Tuesday July 28 Ag News - Weekly Crop Progress Reports - USMCA Roundtable in Omaha This Week - NE FFA Foundation Campaign Kicks Off - ISU Hosts Fertilizer & Finance Wksps - and more!

Nebraska Crop Progress & Condition Statistics - July 26

                               Very Short     Short    Adequate     Surplus
Topsoil Moisture .......:    30          42            27              01    
Subsoil Moisture .......:    34          38            28              00    

                              .....  Last year   Last week   This week   5YrAve
Corn Silking................:        73            60             79            80
Corn in Dough............:        19            06              18            19
Soybeans in bloom.....:        71            69              85            80
Soybeans setting pods.:        27            23             39            42
Sorghum headed ........:        34           16               25            27    
Winter Wheat Harvested:     74           59              92            80

                                              VP       Poor       Fair        Good       Excellent    
Corn Condition Rating ...:     03          09         28           46             14
Soybean Condition Rating    02          07          30          49             12
Pasture Conditions ..........:    41          25          25           09             00    




Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report

There were 6 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending July 26, 2026. This is 2.4 days more than last year, when there were 3.6 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture condition rated 9 percent very short, 27 percent short, 61 percent adequate, and 3 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 7 percent very short, 28 percent short, 62 percent adequate, and 3 percent surplus. 

Corn silking reached 87 percent, which is 6 percentage points ahead of last year. Twenty-eight percent of Iowa’s corn crop has reached the dough stage, which is 4 percentage points behind last year. Corn condition rated 80 percent good to excellent. 

Soybeans blooming reached 80 percent, which is 1 percentage point ahead of last year. Forty-eight percent of soybeans were setting pods, which is 1 percentage point behind last year. Soybean condition rated 78 percent good to excellent. 

Sixty-seven percent of oats have been harvested, which is 20 percentage points ahead of last year. Oats condition rated 82 percent good to excellent. 

Pasture condition rated 65 percent good to excellent.



USDA Weekly Crop Progress Report

Crop conditions weakened last week as good-to-excellent ratings for both corn and soybeans fell 3 percentage points, according to USDA NASS's weekly Crop Progress report released Monday.

CORN
-- Crop development: Corn silking was pegged at 78%, 5 percentage points ahead of last year's 73% and 4 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 74%. Corn in the dough stage was estimated at 25%, 1 percentage point ahead of last year's 24% and 3 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 22%.
-- Crop condition: NASS estimated that 63% of the crop was in good-to-excellent condition, 4 percentage points below the previous week of 67% and 10 percentage points below last year's 73%. Twelve percent of the crop was rated very poor to poor, 3 percentage points above the previous week's 9% and 5 percentage points above the previous year's 7%. 

SOYBEANS
-- Crop development: Soybeans blooming was pegged at 80%, 6 percentage points ahead of both last year and the five-year average of 74%. Soybeans setting pods were estimated at 47%, 8 percentage points ahead of both last year and the five-year average of 39%.
-- Crop condition: NASS estimated that 63% of soybeans that had emerged were in good-to-excellent condition, 3 points below the previous week of 66% and 7 points below the previous year of 70%. 

WINTER WHEAT
-- Harvest progress: Harvest moved ahead 7 percentage points last week to reach 81% complete nationwide as of Sunday. That was 2 percentage points ahead of both last year and the five-year average of 79%. 

SPRING WHEAT
-- Crop development: Ninety-two percent of spring wheat was headed, 1 percentage point ahead of last year's 91% and 1 percentage point behind the five-year average of 93%.
-- Harvest progress: In its first spring wheat harvest report of the season, NASS estimated that just 2% of the crop was harvested as of Sunday, 1 point ahead of last year's 1% and steady with the five-year average. 
-- Crop condition: NASS estimated that 53% of the crop was in good-to-excellent condition nationwide, steady with the previous week.



USMCA Roundtable to be Held in Omaha July 29th

On Wednesday, July 29th at 10 AM,  Farmers for Free Trade will host a roundtable discussion with Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02) and Nebraska agriculture leaders on the future of North American trade and what's at stake for Nebraska farmers, ranchers, and agribusinesses as the United States renegotiates the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

The United States has chosen to move forward with a renegotiation of the agreement, which allows Nebraska farmers to export to its largest markets, rather than renew it. That decision opens a critical window in which farmer voices must be heard. Farmers for Free Trade is hosting the roundtable in Nebraska to ensure the perspectives of local agriculture leaders are front and center as negotiators work to strengthen and extend the agreement.

