Falling crop prices and stubbornly high costs are squeezing Iowa farmers, with some warning that the strain rivals the 1980s farm crisis.

Why it matters: The downturn is hitting a cornerstone of the U.S. food supply — with ripple effects for rural communities and consumers.

State of play: Crop commodity prices have fallen from pandemic-era highs, with corn dropping from near $6–$7 per bushel to the low-$4 range and soybeans from $13–$15 to around $10 per bushel.

• Meanwhile, fertilizers — often the single highest cost for farmers — have remained near peak levels.
• Diesel, used across nearly every part of farming, has surged since the start of the Iran conflict, with prices in Iowa around $4.80 per gallon, up from about $3.40 a year ago.

What they're saying: Mark Mueller, a northeast Iowa farmer and president of the Iowa Corn Growers Association, tells Axios that the current state of farming is more challenging now than at any time since the 1980s farm crisis.

• He says the stresses are showing, with rising bankruptcies and lenders becoming more reluctant to provide farmers with operational loans.
• "There's going to be fewer farmers next year than there is this year," Mueller said.

Context: The U.S. ag economy has been in a recession for the last couple of years, and could become potentially deeper than an ag slump from about a decade ago, Iowa State economist John Crespi tells Axios.

• Years of large harvests have kept supply high, pushing prices down, Crespi said.
• Workforce struggles are also factors, ISU economists Chad Hart and Peter Orazem told Iowa Press last year.

Yes, but: Crespi sees a stressed but not collapsing farm economy.

• Cattle markets are strong and corn usage is high, being driven by exports and global demand for livestock feed, he said.
• Groups such as the Renewable Fuels Association have recently applauded ongoing Congressional efforts to permanently allow year-round E15 sales.

What's next: If high input costs persist, Crespi says bigger impacts might come later this year, when farmers make planting decisions for the spring of 2027.

• For now, most farmers have already locked in this season's plans, meaning overall production should remain relatively steady.

The Des Moines Street Collective has a new director whose goal is to help make all modes of transportation safer and more accessible for people across the metro.

State of play: Alex Rice, a Valley High School graduate, has traveled many RAGBRAIs and cycled across the country in 2011.

• She's worked around the world, including France, West Africa, Pittsburgh and Portland, Oregon, until she most recently returned to Des Moines to be the executive director of the Willkie House in 2021.

Here are three things Rice wants to improve in the metro:

1. Bike racks: "Once you get outside of this really urban core, they're pretty few and far between," she says.
2. Bike share expansion: Street Collective operates 32 stations and about 200 bikes across the metro, logging roughly 14,000 trips a year. Rice wants more stations, particularly ones that connect with bus stops, but she says that requires more corporate and government investment.
3. Suburban cycling infrastructure: Bike lanes and trails thin out fast outside Des Moines proper. Extending that network into the suburbs is a major opportunity she wants to pursue.

What's next: May is Bike Month, with Bike to Work Week running May 11–17 and the Pedal Art Poster Show on May 15 at Confluence.

Gird your, er — steering wheels: Pothole season is upon us as the city warms up, and our concrete comes crumbling down.

The big picture: Ah, the Midwest rite of passage. Thou can't crater thy hearts, but our roads? That's a different story.

Be smart: Report potholes here. And if you need a refresher on how to fix a flat, we've got you here.

🍳 The Breakfast Club in the East Village is moving into a larger location at 418 E. Grand Ave. near Zombie Burger. (Des Moines Register)

📚 An increasing number of public university employees feel uncomfortable sharing their opinions at work, per an Iowa Board of Regents study. (Iowa Capital Dispatch)

🏈 Girls' flag football is growing across the state, including at Lincoln High School. (Des Moines Register)

🩺 A former Methodist Medical Center doctor is suing the state for trying to suspend his license for 90 days. He previously admitted to regular substance abuse, per the Iowa Board of Medicine, but received rehabilitation treatment. (Iowa Capital Dispatch)

West Des Moines Parks and Recreation is planning several improvements at the city's popular Raccoon River Park.

Driving the news: City staff plans on adding a covered shelter at the dog park and replacing a large net climbing feature at the playground.

• The shelter is one of the most regularly requested amenities at the park, staff says. Meanwhile, the net climbing equipment is around 16 years old and needs replacing.
• Estimated costs are around $100,000 and $200,000, respectively.

The big picture: West Des Moines Parks and Rec requested around $5 million from the city's fiscal budget to fund 15 projects.

• The council approved it last week.