Sara Wyant

The U.S. Biotech Crops Alliance (USBCA) aims to find common ground on the introduction, stewardship, and distribution of commodities and processed products containing or derived from modern biotechnology.

Most Iowans know that theyÐll see a lot of presidential wannabes running around the Hawkeye state - shaking hands in coffee shops and eating pork chops at the Iowa State Fair Ð between now and the stateÐs first-in-the-nation caucuses, tentatively set for Feb.

International trade, the 2014 farm bill and concerns about government regulation were some of the key themes discussed when over 7,900 growers and agribusiness leaders Ð a new record Ð gathered in Phoenix for the 20th annual Commodity Classic.

When commodity prices were hitting record highs a couple of years ago, farm bill critics often made the case that it was finally time to make deep spending cuts or eliminate farm subsidies altogether

Not everyone who graced the stage at the Iowa State Fairgrounds was asked the same question, but moderator Bruce Rastetter did a great job making sure they responded to several key issues, while limiting each one to about 20 minutes. HereÐs an overview of how they answered.

Eliminating the Harvest Price Option (HPO) in crop insurance would leave growers without some key income protection when a severe drought drives up market prices but leaves producers with little to sell, says Art Barnaby, a Kansas State University economist who helped develop the p

USDA finally announced a proposed rule Ð authorized in the 2014 farm bill - to limit farm payments to people who are Ðactively engagedÐ in farming, potentially closing a loophole in non-family farm businesses that allows some larger joint ventures and general partnership

USDA reduced its fiscal 2015 forecast for agricultural exports to $140.5 billion and cut its estimate of imports to $117 billion, which would still be the highest ever.

USDA says conservation compliance deadline probably won't be extended.

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has long emphasized providing assistance to beginning farmers and ranchers and once suggested a goal of adding 100,000 new farmers by 2012.