Farmers and other agriculture professionals traded poor weather, discouraging news for sausages, and positive conversation in Rio Creek on Wednesday. Rio Creek Feed Mill hosted the agriculture community for a celebratory lunch that serves as an unofficial launch of the planting season, with customers picking up their orders while catching up with their friends about the winter. They received an extra dose of winter on Wednesday with snow, ice, and freezing rain making another appearance, potentially pushing off fieldwork further into the future. It was also before President Donald Trump announced that new tariffs would be implemented worldwide. However, United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told the Des Moines Register that funds are being lined up to provide farmers with financial assistance if other countries issue retaliatory tariffs that impact their bottom line. Rio Creek Feed Mill agronomist Adam Barta says weather and tariffs are certainly on everyone’s minds, but he would never bet against the resilience of farmers.

Barta adds that agronomists work with farmers on multiple plans just in case the weather, the markets, or other factors throw them curve balls during the year. The USDA will issue its first Crop Progress and Condition Report for the state on Monday.