Local, State & Ag News
Former chairman of the House Ag Committee has died
Long-time Georgia Congressman and former chair of the House Ag Committee, David Scott, has died. He was 80 years old. The 12-term lawmaker was the first Black man to chair
Acquisition of Mid-State soybean processing facility supporting growth across western U.S. states
Beck’s Hybrids says the recent acquisition of a Missouri-based soybean processing facility will support continued production growth across the region. Jim Herr, processing, inventory, and wholesale manager with Beck’s, says the
Consumer demand for protein is affecting nonfat dry milk prices
A dairy marketing specialist says consumer demand is influencing nonfat dry milk prices. Katie Burgess with ever.ag tells Brownfield the global powder market is getting more competitive. “We’ve been a
USDA works to rebuild farmer trust as low response rates raise concerns
The farmer response rate for USDA’s 2026 Prospective Plantings report was the lowest it’s ever been. Arlan Suderman with StoneX Group tells Brownfield that’s significant. “That simply increases the risk
Ethanol production dips on week while holding above a year ago
U.S. ethanol production declined last week. The U.S. Energy Information Administration says an average of 1.04 million barrels of ethanol were produced per day, falling 80,000 on the week possibly
Libraries across Iowa celebrate National Library Week
Iowa boasts more than 540 public libraries statewide, in addition to hundreds more libraries in schools, colleges and universities, all of which are marking this National Library Week. Shirley Taylor,
Iowa unemployment unchanged in February
Iowa’s unemployment rate held steady at 3.4% in February. Iowa Workforce Development director Beth Townsend says there are some signs of tightening in sections of the economy. “Employers shed about
New Iowa FFA officer team elected
The new Iowa FFA State Officer team was elected at the conclusion of the 2026 state convention. Nora Pickhinke of Ridge View FFA will serve as president, Erica Driscoll of
Uncertainty remains on farm bill and year-round E15 push
The senior director of national affairs with the Nebraska Farm Bureau says there are a lot of questions surrounding two pieces of ag legislation. Jordan Dux says the U.S. House
Fertilizer supply disruptions could cause acreage shifts for upcoming crop year in Brazil
An ag economist at Purdue University says the conflict in Iran could impact crop production in Brazil for the 2026-2027 growing season. Joana Colussi says the country has become more