Riley Smith

July exports of U.S. beef climbed 6% year-over-year in value while volume was steady, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom said the value increase was driven primarily by another outstanding month for Taiwan, as well as strong results in other parts of the globe.

The cattle industry continues to sort through questions surrounding the Trump administration's proposal to temporarily allow an additional 300,000 metric tons of imported beef into the U.S. market. At the same time, producers are dealing with the smallest U.S. cow herd in more than 70 years, ongoing discussions about packer concentration, and uncertainty over where cattle prices head next. Brad Kooima of KKV Trading- who is also a longtime Iowa cattle producer- said the markets will correct themselves, so government intervention is unnecessary.

It may seem crazy to think about already, but farmers in Brazil and Argentina are already preparing for the next crop season. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said harvest is almost done in Brazil, so farmers are getting started on planting for next year.

At this year's Farm Progress Show, AMVAC officially announced the launch of Duro LQ insecticide, which has excellent protection against corn rootworm while also bringing added nematode suppression. Wen Carter, product development and technical services manager with AMVAC, said they have been able to do some small test runs this year, and one of the main benefits of Duro LQ has been its mixability with liquid fertilizers.

USDA estimates that farmers will spend more money on interest payments in 2026, after adjusting for inflation, than at any other time on record. Credit is an essential part of agriculture, helping farmers manage costs and invest in their operations. As borrowing costs rise, American Farm Bureau Economist Faith Parum said increased reliance on credit says a lot about the overall health of the farm economy.

Storms from last night dumped a considerable amount of rain across central and eastern Iowa, which feeds into the trends we've seen for the crops this year. While western Iowa has been drier than the rest of the state, Kurt Maertens of BASF says there's not too much to complain about with this year's crops.

House and Senate Ag staff are likely trying to iron out farm bill differences ahead of the Senate's return next week to save time, according to a key senator. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he's optimistic about the process.

U.S. grain prices are historically high as we enter harvest season, which provides a very unique marketing opportunity for Iowa producers. However, it can be difficult to chase a market rally and worry about harvest at the same time. Micheal Weidner, director of grain origination and producer strategy at Landus Cooperative, said these prices are worth defending with some marketing plans.

After seeing lower yields than expected from the Pro Farmer Crop Tour, the markets anticipated significant yield changes in the September World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report. However, the USDA did not end up making as significant of adjustments as the marketplace was expecting. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said this was consistent throughout the corn side of the report.

The EPA and Army Corps of Engineers recently announced a new Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule. After years of asking for more clarity, farmers are finally gaining a clear understanding of the federal government's jurisdiction. American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall said the new rule protects water while providing the clarity the ag industry has been seeking.