Iowa farmers whose livestock and crops were hit by drought, devastating tornadoes and flooding over the past two years may be in line for help from Congress’s nearly $21 billion in disaster assistance.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said the first disaster assistance payments are expected to roll out by the end of May to livestock producers who experienced losses from drought and wildfires. USDA will disperse other disaster payments throughout the summer, based on a timeline released May 7.

The disaster assistance is part of a nearly $31 billion package that Congress approved in December that provided $10 billion in financial assistance to growers, who are facing a third year of losses with falling crop and livestock prices and stubbornly high expenses.

USDA has rolled out $7.3 billion of the financial aid to farmers so far, the agency’s data shows.

Iowa farmers have snagged the largest share of money at $688 million, followed by Illinois at $630 million and Texas at $603 million. The largest payments so far have gone to corn and soybean growers, the data shows.

Iowa is the nation’s top corn grower and second-largest soybean producer.

USDA’s timeline on the release of disaster aid came as President Donald Trump said May 8 he had crafted a preliminary trade deal with the United Kingdom, a move the president said would increase market access for U.S. farmers, especially beef and ethanol. That’s good news for Iowa, the largest ethanol producer in the nation.

More: Fixing Iowa’s levees will cost hundreds of millions. Half of those inspected: ‘Deficient’

Experts have said that the $31 billion in financial and disaster assistance provides farmers with revenue at a time of uncertainty, with the U.S. hitting agriculture’s largest trade partners with tariffs and cutting exports.

Here’s what to know about the impact of the disaster assistance rollout:

Why are farmers getting disaster payments?

The U.S. was hammered by hurricanes, drought, wildfires and other extreme weather events in 2023 and 2024, the years covered by disaster assistance. The congressionally approved supplemental disaster assistance helps cover losses not paid for through traditional crop and livestock insurance, experts say.

Storms that hit the nation last year, including devastating tornadoes and flooding in Iowa, caused nearly $183 billion in damages and killed 568 people, according to NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information.

More: Iowa, Texas farmers top recipients of USDA payments designed to offset losses

And damages from 2023 U.S. disasters totaled $92.9 billion, including a drought that hit Iowa and other Midwestern and Southern states. The drought cost an estimated $14.5 billion, according to NOAA, which is no longer tracking the cost of severe weather events due to the Trump administration’s budget cuts.

2023 was the second straight year that portions of the Mississippi River experienced record-low water levels that impacted farmers’ ability to move corn, soybeans and other goods to export markets.

What’s USDA’s plan?

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said May 7 the federal agency is developing the rules to expedite disaster assistance payments for farmers experiencing livestock losses due to wildfires, drought and flooding; crop losses from weather events; and two block grant programs for several states, neither of which includes Iowa.

Starting with payments to livestock producers experiencing losses due to drought or wildfires in late May, assistance for livestock and crop losses are expected to roll out through September.

What does it mean for Iowa farmers?

USDA didn’t immediately respond to a request seeking information May 8 about how Iowa farmers might be helped through the disaster assistance. Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig’s office also said he’s awaiting guidance.

Iowa has struggled with extreme weather. Last year was a record year for tornadoes, with a total of 125 touching down, including deadly twisters that hit the towns of Minden and Greenfield. Iowa also experienced record levels of flooding in northwest Iowa, hitting Rock Valley, Spencer and other communities.

Aaron Lehman, the Iowa Farmers Union board president, said he’s concerned that USDA employee cuts will leave farmers struggling to get information about the disaster assistance. Already, Iowa farmers already are being notified that Farm Service Agency offices are reducing hours, he said.

Local Farm Service Agency offices are “instrumental in making sure … money gets into farmers’ hands,” Lehman said.

Rollins said at a Senate hearing May 6 that USDA is looking to fill critical positions after agreeing to pay more than 15,000 employees’ salaries and benefits through September in exchange for their resignations, Reuters reported.

Rollins, however, said it’s not the agency’s plan to close Farm Service Agencies that provide on-the-ground assistance to farmers.

Donnelle Eller covers agriculture, the environment and energy for the Register. Reach her at deller@registermedia.com.

The No. 10 Oregon State Beavers visit the Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday in a college baseball game at Principal Park in Des Moines, Iowa.

First pitch is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

It’s the encore in a three-game series that opened Friday night at the home of the Triple-A Iowa Cubs. The Beavers outlasted a Hawkeyes comeback in the opener, using another prodigious performance by Wilson Weber and solid late-inning pitching from Kellan Oakes to win 9-6.

Wilson went 4 for 5 with a home run and four RBIs, and he delivered the go-ahead hit in the eighth inning on a wild sequence that sealed the win for the Beavers.

With two outs and the bases loaded in a tie game, Weber smacked a chopper to the left side of the pitcher’s mound. Iowa right-hander Anthony Watts fielded the ball, looked toward third base, then twisted around and fired to first base.

