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U.S. red meat exports were strong in March
March exports of U.S. pork were among the largest on record, concluding a very strong first quarter, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom said increased year-over-year to leading market Mexico, as well as to Japan, Central America, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines and Taiwan. Through the first quarter, pork exports were 3% above last year’s pace in both volume (778,939 mt) and value ($2.17...
GROWMARK announces 2025 scholarship winners
Fifty-five students have been selected to receive scholarships totaling $2,000 each through the GROWMARK Foundation. Nearly 805 students from across the United States and Ontario, Canada, applied for the scholarships. Students who received scholarships will have those...
Naig outlines ag priorities, skips governor race
Since Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds announced last month that she would not seek reelection, speculation about her potential successors has quickly intensified, particularly within the Republican Party. The field is already starting to take shape, with 4th District U.S....
Using adjuvants to optimize herbicide activity
On Monday the state of Iowa was hit with widespread thunderstorms that delivered considerable rainfall to large swaths of the state. Before the storms however, a one-to-two-week window of favorable weather conditions allowed growers to get a lot of seed in the ground...
Thunderstorms make summertime precipitation difficult to predict
Most of the crops in Iowa are in the ground at this point, so many farmers are keeping a close eye on the weather and praying for some “million-dollar rain.” To get a clearer picture of what the large-scale weather patterns will look like in the U.S., many analysts...
South American Weather and Crop Update (5-20-25)
Parts of South America recently received some rain, but now there are concerns about water damage since they almost received too much rain. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said the upcoming forecast is looking to be drier for the bulk of Brazil and Argentina...
NASS releases 2024 county corn and soybean yields
The National Agricultural Statistics Service released the 2024 county yield estimates for corn and soybeans. Following typical patterns, corn and soybean yields were highest in the Midwest Corn Belt region and south into the Mississippi Delta. Counties with yields...
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More Ag News
Iowa farmers facing tough fungicide calls
Wetter conditions and warmer temperatures have set the stage for a more active disease season in Iowa corn fields. Tar spot and northern corn leaf blight have already made their presence known in several areas, and concern is growing as the crop nears critical...
Hot and humid conditions and the impact on agriculture
This week in Iowa has been hot, humid, and wet with frequent rainfall and humidity that has stressed humans and livestock. Iowa is not alone as the United States has featured wide swaths of similar weather. The extremes of the hot and humid weather have been felt in...
Smallest U.S. cattle herd since 1973
The July Cattle on Feed Report offered little relief to customers paying higher prices for beef. That’s despite the cycle of herd liquidation that seems to be slowly ending. There were 94.2 million cattle and calves in the U.S. as of July 1, the lowest mid-year number...
Iowa farmers urged to keep tar spot from ruining bumper crop
Iowa has received plenty of rain recently, and the temperatures have finally cooled off as well. On top of that, we’re looking at one of the biggest crops in recent history. Southwest Iowa Beck’s Agronomist Nate Meyer said he’s not sure that he’s ever seen such a big...
South American Weather and Crop Update (7-30-25)
The weather in South America has still not changed much, with farmers in Brazil and Argentina seeing mostly clear and dry conditions. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said there are scattered rain showers, but otherwise the weather remains status quo. The dry...
