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With the outlook for high input costs and low commodity prices, the impulse for farmers is to cut their spend on products across the board for 2026. There is a more effective approach that will deliver better results and ROI, say Extension field agronomists.
Commodity prices have not kept pace with rising costs, leaving many row crop growers struggling to keep their operations on positive footing headed into the new year.
The Supreme Court is reported to consider a glyphosate case in the coming calendar year.
“We encourage the administration to explore practical credit and lending tools that help farmers access inputs today and pay over time, so retailers can continue serving as trusted advisors while operating on slim margins,” said Richard Gupton, ARA’s SVP of Public Policy and Counsel.
Eight new members join the board. The current chair of ARA is Dave Spears with MKC.
The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance says it stands “ready to work with the administration and Congress to advance a meaningful assistance package to support specialty crop growers during this difficult period.”
Paul Neiffer provides an update on SDRP as well as ARC-PLC payments. Plus, are you aware the IRS has released guidance on new bank loan interest deductions? The Farm CPA gives a quick overview of that opportunity, too.
USDA’s Brooke Rollins says the financial details will be unveiled next week. Some groups estimate payments could total in the neighborhood of $12 billion. “There’s people that can really use them. Everyone can use them…but we’re not getting real solutions,” says one Iowa farmer.
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Going into the final weeks of the year, many growers across the country are shouldering significant financial strain from land rent payments, rising input costs, and efforts to stay in business and viable until commodity prices improve.
The best ag retailers aren’t waiting for better conditions–they’re reinventing how they work, lead, and serve their growers.
Matt Hansen of Grower’s Edge says the company’s technology has been a catalyst to change the conversation in ag retail.
The project has two goals: support retail agronomists in their recommendations and support decisions with a focus on return on investment.
Number of bushels per acre is high on their list of priorities, but it’s not necessarily their No. 1 concern going into 2026.
Both products have been registered for use by the EPA, with one of them featuring a novel active ingredient.
The company also announced a transition in leadership for its retail division.
Farmers wanting to hang onto the soil moisture in their fields are struggling to address compaction and ruts where there has been little to no recent rainfall. Anhydrous ammonia applications are also difficult to get sealed in fields where moisture is minimal.
Growers say they remain cautiously optimistic and believe the U.S. is “headed in the right direction.” But they want the gridlock with China to end and for actual steps to be taken to get their crops sold and shipped.
As crops go into bins, growers will be looking to maintain quality until their marketing opportunities improve. Some ongoing management practices are vital to the process.
Farmers are likely to apply more NH3 this fall, given its availability and price point relative to other nitrogen sources. Chase Dewitz shares a recent experience that occurred on his farm as a reminder that the product deserves to be handled with careful attention and respect.
Agronomists answer farmer questions about the role of nitrogen and other nutrients in lessening the potential impact of yield robbers such as southern rust and tar spot in corn.
Details are minimal so it’s not clear how there will be enough staff to provide the Milk Production, Crop Production, Cattle on Feed and WASDE reports with many still furloughed.
Strong production numbers and government policies support the thesis of higher costs for longer.
The announcement Beijing is buying soybeans marks a crucial step toward achieving some market stability for U.S. growers in the near term and hope for the future. USDA’s Vaden says the purchase ‘represents a floor and not a ceiling,’ while ag economists offer a mix of optimism and caution.
As a handful of corporations influences more of the agricultural supply chain, row crop growers say they are left with fewer input choices, higher prices and diminishing control over their own operations.
Retail partner Nutrien Ag Solutions is trading on trust to bring more opportunities for growers
Corn yield champs say annual soil testing is the best way to make sure fields are up to the goal of delivering profitable high yields every season.
Having your information compromised is a matter of when, not if, says Chris Sherman from Tech Support Farm.
Bayer Plus Rewards began in 2019 offering marketing offers based on the purchase of multiple products.
Beijing’s refusal to buy American and its pivot to Brazil could be less about economics and more to do with politics. “It’s a calculated decision about control and national leverage, not about getting the cheapest beans,” says one ag economist.