News, Insights & Interviews Archive

This week’s renewed military strikes between the United States and Iran further underscore concerns about what a prolonged war will do to agriculture and the overall global economy. The International Monetary Fund lowered one forecast and raised another, providing two new indicators about increased concerns about the war harming economic stability. The IMF reduced its 2026 global growth forecast to 3% on Wednesday, while it increased its inflation projection to 4.7%. The new

New analysis from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) raises questions about whether the USDA’s staffing changes will be able to meet the needs of local farmers.

Some of the largest egg producers have agreed to pay $3.3 million and donate 53 million eggs to food banks and nonprofits after reaching a tentative settlement agreement with the U.S. Justice Department and 17 states. The settlement could resolve allegations that the companies -- using their massive egg producing capacity – colluded to illegally raise egg prices at a time when the United States dealt with the spread of avian influenza. The three companies, according to the co

Two U.S. Supreme Court rulings last week could affect farmland owners in two different ways: fertilizers and workforce. One involves a top priority for the Trump administration, and the other could prevent numerous lawsuits across the country. The Court ruled 7-2 in Monsanto v. Durnell that federal law overrides state-level claims that require pesticide makers to include cancer warnings on their products. The decision could protect pesticide manufacturers like Bayer (the comp

Every now and then, something comes along that sounds like it belongs in a science fiction movie. It goes something like this: Hydrogen is trapped 8,000 feet beneath Iowa farmland. Private developers extract it. Landowners have a new source of income. Their neighbors have new protections. Eventually – maybe, just maybe – residents across the state could see lower income taxes. They might not pay income taxes at all.

Farmers and tech companies are working together to build a system that can sell carbon intensity (CI) scores. For over a decade, farmers like Mitchell Hora, founder and CEO of Continuum Ag, believed they would be able to make a profit from their conservation practices. Now, the market could open early next year, pending an update from the IRS on its Section 45Z federal tax credit proposal. Hora has been pushing to make 45Z happen and help farmers profit from it. He has worked

A change in leadership at the Federal Reserve did not lead to the immediate change that President Donald Trump has demanded for months: lower borrowing rates. In fact, the opposite could be happening later this year if the Fed decides to raise rates following implementation of policies since Trump returned to office which included launching a global trade war and military strikes against Iran. Those actions are among the forces that have pushed up inflation higher than when P

Global politics continue to impact the American economy overall. Gas prices initially declined – and fell below $4 per gallon for the first time since March – after President Donald Trump reached a Memo of Understanding (MOU) with Iran that could, in theory, end the war with Iran that has lasted since February 28. However, the framework agreement is only a temporary pause and not yet a final deal. Numerous members of Congress, including both Republicans and Democrats, have pu

A new product may soon emerge for farmland owners across the United States: their data. At the 2026 TopSoil Summit June 10 in Riverside, Iowa, speakers emphasized the importance of watching updates on the Section 45Z federal tax credit. By using conservation practices and keeping good records, farmers and landowners can tap into an emerging asset. Mitchell Hora, who created the summit and is also founder and CEO of Continuum Ag, said there was a lot of uncertainty when he fir

Farmers could learn within the next month whether additional lawsuits may move forward about claims that agricultural pesticides cause cancer. The U.S. Supreme Court heard a case in April that could have broad implications in the search for answers about what is causing an increase in cancer diagnoses in certain parts of the country. It would also impact companies that make pesticides and herbicides, and agricultural producers who rely on weed and pest killers on their farms.

American farmers and ranchers will hope something good comes out of the latest conversations between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping of China. U.S. agricultural exports to China cratered following President Trump’s higher tariffs. But U.S. producers want access to China’s 1.4 billion consumers, who represent approximately one in six people worldwide. That is a lot of potential mouths to feed and an enticing market for American goods at a time of surplus produc

U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman (R-Ark) must count numbers as he eyes a long-awaited agreement on a new Farm Bill. His magic number is 60, the number of votes that it will take to pass the legislation through the 100-member Senate. It is a reminder that even though Republicans hold majorities in both chambers of Congress and that President Donald Trump is also Republican, they can’t pass a new Farm Bill solely on their own under traditional rules. The fac

Following his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, President Donald Trump is now expressing support for Chinese ownership of U.S. farmland. “You want to see farm prices drop? You want to see farmers lose a lot of money?” Trump said during an interview with Fox’s Sean Hannity, “Just take that (Chinese ownership) out of the market.” Trump had previously been critical of Chinese owners buying American farms. “We’re going to protect it by saying, ‘You can’t come. You can’t

Mitchell Hora, an Iowa farmer and soil health consulting company owner, will soon have a decade of experience putting on his TopSoil Summit. The question is whether he will have a vital answer in time for the 300-500 farmers and investors from across the country who will show up.

Midwest states’ renewable fuels industries also received promising news with the long-awaited vote by the U.S. House of Representatives that approved nationwide, year-round sales of E15, which followed years of battling between ethanol supporters and leaders from other states that prioritize continued focus on the oil industry. Ethanol supporters believe the expansion could bring new markets, grow existing ones, and allow the industry to make better use of its surplus product

Corteva selects Johnston, Iowa, for its new seed business HQ, reinforcing the state’s role as a hub for agricultural innovation.

It is the U.S. Senate’s turn to work on the Farm Bill. After months of negotiations and a vote of 224 to 200, the U.S. House of Representatives on April 30th passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026. Now, the Senate may have to reference that version. U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) told a group of the nation’s agricultural reporters that the Agriculture Committee will have to deal with food assistance conflicts and efforts to undo some 2025 tax provision

The proposed $9 billion multi-state carbon capture pipeline that has led to disagreements over its potential, fights over its path, and disputes about its future is now headed for a different journey. Summit Carbon Solution -- the Ames, Iowa-based company -- has a new plan to shorten its path, travel through a different combination of states, and no longer focus solely on carbon sequestration. The project’s original path would link biofuels facilities through a pipeline that

Sure, farmers like John Delmotte would like to get more than $4.50 per bushel for his corn. But that figure isn’t really the reason why his operations in Monroe, Michigan, have a math problem. Delmotte is president of the Michigan Corn Growers Association where farmers expect to harvest more than two million acres this year in the state. Delmotte explained to Bridge Michigan why many farmers can’t make a profit with input costs that keep getting worse after the U.S. war with

The House passed a new Farm Bill, but disputes over pesticides and E15 fuel leave key questions unanswered as the Senate weighs next steps.