Sorghum

From Harvest to Hardship: Farmers Struggle With Cash-Flow Crunch

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 22:14:34 GMT

Across America’s heartland, most corn and soybean crops are harvested, combines have been put away, and farmers will gather with their families to enjoy the holidays ahead. But as farmers gather around dinner tables and give thanks for what they have, many are concerned about what they don’t have this fall – adequate cash flow.

That lack is the No. 1 issue facing farmers now, according to southeast Illinois farmer Sherman Newlin, who’s based in Crawford County.

“I think these low prices are starting to take a toll on guys trying to meet their cash-flow needs,” he says.

For many farmers, Newlin believes the issue isn’t just about surviving until next spring — it’s about paying land rents, covering input bills coming due, and staying afloat right now.

“Unless you’re in a good area that had really good yields, cash flow is probably going to be tight,” Newlin says.

Northeast Iowa Brent Judisch doesn’t sugarcoat the numbers he penciled out last Wednesday. “Our cash corn today is at $4.10 — that’s not going to cut it with an average yield. Our cash beans today are $10.60. With a good bean crop, that probably cash flows, but it doesn’t make any money,” he says.

Farmers Took Grain To Town At Harvest
Selling grain is about the only option many row-crop growers have had this fall to meet expenses, even if the market timing isn’t ideal, Newlin says.

“Prices for corn and soybeans have come up some. At harvest, things were quite a bit lower than where they are right now,” Newlin says. “But it’s kind of hard to take advantage of a rally if you sold across the scale and didn’t come back in and reown [the crop] on paper.”

Judisch says there are some “better bids out there” for farmers who can wait to market corn in late winter, February and March.

“But for the short term, [buyers] are not having to bid up that much to get it because guys are just having to turn some stuff into cash to pay the December rents,” he says.

(Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor)

The November Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor survey reflects farmers’ current cash-flow pressure as well as their mindset in how they are approaching marketing decisions now. The survey, administered by Farm Journal, shows:

53% of ag economists say farmers are marketing defensively, prioritizing liquidity and risk reduction.
41% of ag economists say farmers are reactive, delaying decisions due to uncertainty.

Where Is The Financial Stress Most Severe?
Jackson Takach, chief economist for Farmer Mac, tells Farm Journal his reports indicate farmers’ top concern is liquidity (working capital) and their second-highest concern is farm income.

“We know cash flows are top of mind,” he says. “As prices have come down, people are talking about it more and digging into working capital, and that’s causing a little bit of distress, particularly in the grain side of the ag economy.”

Takach says the economic stress is highest in parts of the country where soybeans are farmers’ No. 1 crop.

“You look at the Delta, that’s where we’re seeing a lot of stress popping up in bankruptcies as well as late payments, because of some of that additional stress coming through with lower commodity prices specific to soybeans.”

That sentiment is similar to what was shared in the November Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor survey, though the Monitor paints a broader picture. When asked in which region farmers face the most severe financial pressure, economists reported that “cotton and rice country is suffering from especially poor profitability and weak sentiment.”

Without action, long-term farmer viability is at risk, according to John Newton, American Farm Bureau Federation economist. “Additional financial support is critical to offset trade losses and provide a bridge until farm bill enhancements from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act go into effect,” he says in a release. “This will stabilize the farm economy, sustain rural economies and maintain affordable food prices.”

Will China Come Through On Soybean Purchases?
The fate of soybean exports is on nearly everyone’s radar, especially as China’s purchases for 2025 still hang in the balance.

Reuters’ Karl Plume reports that China is starting to make good on its promises, noting that “two cargo vessels were headed for grain port terminals near New Orleans on Monday to load with the first U.S. soybean shipments to China since May, according to a shipping schedule seen by Reuters.”

But Judisch warns the window for 2025 U.S. soybean sales to China is closing fast.

“We’re going to have to see some immediate results from this agreement [with China], because if this drags into January and February and Brazil comes online, I’m not very optimistic that we’re going to make the goals that were set between the U.S. and China.”

Farmers Press On And Start Planning For Next Season
With 2026 around the corner, cautious optimism about the new year mingles with the current hard reality of farmers’ cash-flow drought.

Judisch notes that successful negotiations by the Trump administration to drop tariffs on some items, such as fertilizer, aren’t helping financially strapped farmers. He says that was a scenario of a little help that arrived too late.

“Stopping the tariffs on fertilizer this late in the game does no good for the 2026 crop because you’ve either got it on fields already or your buildings are already full of high-priced fertilizer,” Judisch contends.

“It’s kind of a bugaboo for us,” he adds. “Our costs are staying high even with the tariffs being dropped on fertilizer, but our income is just not going to be there until probably next summer.”

Cash rents for 2026 is one important aspect of the financial equation for the year ahead that 100% of ag economists surveyed this month recommend farmers dig into now. Notes one ag economist: “Cash rent could use more attention as a majority of land is rented… it would be nice if landlords knew that they may need to lower cash rent.”

(Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor)

Newlin says he and other farmers he knows in his area are sorting through crop rotations for next season – whether to plant more corn and
fewer soybeans or less corn and more soybeans.

“We’ll probably be heavier corn next year just because of our rotation, but a lot of guys are going to be heavier in corn in our area,” Newlin says.

Judisch is sticking with his 60-40 ratio of corn to beans next season. Like Newlin, he believes other farmers could lean toward more corn in the year ahead, given the financial opportunity many believe corn offers.

“We’ve seen some very good export sales on corn, so there are some good things happening,” Judisch says. “We need to keep them going in the future. That’s the biggest thing.”

Your next read: USDA Signals Possible Trade Aid Soon, Economists Warn It Could Keep Input Prices High

Setting the Record Straight: What China Actually Agreed to Buy—And When Those Ag Purchases Will Happen

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 23:05:30 GMT

The White House announced a sweeping new U.S.–China trade agreement late last week that includes substantial commitments from Beijing to purchase U.S. agricultural products — marking what officials call a “breakthrough” in restoring and expanding trade flows between the two countries.

According to the White House fact sheet , China will buy 12 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans by the end of 2025 and 25 million metric tons annually through 2028. The deal also restores trade in sorghum, hardwood logs, and a range of other commodities while lifting retaliatory tariffs on U.S. beef, pork, dairy, wheat, corn, cotton, and other farm products.

Yet, with mixed messages from the White House and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, there was some confusion on whether China would purchase an additional 12 million metric tons of soybeans, of if it was 12 million total.

As AgMarket.Net’s Jim McCormick pointed out, the U.S. already sold China 5.9 million metric tons earlier this year, before the trade war broke out. Comments from Bessent made it sound like China would be 12 million metric ton total, which would have equated to only buy an additional 6.1 million metric tons yet this year.

However, the White House Fact Sheet released over the weekend cleared the air, saying, “China will purchase at least 12 million metric tons (MMT) of U.S. soybeans during the last two months of 2025 and also purchase at least 25 MMT of U.S. soybeans in each of 2026, 2027, and 2028. Additionally, China will resume purchases of U.S. sorghum and hardwood logs.”

What This Means for U.S. Farmers

For U.S. row-crop producers and livestock farmers alike, the agreement could spell renewed demand from one of the world’s largest agricultural importers. The 25 MMT annual soybean commitment alone represents a major market opportunity for U.S. producers, especially in key states such as Iowa, Illinois and Minnesota — and for U.S. sorghum growers in the High Plains. The lifting of tariffs on beef, pork and dairy also opens additional channels for livestock- and dairy-product exporters.

At Kansas State University, Dr. Allen Featherstone, head of the Department of Agricultural Economics, calls the deal an encouraging sign for U.S. farmers — especially after years of market turbulence.

“It certainly is a bright spot and big news,” Featherstone says. “Traditionally, China has been buying between 25 and 34 million metric tons. So certainly, the 25 million for the next three years will put that in the range of what historically has been done. The 12 million between now and January certainly is a heavy lift but also a big buy.”

Timing And The Broader Picture

According to the White House, the buys start immediately: 12 MMT in the last two months of 2025 and then on into each of the next three years. The scope of the deal also signals more than agriculture: China has agreed to suspend retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods announced since March 4, 2025 and to remove its “unreliable entity” and end-user listing measures.

Featherstone says that timing matters, since late fall and early winter are when China typically turns to U.S. soybeans before switching to Brazil in February and March.

“Based on current prices, it’s about a $4.5 billion deal between now and January,” he explains. “If you look at where we are the next three years, it’s about a $10 billion deal — and that’s good news.”

