It is no exaggeration to say that much has changed since the first metal plow sliced into the thick, fertile Iowa soil. The annual cycle of planting and harvesting continues, but just about everything else about farming has changed. And it is technology that has caused much of that ...
Corn growers and ethanol producers finally got a bit of good news from the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA has reversed its position on a policy issue in a move that, in the long run, will grow the market for ethanol. Refineries are required by federal law to blend billions of ...
To the editor, I’ve farmed now 45 years under 13 U.S. secretaries of agriculture, and like I suspected, heard nothing new from our “new” Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. (Farm News, March 12, 2021) Farmers, farmers, farmers—markets, markets, markets repeated over and over ...
As another growing season approaches, Tuesday, March 23 has been set as National Ag Day by the Agriculture Council of America. The council desig- nates the week within which it falls as National Ag Week, March 21-27. One goal of Ag Day is to recognize the contribution agriculture makes in the ...
To the editor, Regarding Senators Grassley and Ernst co-sponsoring a bill to increase bio-fuel mandates (Feb. 26 Farm News), I don’t think there could be a better example of “bought and paid for.” Environmental impacts of fossil fuels versus bio-fuels are still debatable by real ...
To the editor: I got a kick out the column “Trade war is far from won” by David Kruse. Why? Because his analysis is about 3 years behind progressive news sources! We progressive farm activist and progressive news sources seen right through Trump’s so called Trade war with China as ...
As the holiday season draws to a close each year, the writing staff at Farm News embarks on a challenging adventure — producing a comprehensive look at how a wide array of developments in our region are shaping the agricultural tomorrow. While every issue of this newspaper is filled with ...
Here in the Midwest, we are well aware of the environmental benefits of clean burning ethanol and biodiesel. But not everyone realizes just how good those fuels are for the air we breathe. Unfortunately, some of the people who are not up-to-date on the benefits are at the U.S. Environmental ...
The Hawkeye State continues to lead nation its production Corn production has been a key factor in the Iowa economy for more than 150 years. The state’s 21st-century economy is character- ized by increasing diversity. Agriculture isn’t as dominant as once was the case. Even so, there ...
The deep divisions between our two major political parties have made it difficult for Congress to function. All too often, needed policy decisions are left unmade because lawmakers find it difficult to work with colleagues with whom they disagree to craft compromise solutions. President-elect ...