Iowa Farmer Today

What Iowa Farmer Today does

Iowa Farmer Today is a regional agricultural news publication serving Iowa farmers and the state's broader agricultural community with coverage of crops, livestock, markets, weather, technology, and rural life. It operates as one of approximately thirteen regional titles within the AgUpdate network, a multi-publication digital platform owned by Lee Enterprises (NASDAQ: LEE), a publicly traded diversified media company founded in 1890 and headquartered in Davenport, Iowa. The publication's product surface is built on a shared TownNews/Bloximages content management and hosting stack, with editorial content distributed through the AgUpdate website, a branded Iowa Farmer Today section, social media channels (Facebook, Twitter), email newsletters, mobile apps for iOS and Android, and an E-Edition digital replica.

The business model combines subscription revenue (digital access, E-Edition, newsletters), advertising sales through the AgAmplied network, and ancillary services such as a marketplace/classifieds platform for farm equipment, land, and livestock, a dedicated ag jobs board, and market data services delivered through a partnership with AgriCharts (Barchart.com) for real-time and delayed crop, livestock, and futures data. Iowa Farmer Today functions as a vertical-focused niche publisher with a single-state geographic focus, and its financials are not separately disclosed — they roll up into Lee Enterprises' consolidated reporting.

Strategically, the publication's positioning reflects the broader shift of regional agricultural media from print-led to digital-led distribution, leveraging shared Lee Enterprises infrastructure and the AgUpdate network to amortize content production, audience development, and ad-sales capabilities across multiple regional farm titles. No AI/ML capabilities, standalone funding, M&A activity, or non-Iowa geographic expansion are evident in the available data.

Name

Iowa Farmer Today

Legal name

Iowa Farmer Today

Website

https://agupdate.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Iowa Farmer Today is a regional agricultural news publication serving Iowa farmers with coverage of crops, livestock, markets, weather, and rural life, operating within the AgUpdate network under Lee Enterprises (NASDAQ: LEE).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cedar Rapids

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Iowa Farmer Today is a regional agricultural news publication serving Iowa farmers and agribusiness professionals. It delivers daily news, market data, weather, and rural lifestyle content through digital platforms, print editions, mobile apps, email newsletters, and a classifieds/marketplace section under the AgUpdate network, operated by Lee Enterprises.

Product overview

Iowa Farmer Today is a regional agricultural news publication operating within the Ag Update network under Lee Enterprises. The publication offers a core news product covering Iowa-specific crops, livestock, markets, and rural life content. Subscribers access content through a digital platform that includes the main website, an e-edition, mobile apps, and email newsletters. Market data services are provided through an AgriCharts/Barchart partnership. The broader network also offers a marketplace for classifieds and farm equipment, and job listings through a dedicated jobs board.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Iowa Farmer Today Daily News
• E-Edition (Digital Replica)
• Email Newsletters
• Mobile News Apps
• AgriCharts Market Data
• AgUpdate Marketplace & Classifieds

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• AgUpdateChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIowa Farmer Today operates as a regional publication within the AgUpdate network of agricultural publications, sharing content distribution and brand association with other regional farm publications including Illinois Farmer Today, Missouri Farmer Today, and others

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Farm & Ranch Guide: Sister regional agricultural publication within the AgUpdate network serving North Dakota and surrounding states. Identical business model, audience, and content mix to Iowa Farmer Today.
• Successful Farming (Dotdash Meredith): Long-running agricultural publication and digital platform operated by Dotdash Meredith, covering crops, livestock, markets, and equipment. Competes directly with Iowa Farmer Today for both readers and national ag advertisers.
• DTN / Progressive Farmer: DTN operates The Progressive Farmer and an ag-market data and news platform serving row-crop and livestock producers. Direct competitor in regional ag news and market data, the exact verticals where Iowa Farmer Today also operates.
• Tri-State Neighbor: Sister regional agricultural publication within the AgUpdate network covering the tri-state area of South Dakota, North Dakota, and Minnesota. Same business model and audience type as Iowa Farmer Today.
• The Prairie Star: Sister regional agricultural publication within the AgUpdate network covering Montana and Wyoming. Operates the same regional ag-news model as Iowa Farmer Today and shares the network's digital infrastructure.
• Farm Journal Media: One of the largest US agricultural media companies, publishing Farm Journal, Top Producer, and AgWeb. Directly competes with Iowa Farmer Today for farmer attention and agribusiness ad dollars across the same Midwest geography.
• Missouri Farmer Today: Sister regional agricultural publication within the AgUpdate network under Lee Enterprises, covering Missouri farming. Same multi-channel distribution model, target audience (Midwest farmers), and content verticals as Iowa Farmer Today.
• Midwest Messenger: Sister regional agricultural publication within the AgUpdate network covering Nebraska and surrounding Midwest states. Shares editorial resources, distribution platform, and audience model with Iowa Farmer Today.
• Agri-View: Sister regional agricultural publication within the AgUpdate network serving Wisconsin farmers. Identical distribution platform, content mix, and audience vertical as Iowa Farmer Today.
• Illinois Farmer Today: Sister regional agricultural publication within the AgUpdate network under Lee Enterprises. Operates the same Iowa Farmer Today business model, content verticals, and digital platform, but serving Illinois farmers — making it the most directly comparable peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/iowafarmertoday
• Facebookfacebook.com/IowaFarmerToday
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/farm-and-ranch-guide

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Iowa Farmer Today