture groups react to Ag Secretary nominee
U.S. agriculture groups reacted to President-elect Donald Trump picking Brooke Rollins as his nominee for Secretary of Agriculture. “Brooke Rollins has fought for Main Street and rural America,” says National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Vice President of Government...
Balancing trying to save money without impacting yields
Producers are always looking for ways to farm as efficiently and economically as possible, but in a time of depressed commodity prices that becomes an even bigger priority. Isaac Anderson is a market development agronomist with Winfield United and he says that while...
Trump announces blanket tariff plans, neighboring countries respond
President-elect Donald Trump has laid out his vision for blanket tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China. Trump announced on his social media platform that one of his first executive orders will be to slap an immediate 25 percent tariff on all Canadian and Mexican...
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GHX Durastak™ ready to battle Corn Root Worm
Corn rootworm, often called the "billion-dollar pest," is one of the most destructive threats to Iowa's cornfields. These insects, particularly the larvae, feed on corn roots, causing significant yield losses and increasing susceptibility to drought and lodging. With...
Protecting crops against deadly soybean diseases
White mold and sudden death syndrome are two diseases that can wipe out your soybean crops very quickly, so it’s important to take the necessary steps to prevent those from infecting your fields. Jared Cottonie, marketing manager with Heads Up Plant Protectants, said...
Previewing the USDA Prospective Plantings and Grain Stocks reports
It has been fairly quiet in the ag markets this week with mostly range bound trading ahead of the release of USDA’s Prospective Plantings and Quarterly Grain Stocks reports. The reports will be published by USDA on Monday March 31st. In preparation for the reports...
Groups ask for permanent extension of Section 199A
A large number of organizations representing farmers, ranchers, forest owners, agricultural cooperatives, and industry stakeholders sent a letter to Congressional leaders regarding Section 199A in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. “We urge Congress to permanently extend the...
Bullish news in latest Cattle on Feed Report
The recent Cattle on Feed Report brought some good news for the cattle industry. After several years of contraction, there may be some indicators that the U.S. cattle herd is rebounding. Bernt Nelson, an economist for the American Farm Bureau Federation, said the...
