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Great weather for pollination in Southwest Iowa
If you look at the nearest corn field, you might see tassels at the tops of each of the stalks of corn. That means pollination is in full swing, and farmers are praying for the stars to align and allow their crops to reach their full potential yields. Southwest Iowa Beck’s Agronomist Nate Meyer said the weather in his area has been great so far, and it looks like that will continue in the near future. When it comes to pollination, Meyer said he looks at two major yield-limiting factors: how...
American Butter Institute urges FDA to take action against a new “dairy-free butter” product
A new product from Country Crock labeled as “dairy-free butter” has sparked growing concern within the dairy industry. Under the current Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), butter is defined as a product made “exclusively from milk or cream, or both.” This means that...
Alongside President Trump in Iowa, Secretary Rollins calls for celebration of America 250
President Donald J. Trump held a massive celebration on the eve of Independence Day at the Iowa State Fairgrounds where he launched the year-long Great American State Fair in celebration of America’s 250th birthday. The Great American State Fair will travel across the...
China trade impasse drags down May U.S. red meat exports
Global trade is continuing to impact cattle and hog prices in Iowa and across the entire country. Exports of U.S. pork and beef trended lower in May, due primarily to steep declines in shipments to China, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S....
Congress plans to scrap USDA climate hubs, following Trump guidance
The Ames, Iowa-based Midwest Climate Hub, which along with the other 10 regional climate hubs under the USDA, is slated to be cut from the federal agriculture budget. The U.S. House appropriations bill that sets the 2026 fiscal year budgets for agriculture, rural...
Retailers plans for feature protein deals for grilling season
As we are now in the heart of the summer grilling season, consumers are busy studying their weekly store fliers and ads for some featured deals in the meat section. USDA livestock analyst Michael McConnell explains an advertising method used by groceries and retailers...
Pushing to update conservation processes in Iowa
With the current restrictions on water usage in the Des Moines metro, water conservation practices are at the forefront of discussion. While we have many new practices that offer plenty of benefits for farmers and the nearby waterways, it can be difficult to make...
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More Ag News
South American Weather and Crop Update (7-8-25)
The weather is still mostly the same in South America, but there is finally some rain forecasted for some of the production areas in Argentina. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest weather forecasts. While Brazil’s safrinha harvest...
Reconciliation bill contains good news for ethanol and biofuels
The Big Beautiful Bill was signed into law over the weekend and critics argue that it did away with clean energy initiatives. However, Geoff Cooper, president and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association, disagrees from the viewpoint of ethanol and biofuels. Cooper says...
Secretary Naig announces new water quality project in central Iowa’s Beaver Creek Watershed
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) is partnering with the Boone County Soil and Water Conservation District and other public and private partners to launch a new Water Quality...
Iowa pork producers urged to share priorities
Maintaining the health of the U.S. hog herd has always required constant vigilance against animal disease threats. In recent years, much of the attention has centered on global concerns, such as African Swine Fever, with biosecurity efforts ramping up to prevent it...
The battle against New World Screwworm continues
Recently, U.S. Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins announced that the U.S.-Mexico border would reopen for cattle shipments in phases after ports of entry were closed to limit the spread of New World Screwworm. This will help level out the balance between biosecurity and...
