Latest News From Markets - General

USDA's April WASDE report showed larger wheat and soybean ending stocks, but smaller ending stocks for corn. More surprising, still, was the lack of changes to South America's crop estimates.

While the expectation is for cotton acres to increase in the June acreage report, another key question is if cotton demand can continue to find footing and support higher prices.

The Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor is a gauge of economists’ views on the ag economy. While outlooks have grown weaker, it’s the erosion in the future outlook that is sprouting fresh concerns.

“We are really in a second phase of ag tech,” says Ryan Raguse, co-founder of Bushel. “We aren’t in an overly mature state—we’re still somewhere in the middle ground."

Reports say China has purchased more than 20 cargoes of feed grain in the past two weeks. Where is China buying from, and what's behind the sudden surge?

No step is too big for Top Producer finalist, PJ Haynie. Deep family roots are the foundation of his farming legacy. 

Brazil is seeing a sudden shift in weather with heavy rains now forecasted over the next two weeks. While it will bring relief to drought areas, it could cause harvest delays and issues planting the safrinha corn crop. 

Welcome to a $9 million orgy of crop insurance fraud by an unassuming farm couple.

After Kevin Whitney’s iPhone fell into 220,000 bushels of grain, the device made a 20,000-mile roundtrip across the globe before returning to its stunned owner.

AgResource Company forecasts 80% of the soybean crop is planted as of today, but for some farmers it's been a year of replant for both corn and soybeans.

USDA upped its corn yield estimate by nearly 2 bu. to a 174.9 bu. per acre national yield. The agency also increased its demand estimate, which softened the potential blow of such a big jump in production.

Corn and soybean prices seem stuck. So, what catalyst could it take to move commodity prices higher? There are a few, but analysts say the reality is there’s simply no story at the moment.

As pork producers’ potential profits continue to erode this year, some economists say 2023 could be financially worse than 1998, which is unearthing concerns about contraction, restructuring and vertical integration.

If Congress doesn't pass stopgap funding, crop production and progress reports will probably stall. That won't bode well for markets. "Usually it means that we've got some selling pressure ahead,” says one analyst.

Ag economists’ view on the ag economy is starting to erode. The September Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor shows lower commodity prices, concerns about demand and a negative outlook for China’s economy.

Both Dan Basse and Chip Nellinger say considering how dry it’s been, crop yields could be falling, and USDA may be forced to make more cuts to the national yield forecasts in upcoming reports.  

There are just over two weeks for Congress to pass 12 spending bills to avoid a total government shutdown. If time runs out, one analyst says that could mean no USDA report in October and no yield cuts, which are likely.

Even with red flags with demand and the economy, the August Ag Economists' Monthly Monitor shows economists continue to be impressed with the staying power of the U.S. ag economy, as well as the U.S. economy as a whole.

Drought is impacting operations along the Panama Canal, one of the largest shipping channels in the world, with restrictions now placed on both the number of ships, as well as the amount of cargo they can carry.

Tyson Foods’ decision to shutter four poultry processing plants, combined with Smithfield Foods announcing the closure 35 Missouri pig farmers, are strong signals that rapid consolidation is already underway.

Sixty-five percent of farmers surveyed in July expect interest rates to climb in the next 12 months. On a positive note, 7 out of 10 said they expect farmland cash rental rates to remain roughly the same for 2024.

Crop condition ratings seemed to be in a free fall in early summer, but July’s rains and cooler temperatures sparked a rebound. The heat this week means crop conditions could be set to take another hit.

Grain prices continue to rally as Russia ramped up attacks on Ukrainian ports on the River Danube. But agricultural economists and markets analysts point out the situation still hasn’t reached a worst-case scenario yet.

The July Ag Economists' Monthly Monitor showed several key changes from June including a bigger cut to corn and soybean yields, a drop in corn and soybean prices and more bullish cattle and hog prices.

