Top Stories
Year-round E15 legislation is still in trouble
There are more warning signs that year-round E15 legislation is in trouble. Michigan Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin told USDA Secretary Rollins at a recent hearing that strong influence from interest groups is stalling year-round E15. According to Slotkin, there is an urgent need for Rollins to personally engage with senators to get year-round E15 to the president’s desk. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley showed concerns about Congress having to rely on temporary solutions that would not allow...
Solinftec’s new docking station takes autonomy to new level
We have talked in the past about Solinftec’s autonomous sprayers that can go around your field, under solar power, and take care of your spraying needs 24/7. However, there have been questions about how often the unit needs attending. Just like with any piece of...
Biden announces $7.3 million investment in rural electrification
President Biden traveled to Wisconsin today to announce an investment of $7.3 billion in affordable and reliable electricity for rural America through the Inflation Reduction Act. Sixteen rural electric cooperatives across 23 states- including Iowa- will be selected...
USDA net farm income report highlights need for new farm bill
The latest Net Farm Income Report shows a 23 percent drop in net farm income compared to 2022. Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, says farms losing a quarter of their income isn’t economically sustainable. Duvall says there are a number of...
DEKALB seed technology in the spotlight at The Field of Dreams
DEKALB corn is once again in the spotlight in eastern Iowa, with DEKALB announcing that it is the exclusive corn seed brand featured at the Field of Dreams Movie Site near Dyersville. That is DEKALB brand manager Jamie Horton who says this is the third installment of...
GHX system offers Iowa farmers a year-round seed company partnership
In the past, it seemed like once we got our seeds, our interaction with our dealers was over until it was time to order next year’s seeds. Nowadays, each season is a full year or more from planning to harvest. Seed companies are often the ones providing us with crop...
Secretary Naig announces availability of pesticide applicator testing options
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is again offering in-person and online pesticide applicator testing options for commercial and private applicators this fall. The Department encourages...
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More Ag News
Arctic cold and potential cattle concerns
A strong arctic system is expected to settle over much of the United States late this week and into the weekend, creating concerns for livestock producers. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says the latest blast of arctic air could bring some of the coldest temperatures...
SCN continuing spread renews focus on the threat
Researchers have been updating the map of known soybean cyst nematode distribution regularly since 2000, and with each update, the threat spreads. The latest update, spearheaded by Greg Tylka, a nematologist from Iowa State University, reveals 31 counties in ten...
John Deere See & Spray™ technology is ready for 2025
It might be the middle of January, but it won’t be too long, and we will be ready to return to the fields for another growing season. One of our main jobs when growing a crop is feeding and protecting those plants. To do that you need to have a sprayer that you can...
South American Weather and Crop Update (1-14-25)
Some rain has returned to the forecast in South America, providing relief to the crops that were experiencing dry weather. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest conditions in Brazil and Argentina. Harvest is just getting started in...
More data released on foreign-owned land
Foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land remains a widely debated topic. Two additional years of data from 2022 and 2023 became available recently, and Danny Munch, an economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation, said only a small portion of foreign-owned...