Weber not only beat the throw — sending Talt home with the go-ahead run — but the ball also eluded Hawkeyes first baseman Caleb Wulf and rolled into right field, allowing Tyce Peterson and Gavin Turley to score, too.

And just like that, OSU led 9-6.

Oakes (2-0) followed with a 1-2-3 ninth to polish off the win. The junior right-hander, who entered the game with one out and a runner on first base in the sixth inning, had a rough start, coughing up a game-tying two-run homer on his fifth pitch and giving up up a two-out double later in the inning.

But he retired the final seven batters he faced in order, tossing the final 2 2/3 innings to earn the win.

Will Game 2 feature similar late-game drama?

Here are details about Saturday’s matchup:

No. 10 Oregon State Beavers (36-12) vs. Iowa Hawkeyes (32-16)

When: 1:30 p.m. PT, Saturday, May 10

Where: Principal Park in Des Moines, Iowa.

TV channel: The game is not televised, but will be streaming live on Big Ten Plus.

How to watch live stream online: The series will be streamed live on Big Ten Plus, which is available via a subscription. Visit osubeavers.com and click on the baseball schedule for a direct link to the game or visit bigtenlplus.com for subscription information.

Radio: All games air on the Beaver Sports Network. Pregame starts 30 minutes before the first pitch and you can listen live anywhere via the Varsity Radio Network. Local affiliates include KEJO 93.7-FM & 1240-AM (Corvallis), KKNX 105.1-FM & 840-AM (Eugene), KCFM 104.1-FM & 1250-AM & 104.1-FM (Florence), KLAD 104.3-FM & 960-AM (Klamath Falls), KCFM 103.1-FM (Mapleton), KTMT 96.1-FM & 580-AM (Medford), KCMX 880-AM (Medford), KCMX 99.5-FM (Phoenix), KEX 1190-AM (Portland), KSKR 1490-AM (Roseburg) and KBZY 1490-AM (Salem).

Probable starters: OSU RHP Dax Whitney (3-3, 4.56) vs. RHP Aaron Savary (7-0, 3.36)

This and that: Whitney is making his 13th start of the season, including the 10th away from Goss Stadium. The 6-foot-5 freshman, who has not earned a win since March 29 at Nebraska, has struggled in recent weeks, going 0-1 over his last five starts. The previous three, during which Whitney surrendered 12 runs in 8 2/3 innings, have been especially rough, sending his ERA soaring from 2.88 to 4.56. But the talented freshman, who has produced 72 strikeouts in 49 1/3 innings this season, is capable of dominance and seems due for a difference-making performance. … Weber is 9 for 20 with four homers, three doubles and 14 RBIs over his last five games, during which he’s produced a pair of crucial go-ahead late-game hits. The hot streak has sent Weber’s batting average (.333) and RBI total (41) surging to third-highest and second-highest on the team, respectively. … Junior outfielder Gavin Turley doubled home a run in the fourth inning of Friday’s win. The RBI was the 175th of his career, moving him past Adley Rutschman (174) into sole possession of second place on Oregon State’s all-time list. He needs five more to pass Michael Conforto (179) and become the Beavers’ all-time RBI leader. … Junior outfielder Easton Talt entered Friday night’s game as a pinch-hitter in the fifth inning and finished 0-1 with two walks. He now has 58 walks this season and sits one shy of tying Travis Bazzana and Garret Forrester (2023) for fourth-most in a season at OSU. … Savary has surrendered more than two runs just three times in 12 starts this season. The 6-3 junior has won three of his last five starts and is coming off a hard-luck no-decision against the Washington Huskies, against whom he allowed three hits, one run and recorded 10 strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings.

OSU’s starting lineup

1. Aiva Arquette, SS

2. Gavin Turley, DH

3. Wilson Weber, C

4. AJ Singer, 2B

5. Canon Reeder, CF

6. Easton Talt, RF

7. Jacob Krieg, 1B

8. Dallas Macias, RF

9. Trent Caraway, 3B

— Joe Freeman | jfreeman@oregonian.com | 503-294-5183 | @BlazerFreeman | @freemanjoe.bsky.social | Subscribe to The Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.

ANKENY, Iowa (KCRG) – Dubuque students who are part of Iowa Jobs for Graduates (iJAG) helped package 30,000 meals in a partnership with Meals from the Heartland.

The students assembled the meals Wednesday during the Iowa Skills Development Conference.

According to a release from iJAG, “the 30,000 meals packaged during the event will benefit up to 51 counties where iJAG is currently implemented, plus serve families abroad through Meals from the Heartland.”

The conference also provided students with the opportunity to partake in various workshops, activities, and professional development.

Copyright 2025 KCRG. All rights reserved.