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Farmers can’t afford all the fertilizer they need this spring
A new American Farm Bureau survey shows a large majority of farmers can’t afford enough fertilizer this year amid skyrocketing prices. Nearly half of Midwest farmers say they can’t afford all the fertilizer they need this year. Almost 70 percent in the Northeast and West say the same, with 80 percent saying so in the South. American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duval said this has a ripple effect in the supply chain. Outside of the Midwest, AFB found that only about 30 percent or fewer farmers...
Secretary Naig talks Prop 12 ahead of World Pork Expo
Next week, the World Pork Expo will be held in Des Moines. As producers from across the country and around the world descend on the Iowa State Fairgrounds, California?s Prop 12 victory in the Supreme Court will likely be a hot topic over the three days.Iowa is the...
Secretary Naig, ten other commissioners of ag raise concerns about RFS volumes
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig and ten other elected Commissioners of Agriculture from around the country recently raised concerns with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) about the biomass-based diesel volumes in the proposed Renewable Fuel Standard...
May started promising, but turned exceptionally dry
Early on in May, the weather looked like it was going to live up to expectations and bring plenty of moisture. However, the back half of the month reminded us that Mother Nature can do whatever she pleases, and it ended up being one of the driest Mays on record. Iowa...
Give your swine barn a ventilation checkup
Even with warmer weather, swine barn ventilation maintenance is a year-round activity. Kevin Rath, AP District Manager, said that keeping the ventilation system in good working order can make all the difference.?Good ventilation is imperative for creating an ideal...
FBN speeding up land loan approval process
Traditionally, securing land financing has been a time-consuming and sometimes complicated task. The new Instant Land Loan Approvals program from Farmers Business Network Finance is designed to speed up the loan application process and help farmers in a competitive...
Improving water quality remains the focus at IDALS
The recent decision by the Supreme Court over the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency has limits on the jurisdiction over private properties. It also affirmed that the states and local governments still have jurisdiction...
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U.S., Brazil competitive balance in soybeans
The U.S. and Brazil are major competitors when it comes to exporting soybeans around the world. USDA’s Economic Research Service did a comparison study to figure out how changes in factors underlying production, marketing costs, and infrastructure might affect export...
A year-end message from Secretary Naig
As we take stock of 2023, there are things to be proud of. There are those moments where we persevered through adversity in weather, trade, markets, and the Federal Government’s lethargy. There are things that the farmers in Iowa can be proud of, like the strides we...
Wrapping up the ag markets at the end of 2023
The final two weeks of the calendar year are always quiet in the ag marketplace, and that was no different this year. Bill Moore, senior account executive with The PRICE Futures Group, said many traders have used the opportunity to even themselves out for the new...
Pork industry facing uncertainty as Prop 12 takes effect in 2024
California’s Prop 12 goes into effect with the new year on January 1. It becomes California state law during a time of already great uncertainty in the pork market. American Farm Bureau Federation Economist Bernt Nelson said that’s on top of some already bearish pork...
Finding the benefits of lower nitrogen usage
One of the obvious benefits of lower synthetic nitrogen usage is, of course, lower input costs, but there are environmental benefits as well. Jim Kelly, Director of Business Development with Pivot Bio, said their N-OVATOR program helps to measure that impact and...
