Author: staff

By Cami Koons Iowa Rep. J.D. Scholten, D-Sioux City, said Iowa farmers are “hurting” and that the “status quo is not working” as he offered farm policies he would push for if elected to the U.S. Senate.  Scholten’s policies, discussed Monday at Griffieon Family Farm outside of Ankeny, a Des Moines suburb, are aimed at improving competition in the agriculture sector, funding conservation efforts and supporting regional food systems.   The agriculture sector is in a recession even “before tariffs — this is just the way the industry is working right now,” Scholten said.  According to the latest U.S. Bureau of Economic…

Spring wheat harvest is officially underway in all six spring wheat-growing states, according to the USDA’s first Crop Progress report of August. Across the six states, 5% of the crop has been harvested, behind the five-year average of 9%.  But as more of the wheat gets cut, the overall condition of the crop continues to decline. Based on the latest report, only 48% of the U.S. crop was rated good/excellent, a four-week low. Here’s a state-by-state look at spring wheat harvest progress and conditions. Washington Farmers in Washington state lead the nation for harvest progress — 24% of their 2025…

U.S. farmland continues to gain value, but signs of a market cooldown are emerging. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2025 Land Values Summary Report, the national average for farm real estate — including land and buildings — rose by $180 per acre over last year, reaching a record $4,350 per acre. This 4.3 percent increase marks the fifth consecutive year of growth, yet it also reflects a deceleration from earlier surges. While still strong, this year’s growth is more modest than the 5 percent jump between 2023 and 2024, and notably lower than the 11.7 percent leap between…

By Cami Koons The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) announced Tuesday more than $450,000 in cost-share funding awarded to several conservation districts for water quality improvement projects.  The Iowa Soil and Water Conservation Districts intend to use the funding to help private landowners implement practices such as cover crops, sediment control basins, grassed waterways, and other proven practices aimed at improving water quality in eight publicly owned lakes.  Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said the water quality improvement efforts go toward “ensuring these lakes remain vibrant and healthy destinations.” “We are fortunate to have some beautiful…

The Great Western Ranch — stretching more than 500,000 acres across New Mexico, making it one of the largest ranches in the United States — has just been sold. This hope is that this transaction allows the ranch to remain a vital ecological corridor and a model for large-scale land conservation in the American West. The final sale price was not made public, but its real estate listing shows the previous owners were asking for $115 million.  The Great Western Ranch is renowned for its abundant big game populations, attracting hunters globally, and holds significant historical and archaeological importance with…

Farmer sentiment continues to weaken, as the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer declined again in July. The barometer fell 11 points to 135 from June, a reading that resulted from U.S. farmers’ weaker perceptions of both current conditions and future expectations. The July Current Conditions Index dropped 17 points to 127 from last month, while the Future Expectations Index posted a smaller decline of 7 points to 139. Driving the weaker income prospects for 2025 were farmers’ assessment of current conditions. Despite lower scores on the three principal farmer sentiment indices, sentiment remains notably higher than at the same…

At the 40th International Sweetener Symposium, U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden spoke about what he called the Trump administration’s commitment to advancing a stronger future for American agriculture. Speaking before a packed room of sugarbeet and sugarcane growers, trade officials, and industry leaders in Traverse City, Michigan, Vaden reportedly outlined the administration’s ongoing efforts to prioritize domestic farmers and rural communities. “I think that you will see when the second commission report is issued that you were heard and that you influenced the result,” Vaden said. The first MAHA report, released in May, drew criticism from across…

This summer, a farmer came up to me and said, “I thought you were crazy to sell new-crop corn, soybeans, and wheat ahead in January and February.” He said he hesitated, but he followed my advice. “Now, I wish I would have done more,” he said. I admit, I haven’t advised selling ahead in January and February very often over the last 20 years. I did that in January and February of 2025 — not because of seasonal patterns, but because the markets had rallied up to price/profit targets, and most areas had excellent basis levels.  Over the last few…

By Joshua Haiar A bipartisan group of U.S. senators, including Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., introduced legislation recently to improve a federal conservation program with changes, including a higher maximum annual payment for landowners. The Conservation Reserve Program pays farmers and ranchers to remove environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production, and maintain grass, trees, and other plant species on enrolled acres. That helps prevent soil erosion, filters runoff that enters waterways, and establishes habitat for wildlife. Landowners may be allowed to conduct livestock grazing, haying, and seed-harvesting on the land. “I’m proud to lead this commonsense legislation that would help advance the…

By Marcela Ayres, Bernardo Caram, and Lisandra Paraguassu BRASILIA, Aug 4 (Reuters) – Brazil’s government has set aside for now plans for direct retaliation against steep U.S. tariffs taking effect this week, focusing instead on a relief package for industries hit hardest by the levies, sources familiar with the strategy said. Wide-ranging exemptions granted in U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order last week spared some of the most vulnerable sectors of Latin America’s largest economy, to the relief of many investors and business leaders. That has left Brasilia cautious about responding to Trump with reciprocal tariffs or other retaliation that could escalate tensions, said government officials, who requested anonymity to discuss confidential…