Now in its 50th season, the Des Moines Downtown Farmers Market draws hundreds of vendors each Saturday from May to October, as shoppers buy flowers, baked goods, spices and produce. It’s a festive atmosphere with street musicians on the corners and families and their pets threading through the crowds. But amidst the vibrancy of one […] The post At the Des Moines farmers market, tariffs and inflation squeeze vendors appeared first on Investigate Midwest.| Investigate Midwest
The latest forecast from the U.S. Department of Agriculture says net farm income will reach $179.8 billion in 2025, up 40% from last year. On the surface, that sounds like a big rebound. In reality, most of that increase comes from federal disaster payments, not from stronger crop or livestock markets. USDA says producers will […] The post Farm profits forecast to rise, but federal aid remains a big safety net appeared first on Investigate Midwest.| Investigate Midwest
Last month, Investigate Midwest’s Monica Cordero explored why President Donald Trump’s second trade war could hit U.S. farmers harder than his first. Her story reported on the various financial challenges farmers face. Here are four charts from that story that highlight those challenges: Net farm income declined for two consecutive years after peaking in 2022. […]| Investigate Midwest
BELZONI, Miss. — For Pepper Roberts, running a successful farm comes down to managing risk and planning for potential challenges. While other farmers sold their crops last fall, Roberts used grain bins to store half of his corn harvest, betting that he’d get a better price once corn supplies grew scarce. In January, Roberts sold […]| Investigate Midwest
John Deere, the world’s largest seller of tractors and harvesters, is laying off around 610 production staff at plants in Illinois and Iowa.| Farm Policy News