David Pitt

Associated Press

When Filling Automation Wins

When Filling Automation Wins

November 1, 2026

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Ferrara to Shutter Chicago Plant, Cut Over 150 Jobs

November 12, 2026

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New Sensor Shows Promise for Fast, Low-cost Food Quality Testing

November 11, 2026

A woman shops in the refrigerated section of a supermarket in Montreuil, France, Oct. 14, 2026.

Iran Blamed for Cyberattack That Heated Supermarket Refrigerators

November 10, 2026

When Filling Automation Wins

When Filling Automation Wins

See how automated bulk bag filling and palletizing helped eliminate labor challenges and improve output.

November 1, 2026

Chris Petersen looks at a Berkshire hog in a pen on his farm on April 17, 2020, near Clear Lake, Iowa. COVID-19 has created problems for all meat producers, but pork farmers have been hit especially hard. The federal government announced Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2022, a program that will provide $1.3 billion in debt relief for about 36,000 farmers who have fallen behind on loan payments or face foreclosure.

USDA Announces $1 Billion Debt Relief for Farmers

The money is the first round of payments designed to help insure the farmers stay in business or re-enter farming.

October 19, 2022

Hogs feed in a pen on the Gary Sovereign farm, Lawler, Iowa, Oct. 31, 2018.

Court Reverses Precedent on Pig Farm Lawsuits

A previous ruling allowed landowners to sue over pollution or odors from neighboring farms.

July 1, 2022

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds arrives at a bill-signing ceremony in Prairie City, May 17, 2022.

Iowa Becomes 1st State to Require More Ethanol in Gas

Most gas stations will be required to sell fuel with at least 15% ethanol.

May 18, 2022

Turkey farm near Manson, Iowa, Aug. 10, 2015.

Human Bird Flu Case Confirmed in Colorado

The infected man had been in a pre-release program and was helping to remove chickens from an infected farm.

May 2, 2022

Ethanol plant near Nevada, Iowa, July 20, 2013.

Iowa Poised to Require E15 Gas

The ethanol industry consumes roughly half the state's corn crop.

April 27, 2022

Chickens at an organic farm near Waukon, Iowa, Oct. 21, 2015.

Bird Flu Drives Free-Range Hens Indoors

Free-range egg producers are trying to be open about their product while protecting chickens.

April 21, 2022

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Two Iowa Farms to Lose 5 Million Birds to Bird Flu

Iowa operations have had to kill 18 million chickens since the epidemic began.

April 4, 2022

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Bird Flu Claims Another 1.5M Turkeys and Hens

Officials in Iowa announced two more bird flu outbreaks in commercial flocks.

March 30, 2022

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Another Iowa Ag-Gag Law Ruled Unconstitutional by Federal Judge

The law seeks to stop animal welfare groups from secretly filming livestock abuse.

March 17, 2022

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Poultry Farm Struggle to Safeguard Birds from Flu as Outbreak Spreads

On March 14, the disease was confirmed at an egg-layer farm in Wisconsin with 3 million hens.

March 15, 2022

A flock of young turkeys stand in a barn at the Moline family turkey farm after the Mason, Iowa farm was restocked on Aug. 10, 2015.

U.S. Poultry Firms on High Alert Amid Indiana Bird Flu Case

The 29,000 turkeys in the flock were killed to prevent the spread of the virus.

February 16, 2022

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Federal Watchdog: Under Trump, USDA Overpaid Corn Farmers by $3B

The Government Accountability Office said the USDA's way of computing the extent of tariffs-based damages to farmers was flawed.

December 21, 2021

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USDA Plan Would Help Small Meat Processors

The goal is diversifying an industry now largely run by a small number of large corporations.

July 19, 2021

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Iowa's Supreme Court Stops Lawsuit Over Farm Runoff Pollution

It is the latest court rejection of an attempt to force the nation's leading corn and pork producing state to clean up farm pollutants from.

June 21, 2021