Featured at the event:  
Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02)
Heath Mello, President & CEO, Omaha Chamber of Commerce
Seth Mitchell, Executive Director, Nebraska Pork Producers Association
Kaitlin Taylor, Director of Public Policy, Nebraska Corn Growers Association
Lucas Miller, President, Nebraska Soybean Association 
Brian Kuehl, Executive Director of Farmers for Free Trade
 
The stakes for Nebraska are among the highest of any state. Mexico and Canada are Nebraska's two largest export markets, and Nebraska's agricultural exports exceeded $8 billion in 2024, making it the nation's fifth-largest agricultural exporting state. Nebraska leads the country in beef exports and ranks among the top states for corn and soybeans, commodities that depend heavily on duty-free access to North American markets.

At the event, Farmers for Free Trade will release new state-level data detailing USMCA's importance to Nebraska agriculture, including the export markets, farm inputs, and jobs tied to trade with Canada and Mexico. Reporters looking to cover the event can request the Nebraska-specific data.

BACKGROUND:  
The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which replaced NAFTA in 2020, includes a mandatory review in 2026 to assess its effectiveness and consider potential modifications. Mexico and Canada represent vital markets for American agricultural exports, with billions of dollars in trade flowing across borders annually. The U.S, has declined to automatically renew the agreement for a 16-year extension, which means that USMCA will go through review periods yearly as negotiations continue.

The Omaha discussion will focus on how USMCA has impacted local agricultural commerce, emerging challenges and opportunities facing producers and agribusinesses, and strategic priorities for the agreement's future. 



Blue Jackets. Bright Futures. Campaign Kicks Off

To those unfamiliar, it may look like a fancy blue corduroy jacket with gold stitching. But to thousands of agricultural students across Nebraska, the iconic FFA jacket is an emblem of opportunity, a symbol of heritage, and a badge of honor. As the Nebraska FFA Foundation kicks off its annual Blue Jackets. Bright Futures. campaign,the focus shifts to a powerful truth: owning this jacket can change a student's story.

Through this program, students are selected to receive a brand-new jacket with their name and chapter on it, along with a tie or scarf, based on an application submitted by students and backed by an advisor statement. A committee of donors, board members, and supporters carefully reviews each submission to select the jacket recipients.

Last year, over 500 students applied for a jacket and only 257 were awarded. The number of jackets that can be awarded each year is directly tied to the generosity of donors. A tax-deductible donation of $150 covers the cost of one jacket, plus a tie or scarf, and the campaign runs from August 1 to September 1, 2026.

If you wore a blue jacket at one time—or simply believe in what the jacket stands for—please consider gifting a jacket to help a young student display their FFA membership proudly. By donating to the Blue Jackets. Bright Futures. campaign, you aren’t just buying fabric; you are giving a young leader a lifetime of opportunities, a sense of belonging, and the confidence to step up as the next generation of agriculture leaders. 

To donate, visit the NE FFA Foundation website at www.neffafoundation.org.



Fertilizer and Finance Workshops to be Offered Across Iowa in August

To help producers, crop advisers and agricultural lenders make informed nutrient management decisions amid high fertilizer costs, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is offering four Fertilizer and Finance workshops across Iowa this August. 

Workshop topics will include understanding fertilizer cost trends; interpreting soil test results to make better phosphorus, potassium and lime recommendations; and fertilizer budgeting strategies to get the most value from every fertilizer dollar. Participants will learn practical strategies to maximize nutrient management while protecting farm profitability. The workshop is designed for farmers, agricultural lenders, crop advisers and other agriculture professionals seeking to evaluate fertility investments from both agronomic and financial perspectives.

"The goal is to help producers make confident decisions about where fertilizer dollars will have the greatest impact," said Rebecca Vittetoe, extension field agronomist at Iowa State. “By combining fertility management principles with financial analysis, participants will gain tools they can use to evaluate costs, manage risk and maximize returns.”

