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Tense exchange on US-Mexico corn dispute in the House
The still-unresolved dispute with Mexico over its limits on genetically modified corn made for a tense exchange between a Nebraska GOP lawmaker and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai at a recent House Ways and Means Committee hearing. Adrian Smith (R-NE) did not hold back criticism after Tai confirmed that President Biden was briefed on the USMCA dispute case against Mexico. The dispute centers around Mexico implementing a phase out of yellow feed corn and a ban on GM white corn for human...
Effects of the Tyson plant closure on the hog industry
It was announced this week that Tyson plans to shut down another food production facility—this time, a pork production plant in Perry, Iowa. That plant has nearly 1,300 employees and kills about 8,000 head a day. Karl Setzer with Consus Ag Consulting said that, while...
What would return of La Niña weather pattern mean for growers?
The National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center this week announced that it foresees a transition from El Niño to ENSO-neutral by April-June 2024 (83% chance), with the odds of La Niña developing by June-August 2024 (62% chance). Typically, the La Niña pattern...
Secretary Naig encourages Iowans to celebrate Iowa ag week
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today encouraged all Iowans to celebrate Iowa Ag Week from Sunday, March 17 through Saturday, March 23. The weeklong statewide celebration, which includes National Ag Day on March 19, will highlight the immense importance of...
Some lawmakers believe a Farm Bill is still possible
The Farm Bill question is a hot topic as we have discussed in the past few months. There is a lot of worry and concern that the clock is ticking and both sides of the political spectrum have dug their feet in so hard, that politics is going to affect the biggest piece...
Precision ag tech assisting growers with soil fertility and analysis
In 2024 precision agriculture tools are available for nearly every aspect of row crop farming. These precision ag technology tools have made farms more efficient and sustainable while allowing producers to refine their management practices each year. Soil nutrient...
NCBA encouraged by final “Product of USA” rule
USDA this week finalized its “Product of USA” rule. Kent Bacus, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association executive director of government affairs, says he is encouraged by the action. Now comes review of the final rule. Bacus says NCBA will be looking closely at...
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AFBF members talking labor challenges on Capitol Hill
Iowa farmers are no stranger to labor challenges. Every year, it seems like the pool of laborers to hire for on-farm jobs gets smaller and smaller. On top of that, the H-2A program that farmers have come to rely on can be complicated and expensive to use. Farm Bureau...
Ag industry needs certainty on sustainable aviation fuel
A multi-state coalition of biofuel and farm advocates asked the Treasury Department to swiftly resolve any questions standing in the way of scaling up U.S. production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel. More specifically, they urged the administration to quickly adopt the...
Growing world record soybeans
Farmers start every growing season to grow the best crop they can and improve their yields year after year. Certainly, we can grow high-yielding crops, and in soybeans we turn heads the closer we get to those triple-digit yields. But what if you could grow over 200...
USDA’s ACEP gets a funding boost, keeps farmers farming
Another revenue source to keep farmers farming is getting a boost from the USDA. Under Secretary Robert Bonnie says the new funds will help conserve farmlands and wetlands. The program continues a strategy by Secretary Tom Vilsack to use the Inflation Reduction Act...
U.S. Export Sales Report (3-21-24)
Another status quo report for export sales this week, and seeing a neutral report was nice in the face of some heightened volatility throughout the day of its release. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave a breakdown of the numbers. Soybeans in particular were...