Author: staff

Corn harvest continues to progress across Iowa as October slips by, with nearly a month having passed without a USDA Crop Progress Report. Looking back at the 2024 season, 68% of the corn crop had been harvested in Iowa at this time last year. Logan Dinkla, agronomic service representative for Syngenta Crop Protection in central, south-central, and southwest Iowa, said harvest has been moving at a fast pace so far. “Corn yields have been all over the board,” said Dinkla. “There is a major difference in yields based on fungicide applications and hybrids.” Rainfall was also sporadic throughout his territory…

By Jeff Mason, Tom Polansek, and Leah Douglas WASHINGTON/CHICAGO, Oct. 23 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration is quadrupling the country’s low-tariff imports of Argentine beef in his attempt to lower grocery store beef prices, a White House official said on Thursday, evoking fury from the nation’s cattle ranchers. Raising the tariff rate quota on Argentine beef to 80,000 metric tons will let the country ship more of its beef to the U.S. at a lower rate of duty. U.S. beef prices have set records due to tight cattle supplies and strong consumer demand. The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Wednesday announced a plan to expand the…

By Mayank Bhardwaj NEW DELHI, Oct. 24 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said this week he spoke with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi mainly about trade, and that Modi had assured him India would limit its oil purchases from Russia. After the United States sanctioned Russia’s top oil producers on Wednesday, Indian refiners – major buyers of cheap Russian oil – said they are set to sharply cut imports, potentially clearing a key hurdle to a U.S.-India trade deal. Why India Wants a Trade Deal With the USA India faces steep 50% tariffs on its exports to the United States – with half of the duties aimed…

USDA recently signed an agreement with the Department of Justice to protect farmers from high and volatile input costs. Andy LaVigne, president and CEO of the American Seed Trade Association, joined Agri-Pulse Newsmakers to discuss the announcement and seed costs. Plus, he explained how tariffs are impacting the seed industry and ASTA’s recent acquisition of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization’s crop biotechnology advocacy portfolio.Plus, Jay Vroom with Vroom Leigh Agriculture and Peter Carstensen with the University of Wisconsin discussed farmers’ concerns about consolidation in the inputs space and the differences between the Trump and Biden administrations’ work on ag industry consolidation.…

As the chief economist for the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), Krista Swanson studies ag markets and policy for a living, but she also has skin in the game as an Illinois corn and soybean grower, farming alongside her husband, Brett, and his family. “My strengths or skill set works well for the bookkeeping and financial type of decisions, so that’s where my biggest involvement is on the farm,” she said. “I was a Corn Growers member before I was a staff person, so that definitely helps make me relatable to our growers, and it makes it personal for me.”…

It’s been a contentious week in the cattle sector. From President Donald Trump’s initial comments on purchasing Argentine beef, to strong reactions from numerous industry groups, to continued back and forth as the week progressed, both the administration and policy leaders made their voices heard. Here’s a brief look at how the controversy unfolded over the last several days. Sunday Trump roused the cattle industry on Sunday, Oct. 19, when he told reporters during a flight on Air Force One, “We would buy some beef from Argentina. He added, “If we do that, that will bring our beef prices down.” …

By Jeff Mason, Andrea Shalal, and David Lawder WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he expected to reach agreements with Chinese President Xi Jinping when they meet in South Korea next week that could range from resumed soybean purchases by Beijing to limits on nuclear weapons. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that he planned discuss China’s purchases of Russian oil and how to stop Russia’s war in Ukraine, now in its third year. “I think we’ll make a deal,” Trump told reporters during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, adding he believed that Xi had shifted his thinking on the…

By Gerald Mashange The farm machinery market continues to face substantial headwinds as waning demand and deteriorating credit quality signal ongoing stress across the sector. Multiple indicators — from manufacturer production cuts to rising loan write-offs — point to a challenging environment confronting dealers, manufacturers, and producers alike. Today’s Farmdoc Daily article examines recent trends in equipment sales, manufacturer inventories, pricing pressures, and credit market conditions to assess the current state of the farm machinery and equipment sector. Equipment Sales Remain Deeply Contracted The Rural Mainstreet Index by Creighton University (see Mainstreet Economy), which surveys bank CEOs across a ten-state…

By Jeff Beach Ranchers are pushing against a Trump administration proposal to import beef from Argentina, a move they say is causing chaos in the market.  Beef production had been a bright spot in a struggling U.S. farm economy. But futures prices have taken a hit since President Donald Trump said Sunday that the U.S. should buy beef to help support Argentina and lower prices for consumers.  Julie Ellingson, executive vice president of the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association, said Trump’s stance had an immediate and dramatic impact on the livestock industry.  Ellingson called it “real time, real life consequences for…

The American Royal welcomed nearly 700 students to Kansas City for its 2025 livestock and meats judging competitions. 4-H, FFA, and collegiate teams showcased their livestock or meats evaluation skills to vie for national recognition in one of the most respected judging contests in the country. In the livestock judging competition, contestants compete as a team and individually by judging classes of cattle, swine, sheep or goats, then present their reasons for placement to a judge. In this year’s competition, top honors went to the following: 4-H Livestock Judging Grand Champion 4-H Team: Illinois Reserve Champion 4-H Team: Texas Top…