Latest News From Michelle Rook

​​​​​​​USDA will release its estimates on farmers planting intensions at the end of March. Ahead of that, commodity firm Allendale has released its own acreage projections. 

USDA's Equity Commission recently recommended sweeping changes across the entire government agency. What can farmers expect to see?

WASDE Report was bullish for soybeans with a cut in U.S. ending stocks and 8 mmt cut in Argentina production, corn ending stocks bearish, raised 75 mb. Wheat balance sheet unchanged.  Jim McCormick of AgMarket.Net.

Farmers in the northwestern corn belt have had normal to above normal moisture this winter which will play into planting intensions, but so will commodity and input prices. So what will the acreage mix look like?

Every year, farmers from the Northern Plains make their way to the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, ND...for the CHS Ag Services Ag Industry Day where they got an update on weather, agronomics and markets for 2023.

With improved snowpack in areas such as Montana and precipitation through the midsection of the country late last fall and this winter, the Mississippi River and its tributaries could be back to normal by this spring. 

A year after Russia invaded Ukraine farmers continue to see reduced crop production and exports. Farming has been difficult in the middle of a war, but farmers such as Nick Gordiichuk have persevered.

Orange production in Florida is projected to be down nearly two-thirds from last year and according to USDA at levels not seen since the Great Depression.  What does this mean for producers and consumers?

Is the Biden Administration's trade agenda finally making some progress? Farm groups are hopeful after key appointments are confirmed and some recent success stories on the trade front.

As U.S. soybean processing expands, it's vital to create new outlets for all the additional soybean meal. One such outlet could be Morocco.

With the expansion of the U.S. soybean processing industry due to the push for green fuels farmers are looking for a new home for the extra meal...and they're finding it in Morocco.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been dredging the river 24 hours a day, 7 days a week since July but hopes to finish very soon.

Natural gas prices rebound Monday after hitting lows not seen in a year.  Is the bottom in?  John Wenzel, Senior Risk Management Consultant with StoneX has details.

The acreage battle will be a hot topic in 2023, especially for the cotton market. Early indication the nation's farmers will be planting less cotton.

We have a new definition for the Waters of the U.S. — at least for now. Some farm groups, including the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, are unhappy with the outcome.

Proposed farmworker labor reforms from Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and others were left out of the omnibus spending package but farm groups are continuing to push for immigration reform.  

Fufeng USA is purchasing 370 acres in Grand Forks to build a $700 million project. A government review didn't raise enough red flags to block the proposal, which has refueled the debate about foreign land ownership.

Grains mixed after WASDE. The only change USDA made to U.S. ending stocks was in corn by lowering exports. Brian Splitt of AgMarket.Net has analysis.  

​​​​​​​Every year farmers push the yield envelope on their farm.  The agronomic approach is different for every farmer, but an NCGA Yield Contest winner has some advice.

Congress is stepping in to avert a nationwide railroad strike, which was set to happen as early as December 9.

West Texas intermediate crude oil prices hit an 11-month low of $73.60 per barrel Monday before rebounding to close higher.  So, what is driving the market and how long will these lower price levels last? 

USDA has announced additional disaster and pandemic assistance for farmers, plus there is more funding for climate smart ag on the way.

From Ohio to Missouri dry conditions impacted this year's production. Farmers are finding some disappointments at harvest but also some welcome surprises considering the lack of moisture during the growing season.

Farmers in dry climates are taking a holistic approach to flipping their soil to make it healthier and that includes cover crops.

Farmers and livestock producers are facing another headache this fall.  In parts of the eastern corn belt there are reports of vomitoxin in corn.  

The Black Sea Grain Initiative has been extended for 120 days from Nov. 18, without any changes. The deal is bearish for U.S. corn and wheat exports, which are already lagging. 

In USDA's November crop report the agency put soybean yields in Wisconsin at 54 bushels per acre with record corn yields at 182 bushels per acre. Yield results from the field are backing up that forecast.   

Supplies of diesel in the United States are some of the tightest in history, down to a 25-day supply.  So, is there a chance of running out?

The harvest is quickly wrapping up in Illinois and it's produced some mixed and surprising yield results for farmers. 

The midterm elections are critical for agriculture because whichever party controls the House and Senate will trickle down to the leadership of the ag and budget committees as they write a new farm bill. 

The cotton market hit a two-year low on Monday, Oct. 31, but the market ended 1,494 points higher for the week, up 21%.   

The harvest continues to roll at near record pace in Indiana and it looks like statewide yield averages will be down for both corn and soybeans. 

Mexico has confirmed that the country does not plan to amend its ban on imports of GMO that is set to start in 2024.  

In the October USDA projected a 200 bushel per acre corn yield in Iowa, with soybean yield at 58 bushels per acre.   However, yield reports are putting those estimates in question.  

Agriculture isn't out of the woods regarding rail transportation issues as new demands are being made by at least one union.  

The October Creighton University Rural Mainstreet Index survey shows ag bankers are concerned about economic downturn in 2023.  

In a moisture deficit area like southwest Nebraska conservation and regenerative practices have long been a staple for farmers.  That's important especially in drought years like 2022. 

For farmers trying to Flip their Soil and improve soil health one simple thing they can do this fall is plant cereal rye as a cover crop and plant soybeans into that stand. 

In South Dakota the harvest is a tale of two crops with big differences in moisture from North to South. 

Farmers getting started on a path to improving soil health can only accomplish that if they Flip their Soil to make it more alive.  

Mitchell Hora, agronomist and CEO of Continuum Ag, advises farmers to implement soil health practices within the context of each field, which includes working with local experts and doing research.

Soli health practices can help Flip Your Soil from good to great.  These practices are also part of the new push for Climate Smart Agriculture practices to sequester carbon.  

Harvest results in Nebraska are understandably disappointing with some of the driest conditions during the season since the drought of 2012. 

Rising prices are impacting every aspect of the food and agriculture supply chain and that may not change dramatically through the balance of 2022 according to the Federal Reserve Banks of Minneapolis and Kansas City.

The U.S. is projected to have record ag exports for the marketing year but is still posting a trade deficit.  Plus, headwinds such as slow water levels on the Mississippi River are adding to trade concerns.

Agronomist Missy Bauer, of B&M Crop Consulting says when farmers think about winning the furrow it starts with stand uniformity.  "It's got to be uniform soil around there to make that happen. "

Low Mississippi River water levels are a concern for moving inputs like fertilizer. The worry comes as Florida, a key fertilizer-producing state, cleans up after Hurricane Ian. What will the fertilizer price impact be?

As if agricultural shippers did not have enough supply chain challenges, there is concern related to the diminished water levels along the inland waterway system that will impact barge transportation.  

Some South Dakota soybeans are coming up short this Fall, with parts of the Southeast experiencing their driest conditions since 2012.

United States ethanol production has slowed the last several weeks and is now at levels not seen since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.