He points out that soybeans remain the No. 1 U.S. export to China, making the commodity a central part of trade negotiations.

“For the last three years, soybeans are the number one import in China from the U.S.,” Featherstone says. “As they’re trying to get leverage over the U.S., the soybean market is one of the places where they can have leverage.”

The Next Hurdle? Tracking the Purchases Amid a Government Shutdown

While the commitments are substantial, Featherstone cautions that verifying China’s purchases will be more difficult due to the ongoing U.S. government shutdown, which has delayed USDA export reporting.

“Tracking will be important,” he says. “Last week they purchased three vessels — about 180,000 metric tons. There are sources besides the government, but certainly not having the government data is a problem.”

Without weekly USDA export reports, private-sector analysts are relying on commercial shipping data and trade wire confirmations to track shipments. Economists warn that these unofficial estimates often vary widely, adding uncertainty to market reactions.

Opportunities and Caveats

Agribusiness groups, U.S. exporters and farm economists will be tracking how the commitments translate into actual purchases and shipping logistics. The upside is clear: large volume commitments from China boost U.S. export potential, may help stabilize or raise soybean, sorghum and other commodity prices, and can provide relief to ag sectors hard-hit by prior trade disruptions.

But there are caution flags too. Commitments do not always guarantee immediate shipments. Market conditions, logistics, currency movements, and China’s domestic production may influence actual demand and timing.

Exporters will want to monitor how quickly China follows through, whether the buys are genuinely incremental (vs. simply re-directing existing purchases) and how U.S. logistics chain handles increased volumes.

How This Will Impact Farmers and Ranchers in the Months Ahead

According to the White House fact sheet, here’s how the trade and economic deal, reached between President Donald J. Trump and President Xi Jinping of China, China committed to buying large amounts of soybeans, but China also said it would start purchasing sorghum again. On the livestock front, tariffs were suspended on beef, pork, dairy and more.

So, what should farmers and ranchers watch in the months ahead?

Soybeans: Given the huge volume — 12 MMT in 2025, then 25 MMT annually — soybean exporters will want to watch new crop availability, global competition (e.g., Brazil, Argentina) and U.S. export origination points.
Sorghum & hardwood logs: These categories were specifically called out for resumption of trade, suggesting new or renewed market access in China.
Livestock, dairy & other ag products: With tariffs suspended on beef, pork, dairy, and aquatic products, U.S. meat and dairy exporters may gain longer-term access to Chinese markets.
Tariff & non-tariff measures: The removal of retaliatory tariffs and other counters means fewer barriers for U.S. ag exports, but exporters should still watch for regulatory or sanitary measures that often influence trade.
Supply chain & logistics readiness: Meeting large volume commitments will test U.S. export capacity, shipping, port access and coordination between exporters and farmers.

Looking Ahead

The China-U.S. deal marks a potentially significant turning point for U.S. agricultural exports in 2025: large-scale Chinese commitments, tariff relief, and expanded access could open new markets and relieve pressure in certain ag sectors.

But the real story will be how fast, how reliably, and how fully China follows through with purchases — and how U.S. producers, exporters, and logistics systems respond.

From Setback to Comeback: Sorghum Looks For More Market Opportunity

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 17:58:52 GMT

2025 has been a year of extremes for U.S. row-crop farmers, including grain sorghum producers. Many will harvest one of their best crops in recent memory – often referred to as milo – while they simultaneously endure some of the worst export markets agriculture has seen in the last four decades.

“There’s a lot of commodities that are hurting, I won’t deny that. But the loss of the Chinese market and any significant trade opportunities is more severe for sorghum than any other commodity,” contends Amy France, chair of the National Sorghum Producers (NSP).

That’s not rhetoric but reality for sorghum growers.

China historically purchased up to 90% of all U.S. sorghum exports. Those sales ceased in April, on the heels of tariffs and retaliatory tariffs. The remaining 10% of U.S. exported sorghum went to Africa to combat hunger. That market closed in January, when the Trump administration abruptly canceled the Food For Peace program.

Prices for the nutrient-rich grain dropped precipitously. Bids have been as low as $2.35 in key sorghum states, according to John Duff, founder of Serō Ag Strategies and a consultant to NSP.

For over a decade, China has been the No. 1 export market for U.S. grain sorghum. Countries in east Africa have been a distant second, while Mexico has been third. The National Sorghum Producers sees tremendous potential for trade with India. While the road forward will require patience it’s promising, as India became a net importer of coarse grains for the first time in modern history just last year.

(USDA)

Laser Focused On Opportunity
France is on a mission to move sorghum’s story from one of recent struggle to success. She’s working to identify new opportunities, expand upon those that exist domestically – such as with ethanol and gluten-free foods – and spur legislators to restore trade with China and other countries.

“We want trade first and foremost, but if we’re going to keep going with [these tariffs], then our farmers are going to need some help,” says France, who started her second term as NSP chair on Oct. 1.

The following week, in the midst of the federal government shutdown, France saw an opportunity for connection with legislators when others might have expected only closed doors. She flew to Washington, while NSP staff made calls to set up meetings with senators and representatives from the sorghum belt, which runs from South Dakota to South Texas, and includes Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Colorado.

“I want to ensure our producers and the next generation can continue to farm, and that equates to what we are doing on the Hill,” she explains.

A Fresh Perspective
France took a unique path to the leadership role for the NSP. The daughter of two music educators, she embraced agriculture when she met her husband, Clint, 25-plus years ago. They farm, along with their five children, near Scott City, Kan., growing corn, sorghum, wheat and black Angus cattle.

Through their local Farm Bureau, France recognized her passion for creating opportunity via agriculture policy.

“I always say Farm Bureau opened the door for me. I just got involved on the county level and then kept going. I’m not afraid to ask tough questions and dig deeper,” she says.

Some of France’s tenacity was inspired by her late father-in-law, Leon, who told her grain sorghum kept him from losing the family farm in the 1980s.

“He told me, when I went onto the board, it was the only crop he could afford to put in the ground, because it didn’t have as much input costs as other commodities, and he would reap a good harvest,” she recalls.

France keeps their conversation in mind as she works to build a better future for sorghum and the farmers who grow it.

“In navigating the current farm economy, I think about what crop can farmers afford to put in the ground and still reap a harvest? I believe sorghum is that for a lot of farmers,” she says.

“We have the best product – far and above better than what any other country can grow,” she adds. “We just need markets, and that’s what is top of mind for me.”

Your next read: New Seed Treatment Offers A Solution to Soybean Cyst Nematode

26 Ideas To Cut Fertilizer Costs In 2026

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 18:32:32 GMT

The outlook for fertilizer costs versus commodity prices for next season is a tough one for farmers across the country.

With that fact in mind, we have compiled 26 nutrient recommendations, tips, tricks and reminders from Farm Journal Field Agronomists, university Extension and industry experts.

Our hope is one or more of these ideas will help you reduce expenses, reallocate resources and build a fertility program for the 2026 season that works well for your farm and gives you some peace of mind in the process. Here we go:

1. Make controlled, calibrated decisions.
Keep your wits about you and be ready to think through various nutrient scenarios – some of which could be very different from what you’ve done in the past. Minimize knee-jerk reactions by allowing adequate time for reflection and evaluation of potential outcomes.

2. Develop your team of advisers.
Put a team of formal and informal advisers in place, those retailers, agronomists and other farmers you can talk to about purchasing strategies and other ideas they have.

Reach out to these folks now. If you make fall applications of anhydrous, that time is just around the corner. Start having discussions with your advisers on what you’re going to do.

3. The four Rs are still important.
The right product, right rate, right time and right placement are still important and can help you maximize yield potential in the process of minimizing expenses.

4. Study your existing soil test results.
“A good approach is to examine each zone in a field and pull back fertilizer rates on high-testing zones and maintain rates in low-testing areas,” says Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist.

5. Do some soil tests.
If you don’t have recent soil tests, consider fields where it would be worth the investment to do them this fall because of the payoff next season.

Budget your fertility practices. Here are two ways:

6. Consider using a specific dollar amount.
Stephanie Zelinko, national agronomist for AgroLiquid, says based on historical data, farmers usually invest 16% to 20% of their anticipated income from a corn crop on fertilizer. She offers this example:

“Say we expect to grow a 200-bu.-per-acre corn crop and make $5 a bushel. That’s $1,000 of income per acre,” Zelinko says. “Twenty percent of that is $200, and that would be my starting point for a fertility budget.”

