Many of you who have children or are kids at heart have probably seen the original Lego Movie®. It was a neat little story about overcoming adversity and learning the value of teamwork. The movie produced a well-known song that entered the pop culture lexicon for a...
5 Ag Stories
Beef industry leaders travel to Korea and Japan
The U.S. Meat Export Federation, along with U.S. beef industry leaders, is on a global trip to see how U.S. beef is performing abroad. The trip included stops in Korea and Japan- two countries that have become great destinations for specialty cuts, among other...
U.S. Export Sales Report (5-9-24)
A neutral export sales report is favorable to the idea that the USDA will make cuts to U.S. exports in tomorrow’s WASDE report, as both corn and soybeans have fallen behind. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest numbers. McBride said...
Calls for increased ag trade opportunities continue
United States agriculture continues to push for new trade opportunities in 2024. Ted McKinney, CEO of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, says the Biden administration is taking more action than in past years to increase those opportunities....
Global pork production returning to profitability
A recent Rabobank report says the global pork industry is starting to shift as sow herd numbers begin to plateau after declining for some time. The stabilization is a result of better-than-expected consumption trends coupled with reduced production costs across most...
Renewable propane is a groundbreaking area of bio-based fuels
We have spent a lot of time talking about the renewable fuels marketplace. Whether it is E15, Sustainable Aviation Fuel, or even bio-diesel, we can find solutions to our energy and environmental needs in many ways. As we focus on many of these ag-based products, the...
Slow start to planting could make for an interesting May WASDE
Friday’s upcoming WASDE report is an important one, as it is the first report after the start of planting season. While the beginning of planting season has been slow, analysts are unsure of whether or not any changes will be made by the USDA. Ross Baldwin of...
Interest rates and low prices are still squeezing farmers
Rabobank’s RaboResearch team released its bimonthly North American Agribusiness Review. The report analyzes market conditions and trends in North American agriculture. Roland Fumasi, North American Regional Head of RaboResearch, said interest rates are still squeezing...
Grassley says Congress still not close to agreeing on farm bill framework
Despite apparent progress towards continuing work on the farm bill, United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) does not think that Congress is any closer to finding agreement on the framework of a new bill. Instead, both sides appear still entrenched in their...
Secretary Naig announces increased cover crop cost-share incentives
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is offering increased cost-share incentives for cover crop planting through the state’s Water Quality Initiative (WQI). The popular annual cost-share...