Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins was the opening act for President Donald J. Trump on the eve of Independence Day at the Iowa State Fairgrounds last week where he announced the Great American State Fair celebration for America’s 250th birthday.
“It will start right here in Iowa,” said President Trump. “The Great American State Fair will bring America 250 programming to fairgrounds across the country, culminating in a giant patriotic festival next summer on the National Mall, featuring exhibits from all 50 states.”
Sec. Rollins told the crowd in Iowa she would see them again in August. “I will be back in a month for your Iowa State fair. I will proudly be showing in your steer show against your governor, Kim Reynolds, your attorney General, and others. So those of you at the State Fair come say hello.”
Rollins signed a proclamation last week calling on all states to celebrate America’s proud agriculture heritage by implementing America 250 programing at every state fair during the year leading up to the anniversary. More than 35 states have already committed to celebrating America 250 with the Great American State Fair in 2025.
Also on Independence Day eve last week, Rollins announced the Great American Farmers Market will be held next month on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., during National Farmers Market Week. The market will run this summer from August 3rd to August 8th, farmers and vendors will be invited to join the historic event. “I want to invite all of you, every farmer, every rancher, every producer from every state who sell their beautiful crops and their products and their pork and their beef to join us in Washington…during National Farmers Market Week,” Rollins said in Iowa.
The ribbon cutting and grand opening of the Great American Farmers Market will be on August 3. Find more information on the GAFM website.
Listen to Rollins in Iowa here:
USDA Sec. Rollins in Iowa (12:27)
President Donald Trump celebrated the passage of his One Big Beautiful Bill and touted his plans for the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding next year with an address at the Iowa State Fairgrounds focused on farmers.
“This bill rescues over two million family farms from the so-called estate tax or the death tax. In other words, before Trump, you were losing farms to the banks,” said Trump. “You pass away, you leave everything to your children, and they have to pay a big estate tax or a death tax as we call it, and they couldn’t do it. They go out and borrow money and all of a sudden the bank is foreclosing on the farm. Not going to happen. You have no more estate tax. You have no more death tax to pay.”
While noting how illegal immigration has dropped to zero, President Trump talked about a plan the administration is developing that would allow farmers to vouch for immigrants who help them. “Some of the farmers, you know, they’ve had people working for them for years, and we’re going to do something,” said Trump. “We’re going to sort of put the farmers in charge and if a farmer’s been with one of these people that worked so hard. If a farmer is willing to vouch for these people…I think we’re going to have to just say that’s going to be good.”
Turning to tariffs and trade deals, President Trump highlighted his deal with the United Kingdom. “I did get beef and I got ethanol into Europe. They didn’t want to do it, you know, they never took our beef and they never took our ethanol and we said you got to do it and they did and they were great. We made a wonderful trade deal with them, but we’re doing that all over,” said Trump. “Just yesterday we reached a historic trade agreement with Vietnam to open their markets to American exports with zero tariffs. They get zero tariffs. And you’re going to be giving them vast amounts of farm product including beef, pork, poultry, dairy, and pure Iowa ethanol…The golden age of America is upon us.”
President Trump also announced plans for the Great American State Fair on the National Mall in July 2026 as part of the celebration of America’s 250th Birthday.
Listen to part of President Trump’s remarks here:
President Trump in Iowa (4:36)
House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) says the One Big Beautiful Bill passed by Congress Thursday is a “game-changer for America.”
“The One Big Beautiful Bill is a victory for rural America, making the largest investment in agriculture in decades, restoring integrity to SNAP, and saving millions of family farms from the death tax. This bill gives President Trump the tools he needs to keep America safe, strong, and free.”
Agriculture groups rushed to send out press releases mostly in praise of the bill that will be signed by President Trump on the Fourth of July.
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall says the bill will bring certainty to America’s farmers and ranchers. “More than half of farmers are losing money, so an increase in reference prices is desperately needed, and tax tools will help farmers and ranchers plan for the next season and the next generation.”
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane said, “This legislation will protect family farmers and ranchers from the devastation of the Death Tax, it will avoid a massive year-end tax hike that could have put cattle operations out of business, it expands and protects many of the small business tax deductions that family producers rely on to save more of the hard-earned money, and it funds critical foreign animal disease prevention measures that protect cattle health.”
National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) President Kenneth Hartman, Jr. says the legislation contains several important and longstanding priorities for corn growers, including the extension of key tax provisions and investments in commodity and trade promotion programs.
American Soybean Association President Caleb Ragland specifically noted the provisions included that secure key farm programs like crop insurance and tax provisions like the 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit. “At a time of great uncertainty for the agriculture economy, the support of Congress to enhance key programs and vital domestic markets for our farmers is critical.”
Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper says the bill includes more certainty for ethanol producers. “The extension and modifications to the 45Z clean fuel production credit, reinstatement of the Research and Development immediate expensing provisions, and improvement of the 45Q carbon sequestration and utilization credit will provide a growth-oriented tax policy climate that ethanol producers can count on, improving the role that renewable fuels can play in helping reach our nation’s energy independence goals.”
U.S. Peanut Federation chairman Jamie Brown says peanut producers will benefit from specific provisions that would normally be in a farm bill, including an increase in the reference price for the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program, a voluntary base acres update, a marketing loan increase, and modified payment limitations that reflect increased costs of production.
American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) President and CEO Andy LaVigne says all that is good but “there is still important work to be addressed in agricultural research, conservation, and other regulatory reforms and we urge Members of Congress to continue this forward momentum to address critical remaining regulatory and programmatic updates.”
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Rob Larew also praised the agricultural provisions in the bill, despite being paired with “harmful tradeoffs” such as cuts to SNAP, but added that, “A comprehensive farm bill policy is still urgently needed, one that strengthens rural communities, ensures fair markets, and reflects the full scope of challenges facing today’s farm families.”
Hello and welcome to the ZimmCast.
Let’s get a preview of the 2025 Agricultural Media Summit with Shelia Grobosky, BioZyme, and AMS Steering Committee Chair and LPC President.
It’s all about meetings, keynote and general sessions, breakouts, InfoExpo, awards, ACT student members, sponsors and more.
Listen to the episode here:
ZimmCast 748 - Preview of 2025 Ag Media Summit (15:05)
That’s the ZimmCast for now. Please let us know if you have ideas for a future podcast. Just email Chuck at chuck@zimmcomm.biz.
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A new study released by the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) shows corn farming is a major engine for the U.S. economy, generating an estimated $123 billion in total economic output in 2024, with an estimated contribution of $50 billion to Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The study, entitled The Economic Value of Corn Farming in the United States for 2024, also shows that corn farming supported over 440,000 jobs and provided $29 billion in wages, strengthening communities in rural America and across the entire nation.
In 2024, corn farmers in the United States grew 14.9 billion bushels of corn for grain valued at $64.7 billion. For the 2024/25 marketing year the United States is the world’s largest producer and exporter of corn. The contribution of corn farming and linkages extended across 506 different industry sectors in all 50 states. Even Hawaii and Alaska benefit from corn farming. The states with the least economic impact from corn are actually Rhode Island and Vermont with $6.4 and 7.3 million in economic output respectively. Not surprisingly, Illinois and Iowa are the top two states, with $18.5 and 19.2 billion.
Humic products leader Huma, Inc., is partnering with John Deere Financial to offer financing programs for its full line of carbon-based crop nutrition, soil health and crop protection products.
“Just in time application is a prevailing practice for crop production these days,” says Fred Nichols, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer for Huma. “John Deere Financial streamlines the purchase and financing process, making it easier for our customers to quickly and more easily improve their soil health, crop health and financial health.
“Along with unmatched reach and convenience, John Deere Financial provides an excellent platform for offering very attractive purchase incentives throughout the year,” Nichols adds. “Look for some great fall offers from Huma in the upcoming months.”
Headquartered in Gilbert, Arizona, Huma is a fully integrated provider of dry and liquid humic products, operating mines in New Mexico and Idaho, and offering carbon-based humic solutions and biostimulants across the world.
Alltech’s newly-released 2024 Sustainability Report highlights progress toward emissions reduction, champions agriculture’s role in building resilient food systems
“Our vision of Working Together for a Planet of Plenty® recognizes that thriving farms and food businesses are essential for a more sustainable planet,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. “When producers are equipped to succeed — to be profitable, to build a legacy and reinvest in their land and communities — we all move closer to a world of abundance.”
The 2024 report highlights a year of strong momentum and measurable impact: Alltech achieved double-digit business growth in 2024 while reducing its Scopes 1 and 2 emissions by 7.8%. Since 2021, Alltech has reduced those emissions by 26%, more than halfway to its 2030 target of 42%, proving that strong business performance can go hand in hand with environmental progress.
Among Alltech’s 2024 achievements, the company invested $2.04 million in six energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, cutting emissions by 3,602 metric tons of CO2-e. The company also expanded its zero-waste-to-landfill practices, with five facilities achieving full zero-waste status in 2024. In water stewardship, Alltech launched a strategy to benchmark usage, identify high-usage sites, implement conservation technologies and share global best practices.
The report also spotlights Alltech’s role in telling agriculture’s story in a new way through the World Without Cows documentary, which was viewed by more than 5,000 people last year at private screenings, film festivals and events around the world. “Through the film, its digital platform and in-person events all over the world, we are creating space for science-led storytelling that encourages critical thinking and sparking broader conversations about livestock, food security and sustainability,” Lyons said.
The film was screened at CattleCon in February where we interviewed Dr. Lyons about it.
Interview with Dr. Mark Lyons (4:59)