7. Prioritize cuts where fertility is adequate.
Another way to prioritize dollars: Instead of cutting $15 of fertilizer across the board, it could be more advantageous to cut $30 for one field and nothing on another field because you don’t have the fertility there to give up.

8. Remember, applying less fertilizer than removal rates call for will lower soil fertility in the field.
That will need to be reckoned with when profitability finally stabilizes.

“The good news is that many farms are in a good place where you can lean them out without damaging yields short-term. That’s the power of knowing your fertility levels,” Ferrie says.

Also, timing and placement can make fertilizer more efficient, but they don’t change the amount of nutrients plants use. For example:

“One thousand bushels of corn requires 740 lb. of diammonium phosphate (DAP) and 380 lb. of potash (0-0-60); and 1,000 bu. of soybeans requires 1,565 lb. of DAP and 200 lb. of potash,” says Ferrie. “If those nutrients are not replaced, levels in the soil will deteriorate.”

9. Macronutrients matter most, especially nitrogen (N).
“If corn runs out of nitrogen, it’s game over for the crop, regardless of phosphorus and potassium levels,” Ferrie says.

That’s not to say you can ignore other macronutrients. It’s more of a matter of prioritizing the first things first.

10. Don’t ignore micronutrients.
Just make sure they pay their way, says Karen Corrigan, a partner in McGillicuddy Corrigan Agronomics.

She advises farmers to address their No. 1 yield-limiting factor first.

“People might want to sell you micronutrients, for instance, but if your problem is potassium, micronutrients aren’t going to help much,” says Corrigan, an independent field agronomist based in Illinois. “So, you really have to know for your own operation what you need to address.”

11. Evaluate starter fertilizer.
In some cases, starter fertilizers can improve corn yield even when soil test levels for phosphorus and potassium don’t strictly warrant a large application, according to Purdue University research .

12. Is banding fertilizer an option?
Banding can make fertilizer more efficient, just keep in mind it doesn’t change the law of nutrient removal rates. Applying less fertilizer than removal rates call for over time will deplete the soil.

13. Tap into online agronomic tools.
Use online resources that can help you navigate the nutrient-use process. For various N-rate scenarios, check out the regional N rate calculator .

14. Look at soil pH.
The optimum pH range for a corn/soybean rotation is about 5.8 to 6.2. Any field with a soil pH below 5.8 will likely benefit from lime.

With a good soil pH, farmers can improve crop yields, nutrient uptake, weed control and herbicide persistence, notes Kelly Robertson, Precision Crop Services, based in southern Illinois near Benton.

“Compared to all the other inputs, limestone is cheap. I can often get the biggest ROI from adjusting soil pH,” says Robertson, who participates in the Soy Envoy program, an initiative by Field Advisor and the Illinois Soybean Association.

Two other things to keep in mind: Not all lime is created equal, so choose carefully. Along with that, pick one that will be available for soil uptake next spring.

15. Consider bean fields versus cornfields.
“If you say, ‘I’m just going to cut out all my bean spreads,’ you’re going to be cutting the lowest fertility in the field,” Ferrie says. “It usually works better to scale back your corn fertility program for most fields.”

16. Can you cut in other places?
Look at how to leave more of your fertility program intact. Maybe you can reduce the number of tillage passes, the dollar amount in your seed spend or substitute generic products for branded ones.

17. Take advantage of ‘reserve now, pay later’ and other financing opportunities.
Talk with your suppliers about any programs they’re offering on bundling products, volume discounts and the like.

18. What isn’t paying its way?
This is the year to cut products and practices that don’t clearly pay for themselves.

“The biggest place to cut is on any extra products – the add-on stuff, where you can easily spend a lot of money,” says Kyle Stull, a certified crop advisor based in Wisconsin.

On the other hand:

19. What new practice could pay next season?
Using cover crops might or might not be a consideration. This is the year to look at new practices through the lens of whether they’ll deliver ROI out of the gate.

20. Are manure and organic amendments opportunities? Consider what’s available, cost-effective and might fit your nutrient needs and farming practices.

21. Evaluate application timing.
Do you need to make a fall anhydrous ammonia application?

Josh Linville, vice president of fertilizer for StoneX, says anhydrous could have a big run this fall. Anhydrous is not cheap, but it is well-priced in his opinion compared to urea and UAN.

If you decide to go with more in-season nutrient applications, consider the pros/cons and logistics with your suppliers and applicators. Again, talk with them sooner and not later.

22. Consider what you can do in-season.
Plan on doing some in-season nitrate tests to evaluate where fields stand nutrient-wise and whether the crop can benefit from additional nitrogen.

Ferrie recommends that farmers apply about two-thirds of their nitrogen early and then sidedress the remaining one-third for depth of fill, if you’re using ground equipment.

Be careful to avoid the issue of “gapping” with your N, advises Missy Bauer, Farm Journal Field Agronomist. She says because farmers can get through their corn with high-clearance equipment today, they sometimes don’t make their in-season N application in as timely a manner as the crop requires.

“If you don’t apply much nitrogen on the front end, the crop can run out before you get back into the field with an in-season N application. It’s what we call gapping, and you’ll give up a large chunk of yield in that situation, and you won’t be able to get it back,” she explains.

23. If you made deep cuts to your fertility program for 2025, can you cut deeper in 2026?
That’s a decision many farmers are grappling with at this point.

Here’s one recommendation from Virgil Schmitt, Iowa State University regional field agronomist: “If available funds do not allow for application of all the P and K fertilizer that is recommended for your fields, you should apply the recommended rates for areas testing Very Low, even if you rent,” because research shows a large probability of yield increases and positive ROIs.

Read more about allocating funds at: Lime, Phosphorus, and Potassium Fertilizers Decisions in Times of Limited Resources

24. Make contingency plans. Have an idea for your plan B or plan C, in case costs go up. Likewise, if costs go down – and they could – be prepared to take advantage of any opportunity to lock in products at lower costs.

25. Own your plan.
Back to the No. 2 suggestion of working with advisers: it’s good to get wise counsel, but at the end of the day make decisions that are best suited to your farm. Those decisions may or may not mirror what your neighbors and friends do but are the right ones for you.

26. Consider the future.
“Right now, we’re concerned about the short-term, but we need to balance that with long-term thinking as well,” Ferrie advises. “Think about the kind of shape you want your soils to be in, once we cycle out of these low commodity prices.”

Your next read: Fertilizer Decisions For 2026 Crop Will Be A Balancing Act

New Tool Helps Farmers, Ranchers Identify Conservation Incentive Programs

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 12:49:38 GMT

Conservation incentive programs that fit your farm and specific agronomic practices and/or livestock are not always easy to identify and sign up for online.

But those hurdles could soon be problems in the past, thanks to a new online platform, the Conservation Connector, which was just launched this week by the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC)

The new tool allows farmers, ranchers, and farm advisers to easily evaluate conservation incentive programs and connect with technical support at one online site, according to Ryan Heiniger, CTIC executive director.

As a fourth-generation farmer, Heiniger says he knows firsthand how challenging it can be to identify programs, companies and the individuals in charge of them who can provide more details in a phone call or an email.

“You might visit four or five government offices and a dozen websites, only to collect bits and pieces of information on those programs that would be a good fit for you. Our goal with the Conservation Connector is to bring all of that under one roof, so to speak, to help farmers, ranchers and advisers more easily find what is available in their area and fits with their needs,” Heiniger says.

The platform currently has around 500 programs and service providers in the Midwest that are participating, Heiniger says. He notes the tool is continually updated with the latest program offerings from trusted agencies, organizations and conservation partners. In addition, Connector.ag has no associated costs for farmers, ranchers and advisers to use.

“I want to underscore that it’s free for farmers; none of the information is behind any kind of paywall,” he says. “It’s also free for people who want to create a listing.”

The Conservation Connector is easy to navigate – it’s searchable by geography, commodity, incentive type, and/or management practice.

“We’ve made it easy for people who are on a specific mission to filter through,” Heiniger says. “You might be in New York looking for help with pasture renovation, and you don’t want or need to see what programs are available in Iowa. So, you can default right to New York. Or, you can default to a specific crop. The filters can help you ratchet down to the specific information you want to dive deeper into.”

Heiniger says the idea for Conservation Connector originated from Houston Engineering, the Nature Conservancy, and Open Team, and the CTIC invested the past 18 months in developing it.

