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Importance of grower surveys in June Acreage Report
In the next few weeks producers will fill out USDA surveys that will provide the data for the June Acreage Report. Lance Honig of the National Agricultural Statistics Service says the surveys will provide a very important snapshot of the acreage for the year. Honig says the reports will be published on June 30th and that farmer surveys are vital to the Acreage Report. Honig explains that the more producer input included in the acreage survey, the more accurate the data in the report will be....
Iowa agriculture mourns the loss of Bill Northey
It came across social media and the agriculture information chain like a lightning bolt, yesterday. Bill Northey, former Iowa Agriculture Secretary and Former USDA Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation passed away at the age of 64. Northey was a Spirit...
Building trust with consumers through quality practices
Pork certification programs are designed to help the farmers who raise pigs and also those who transport pigs to continually improve practices. Stephanie Wetter, the director of animal welfare for the National Pork Board, tells the IARN that the two main certification...
Crop insurance reference prices projected to be lower than last year
February is when reference prices are set for crop insurance, so it’s a very important time of year. Deadlines are approaching in just over a month, so it’s important to pay attention now and not let it sneak up on you. Pat Swanson, District 9 director of the Iowa...
Secretary Naig announces pesticide applicator testing options
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will once again offer in-person and online pesticide applicator testing options for commercial and private applicators this spring. The Department...
USMEF Chair recaps discussions at Cattle Industry Convention
U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Chair Randy Spronk participated in his first Cattle Industry Convention last week in Orlando. Spronk said he had conversations with cattle producers and other beef industry leaders about the importance of expanding global demand for...
Agoro celebrates 2 million acre mark
Farmers are enrolling more and more acres into conversation practices and carbon market programs. It has been an interesting trend to watch happen over the past few years. Agoro Carbon Alliance has been one of the companies touting their carbon credit program, which...
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Navigating the biological marketplace
Biologicals are among the many new tools farmers can use on their farms. But with any new products, it’s important to make sure you’re getting something of a high quality that will provide the maximum benefit for your farm. Jacob Parnell, head agronomist at Biome...
Real Pork Trust Consortium brings information to consumers
The Real Pork Trust Consortium is a team of academia striving to listen to and answer consumer questions about pork and pork production. Nick Gabler, an animal science professor at Iowa State University, talked about the Real Pork Consortium and what it addresses. The...
Cattle on feed report offers no clear answers on herd contraction
Overall numbers of beef cattle in the United States remain historically low. The USDA published the latest Cattle on Feed report on Friday but the report did not clear up the future of the cattle herd. The latest Cattle on Feed report from USDA shows that placements...
Low prices continue pressure on farm income
Farmers are on track to harvest some of their biggest corn and soybean crops ever. The Federal Reserve’s Beige Book says the ongoing decline in commodity prices is putting farm income in questionable territory. “Regional Fed banks in Chicago and Minneapolis say the...
Managing stressors for dairy calves
Any livestock producer knows herd health doesn’t begin or end with the germs and bacteria causing illnesses. It is about creating an environment that manages your animal’s overall well-being. Just like humans, stressors can affect an animal's health, and minimizing...
