Author: staff

The price of eggs at U.S. grocery stores has climbed to a record high, nearly doubling from a year ago, as outbreaks of bird flu have led to shortages by wiping out millions of hens. Eggs are missing from grocery shelves nationwide, and shoppers able to snag a dozen are facing sticker shock for the breakfast staple. “A simple egg sandwich is like a luxury,” said Jon Harris, who was shopping for eggs at a supermarket in Chicago recently. Since November, a surge of infections of the lethal H5N1 flu in Iowa and Ohio, the two biggest egg-producing states, has…

The GROWMARK Foundation is again offering 55 scholarships, totaling $2,000 each, to students pursuing agriculture and business-related degrees or certificates at colleges, universities, and technical schools in the United States and Ontario, Canada. At the time of application, students must be high school seniors or equivalent, enrolled in a university, community college, or technical school for the fall semester of 2025, or enrolled and in good standing at a university, community college, or technical school. Scholarship applications can be accessed here and are due April 11, 2025. Students who are awarded a scholarship will be notified on May 21, 2025.…

Has Our Un-Insurability Wrecked Our Plan? Problem: The parents were counting on life insurance to make their estate plan work, but unexpected health issues mean they didn’t qualify. I’ve never been a fan of life insurance. I was skeptical when it was presented as a way for our farming son to buy out our other two kids through our estate. Then, I saw the cash flow projections with and without the insurance. I get it now. We planned on dividing our 1,500 acres equally and giving our farming son the option to buy out his siblings at a 30% discount…

John Deere has announced that nearly 120 workers at its Des Moines Works facility in Ankeny will be laid off this spring. The company confirmed Friday that 119 employees were informed of the layoffs, which will occur in three phases — March 28, April 4, and April 29. The facility currently employs around 1,500 workers. Deere attributes the layoffs to declining demand and a weakened farm economy. “They are not related to production moves,” the company stated as reported by multiple news sources. “As we have repeatedly stated, these layoffs are due to the weakened farm economy and a reduction…

By Ryan Hanrahan The American Farm Bureau Federation’s Samantha Ayoub reported last week that “the U.S. Courts report that 216 farm bankruptcies were filed in 2024, up 55% from 2023. This is still 64% lower than the all-time high of 599 filings in 2019. However, 2024 is the end of a four-year downward trend in bankruptcies, which appears to mark a turning point in long-term farm financial health.” Courtesy of the American Farm Bureau Federation “Row crop markets have experienced sharp decreases in cash receipts for three years, with expected further declines of over 4% and 6% in corn and…

In this episode of 15 Minutes With a Farmer, Patrick Montgomery shares his journey from Army Ranger to first-generation Wagyu beef producer and entrepreneur. He discusses the challenges of starting his direct-to-consumer business, how his military experience translates to ranching, and the role of Valor Provisions in supporting local farmers. Listen to the Podcast Subscribe to 15 Minutes With a Farmer on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Please rate and review us! Meet Patrick Montgomery Montgomery joined the Army after 9/11, serving as a Ranger in Afghanistan. After returning to civilian life, he earned a degree…

By Seth Tupper South Dakota lawmakers advanced bills Friday at the Capitol in Pierre that would put a moratorium on carbon dioxide pipelines until new federal safety rules are finalized, and would authorize landowners to sue pipeline companies for the alleged abuses of their land agents. The bills don’t name Summit Carbon Solutions, but they’re a response to the Iowa company’s proposed $9 billion, five-state pipeline that would pass through eastern South Dakota. It would collect carbon dioxide emitted by more than 50 ethanol plants and transport it for underground storage in North Dakota, to capitalize on federal tax credits incentivizing the…

Suffocation is the leading cause of death in grain bins, with more than half of engulfment incidents resulting in fatalities. This National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) message offers tips for avoiding entrapment. How to Avoid Entrapment Entrapment happens most often when attempting to dislodge out-of-condition grain that has hung up or crusted in a bin. Hot weather and lower-quality grain can increase the chances of entrapment. Likewise, grain stored at the wrong moisture level or without proper aeration is susceptible to crusting and cliffing. Engulfment can occur in one of three ways: Unloading: If a person is in a…

When certain pieces of equipment need to be accessed, maintained, or repaired, it’s crucial to the safety of the person performing the task that the power to that system be shut off. For example, if a person has to enter a grain bin and the auger is accidentally powered on, the person in the bin can be sucked down into the grain and suffocated or entangled in seconds. One way to make it perfectly clear to other employees or others on the farm that power is off for a reason is using the lockout-tagout system. This message offers step-by-step instructions.…

By Cami Koons A bill to update Iowa’s grain indemnity fund with increased capacity and to include farmers with credit-sale contracts passed the Iowa House Agriculture Committee Tuesday.  Committee members approved an amendment to House Study Bill 131 to clarify definitions of deferred-payment contracts and credit-sale contracts, the inclusion of which have been the dividing issue on the bill, and the reason it stalled in the Legislature last year.  Rep. Norlin Mommsen, R-DeWitt, said Tuesday, and in the subcommittee hearing Feb. 11, the bill was a compromise from his previous opinion that credit-sale contracts should be excluded. Deferred-payment contracts, which allow the price of…