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TQA certification promotes efficient and safe animal handling
Transport Quality Assurance®, or TQA, focuses on practical, real-world skills that help handlers and drivers move pigs humanely and efficiently. Stephanie Wetter with the National Pork Board says the program is updated every three years to ensure continuous improvement and maintain accountability for science-based practices and emergency planning. TQA joined Pork Quality Assurance’s certification program 25 years ago and has grown to more than 27,000 individuals certified. Wetter added that...
Credit conditions soften with farm economy
Agricultural credit conditions in the Kansas City Fed’s Tenth District softened during the third quarter of 2023. Farm income and loan repayment rates were lower than a year ago for the second straight quarter. The moderation was more pronounced in areas hit hardest...
Efforts continue on a new five year Farm Bill
Advocating for Iowa Agriculture on Capitol Hill. Now that the 2018 Farm Bill has officially been extended for another year, Mark Hayes with the Farm Credit Council, who is doing a great job representing us in Washington DC, says the march for a permanent, long-term...
Growth Energy concerned over lack of E15 decisions
Ethanol has had quite a rollercoaster ride these past few years. Whether it has been the battle to get access year-round, or the fiasco after we finally got it, and the courts overturned it. Now, we are battling once again with an administration that promised to do...
Ag chemical marketplace friendly to growers right now
Farmers Business Network was first designed as a farmer driven information source to help farmers make the best agronomic decisions. FBN co-founder Charles Baron says that once again the sharing of data from FBN members has helped to highlight more affordable prices...
Reducing risks associated with fertilizer reduction
As input prices vary, producers are looking for ways to reduce and optimize their nutrient applications. However, when prices are low, that doesn't mean that farmers should start over-applying synthetic fertilizers. Nick Becker, director of field sales with Sound...
PRRS is back in the Iowa swine herd
On top of tough finances, we’re now seeing some disease show up in Iowa's swine herd with a PRRS outbreak: We're seeing the last couple of months, we've had more PRRS outbreaks on finishing floors than we've had in breeding herds. That is always a harbinger of things...
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House Ag Chairman Thompson releases 2024 Farm Bill draft
Today, House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson released a discussion draft of the 2024 Farm Bill- now named the Farm, Food, and National Security Act. The legislation includes twelve titles, covering commodities; conservation; trade; nutrition; credit; rural...
Another negative Rural Mainstreet Index during May
The Rural Mainstreet Index continued below growth neutral in May. It’s the ninth consecutive month that the survey of bank CEOs in rural areas of a ten-state region stayed in the red. Dr. Ernie Goss, an economics professor at Creighton University, says one thing that...
Cattle grazing pasture and rangeland recharging from rainfall
Despite some delays to planting caused by recent rainfalls in the Corn Belt, the moisture boost has helped to recharge the soil and brought relief to many drought-stricken areas. Row crop farmers are certainly welcoming the recent rains, but what about cattle...
Two beef industry bills signed into law by Governor Reynolds
Wednesday, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed two bills into law that were high priorities for the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association (ICA). Showcasing the importance, a large crowd gathered at Pat and Laura Blomme’s farm to witness this notable event. The Meat Integrity Bill (S.F....
Building trust in the dairy industry through the checkoff
The dairy industry has faced some scrutiny as of late, especially as it pertains to the safety of products and H5N1, formerly known as “bird flu” and “High-Pathogenic Avian Influenza”. The United States Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration...
