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China trade talks provide optimism for U.S. red meat
U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer over the weekend offered new details on the progress made in last week’s U.S.-China trade talks, which were held in conjunction with the summit meeting between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. In a statement, Greer confirmed that the two sides have agreed to separate trade of some non-sensitive goods under the recently established U.S.-China Board of Trade. U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO Dan Halstrom said...
South American Weather and Crop Update (5-6-26)
Dry weather is still causing concerns for some of the crops down in South America. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest conditions for Brazil and Argentina. At the very least, the dry weather is allowing for harvest to continue at a...
Helping Iowa’s growers prepare for whatever the crop season throws at them
When building their plans for the 2026 growing season this spring, farmers have been making tough decisions across the board. Decisions on high priced fertilizer and whether to cut back on inputs are being made as growers encounter lower prices for their commodities...
Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award nomination deadline extended to May 22nd
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has extended the deadline for nominations for the 2026 Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award. The deadline to nominate a farmer or farm family is now Friday, May 22. The Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award...
NASA technology helping farmers from space
Interest in NASA and America’s return to the Moon has surged again following the Artemis missions and the growing focus on deep space exploration. But while much of the public attention is focused on rockets and astronauts, NASA says some of its most important work is...
Encouraging Iowa consumers to buy more food locally
Every year, Iowans spend approximately $12.6 billion on food. Unfortunately, much of that money does not stay within the state. In order to bring some of this spending back to Iowa, the Iowa Food System Coalition has launched the Iowa Local Food Challenge. By inviting...
Farm industry is navigating challenging times
There’s no doubt it’s been a rough go for the U.S. agricultural sector in recent years. Rob Larew, the president of the National Farmers Union, said the passage of the farm bill out of the House provides a bit of hope. Larew said it was disappointing to see year-round...
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U.S. Export Sales Report (6-4-26)
There was a disappointing aftertaste to this week’s export sales report. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said this week’s corn sales are lower than what we’ve been getting used to. While the soybean sales saw an improvement this week, McBride said they are...
Food and ag groups call for USMCA renewal
The future of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement is drawing attention from agricultural groups across North America as the trade pact approaches its required six-year review this summer. Nearly 160 organizations representing the U.S., Canadian, and Mexican food and...
Drought pressures western rangeland management
When I visited Washington, D.C. recently, I had the opportunity to speak with Karen Budd-Falen, Associate Deputy Secretary at the Department of the Interior, about the challenges facing western rangelands as drought conditions continue to affect large portions of the...
New research studies connection between PRRS and gastric ulcer development in pigs
Porcine Respiratory and Reproductive Syndrome, or PRRS, is a disease that is always top-of-mind for swine producers. On top of its primary symptoms, there are many side effects that can occur in infected hogs. Boehringer Ingelheim has led some new research into the...
USDA finalizes specialty crop assistance program details
The USDA announced it has finalized the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers Program, announced late last year. Danny Munch, an economist for the American Farm Bureau Federation, said the funds are part of the USDA’s broader Farmer Bridge Assistance Program. The...