Workshop locations and dates
    Northwestern Iowa: Aug. 13 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Demco Community Center, 714 Main Street, Boyden. The workshop will be led by extension field agronomist Leah Ten Napel and extension farm management specialist Tim Christensen. To register, call the ISU Extension and Outreach Lyon County office at 712-472-2576. 
    Northern Iowa: Aug. 25 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at the ISU Extension and Outreach Cerro Gordo County office, 601 South Illinois Avenue, Mason City. The workshop will be led by extension field agronomist Angie Rieck-Hinz and extension farm management specialist Eric Weuve. To register, call the Cerro Gordo County office at 641-423-0844.
    Eastern Iowa: Aug. 26, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the ISU Extension and Outreach Johnson County office, 3109 Old Highway 218 South, Iowa City. The workshop will be led by extension field agronomist Rebecca Vittetoe and extension farm management specialist Ryan Drollette. To register, call the Johnson County office at 319-337-2145.
    Central Iowa: Aug. 27 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at the Town Craft Gallery, 1122 Willis Avenue, Perry. The workshop will be led by extension field agronomist Meaghan Anderson and extension farm management specialist Patrick Hatting. To register, call the ISU Extension and Outreach Dallas County office at 515-993-4281.

Registration is $60 per person. Pre-registration is requested three business days before each workshop.

For more information, call the hosting county office. 



USDA Reminds Agricultural Producers of Approaching Deadlines for Safety Net, Disaster Assistance, and County Committees

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is reminding agricultural producers impacted by increased input costs and natural disasters that the deadlines to apply for safety net and disaster assistance programs designed to protect their financial security are coming soon.  USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) wants to remind producers that the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) program and the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP), both have deadlines in early August. Additionally, thanks to the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, eligible landowners have until the end of August to review and consider base acre increases for the first time since 2002 for the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs.  

“Whether it’s disaster assistance, support for specialty crop growers or the first chance in more than two decades to update base acres, I encourage producers not to wait until the last minute," said FSA Administrator Bill Beam. “These deadlines represent real opportunities for producers to recover from market and weather challenges. Reach out to your local FSA office now and make sure you don't leave assistance on the table.” 

Agricultural producers are reminded of these important upcoming deadlines: 
    Aug. 7, 2026 – Deadline to apply for ASCF 
    Aug. 12, 2026 – Deadline to apply for SDRP 
    Aug. 31, 2026 – Deadline to review base allocations through ARC/PLC  

Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers 
ASCF provides payments to specialty crop producers based on reported 2025 planted acres. Pre-filled ASCF applications are available to producers who reported their 2025 crop acreage for eligible specialty crops. Producers with a secure Login.gov account can access and submit their pre-filled application online.  Producers can also request their pre-filled application from their local FSA county office. Eligible crops and payment rates can be found at fsa.usda.gov/ascf. The deadline to apply is Aug. 7, 2026.  

Supplemental Disaster Relief Program  
SDRP provides more than $16 billion in disaster relief payments to producers who suffered revenue, quality or production losses to crops, trees, bushes, or vines due to qualifying disaster events in calendar years 2023 and 2024. Producers with indemnified losses can apply through SDRP Stage 1 which leverages Federal Crop Insurance or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program data as the basis for calculating payments. Producers with non-indemnified (including shallow losses), uncovered (uninsured), and quality losses can apply for Stage 2 assistance. Producers can request an application from their local FSA county office.  Aug. 12, 2026, is the deadline for both Stages 1 and 2. Additional information can be found at fsa.usda.gov/sdrp. 

Agriculture Risk Coverage/Price Loss Coverage 
ARC and PLC are cornerstone commodity safety net programs that provide financial protection to farmers when market prices or revenues decline. Landowners have the opportunity to increase base acres in preparation for enrollment in ARC and PLC beginning with the 2026 and future crop years as authorized by the Working Families Tax Cuts Act. Nationwide, up to 30 million new base acres can be added by eligible farms. 

Eligible landowners should review their Base Allocation Summary, which outlines potential base acre increases. These Base Allocation Summaries can be accessed online at fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc using a Login.gov account. Landowners who do not currently have a Login.gov account are encouraged to contact their local FSA county office to obtain their Base Allocation Summary and review and take any necessary action by Aug. 31, 2026.