CTIC invites farmers, ranchers, technical service providers, and conservation partners across the country to explore the platform at Connector.ag . You can provide feedback about your experience to help inform future iterations of the platform here .

Corn, Soybeans Thrive While Drought Hits Other Crops Harder

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 18:47:32 GMT

For a summer that many meteorologists predicted would be characterized by dryness over much of the Midwest, that scenario has not materialized for the most part in corn-soybean growing areas.

The U.S. Drought Monitor released August 21 reports only 5% of corn and 9% of soybean acres are experiencing some level of drought currently.

Just last week Pro Farmer released estimates from its annual Crop Tour for both crops, predicting 182.7 bu. per acre average for corn and a 53 bu. per acre projection for soybeans.

Furthermore, temperatures across much of the Midwest for the week ahead are expected to drop into a cooler-than-usual range for late August, according to the NOAA.

(NOAA)

But not all crops are in a garden spot this summer. Some are in double digit drought conditions. That includes 52% of barley, 22% of cotton, 49% of rice, 32% of sugarbeet and 31% of wheat acres.

Areas Where Dry Conditions Are Settling In
Meteorologist Jack Van Meter called out parts of the rice-growing region on Monday where dry conditions have increased in recent weeks.

“The big dis-improvement in the country, if you will, is down in the Mississippi River Valley,” he reported on AgDay TV. “We’re talking over by Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi. We can see moderate drought starting to spread throughout [that area].”

The No. 1 rice producting state, Arkansas, is enduring dry conditions. California, Missouri, Texas and Louisiana are other top rice producing states that are experiencing varying degrees of dryness or drought currently.

(U.S. Drought Monitor)

USDA data shows Arkansas ranks first among rice-producing states, accounting for more than 40 percent of the country’s rice production.

One of the concerns Van Meter says he is watching is what the lack of rainfall in those states will mean to water levels on the Mississippi River.

“If water levels drop, that will mean it’s harder for shipping to get through and start to transport goods out of the country and, actually, into the country for that matter, as well,” he adds.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports it has been performing maintenance dredging throughout August to keep navigation channels open on the upper Mississippi. Navigation on the lower Mississippi continues to be affected by persistently low water levels, despite recent rainfall.

Rain In The Forecast This Week
Van Meter says a good slug of moisture will come in from the Rocky Mountains this week and across Oklahoma. That rain pattern will then move lower into the Southeast.

This week's precip forecast by @NOAA's @NWSWPC.

Large parts of the West finally see needed monsoon precip. The S. Plains into the Lower Miss River Basin are expected to see inches of rain. FL too.

Little to no rain for the Midwest (except MO) and Mid-Atlantic. #drought @NWS pic.twitter.com/2gt1vrEsjF
— NIDIS Drought.gov (@NOAADrought) August 25, 2025

“We’re going to be watching the Southeast for some impressive rainfall over by northern Florida and also by Georgia and South Carolina,” he says. “We could be seeing some impressive moisture moving in from the Gulf – obviously, something we’ll be keeping a rather close eye on.”

As the end of August plays out, Van Meter says it appears a dry pattern will set up for the Great Lakes area in the Midwest, just as the country heads into Labor Day weekend and the final, unofficial weekend of summer.

Parts of the western U.S., where farmers are dealing with severe (D2) and extreme (D3) drought this summer, are expected to see rain by the end of the week.

“We are going to be seeing some abnormally wet conditions, or at least wetter than normal conditions to end the month, out there in Oklahoma. That is actually going to continue through much of the Rocky Mountains and head over to the West Coast,” he says.

Your next read: How Pro Farmer 2025 Crop Estimates Compare and Contrast With USDA Expectations

Fusing The Best of Regenerative Ag and Smart Farming: Senator Marshall’s Take on MAHA

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 14:22:11 GMT

Having grown up as a Kansas fifth generation farm kid and spending many years as a physician, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, R-Kan., views the Trump administration’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda through a different lens than many of his Beltway colleagues.

“I delivered a baby every day for some 25 years in my hometown,” Marshall says. “And certainly, diet and nutrition are so, so, so important. When I came to Congress, this was one of the things I wanted to address. And I want to start by saying there’s no MAHA without American agriculture leadership.”

RELATED: MAHA Report’s Surprising Stance on Glyphosate, Atrazine Explained

While much of the recent reporting around MAHA focuses on unpacking the movement’s outwardly anti-pesticide bent , Marshall has fashioned his own, more conventional ag-friendly version covering four distinct pillars:

Increase American agricultural efficiency
Grow healthier, nutrient rich food
Unlock affordable health care access for millions of Americans
Focus on health care resources to combat the mental health epidemic

“I believe soil health leads to healthy food, which leads to healthy people,” Marshall says. “I hear the MAHA group and I hear the ag folks. I have a foot in each of those worlds, and I am trying to bring them together. Because guess what? American agriculture wants healthy children just as much as anybody.”

RELATED: Decode MAHA’s Potential Effect on the Agriculture Sector

Marshall believes MAHA can achieve that goal by embracing some – but not all – of the regenerative ag principles Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., espoused on the campaign trail. American farmers are already reducing chemical use with tools like selective spraying systems and mechanical weeding implements, but the senator knows there’s still meat on that bone. He views it less as a return to “40 acres and a mule” and more as a combination of pieces and parts from the regenerative ag playbook with precision ag technology generously sprinkled into the mix.

“Regenerative ag should be centered around precision ag and growing more with less,” he says. “We’re already using 60% less fertilizers and less pesticides. I think we must continue to decrease the amount of fertilizers and pesticides, so there’s less residue on that loaf of bread in the grocery store.”

Marshall is currently rallying Congressional support for the bipartisan Plant Biostimulant Act. This yet-to-be-ratified farm policy would streamline the FDA approval process under FIFRA for new, novel and natural modes of action. But the senator emphasizes the program must remain voluntary.

“About 5% of the farm bill is conservation practices,” he says. “So, I would streamline the FDA process and allow these biostimulants to be one of the options. It’s not a subsidy, though. I just want to make the regulatory process easier. And that’s going to make it more affordable, as well.”

More MAHA: 250-Plus Ag Groups Ask Trump Administration To ‘Correct’ MAHA Commission’s ‘Activities’

Another goal is for the American producer to embrace best-in-class crop production and sustainability practices. The Kansas senator points to one example from his home state as the creative and nimble thinking he wants to see American farmers embrace.

“We have a group of sorghum growers that have their own mill,” Marshall says. “And they’re selling that flour directly to the infant formula (companies) as well as to European markets. The EU has higher standards, so to speak, than America does, and so be it. I don’t know if they’re necessary, but I don’t make the rules. These Kansas farmers have cracked the code and they’re getting a premium for their sorghum right now, and all it takes is a little extra effort.”

Your Next Read: Can Pulse Crops Double Acreage by 2030? The Push to Include More Pulses in the MAHA Movement

The One Big Beautiful Bill Will Boost 2025 PLC Payments: Here's a Per-Acre Breakdown

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 20:14:39 GMT

Both the Senate and House GOP worked around the clock to get President Donald Trump’s massive tax bill passed this week. The One Big Beautiful Bill, which was more than 800 pages long, barely passed in both the Senate and the House, but is receiving high praise from many agricultural groups who argue the bill is a win for agriculture.

On Thursday, House GOP leaders overcame objections from even Republican lawmakers on provisions for SNAP, Medicaid and rural hospitals. All but two Republicans, Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., voted for the bill, which passed 218 to 214.

.@SpeakerJohnson officially signs the One Big Beautiful Bill— sending it to @POTUS' desk to be signed into law.

Tax cuts, border security, energy dominance, and so much more are coming your way. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/elzAg7s4LP
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 3, 2025

But for agriculture, tax provisions received high praise, including avoiding a year-end tax hike and eliminating the so-called death tax.

“America’s cattle farmers and ranchers are pleased by the final passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill. This legislation will protect family farmers and ranchers from the devastation of the Death Tax, it will avoid a massive year-end tax hike that could have put cattle operations out of business, it expands and protects many of the small business tax deductions that family producers rely on to save more of the hard-earned money, and it funds critical foreign animal disease prevention measures that protect cattle health,” says Ethan Lane, senior vice president of government affairs, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA).

The bill also provides $66 billion in new spending for farm programs. According to Agri-Pulse , that’s the largest infusion of new money into farm programs since 2002.

These are changes and enhancements many ag groups were pushing for in the next farm bill.

