Governor Issues Proclamation For Ease Of Access To Fuel For Heating During Winter Months

Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a proclamation to ease restrictions for transportation of and access to heating and motor fuels. The proclamation is currently in effect and continues through Jan. 3, 2026.

The proclamation suspends the regulatory provisions of Iowa Code pertaining to hours of service for crews and drivers delivering propane, diesel, natural gas, and other fuels used for residential, agricultural, and commercial heating purposes.

View Full Proclamation

AAI Members Honored At ARA Convention

Retailer of the Year

The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) honored River Valley Cooperative, based in Eldridge, Iowa, with the prestigious 2025 Retailer of the Year Award during the ARA Conference & Expo last week.

The Retailer of the Year Award annually recognizes an ARA member retailer or individual who demonstrates outstanding performance in environmental stewardship, community leadership, customer engagement, and employee relations. The ARA Executive Committee evaluates all nominees.

Read Full Press Release From ARA

Business Innovation

Five Star Cooperative, headquartered in New Hampton, Iowa, has been named the 2025 recipient of The Scoop’s Business Innovation Award.

The Business Innovation Award recognizes ag retailers who demonstrate digital transformation in their business. These include outstanding examples of how ag retailers are taking their enterprise resource planning, agronomics and business data to elevate customer service and build a sustainable business. The award is presented to a single ag retail location and its team in the U.S.

Read Full Article

Iowa Commercial Applicator Of The Year Nominations Open Through Dec. 31

Recognize An Applicator for Their Great Work

Commercial applicators in Iowa spend hundreds of hours in the field every year applying fertilizer and crop protection products on millions of crop acres. This award showcases the hard work professional applicators put into caring for crops and customers as well as their involvement in their communities.

We are proud to recognize these outstanding agribusiness professionals with an award that recognizes the often anonymous, tireless hours of labor required to keep Iowa's crop system running efficiently.

Nomination Requirements

There is no limit on the number of nominations a nominator may submit, however, a nominator may only submit one nomination for any one candidate. Nominators may nominate themselves. Nominators must be employees of companies that are members of the Agribusiness Association of Iowa. Candidates must primarily be an operator of application equipment and work for an AAI Retail Company member.

Nominations for Iowa Commercial Applicator of the Year must be received no later than close of business on Dec. 31, 2025. 

Submit A Nomination

Questions? Please contact Heath DeYoung at hdeyoung@agribiz.org or 515.262.8323.

Advanced Feed and Milling Short Course Offered In Partnership With Iowa State University

A new advanced short course for feed manufacturing and milling is being offered in partnership with Iowa State University for grain, feed, animal and bioproducts industry professionals. The five-day course will provide instruction utilizing the state-of-the-art facilities at the Iowa State University Kent Feed Mill and Grain Science Complex in Ames, Iowa.

IGFIA Advanced Feed Manufacturing & Mill Management Short Course

March 16-20, 2026

ISU Kent Feed Mill and Grain Complex

Ames, Iowa

Course Fee - $1750

Registration Online

The course will cover:

• Principles of Hammer and Roller Milling
• Maintaining Quality of Stored Grains, DDGS, SBM and Ingredients
• Principles of Batching and Mixing
• Utilization of Plant Automation Systems
• Principles of Steam Generation, Distribution and Regulation
• Mash Conditioning, Hygienizing and Pelleting 
• Cooling, Crumbling, and Post-Pelleting Liquid Applications 
• Optimizing Feed Mill Operations and Moisture Management
• Benchmarking Feed Mill Performance and Profitability
• Implementing Quality Management, Feed Safety and Biosecurity Plans

The course also will provide hands-on training and a facility tour. Additional details and information can be found on the short course registration site and on the ISU Kent Feed Mill website.

Submit Nominations to AAI for Sec. of Agriculture's Renewable Fuels Awards By Dec. 12

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has opened the nominations the Renewable Fuels Marketing Awards. The Secretary’s annual awards recognize fuel marketers and gas station owners that go above and beyond in their efforts to promote homegrown, renewable fueling options and develop innovative strategies to highlight the availability and affordability of higher biofuel blends at their retail locations. Two awards are presented annually, one for ethanol and one for biodiesel.

If you would like your business to be nominated, or if you would like to nominate another business, contact AAI by Dec.12 and we will work with you to complete the nomination and submit it to IDALS by the award deadline. Send information to Heath DeYoung at hdeyoung@agribiz.org or call 515.868.0311.

Full award information on the IDALS website

Out And About

National Grain and Feed Association Country Elevator Conference

Attended by: Julie Kenney, AAI CEO

Iowa Farm Bureau Annual Meeting 

Attended by: Julie Kenney, AAI CEO; Ben Gleason, Iowa Nutrient Research and Education Council (INREC) Executive Director

Iowa Ag Water Alliance (IAWA) Business Council meeting

Attended by: Julie Kenney, AAI CEO

Iowa Value Added Ag Support Team (VAAST) meeting

Attended by: Julie Kenney, AAI CEO

Stewardship Meets Strategy: Nutrient Reduction Webinar Jan. 7

If you farm or own ground, advise growers, work within conservation, want to expand your own nutrient management efforts, or simply care about water quality in Iowa, this webinar is for you. You’ll come away with practical insight, a stronger grasp of the data behind statewide trends, and tools you can use in real life.

The Iowa Nutrient Research and Education Council (INREC) is providing a free webinar on Jan. 7 at 9:00 a.m. Stewardship Meets Strategy: Nutrient Reduction – A Virtual Discussion, will unpack years of data, research, and real-world insights surrounding nutrient reduction practices and statistics across the state.

This webinar will show not just what the numbers say, but how they came together. The presenters are putting three powerful pieces of the puzzle in one place so you can see the full picture:

• 2024 Nutrient Reduction Survey Results: Discover what farmers across Iowa are doing to reduce nutrient loss, how those practices are verified, and how they compare to past seasons.

• Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy Dashboard: Explore a robust, data-rich portal built from two decades of monitoring and modeling. Learn where the data comes from, how it has evolved, and how you can use it.

• N-Fact Tool: Understand how on farm trials, survey data, and nitrogen science combine to help you make better, field-level nitrogen decisions.

Learn More and Register