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Secretary Naig announces investments in 14 urban water quality projects
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will invest in 14 urban water quality projects within communities of all sizes across the state. Secretary Naig made the announcement with city leaders from Davenport at an event at Goose Creek Park, the location of one of the new water quality projects. Utilizing funding from the state’s Water Quality Initiative (WQI) and other sources, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and...
New crop protection options available in sweet corn hybrids
Efficiency is everything when raising a crop these days. Market prices aren’t as attractive as they were, input costs are constantly rising, and the profit margins are getting squeezed thinner and thinner all the time. So, if there is an opportunity to do a little...
Updating reference prices must be a priority in the next farm bill
As input prices go up and commodity prices go down, farmers rely on the reference prices in the farm safety net to help stay in business when margins get squeezed. Betty Resnick, an economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), explained the basics of...
U.S. Export Sales Report (4-4-24)
Another week of uneventful export sales has come and gone with little reaction from the markets. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest numbers for corn. Beans were much worse off, though, as this week marked the eleventh week in a row of...
Summertime E15 waiver decision timeline
The clock is ticking, and time is running out for the Biden EPA to decide on a summertime E15 waiver which would allow for summer sales at the pump. A waiver is needed for sales of E15 to be allowed this summer, before a more permanent rule allowing for E15 sales goes...
New technology key to increasing ag productivity
Technological developments in agriculture have enabled continued output growth without requiring many additional inputs. Innovations in animal and crop genetics, chemicals, equipment, and farm organization have made it possible for total agricultural output to nearly...
Producers “egg”cited about the this year’s Easter egg consumption
With the easter holiday now past us, you have probably sworn off ham for at least six months even though you know it won't be the case because Iowa's pork farmers do such a great job producing delicious pork. You are also probably still eating the discount candy you...
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South American Weather and Crop Update (4-9-24)
There aren’t really any market movers in the weather forecasts for Brazil and Argentina currently. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest conditions. Harvest in Brazil is slightly behind the averages, but planting for the safrinha corn...
Grassley To Schumer: put the farm bill on the Senate agenda
Last week Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) issued a letter to his Senate colleagues which detailed his priorities for the Senate in the coming weeks. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) says he is displeased that the farm bill was not included in the Senate...
Secretary Naig celebrates signing of foreign ownership of farmland legislation
DES MOINES, Iowa (Apr. 9, 2024) – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig released the following statement today after Gov. Kim Reynolds signed Senate File 2204, legislation strengthening Iowa’s Foreign Ownership of Farmland law: “Keeping Iowa’s precious and...
Fendt is forward thinking without forgetting the “little guy”
The technology we see coming through the agriculture industry is astounding. When you stop to think about how far we have come, it’s amazing that we aren’t that far removed from the days of horses working in the fields. I only need to go back to my grandfathers to...
Boosting crop efficiency in times of tight margins
When commodity prices are high, farmers might be more willing to try new and different products to ensure the best crop. However, when commodity prices are reduced, farmers are going to opt for products that they know will be reliable and effective and give them the...