According to Farm CPA Paul Neiffer , a provision in the bill will pay the greater of ARC or PLC for the 2025 crop.

“Therefore, any anticipate increase in PLC payments would likely be the minimum amount paid to farmers for 2025 but remember none of these payments will begin until October 2026,” Neiffer explained in this in-depth analysis . “There will be a payment limit of $155,000 on ARC and PLC, but LLCs and S corporations will be treated the same as a general partnership.”

Based on Neiffer’s calculations, here’s how it will impact PLC. On average, it will add:

Corn: $22.52 per acre
Soybeans: $42.46 per acre
Wheat: $32.77 per acre
Sorghum: $9.90 per acre
Cotton: $93.05 per acre

Neiffer says while everyone’s PLC yield is different, he simply used an average yield to calculate these figures.

Potential extra PLC per acre payments. Click to enlarge.

(Paul Neiffer )

“You will note that based on June MYA prices, projected PLC payments are estimated at about $2.6 billion. Now, under the old law, all of the ARC acres elected would be removed from this table, however, remember that the new law pays the farmer of the higher of ARC or PLC so the first projected column shows what the minimum payment essentially would be,” Neiffer explains.

You can read Neiffer’s full and in-depth analysis here .

President and CEO of National Cotton Council (NCC) Gary Adams says this bill provides additional support desperately needed this year.

“The 2025 crop is going to be or shaping up to be the third year in a row that farmers will see both the market prices and the support levels below cost of production,” Adams says. “One of the reasons why this bill is so important is that for the reference price that applies to the PLC and ARC programs, those higher reference prices that are in this legislation apply to this year’s crop, and that is important because it will help if prices stay low, and stay where they are. This will put some additional support, in the grower’s pocket for the crop that they’re going to harvest this fall.”

American Farm Bureau applauded the work by Congress this week, saying, “More than half of farmers are losing money, so an increase in reference prices is desperately needed, and tax tools will help farmers and ranchers plan for the next season and the next generation.”

The bill now heads to Trump’s desk, which he plans to sign Friday at the White House.

EPA’s Proposed Rule A Potential ‘Game Changer’ for Farmers

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 21:32:27 GMT

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) for 2026 and 2027 have the potential to be a game changer for agriculture.

The EPA’s proposed rule, which comes under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) – and named the Set 2 Rule – would increase biomass-based diesel requirements, from 3.35 billion gallons in 2025 to 5.61 billion gallons in 2026, supporting American row-crop growers in the process.

“It creates a great opportunity to move from 3.35 to 5.61; it’s a massive increase,” says Caleb Ragland, a Kentucky farmer and president of the American Soybean Association (ASA).

“We have long lobbied for giving the American farmer a chance to sell American soybeans. Crush them here, use the oil to make American fuel and keep our economy going, ” Ragland told AgriTalk host Michelle Rook, on Wednesday.

Three Regulatory Takeaways

There are at least three key regulatory shifts that would accompany the volume increases:

1. Heightened quotas for cellulosic biofuel, biomass-based diesel (BBD), and advanced biofuels.

2. Prioritization of soybean oil and ethanol produced in the U.S. Imported biofuels would earn just 50% of the Renewable Identification Number (RIN) value compared to U.S.-based fuels.

3. Removal of renewable electricity (eRINs) as a qualifying fuel, reinforcing liquid biofuels as the Renewable Fuel Standard centerpiece.

In a press release, EPA said that these measures will cut U.S. oil import reliance by roughly 150,000 barrels per day across 2026 and 2027, backing domestic biofuel producers and strengthening rural economies.

“This [proposed rule by EPA] is not only good for farms, it’s good for rural communities. All of that trickles down and stays here in America. It’s a wonderful thing,” Ragland says.

An Update And Outlook On 45Z

The 45Z Clean Fuel Production Tax Credit was one of the few Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) incentives spared in the House’s proposed budget reconciliation bill. That’s likewise the case in the Senate. Both versions extend 45Z from 2027 to 2031.

“That’s a huge win … that certainly gives us a little bit of certainty in the world of uncertainty we’re living in right now,” Amy France, a Kansas farmer and chair of the National Sorghum Producers, said on AgriTalk.

Ragland agrees but noted ASA is concerned about some “last-minute” changes that are being proposed in the Senate version regarding the 45Z tax credit and foreign feedstocks.

While the House version modifies 45Z to prevent the use of certain foreign feedstocks outside of North America, such as used cooking oil, the Senate committee’s proposal allows use of feedstocks outside the U.S. but cuts the tax credit by 20%.

“We want to encourage that to get reversed … there’s no reason to give American dollars as tax credits to foreign entities that are bringing in foreign used cooking oil,” Ragland says. “We need to get that ironed out, and hopefully we will, but, but overall, there’s great opportunity here.”

France says she is encouraged by the extension granted 45Z. “We were thrilled to hear EPA specifically calling out sorghum as a dependable, low-cost biofuel feedstock. It just goes to show that recognition for sorghum and the realm we’re playing in today.”

Ragland and France weigh in on a variety of additional topics – from trade to state of current crops across the country to the need for a new Farm Bill – on this segment of AgriTalk. Listen to it here:

Triple-Action Foliar Fungicide Targets Tar Spot, Southern Rust and Frogeye Leaf Spot

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 19:38:35 GMT

Farmers will have a new foliar fungicide, Corteva Forcivo, to include in their disease management plans for the 2026 season, pending registration from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Forcivo will feature three modes of action – flutriafol, azoxystrobin and fluindapyr – to address foliar diseases in corn and soybeans via overlapping preventive and curative activity.

Key diseases targeted include tar spot, southern rust and frogeye leaf spot, among others, according to Mike Eiberger, U.S. marketing leader for Corteva.

The fungicide will offer farmers these key benefits:

Triple-action foliar disease control. Forcivo fungicide will be available in a convenient premix that growers can apply at a use rate of 7 to 9 fluid ounces per acre. The multiple modes of action will help ensure that if a disease is less controlled by one key ingredient, others will help manage the threat, notes Eiberger in a press release.

Multiple row crop disease flexibility. In addition to addressing disease issues in corn and soybeans, Forcivo will provide broad-spectrum disease control in wheat, barley, sorghum and triticale.

Bolster plant health and yield potential. Forcivo will provide up to 30 days of residual activity to protect crops and maximize return on investment all the way through harvest – even from late-season, yield-robbing diseases – according to Eiberger.

Corteva reports farmers will be able to take advantage of the upfront savings with its TruChoiceoffer and save on their purchase of Forcivofungicide by bundling it with other Corteva crop protection and seed products, such as herbicides, nitrogen stabilizers and Pioneer brand seed. With the TruChoice offer, farmers will be able to save money when funding a prepay account online or through a participating retailer, according to the press release.

Pending registration approvals, Forcivo fungicide will be available for growers to include in their 2026 disease management plans. To learn more about Forcivo fungicide, visit Corteva.us/Forcivo or contact a local Corteva representative.

Your next read: Ferrie: Unravel The Mystery Of Ugly Corn Syndrome To Reduce Yield Losses

Farmers and Farm Groups Push Back on MAHA Report

Thu, 22 May 2025 22:55:44 GMT

Agriculture might have had a collective “we told you so” moment on Thursday, given its swift response to the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission’s report unveiled earlier that day.

Many farm organizations say the 68-page document, Making Our Children Healthy Again Report , is filled with “ fear-based rather than science-based information about pesticides ,” positioning that will sow seeds of distrust with the American public.

“This report will stir unjustified fear and confusion among American consumers who live in the country with the safest and most abundant food supply,” says Alexandra Dunn, president and CEO of CropLife America, in a prepared statement.

What The MAHA Report Says
The MAHA report declares: “Today’s children are the sickest generation in American history in terms of chronic disease … . These preventable trends continue to worsen each year, posing a threat to our nation’s health, economy, and military readiness.”

The crisis, the report adds, can be traced in part to the consolidation of the U.S. food system. On one hand, the report says the progress made in producing food is “largely thanks to the hard work of American farmers, ranchers, and food scientists.”

However, the report adds the rise of ultra-processed foods has corresponded with a pattern of corporatization and consolidation in the U.S. food system. The report lays the blame for many of U.S. children’s health problems on the food they are eating:

The American food system is safe but could be healthier. Most American children’s diets are dominated by ultra-processed foods (UPFs) high in added sugars, chemical additives, and saturated fats, while lacking sufficient intakes of fruits and vegetables. This modern diet has been linked to a range of chronic diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers. The excessive consumption of UPFs has led to a depletion of essential micronutrients and dietary fiber, while increasing the consumption of sugars and carbohydrates, which negatively affects overall health.

