News, Insights & Interviews Archive

Larry Rasmussen farm in Buchanan County, Iowa. Image courtesy: Travis Smock, Peoples Company. When a 213-acre farm in Buchanan County, Iowa, went up for auction, it seemed like a typical land sale in the northeast part of the state. But what made it extraordinary was what longtime owner Larry Rasmussen decided to do with the proceeds. Rasmussen, who passed away in 2020, had no living children. Instead, he left his farmland in a trust to be sold, with all profits going to five

The wine sector—long considered a steady pillar of agricultural value—is facing a cascade of interlocking pressures: falling demand, over-supply, vineyard removal, and volatile global trade. Recent reports highlight how growers, especially in key regions such as California, are being forced into hard decisions. California’s wine-grape sector has become emblematic of the turmoil. California growers ripped out nearly 40,000 acres of vineyards -- which is approximately 7% of the

Jon Kinzenbaw has been a tractor guy for most of his life. The founder and CEO of Kinze Manufacturing in Williamsburg, Iowa, has a lot of them in his personal collection — more than 600, to be precise. But he decided it was time to let some of them go. On November 4, Kinzenbaw held a long-awaited auction, handled by Sullivan Auctioneers, a BigIron company, marking the first time he had ever sold part of his collection. The tractors up for grabs were mostly duplicates, but tha

Some rural communities provide the perfect setting for the nation’s growing demand for data centers to provide artificial intelligence for an industry that is exploding. But many residents in town are kept in the dark until the deal for a new data center is done. Rural America offers large tracts of land, cheap power and favorable zoning regulations to build high-capacity data centers. But an increasingly common feature in the development process is the use of non-disclosure

President Donald Trump’s plan to quadruple beef imports from Argentina has drawn sharp criticism from U.S. cattle ranchers who warn the move could devastate domestic producers. Ranchers, already strained by drought, wildfires, and high input costs, say cheaper Argentine beef could undercut a recovering U.S. market. While the administration argues that increased imports may lower prices for consumers, industry leaders like Justin Tupper of the U.S.

At the Borlaug Dialogue in Des Moines, Iowa, world-renowned chef and humanitarian José Andrés called on President Donald Trump to restore the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Andrés—whose nonprofit World Central Kitchen has fed millions in disaster zones—warned that dismantling USAID endangers lives worldwide by cutting off access to food, water, and health aid.

A financial leader who committed to the health of rural families and bought a farm in western North Carolina to reconnect with his farm roots died on the farm in an all-terrain vehicle accident, according to North Carolina authorities. Doug Lebda was the founder, chairman, and CEO of LendingTree, the online lending institution headquartered in Charlotte and established in 1996. Authorities say Lebda had been riding on an ATV last Sunday on the family’s property. A family memb

America’s farmers are exceptional at what they grow and produce. Sometimes, it seems like it is to their detriment as they deal with a...

Farmers must have a succession plan. Farmer Mac, the nickname for the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation, that can provide some...

As wine has replaced football as a main career focus, longtime National Football League quarterback Drew Bledsoe has found a way to...

Landus—the grain, seed, and agronomy service company based in Des Moines, Iowa—has a new CEO, its third leader in 2025. The company...

For the past 40 years, Willie Nelson, Neil Young, and John Mellencamp – iconic stars in the music world – have teamed up to help raise...

There are the pressures of commodities sinking even lower, the reality that input costs seem to keep getting higher, and the uncertainty...

Martha Stewart is one of the country’s most well-known farmland owners even though farming is only one aspect of her multi-layered...

The Great Western Ranch, a massive property on the west edge of New Mexico, has been sold to new owners. It is one of the largest single...

Mary Swander’s show is back on the road with the same mission: to use a unique way to get farm families across the country thinking about...

A premiere property in Georgia has a new owner, and he is one of the most well-known “influencers” in the United States. The price tag...

Egg prices have retreated in the last few months as highly pathogenic avian influenza has slowed its wrath on hens across the United...

If the Drost family had a mission statement on the welcome mat at their front door, it might include this word: “balance.” Jackson and...

Young people are drying up the wine industry. Young people are refining the wine industry. There are arguments in both ways. But a new...