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

It took 43 days, the House of Representatives largely avoiding Washington, D.C. for nearly two months, and countless arguments and finger pointing, but the partial federal government shutdown ended on November 12th, and America’s agricultural producers, growers, ranchers, workers, agribusiness owners, and investors can now try to recover from the damage and stalled progress that Congress’ funding fight caused. Democrats, at least enough of them, finally acquiesced to the Repu

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