IARN — The extreme heat is taking its toll not just on crops, but also cattle says United States Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack as USDA is updating its payment rates for cattle losses. Read more
Vilsack defends administration’s ethanol policy and climate-smart programs
IARN — Today, at the Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Illinois, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack defended the Biden Administration’s approach to supporting family farmers and the biofuels industry. Vilsack touted the department’s Climate Smart Agriculture partnerships during his remarks to attendees and reporters. Read more
Ag group asks Congress to evaluate trade policy in Farm Bill
IARN — Today we are one month from the deadline of the Farm Bill. We need to have the 2023 Farm Bill in place or extend the current bill until a new Farm Bill is voted on. All recent signs point to the fact that the new legislation is on the front burner, but there is only a handful of congressional members who think the deadline can be made. Read more
Grill pork this Labor Day holiday
IARN — The first tailgating weekend and the final summer holiday are right around the corner, so what locally grown meats will you be putting on the grill? Iowa is the number one pork producing state, so if that’s your protein of choice this weekend, National Pork Board’s Executive Chef and Manager of Channel Market Development Jim Murray says it’s important to think about what flavor will accompany that protein, and how it can be cooked. Read more
Excessive heat lowers crop condition ratings
IARN — A six percent drop in the primary crop condition rating across the state according to the USDA’s latest numbers. Weekly crop condition ratings are out from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service Upper Midwest Regional Office. Agricultural Statistician Brian Gallagher says they measured a six percent decline in both the condition of the corn crop and the condition of the soybean crop, 54 percent and 53 percent good to excellent, respectively, due to the heat mainly here in the past week. Read more
Secretary Naig tours innovative FFA meat science program
IARN — Looking at the other side of Iowa agriculture, the food side of things as Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Naig tours an innovative FFA program. Midland FFA has a meat science lab and is looking at a greenhouse to create products and put them into the school lunch program. Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig talked about viewing our ag products from a table view. Read more