Nearly 70% of an American child’s calories today comes from ultra-processed foods (increased from zero 100 years ago), many of which are designed to override satiety mechanisms and increase caloric intake.

UPFs make up over 50% of the diets of pregnant and postpartum mothers.

American children’s exposure to environmental chemicals: The cumulative load of thousands of synthetic chemicals that our children are exposed to through the food they eat, the water they drink, and the air they breathe may pose risks to their long-term health, including neurodevelopmental and endocrine effects.

Over 40,000 chemicals are registered for use in the U.S. Pesticides, microplastics, and dioxins are commonly found in the blood and urine of American children and pregnant women—some at alarming levels.

Children are particularly vulnerable to chemicals during critical stages of development—in utero, infancy, early childhood, and puberty. Research suggests that for some chemicals, this cumulative load of exposures may be driving higher rates of chronic disease.

According to Courtney Gaine, Ph.D, R.D., Sugar Association president and CEO, added sugars make up around 12% of Americans’ total calories — the lowest level in 40 years and near the lowest level ever recorded at 11% in 1909. The steep decline in added sugars intake over the past 25 years has coincided with rising rates of childhood obesity and chronic disease.

“America’s hardworking sugarbeet and sugarcane farmers agree that chronic diseases are serious and warrant attention and rigorous scientific review to determine their root causes,” Gaine says. “We are confident that continued evaluation of gold-standard evidence will reaffirm what hundreds of years of history have indicated that balanced diets have room for moderate amounts of real sugar, which plays many important functional roles in foods and generally cannot be removed without adding industrial additives like artificial sweeteners that Americans prefer to avoid.”

Calls Go Out For USDA and EPA To Respond
CropLife America’s Dunn is concerned the MAHA report casts doubt on the integrity of EPA’s federal review process for crop protection products .

“Without access to EPA-approved pesticides, significant crop losses would threaten the livelihood of family farms and lead to higher grocery prices and fewer healthy food options for families – the very opposite of what the MAHA Commission seeks to achieve,” Dunn says.

The Agricultural Retailers Association criticizes the anti-science pesticide claims in MAHA Report , saying: “Hidden in the report is a call for consideration of ‘actions that further regulate or restrict crop protection tools beyond risk-based and scientific processes set forth by Congress.’ In other words, the MAHA Commission Report calls for the United States to abandon its gold standard regulatory system and instead embrace a hazard-based precautionary system that includes non-scientific factors, such as that in the European Union.”

To ARA’s point, the MAHA Report calls out atrazine, chlorpyriphos and glyphosate on page 35 of the document as pesticides that are “exposure pathways” for children.

The MAHA Report calls out atrazine, chlorpyriphos and glyphosate as pesticides that are “exposure pathways” for children. This graphic element was published on page 35 of the Report.

(The MAHA Report)

Farmers and  more than 300 agriculture organizations  have engaged with the Commission to advocate for the preservation of science-based systems and credible data in their evaluations of products and practices essential to food and agriculture – including pesticides such as glyphosate – in recent weeks. However, Zippy Duvall, American Farm Bureau Federation president, says farmers “were excluded from development of the report, despite many requests for a seat at the table.”

The American Soybean Association (ASA) says it strongly rebukes the MAHA report : “[It is] brazenly unscientific and damaging to consumer confidence in America’s safe, reliable food system. Should the [Trump] administration act on the report — which was drafted entirely behind closed doors — it will harm U.S. farmers, increase food costs for consumers, and worsen health outcomes for all Americans. ASA calls on President Trump, who has long been a friend of farmers, to step in and correct the Commission’s deeply misguided report.”

Jon Doggett, former CEO of the National Corn Growers Association and current principal at Camas Creek Consulting, says he would like to hear more perspective from leadership at USDA and EPA on the Report.

“We would hope that Secretary Rollins and [EPA] Administrator Zeldin would have a lot more say on this than what we are seeing so far,” Doggett says.

Doggett expands on his concerns regarding the MAHA Report in a conversation with Host Chip Flory on AgriTalk.

Individuals who want to share their perspectives with the Trump Administration and Congress can submit a letter at https://www.farmervoicesmatter.org .

The Executive Order creating the MAHA Commission directs a second report, providing policy recommendations, be issued within 80 days.

Your next read: Farmers Brace for Impact: What the MAHA Report Could Mean for Agriculture

Rollins Promises Grain Farmers Improving Ag Economy is a Top Priority

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 18:25:56 GMT

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says USDA is ready to roll out a number of programs that have been on hold pending review.

“We have completed our review and are releasing the funds for the Environmental Quality Incentive Program, the Conservation Stewardship Program and the agriculture conservation easement program,” Rollins said. “We are releasing those funds back to all of you who participate in those programs.”

Rollins made the announcement Sunday in Denver at the 2025 Commodity Classic where organizers estimate 10,000 will be on hand for the three-day event. The annual gathering of corn, soybeans, wheat and sorghum farmers from across the country welcomed her address ahead of what’s likely to be another busy week for the 33rd Secretary of Agriculture.

New Emergency Commodity Assistance Program to Distribute Farmer Funds

Rollins also formally announced economic assistance will be distributed by March 21 .

“The economic assistance program will be called the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program, or ECAP,” Rollins said. “ECAP is the new program to help us distribute that $30 billion in funds that Congress passed in December. They gave us 90 days to start distributing that first $10 billion in economic assistance, and we are on track to beat that and get that money starting to move immediately.”

Rollins is also looking at the application process and asking her team to find ways to streamline the distribution of those funds.

“In cases where we have information already on file, a pre-filled application will be sent to you,” Rollins said. “FSA will use the 2024 acreage reporting data you previously filed to initiate that application process. This is just common sense.”

Farmers who might have missed the above window will be asked to review their information, sign and return a completed application to their local FSA Service Center. Rollins also stressed the development of new tools that will use fair and transparent standards for calculating payments.

“Just in case there was any doubt, it will not be based on DEI metrics. Instead, it will be based on need, regardless of your skin color or geographic location,” Rollins said.

Trade, market development and demand remain serious concerns for the Commodity Classic crowd. At the end of February, President Donald Trump confirmed 25% tariffs for Mexico and Canada will take effect March 4. Farmers are worried their grain and other ag goods could face retaliatory measures and eventually exacerbate the U.S. agricultural trade deficit.

During a press conference, Rollins was asked about tariffs on Canada given that 87% of the potash used in the Midwest come from the province of Saskatchewan.

“I have had conversations with [Trump] specific to that issue, and will continue, but also the other teams from U.S. Trade Representative, Jameson Greer, to Howard Ludnick, Commerce Secretary, are leading a lot of these conversations and negotiations on behalf of this White House,” Rollins said. “Our conversations are ongoing and will continue. I fully recognize the issue.”

You can watch a 16-minute video of Secretary Rollins’ remarks at Commodity Classic on Farm Journal TV . The new subscription video service offers the convenience of on-demand access to hundreds of hours of content, including “AgDay,” “U.S. Farm Report,” “Machinery Pete” TV, Farm Journal’s podcast network, event footage, educational programming and more.

Farm Bill Push to the Finish Line

A soft farm economy for grain growers is at the top of the list heading into the 2025 planting season. It’s also why Rollins told the crowd she’s pushing Congress to get to work on finishing a new farm bill.

“How do we get the farm bill across the finish line?” Rollins asked rhetorically. “It is inexcusable it has yet to happen, and I understand there are a lot of factors out of the control of those who are making the decision, but there’s a new game in town. My commitment to you is that we get a farm bill done by the end of this year and we can avoid punting a full five-year bill for a third time.”

She says a new farm bill is needed to provide certainty for farmers and shore up a sputtering farm economy.

“The state of the ag economy, especially for row crop producers, is perhaps the worst it’s been in 100 years,” Rollins said. “I hear you when you tell me the department’s latest net farm income update showed the decline in crop cash receipts over the last two years were the largest in recorded history.”

USDA data shows farm inputs are up nearly 30% over the past five years while corn, soybean, sorghum and wheat prices have fallen by 30% in the last three years alone.

“The agriculture trade deficit is set to hit a record $49 billion in 2025 — that is money directly from your bottom line,” Rollins said.

