October 08, 2025

Another Screwworm Case in Mexico

Mexico’s Agriculture Ministry said another case of New World Screwworm was reported in Nuevo (new-WAY-voh) Leon (lee-OHN), which borders the United States. Reuters said it’s the state’s second confirmed case in approximately two weeks. The infected calf came from the southern part of Mexico and was intercepted just south of Monterrey. None of the other 84 animals in the shipment were found to be infected with the flesh-eating parasite. The screwworm larvae in the detected case were all found dead or dying as a result of the mandatory treatments, including the antiparasitic Ivermectin. “The condition in which the larvae arrived makes them unviable for reproduction, demonstrating the effectiveness of the inspection protocols at origin and destination applied to mitigate the risk of screwworm spreading,” the ministry said in a statement about the most recent case. The outbreak has prompted the U.S. government to keep its border mostly closed to Mexican cattle imports. 

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Missouri River September Runoff Above Average

Although the overall runoff in September was above average in the upper Missouri River Basin, the runoff at the Fort Peck and Garrison reaches continues to be well below average. “Beneficial rainfall occurred over central South Dakota and North Dakota in September, resulting in well-above average runoff into Oahe (Oh-AH-hee), Big Bend, Fort Randall, and Gavin’s Point,” said John Remus, Chief of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Water Management Division. “The above-average runoff combined with the lower releases from Gavin’s Point slightly improves the System storage outlook for the beginning of the 2026 runoff season.” September runoff was 1.3 million acre-feet, 109 percent of the average above Sioux City, Iowa. As of October 1, the total volume of water stored in the system was 50.4-million-acre feet, which is 5.7 million below the base of the system’s flood control zone. System storage will continue to decline through the fall. 

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Farmers Say Current Conditions are Weakening

Farmer sentiment held steady in September as the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer rose one point to a reading of 126. However, there was a shift in producers’ perceptions of current conditions and their expectations for the future. The Index of Current Conditions fell seven points to 122, while the Index of Future Expectations climbed five points to 128. Farmers are concerned about current conditions, particularly over record-high corn and soybean yields, which are pressuring crop prices. At the same time, optimism about the future was supported by farmers’ belief that U.S. policy is headed in the “right direction” and by expectations that potential government support, like the 2019 Market Facilitation Program, will provide payments to farmers in compensation for lower commodity prices. The September Farm Financial Performance Index dropped three points to a reading of 88, making it the third consecutive month farmers have lowered their expectations for 2025. 

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Trump Trade Team Pushing New Buyers on Soybeans

Because American farmers are shut out of the soybean market in China, the U.S. is pushing other countries throughout Africa and Asia to purchase more American soybeans. As global trade tensions continue, President Trump’s trade team is looking for new market opportunities. “We’re calling up all our soybean customers around the world as part of our trade negotiations,” said Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council. He also said the administration was “getting ready to have really strong policies to support our farmers.” With silos full and exports drying up, Beijing, normally a major buyer of American soybeans, has not purchased any this season, diverting its orders to Brazil and Argentina instead. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said more than $30 billion worth of American soybean products were exported in fiscal year 2024. China bought about $12 billion worth of American soybean products in the last calendar year. 

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The Government Shutdown Impacts Soil Conservation

A federal shutdown effectively freezes nearly all USDA-funded agricultural conservation work, with 95 percent of NRCS staff furloughed and program payments paused. Why it matters is that the Natural Resources Conservation Service provides the technical and financial backbone for conservation on American farms. Without it, many projects like wetlands or prairie planting are stalled. Meanwhile, it doesn’t impact privately-funded or state-run projects, unless they are done in collaboration with federal funding or agencies, and many are. For example, Iowa typically has 475 NRCS employees working on conservation. During the shutdown, fewer than 500 staff members are left to cover the entire country. In fiscal year 2024, NRCS put $100 million into Iowa farms, and that momentum is now paused. This comes at a time when producers are already facing big challenges, and even short payment interruptions could deepen farmers’ economic turmoil. There’s no telling how long this will last. 

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HPAI Detected in Iowa Commercial Flock

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service detected a case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in a commercial turkey flock in Calhoun County, Iowa. This is Iowa’s eighth detection of HPAI within domestic birds in 2025. As the fall wild bird migration continues, that’s typically when infections in domestic flocks pick up. Clinical signs of infection include a sudden increase in bird deaths without any clinical signs, lethargy, and a lack of appetite. It can also include a decrease in egg production, or soft, thin-shelled, or misshapen eggs, and a swelling of the head, eyelids, comb, wattles, and hocks. Remember, it remains safe to enjoy eggs and poultry products. Consumers are reminded to properly handle and cook eggs and poultry products, including cooking to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. The CDC said the threat to the public remains low.

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