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Drought dominated headlines in western Iowa last year during the Pro Farmer Crop Tour, and even as drought continues to be the talk of Iowa this year, fields in some portions of the state produced a different tone.

EPA is banning the use on food crops of the pesticide chlorpyrifos. The decision is a victory for environmental activists who have fought to stop the use of the chemical that is applied to row and produce crops.

Crops across much of the state look good heading into the home stretch but still need to be monitored for insects and disease.

Pro Farmer scouts pegged the Indiana average yield estimate at 193.48 bu. per acre on Tuesday, just slightly below USDA’s prediction of 194 bu. per acre.

Just as American steakhouses are recovering from the first wave of COVID shutdowns, the Delta variant threatens to diminish the appetite for a sector seen as a barometer for full U.S. economic recovery.

Federal officials announced this week mandatory water cuts to the Colorado River, marking the first federal water cuts, and it’s the first-ever water shortage for a river that serves 40 million people in the West.

Biofuels groups are asking for a rehearing on a recent appeals court decision that blocked the sale of E15 year-round. The approval of E15 sales during the summer driving season was made by the Trump Administration.

Fields sprouted the possibiity of big bushels on Tuesday. In Nebraska, scouts saw dryness, but also big potential for soybeans this year. And Indiana’s crops also showed potential records in areas of the state.

Solar could supply more than 40% of the nation’s electricity by 2035 if Congress adopts policies like tax credits for renewable energy projects and component factories, according to a memo by the Department of Energy.

The latest Crop Progress report put the corn crop this week at 62% good to excellent, a two-point drop in a week. Soybean conditions dropped 3% across the country, now sitting at 57% rated good to excellent.