The Ag Secretary pledged to the crowd, it’s her goal to find new trading partners and open market access for producers in the next few years.

“I know firsthand how important trade is to your success, and I’m committed as a top priority to work with this President and travel the world to expand market access for all of our crops and all of our producers around America,” Rollins added.

Ducks Unlimited and National Sorghum Producers Pair Up to Promote Water-Smart Agriculture

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 20:54:33 GMT

Ducks Unlimited (DU) and National Sorghum Producers (NSP) have announced a partnership to focus efforts on water savings and market innovation. The goal is to support growers and rural communities in water efficiency efforts that:

expand waterfowl habitat
recharge below-ground aquifers
support new value-added opportunities around ‘water-smart’ commodities

“If there’s one thing that ducks and agriculture both need it’s water,” says Adam Putnam, DU CEO. “DU and NSP have a shared interest in conserving America’s precious water resources, and our collaboration will enable us to achieve success that wouldn’t be possible alone. Together, we’ll promote voluntary, water-smart agriculture practices, and we look forward to finding new, innovative methods of leveraging our natural resources for the benefit of waterfowl, other wildlife, producers, and communities.”

“National Sorghum Producers has long championed innovative, sustainable practices that enhance agricultural productivity while preserving our vital natural resources,” says Tim Lust, NSP CEO. “Sorghum, known as The Resource Conserving Crop, serves as a water-sipping alternative to more thirsty crops, making it indispensable in water-stressed regions. This partnership with Ducks Unlimited further solidifies our dedication to foster water-efficient solutions that enhance both crop productivity and the protection of precious water resources.”

“In many regions like the Great Plains, water resources are becoming more finite and presenting challenges to wildlife, agriculture, and the industries they support,” says Billy Gascoigne, DU director of agriculture and strategic partnerships. “The need to leverage resources, expertise, and market innovation is greater now than ever. This partnership looks to do just that.”

“We recognize the importance of proactive water management to maintain sustainable farming landscapes,” says Matt Durler, NSP managing director of climate-smart sorghum. “This collaboration is a commitment to balance water-wise farming with environmental stewardship and ensure communities that rely on agriculture and waterfowl habitats will flourish for generations to come.”

Harvest Prices for Crop Insurance Plunge: What Does It Mean for Farmers?

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 19:08:04 GMT

The Risk Management Agency just released official harvest prices for federal crop insurance, and it’s not good news for farmers.

Harvest price is based on the average price during October. This year, those numbers are well below 2023 and the base prices set in February:

Corn — $4.16 harvest price versus $4.66 base price, a 50¢ drop
Soybeans — $10.03 harvest price versus $11.55 base price, a sharp $1.52 drop
Grain sorghum — $4.17 harvest price versus $4.67 base price, down 50¢
Confectionary sunflowers — down $1.50
Oil sunflowers — dropped $1.20

The drop comes as no surprise to Tony Jesina, senior vice president of insurance, Farm Credit Services of America.

“We’ve seen the trend in play for quite a while, but in October, we did get a little bit of a bump. It could have been a lot worse,” he says. “It’s still bad enough when you think about the price of corn being down 11% from spring and beans roughly 13%. The trend has not been our friend, that’s for sure.”

Lower harvest price levels will trigger some insurance payouts for the 2024 crop, according to Randy Martinson, Martinson Ag Risk Management in Fargo, N.D.

“There’s likely going to be revenue losses in some areas on soybeans. Corn, it’s just going to depend on if you had a lot of rain and drowned out corn,” he says.

With these prices, margins will be even tighter in 2025 and, for some, maybe in the red.

Jesina says farmers need to closely manage their cost of production and safety net.

“You look at the most common policy in place and that policy will not cover your cost of production for 2025,” he says.

Most producers will need to increase their coverage under their underlying policy or add a supplement.

“A lot of producers will look at the Supplemental Coverage Option known, SCO, or the Enhanced Coverage Option, ECO. When you layer ECO and SCO on top of your underlying policy, for most producers that will be enough coverage to provide a safety net that gets close or can actually go above covering their cost of production for 2025,” he explains.

Crop insurance is not an expense to scrimp on, and Jesina recommends paying for higher coverage to help guarantee revenue. In addition, he says crop insurance products are subsidized, and the ECO subsidy went up for the 2025 crop year.

Your Next Read: A Possible Recession Still Hangs Over the Ag Economy, But Positive Shifts Are Starting to Surface

House GOP Farm Bill Provides Big Boost to Reference Prices; What You Need to Know

Fri, 17 May 2024 16:40:04 GMT

The House Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 introduces significant changes to crop insurance, reference prices, specialty crops, and trade promotion, while also addressing international food aid and foreign farmland ownership. Crop reference prices will see a 10-20% rise across all commodities to combat inflation and rising costs.

There are two key pay limit provisions in House farm bill. The first ends the disparate treatment of pass-through entities . This is removing red tape and allowing farmers to get the same treatment if they are in an LLC as those in general partnerships.

The second is operations that get 75% of their income from farming are eligible for a payment limit of $155,000 (up from $125,000) that is indexed to inflation going forward. This will put the payment limit back at a level (in real dollars) to what Congress approved in 2018.

On AGI, the House bill includes a waiver from the means test for operations that get 75% of their income from farming, but this waiver only applies to disaster programs (LIP, LFP, ELAP, TAP, and NAP), as well as all conservation programs.

There is no new opportunity to add base acres in House farm bill proposals. The Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 provides an opportunity to add new base acres to farms that have no base, or that have been planting in excess of existing base acres. This provision does not modify or impact existing base acres and will be purely additive for those farms that qualify. Additionally, there are no qualifications relative to the demographics or beginning farmer status of the landowner to be eligible for an assignment of new base acres under this provision.

Eligibility for New Base Acres

A farm is eligible for an assignment of base acres under this provision if the average number of acres from 2019 through 2023 that were planted or prevented from being planted to covered commodities and eligible non-covered commodities (not to exceed 15% of the total acres on the farm) exceeds the existing base acres on the farm. If after conducting sign-up, the total number of eligible acres across the country exceeds 30 million acres, the Secretary is required to apply a pro-rata reduction to all farms to reduce the number of eligible acres to equal 30 million.

Eligible Non-Covered Commodities

For the purposes of this provision, and to not penalize producers who may be in a crop rotation that contains certain non-covered commodities, the number of eligible acres may include the number of acres planted or prevented from being planted to non-covered commodities other than trees, bushes, vines, and pasture. The acres of non-covered commodities that can count toward the eligible acres on the farm is limited to not exceed 15% of the total acres on the farm.

Assignment of Covered Commodities

The eligible acres will be assigned to covered commodities using a formula like that utilized for the base reallocation opportunity in the 2014 Farm Bill. The assignment will reflect the ratio of covered commodities planted on the farm from 2019 through 2023.

Trade and International Food Aid

Trade Promotion: Funding for the Market Access Program and Foreign Market Development Program will double.
International Aid: Increased requirements for U.S.-grown aid and additional funding for therapeutic food to combat child malnutrition.

Foreign Farmland Ownership

Reporting: Enhanced reporting requirements for farmland purchases by entities from adversary countries, with penalties for non-compliance. A digital database will track foreign-owned land.

Farm Bill Battles

IRA Funding: Incorporates $13 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act into the farm bill, removing federal mandates on the type of practices that qualify for conservation funding.
Thrifty Food Plan: Limits future updates to prevent SNAP benefit increases or cuts, reallocating funds to strengthen existing nutrition programs. Democrats oppose this measure.
Felon Ban: Removes the lifetime ban on SNAP benefits for those with previous felony drug convictions.
Tribal Nutrition: Makes permanent self-determination projects for the food box distribution program.
Dietary Policy: Updates the federal dietary policy for the first time in two decades, impacting SNAP and school meals.

CCC Authority

Restrictions: Limits the Agriculture secretary’s authority over Commodity Credit Corporation funding, which could prevent presidents from using USDA funds for farm bailouts during trade wars.

House Ag Chairman G.T. Thompson (R-Pa.) told Agri-Talk this morning that he currently has no firm Democratic member commitment but the bill will clear the May 23 markup in the House Ag Committee. He said House floor strategy will be decided once they see the markup vote.

The complete text of the bill is here. An updated title-by-title summary can be found here .

China's Buys of Corn and Sorghum Are Surging Right Now, But Why?