County Committees 
Additionally, Aug. 3 is the last day to submit nomination forms for eligible candidates to serve on their local FSA county committees. County committees are a critical component of the day-to-day operations of FSA and allow grassroots input and local administration of federal farm programs. Elections occur each year in certain Local Administrative Areas (LAA). LAAs are elective areas for FSA county committees in a single county or multi-county jurisdiction. Ballots will be mailed to eligible voters in November. Learn more at fsa.usda.gov/coc. 



Understand the New Forage Revenue Protection Program – Live Webinar August 11

Just approved! For the first time, many forage farmers have access to a Forage Production Revenue Protection insurance program providing protection against yield and price losses. With a September 30 sales closing date for most program states, farmers and crop insurance agents are encouraged to learn how the program works in time for this year’s enrollment.

To help farmers better understand the new insurance option and determine how it may help manage risk on their operation, a free educational webinar will be held Tuesday, August 11, at 1:00 p.m. CDT. The webinar is also designed to help crop insurance agents become familiar with the product before the upcoming enrollment deadline.

Webinar presenters include Glenda Blindert, a National Alfalfa & Forage Alliance (NAFA) Board Member working with Blindert Insurance Agency and Brannick Sweetser of AgriLogic Consulting, both members of the product development team for this new program.

The new program leverages the relationship between forage prices and the futures prices of corn, soybean meal, and Class III milk to provide in-season price risk protection and more representative insurable values. During the webinar, you will get a full program overview – learn about eligible forage crops and alfalfa mixtures, coverage options, premium estimates, production record requirements, how projected and harvest prices are determined, important enrollment deadlines, and when written agreements may be available. Using real-world examples, learn how coverage and indemnities are calculated.

Coverage is currently available in California, Idaho, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Washington, and Wisconsin counties. Alfalfa is insurable throughout the program area, while red clover, timothy, orchardgrass, and birdsfoot trefoil are insurable in select states. Farmers in participating states whose county is not already included in the program area may be able to obtain coverage through a written agreement.

Participants attending the live webinar will have the opportunity to ask questions directly to the product development team.

Register at bit.ly/AlfalfaRevenueProtectionWebinar to receive your link for the Forage Production Revenue Protection program webinar. To participate in the live webinar or view the on-demand webinar, you must register at bit.ly/AlfalfaRevenueProtectionWebinar. Review USDA’s Risk Management Agency’s Fact Sheet and AgriLogic’s program design overview and price discovery timelines at alfalfa.org/ForageProductionRevenueProtection.php. 



Senate Committee Passes Childhood Diabetes Bill with Problematic Provisions for Meat
 
The U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions marked up the “Childhood Diabetes Reduction Act,” the aim of which is to reduce childhood obesity and diet-related chronic diseases—but includes provisions problematic for the meat industry. 
 
Among other mandates, the childhood diabetes bill defines ultra-processed foods, and it would require the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to put labels warning about the health effects of foods that are high in “nutrients of concern” such as saturated fat and sodium. 
 
The National Pork Producers Council has raised concerns about those provisions previously, pointing out in comments to FDA that there is no consensus on what constitutes ultra-processed foods, and coming up with a definition that “incorporates the nuances of food processing and nutrition for the goal of improving public health” would be difficult. NPPC suggested elevating the importance of nutritional composition while protecting processes and ingredients that promote nutrient bioavailability, food safety, and shelf-stability.
 
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) was the lone Democrat to vote against the bill, while Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Roger Marshall (R-KS) voted for its passage.
 
NPPC supports efforts to reduce childhood diabetes and obesity while protecting access to affordable, nutrient-dense foods such as pork. It cautioned that federal labeling of, and “education” on, certain foods should distinguish between ultra-processed, calorie-dense products and foundational, nutrient-dense foods that contribute protein, vitamins, and minerals to healthy eating patterns. Using the term ultra-processed could unintentionally misclassify nutrient-dense foods simply because they are processed and prompt consumers not to eat them.
 
NPPC pointed out that pork can be part of a balanced diet and provides high-quality protein, as well as nutrients such as thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, selenium, zinc, phosphorus, and choline.
 
Consumer health and safety are priorities of U.S. pork producers, and ensuring Americans have access to nutrient-dense pork will help improve the nation’s nutrition and positively impact health.