Top Stories
House Ag Chair proposes sweeping change in ag labor program
House Agriculture Committee Chairman G. T. Thompson has introduced legislation aimed at expanding the H-2A agricultural guest worker program and addressing long-standing farm labor shortages. Politico said “The Securing Agriculture's Workforce Act of 2026” would broaden access to H-2A workers while allowing some undocumented agricultural employees in the U.S. to apply for temporary legal status under the program if they meet eligibility requirements. Thompson said the proposal is intended to...
Succession planning can make passing the farm down easier
Farming is full of investments, but those investments aren’t in traditional things like stocks and bonds- they’re in things like land and machinery. Matt Roberts, chief planning officer of the West Des Moines-based Syverson Strege, said that’s why it’s even more...
Menke makes trade visit to Taiwan
Last week Iowa Deputy Agriculture Secretary Grant Menke had the chance to lead a trade mission, with the Iowa Economic Development Council to the countries of Japan and Taiwan. Today we will focus on the Taiwan portion of the trip. While Taiwan isn’t as large of a...
Details of the screwworm detection in southern Mexico
The United States-Mexico border was closed for the importation of Mexican cattle after a cow was detected with screwworm in southern Mexico on November 22nd. However, a USDA veterinary official says the situation has not worsened and the U.S. and Mexico are continuing...
Trump selects nominee for U.S. Trade Representative
Jamieson Greer is President-elect Trump’s nominee for U.S. Trade Representative. Greer was an aide in the office during Trump’s first term and will help steer the incoming president’s trade agenda. A graduate of the University of Virginia’s Law School, Greer was chief...
La Nina might not be to blame for chilly temperatures
The cold temperatures we’ve seen recently in Iowa are a sure sign of one thing- winter is quickly approaching. Eric Snodgrass, principal atmospheric scientist at Conduit, said this week has been and will continue to be full of chilly air. As we’ve talked about...
Watch out for holiday season fraud online
An unfortunate part of the holiday season is fraud. Sean Voskuhl, the Oklahoma State Director for the AARP, says 82 percent of U.S. consumers have experienced some type of fraud. Smartphone technology can also lead to other opportunities to be taken in by fraud. It...
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More Ag News
Bayer announces new Vyconic™ soybean platform
It’s not every day that we get to talk about a groundbreaking hybrid that can redefine crop protection, but Bayer has done just that with the release of its latest soybean brand. This new innovation offers farmers protection with up to five different modes of action,...
Food banks facing uncertainty as USDA suspends funding
Recently, the USDA announced that it is suspending $500 million in funding for food banks across America, saying that the previous administration “created unsustainable expectations for the Emergency Food Assistance program” and pointing to spending authority under...
Signup deadline approaching for Dairy Margin Coverage program
There’s a lot of volatility in the ag marketplace right now, and the dairy industry is no different. Fortunately, there are programs that can help to manage some of these risks. The signup deadline for the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) Program is rapidly approaching....
Senator Grassley discusses tax policy
During his weekly ag conference call with broadcasters and reporters, United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) on Tuesday was asked for an update on Senate work regarding tax policy. Senator Grassley provided an update on the Senate Finance Committee’s latest...
President Signs EO to increase potash, other mineral production
President Donald Trump signed an executive order to increase domestic production of critical minerals, including potash. The president directed federal agencies to compile lists of pending mineral projects and expedite their review in coordination with the National...
