Top Stories
More farmers using drones than ever
Just a few years ago, drones were a novelty in the agricultural world. Today they are being used in ever increasing numbers and are becoming a major part of farming operations across the country. Bernt Nelson, an economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation, says that drones are being used on an increasing number of farmland acres. Nelson says that drones are becoming more popular because they complement more traditional spraying methods with crop dusters or ground rigs. Drones are being...
Missouri River runoff remains well below average
Runoff into the Missouri River Basin remains well below normal, prompting the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to shorten this year's navigation season. June runoff above Sioux City, Iowa, totaled 2.9 million acre-feet, just 52 percent of average. The Corps now forecasts...
House Ag ranking member calls for stability
House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Rep. Angie Craig says Congress must do more to address the financial challenges facing American farmers. During a press call with agricultural reporters, the Minnesota Democrat argued that continued economic uncertainty and...
South American Weather and Crop Update (7-7-26)
Not much has changed with the weather in South America, as dry conditions are persisting across the growing regions of the continent. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest forecasts for Brazil and Argentina. McBride said progress for the...
Food hubs: the connecting piece for local farmers and producers
When people think of agriculture, they tend to focus only on what happens on the farm, namely planting, harvesting, or raising livestock. However, farmers still need to find a way of reaching consumers, which is where food hubs come in. Market access can be...
USDA launches modernized crop acreage reporting pilot
USDA is unveiling a new pilot program for spring-planted crops to modernize and update crop acreage reporting. USDA Undersecretary for Farm Production Richard Fordyce describes the program as “transformative.” Fordyce says it has taken too long for USDA to modernize...
Secretary Naig opens sign-up for annual cover crop cost-share program
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today encouraged Iowa farmers and landowners who are planning to seed cover crops this fall to enroll in the state's annual Cover Crop Cost-Share Program. This program is open to first-time and returning cover crop users in all...
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More Ag News
U.S. pork exports to Japan show strong rebound
Exports of U.S. pork to Japan have shown an impressive rebound in 2026. The market has faced challenges such as high energy costs and a weak yen against the U.S. dollar, but some value sectors have increasingly relied on U.S. pork loin and pork butt. USMEF President...
Grassley says farm bill markup possible next week even without McConnell
United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) says that the Senate Ag Committee could still mark up a farm bill next week before the August recess without sidelined Mitch McConnell and a GOP majority. Senator Grassley says Ag Chair John Boozman still hopes to take up...
Markets react to July USDA cattle reports
The USDA released two important reports last week that each had a direct impact on the U.S. cattle industry: the July Cattle Inventory and July Cattle on Feed Reports. Bernt Nelson, an economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation, said the two reports offer a...
ICA lead on CRP reform at NCBA summer business meeting
The Iowa Cattlemen's Association (ICA) continues to deliver results for Iowa cattle producers, both in Iowa and across the nation. At the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Summer Business Meeting held in Denver, Colorado, earlier this month, ICA led...
Naig: Heat, timely rain shaping Iowa crops
Iowa farmers have faced a little bit of everything this summer. Extended stretches of heat have increased stress on crops and livestock, while scattered thunderstorms have brought much-needed rainfall to some areas and flooding, hail, and damaging winds to others....