There is now a dollar value assigned to grain carbon intensity scores below 29 in the form of tax credits to biofuel plants that buy grain as part of their decarbonization efforts.

The next opportunity for USDA to adjust its corn yield forecast is next week during the July WASDE report. Currently, USDA has penciled in a 181.5 bu. per acre national yield, but analysts think it may be too optimistic.

The National Drought Mitigation Center estimates 67% of corn and 60% of soybeans are still considered to be in drought, a slight improvement from last week when drought covered 70% of corn and 63% of soybeans.

USDA released a few big surprises in the June acreage report, including a spike in corn acres and a large reduction in soybean acres. The agency also forecasts grain stocks below trade expectations.

The Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor is a new survey of nearly 50 economists. Most ag economists agree the next 12 months could produce more financial pressure for agriculture, but their views vary depending on commodity.

Drought is deepening across the Midwest with 64% of the corn crop and 57% of the soybean crop across the U.S. now covered in drought, a sizable jump in just a week after NASS showed a historic drop in condition ratings.

The U.S. and China have reportedly made “progress” and agreed to stabilize their relationship, but no major breakthroughs were outlined during the two-day meeting between U.S. and China high-ranking officials.

November soybeans shot up $1 in just two days. The December corn contract skyrocketed 50 cents during the time. Drought and dryness concerns are fueling the grain markets, is it only weather impacting prices?

Last week, 34% of the U.S. corn crop was covered in drought, and this week it jumped to 45%. The second crop conditions ratings of the season from USDA-NASS confirmed dryness is starting to deteriorate crop conditions.

Much of the eastern Corn Belt is currently experiencing drought. Dry conditions have been parked in the western region even longer. Low subsoil moisture is a concern, and short-term dryness is compounding the issue.

According to a person familiar with the matter, there is no certainty Viterra will be able to reach an agreement on the terms of a deal.

The May WASDE report is the first look at the new crop balance sheets. As old crop demand continues to be an area of concern, the trade was watching to see how aggressive USDA would be with new crop supply and demand.

China seems to have made the strategic decision to buy ag products from just about every global supplier but the U.S., largely a result of the rising trade tensions between the two countries. 

USDA’s latest Crop Progress report shows while corn planting is now right on track with average, the soybean planting pace is well above average despite North Dakota and South Dakota farmers who are still sidelined.

Doug Hensley, President of Hertz Farm Management, says while farmland sales reached highs last year, they recently hit a plateau. Here are three market drivers Hensley encourages producers to consider.

A historic drought has severely cut the size of this year's crop in Argentina, especially soybeans. Processors will be forced to import soybeans just to stay in business.

As the market balances its focus between increased planting progress and the reality of saturated soils and more chances of rain and snow in the northern tier of states, commodity prices could sway planting decisions.

Futures markets are a mystery, says Scott Irwin, author of the new book, Back to the Futures, is now available for pre-order and is scheduled to be released on April 19 on Amazon.

The accelerated highs in 2022 don’t look to be hitting the brakes in the first quarter of 2023, according to Jim Rothermich, vice president of Iowa Appraisal.

If weather conditions allow crop yields to return to trend-line levels in 2023, prices for corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton and many other crops are likely to fall.

Wet weather in the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest is sparking conversations about a growing number of prevent plant acres this year. Is it too early to start conversations about the possibility of prevent plant?

A new partnership between Corteva, Bunge and Chevron to create proprietary canola hybrids will boost vegetable oil supplies to fuel the renewable diesel market while also creating a new revenue stream for farmers. 

​​​​​​​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. 

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. 

What will the next decade hold for your farm? What factors should you use to weigh investments or crop planning?  Here are five trends and data sets to ponder from USDA's latest Agricultural Baseline Projections.

What is the state of the U.S. economy? How will these macro factors impact the agricultural economy? John Deere's Kanlaya Barr provides a guide to a few risks you should monitor in the next year.