Farm News

BLENCOE, Iowa — After a lengthy absence, barges are returning to the upper stretch of the Missouri River, providing western Iowa farmers with a lower-cost option to access fertilizer and export grain.

The Environmental Protection Agency said it won’t retroactively exempt small oil refiners from biofuel blending requirements, a victory for ethanol producers as President Donald Trump attempts to shore up support in the U.S. Corn Belt.

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Cool crisp mornings and school activities filling the calendar are two signs that fall is on the horizon. Just as families make plans, cattle producers need to be looking into their fall grazing options, according to the…

"Que Sera, Sera” is not the state song of Iowa. Or is it?

COLUMBIA, Mo. — It sounds corny, but if we use our ears, corn ears will tell us why yields are down, says University of Missouri Extension state agronomist Bill Wiebold.

Editor’s note: The following was written by Mark Licht, Extension cropping systems specialist with Iowa State University, for the Extension Integrated Crop Management blog Sept. 1.

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. — Jackie Joyner-Kersee is known for athletics, not agriculture.But she is looking to make a difference with an urban gardening initiative that impacts hundreds of young people in her hometown.

For farmers, each year brings its own challenges in the battle to protect crop yields from weeds, bugs and diseases. The top pest management threats can vary from year to year, although some remain as obstacles.

Some farmers in Illinois are seeing a disease they don’t see often and a relatively new one in 2020.

Drought has been the main issue affecting Iowa farmers, but Mark Storr may have found a silver lining in it.

After a fast planting season and a wet, cool May, harvest was expected to come sooner than in past years. Now, drought conditions throughout Iowa and northern Illinois have some experts guessing the combines could be out sooner than later.

The meat packing portion of the American beef industry has long been a bone of contention. With only four major meat packing companies controlling 85 percent of the beef market in the United States, ranchers nowadays are suffering from lowering…

Making the decision to cull a cow from the herd can be difficult for many producers, but ultimately it comes down to finances.

On Memorial Day, Donna Robinson’s farm caught a break when a tornado went just behind her family’s house and between her fields.

DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig urged farmers and agribusinesses to start evaluating how much propane they’ll need to meet grain drying and home and livestock heating demands this fall and winter.

MONETT, Mo. — University of Missouri Extension dairy specialist Reagan Bluel is a self-proclaimed “science geek.” She likes pawing through the latest science journals to keep on the cutting edge of dairy research that could improve the bottom line of…

RADCLIFFE, Iowa — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue flew over storm-damaged areas and signed a secretarial disaster proclamation during a Sept. 3 stop in Iowa.

Despite the recent challenging years in agriculture, Illinois farmers have a relatively low ratio of debt to assets, University of Illinois agricultural economist Gary Schnitkey said.

Sometimes rural Illinois scenery is so beautiful, it requires stopping work long enough to take a photo.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — For Chris Peper, a drive through the country with her camera can be a great way to relax and have fun.