IARN – The Iowa State Fair is a place of celebration, tradition, and community pride, but this year’s festivities are unfolding against a backdrop of economic strain. For many farmers walking the fairgrounds, the joy of reconnecting with friends and showcasing agriculture is tempered by worries over rising costs, tight margins, and an uncertain market outlook. The atmosphere is still vibrant, yet conversations reveal the weight of one of the most challenging farm economies since the crisis of the 1980s, part of a broader economic squeeze affecting rural and urban Iowans alike.
Read more at Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network.
