The U.S. Supreme Court got something right (for a change) when they ruled that California can refuse to buy pork from another state if such pork is not raised to their demands.
There鈥檚 a great economics lesson to be learned in the front page article, 鈥淔or Sale, U.S. crops find buyers despite fewer deals.鈥 (February 11, 2023)
I have a strong comment for voters who plan to vote Republican. In Iowa, they are Gov. Kim Reynolds, Charles Grassley, Ashley Hinson and Dr. Mariannette Miller Meeks. All four of them will work to let Trump free of all charges against him.
My Iowa U.S. Senator needs to take 鈥減olitical action,鈥 but I鈥檓 concerned about which PACs (Political Action Committees) influence Chuck Grassley. He鈥檚 received over $2.5 million from over 1,100 large companies like drug, oil and retail businesses. What influence are they buying? Retired thre…
Over the last years the Iowa Legislature has automatically given hunters whatever they want. More seasons, longer seasons, use of silencers so they can shoot into private property without the resident knowing it, can have loaded and un-cased guns in vehicles so they can quickly shoot out the…
Pete Coret鈥檚 letter calling for more promotion of ethanol (May 7) brings to mind the one aspect of our country that could finally bring us down.
I recently read your article in the March 26 edition about the sustained corn price due to growing ethanol demand. I, myself, am a strong supporter for the E-85 blend, which is a widely popular fuel for performance-oriented individuals because of its 106 octane rating and engine intake-cooli…
Your article dated Feb. 19 titled 鈥淏eef giant JBS to pay $52.5聽M to settle price-fixing lawsuit鈥 was no surprise.
Ethanol, an industry responsible for consuming 53% of Iowa鈥檚 corn crop, is an incredibly efficient, innovative fuel. While it already burns cleaner than traditional fossil fuels, new investments in carbon capture could make Iowa ethanol plants even more sustainable, competitive and successfu…
A case can be made that the 鈥渃risis鈥 in 鈥渃limate crisis鈥 refers to a growing number of people using fear as a manipulation tool for personal gain. Manufacturing and construction of everything carbon-neutralizing seek profit by riding the coat-tails of climate fear-mongering.
The Feb. 12 article about the dichotomy of high residue making corn farming difficult raises some serious issues.
I wanted to believe it wasn鈥檛 true. The news was shocking, and it happened just a few weeks ago in Black Hawk County, Iowa. Eight hundred baby pigs were starved to death on a factory farm just west of Cedar Falls.
I don鈥檛 know of anyone in today鈥檚 modern world that would starve or freeze to death if so-called 鈥渟port hunting and trapping鈥 were stopped. It鈥檚 a misnomer to call it sport when one side has semi-auto firepower, scopes, camouflage, is schooled in the lifestyle and habits of intended victims,…
I drive a short distance on gravel roads to go check pastured cattle each day. I often stop to pick up a beer can tossed out either to avoid the open container law or just for lack of respect for our environment.
I appreciate the effort people like Matt Russell (executive director of Interfaith Power and Light) put into a conversation on improving our world. But it reminds me of a recent campaign by former Representative Jim Leach promoting 鈥渃ivil dialogue.鈥 As I listened to him on the radio it was a…
Our Iowa and U.S. lawmakers are going to shove another repugnant thing down our throats 鈥 Daylight Savings Time (DST) all year long. It鈥檚 being pushed by Big Money/Big Business and well-paid lobbyists and the ultra rich.
Michael Mackey鈥檚 column (Oct. 17, 2020) about the dairy industry points out the problems repeatedly, but his solution is only for government and business to sit down with dairy farmers.
President Trump鈥檚 re-election prospects still look good 鈥 in rural America 鈥 but do his agriculture policies justify rural votes?
In 1941, farm prices were all controlled by government, and things we purchased were also controlled with war stamps and coupons. The farm prices were good and farmers made money.
I commend Fritz Groszkruger for his derecho response 鈥 do NOTHING to destroy the home of soil life. Allow soil life to improve your soil. They need moisture and air. We used to think we were aerating by tillage. We now know that tillage seals the soil鈥檚 surface, resulting in water runoff and…
Record-breaking floods and hurricanes in the East, record- breaking drought and forest fires in the West, and here in the Midwest a 鈥渄erecho鈥 (I never heard that word before), but certain politicians and religionists say it鈥檚 all 鈥渏ust a hoax鈥 and there鈥檚 no climate change going on even thou…
At Iowa State, profit doesn鈥檛 matter. That鈥檚 the only conclusion I can reach upon reading 鈥淭illage options for unharvestable corn, 鈥 Sept. 12, IFT.
We see today the tragic results of business monopoly in the food chain, from factory farms to the slaughterhouse. As vertical and horizontal business models prevail, U.S. and Iowa anti-trust enforcement policies have been weak or nonexistent.
The recent roll-out of CFAP is not only unfair to many ag producers, but it rewards those who chose not to sell at a profit. The payment applies to grain on hand as of Jan. 15, 2020. Thus, those of us who chose to market at a profit earlier and had no grain on hand will receive no payments. …