Iowa Economy: Agriculture sneezed. Did Iowa’s economy catch the cold?

Iowa’s agricultural and manufacturing sectors are under stress — but not without opportunity. Host Chris Conetzkey talks with Vermeer CEO Jason Andringa and Iowa Farm Bureau economist Christopher Pudenz about the effects of the ag economy and how shifting markets, tariffs, and technology are reshaping opportunity across the state’s economy. In this episode: How low row-crop prices and high input costs are rippling through Iowa’s ag and manufacturing sectors. Why trade shifts and China’s soybean pullback are straining farm incomes. Despite tariff pressures Vermeer is growing due to infrastructure, environmental, and data-center-driven growth. The impact of tariffs and steel price volatility on Iowa manufacturers. What innovation and trade expansion could mean for turning around the ag economy.