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 20:58:22 GMT

China continues to ramp up its purchases of feed grain around the globe with even more expected in the coming weeks. On Monday, Bloomberg reported China has purchased more than 20 cargoes of feed grain in just the past two weeks, which totals 1.2 million tons of grain.

From corn to sorghum to even barley, China continues to buy feed grains. Last week, trade sources said China was pricing corn out of the PNW; however, no daily sales have been confirmed. Then, this week, trade sources report China is purchased 10 cargoes from Ukraine.

No matter the source of the surge in purchases, one thing is clear: China is stockpiling grain.

“They’re buying a little corn, but they’re mostly buying from Ukraine and buying from Brazil right now,” says Arlan Suderman, Chief Commodities Economist for StoneX Group. “When you look at where US corn is priced, it’s about 25 to 30 cents higher price than Brazil corn. But Brazil is starting to switch towards soybeans. So that’s good news for the U.S.”

China is Buying From Ukraine

Suderman points out since China is buying from Ukraine, despite the growing risk in the Red Sea. He also points out StoneX Group estimates China just harvested a large crop, so it’s not like they’re buying due to a lack of grain or feed.

“They are buying a lot of Ukraine corn, the key there is the Red Sea, because all that corn coming to Ukraine goes through the Red Sea or all the way around the southern end of Africa. And so that increases the costs. It’s ironic that China is buying that corn, because they just had a bumper crop, based on our private sources in China, and our people there we believe the crop in China was bigger than even the government says that it was.”

Suderman says that begs the question: why is China even buying all of this grain? He says it’s to build up their reserves, which he says is taking place for nearly every major commodity, including corn, soybeans and even crude oil.

“They are buying corn from their farmers, putting it in reserves to try to prop up the price, and by propping up the price, they’re making it the arbitrage work for importing corn. So, they’re continuing to do that they’re buying grain sorghum for feed as well. They’re buying up commodities building up reserves,” Suderman says.

What About Taiwan?

Chip Flory, who is host of AgriTalk, but also the Farm Journal economist, says the fact China is buying so many different commodities also sparks another question: what is China preparing for?

“When they shift gears and start to accelerate their purchasing, you have to ask the question: ‘Why? Why are they doing it?’ So, if they are accumulating all these commodities, the list that Arlan went through, what are they prepping for? Is Taiwan involved in this? It could be something that we’re going to have to watch very closely,” says Flory.

According to Blue Reef Agri-Marketing’s Chip Nellinger, the recent sell-off in the soybean market was partially tied to the lack of soybeans sales to China.

“It wasn’t that they weren’t buying beans, they’re buying in record amounts of South American beans, so their appetite is as strong or stronger than it ever has been,” says Nellinger. “It’s just right now, in the short-run, they’re not buying beans from us.”

Farmer Shocked After Lost iPhone Circles Globe, Returns Home

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 17:24:49 GMT

Abandon hope, all ye who lose a cellphone in an ocean of grain?

When central Oklahoma farmer Kevin Whitney’s iPhone slipped from his pocket and fell beneath 220,000 bushels of grain sorghum bound for parts unknown, he assumed the device was forever gone. Instead, the iPhone took a 20,000-mile roundtrip across the globe, returning nine months later from Japan into the hands of a stunned Whitney.

“Amazing,” he says. “I know farming is a global business, but this was personal and showed me how small our agricultural world is. It became such a cool and unlikely story because there was a whole lot more going on than just a lost phone.”

October Surprise

In the fall of 2013, as combines rolled across grain sorghum (milo) fields in Grady County, Oklahoma, Kevin Whitney was on the receiving end of steady crop loads as manager of the Apache Farmers Co-Op branch in Chickasha, roughly 40 minutes southwest of Oklahoma City.

Bathed in dust and October sunshine, under the tower of a 220,000-bushel concrete elevator, Whitney crouched beside a trailer and tugged at a stubborn hopper door as fresh-cut grain poured across a 10’-long by 5’-wide grate split by cover bars with 4” gaps.

As Whitney worked on the hopper—with an iPhone 5 wedged into a slick, black plastic case inside his unclasped breast pocket—he bent a fraction low and felt the phone shoot from his shirt. In a frozen moment, he watched the phone drop into the grain flow and rocket between the grate bars to the pit below. No lunging, flailing, or scrambling after the device. Game over.

“I was beyond disappointed because it was loaded with photos from my daughter’s wedding, but the phone was done,” says Whitney, who presently runs a cow-calf operation and owns a spraying business, American AG Service. “Nothing to say and nothing to do because there was no retrieval possible. I knew where the phone was and I knew I couldn’t get to it. I gave up right away.”

Out of sight, out of mind. The 4 oz. phone, measuring roughly 5” tall and 2.5” wide, had fallen 3’ below the grate onto a series of conveyor belts, buckets, and legs—finally resting within the massive concrete tombstone, embedded with millions of red- and brown-shaded, spherical grains of milo less than 4 mm in length, each carrying about the same kernel weight as wheat.

However, Whitney’s unwelcome October surprise was about to turn into a July blessing.

Stowaway

Departing the concrete elevator at Apache Farmers Co-Op in Chickasha, the stowaway iPhone 5 was loaded into a grain trailer and trucked to a northeast Oklahoma facility in Inola—part of the Arkansas River navigation system.

Placed on a barge at Inola, Whitney’s iPhone floated down the Arkansas River, changed flows to the Mississippi River, and arrived at its final U.S. destination—Convent, Louisiana, where it was dumped onto a carrier ship bound for Japan.

“Imagine all the loading and unloading that took place to that point, with a lot more to come,” Whitney describes. “It was cushioned inside dry grain, but it still easily could have gotten smashed at so many points.”

Next stop? Panama.

Globetrotter

Inside the belly of a bulk vessel as a tiny speck in a 2-million-bushel load of grain sorghum destined for a feed mill in Japan, Whitney’s iPhone left Louisiana and entered the Gulf of Mexico, slid into the Caribbean Sea, exited through the Panama Canal, chugged across the Pacific Ocean to Japan, and offloaded at a feed mill in Fukushima.

During the screening process, the iPhone was spotted by a vigilant—and caring—mill worker.

“It’s amazing on top of amazing,” Whitney explains. “The guy who found it could have tossed it in the garbage or kept it, but he thought, ‘Somebody across the world lost their cell. I’m gonna try and get it back to him.’”

“It took effort and concern to return my phone,” Whitney continues. “The mill worker went up his chain and then somebody else there went higher up the chain, and it turned into a phone call to their source—all the way in Convent, Louisiana. The folks in Japan then airmailed my phone to Louisiana. That was a lot of people in the agriculture grain trade industry trying to help someone they didn’t even know.”

In July 2014, nine months after accidentally turning his cell into a globetrotter, Whitney was rocked on his heels by a surreal phone call from Convent, Louisiana: “Did you lose a cell phone?”

“Yes, I did—almost a year ago,” answered Whitney.

“Well, I’ve got your phone, responded the caller. “What do you want me to do with it?”

Incredible Age

As the final leg of a near 20,000-mile journey, the iPhone was mailed from a grain facility in Convent to Chickasha—and arrived in superb condition.

“The guy in Convent charged it up when he got it from Japan and found out it belonged to me. He told me it’s not really that unusual for guys to lose cellphones in grain,” Whitney says. “He mailed it to me and I charged it again when I got it and started using it immediately. It was in the exact same condition as the day I lost it and all of the wedding pictures were right there.”

Despite a lifetime in agriculture, Whitney’s view of harvest and grain transport has changed.

“For a lot of people in the grain business, whether you’re a farmer or running a farm-related business, you never think about the grain after it’s out of your hands. Once you unload, you put it out of your mind because you’ve done your part. But my eyes have been opened.”

“Grain in central Oklahoma goes all over the planet and it’s that way in every U.S. state. We’re living in an incredible age of speed—grain grown in your field, moved across the globe, and consumed on the other side of the planet. It really shows how amazing our U.S. grain industry is.”

Sold

In 2014, Whitney’s lost iPhone story went viral, bouncing from local news to nationwide coverage on the Today Show to global reports via international media. However, social media stardom was not Whitney’s cup of tea. “I was done,” he says. “I got to the point where I literally quit answering my phone.”

Where does Whitney carry his smartphone today?

“In my cellphone holster where it’s supposed to go,” he exclaims. “I’ve always had a cellphone holster, but I didn’t use it on the day I lost my iPhone 5.”

And almost a decade after Whitney’s October mishap, where is the slippery iPhone 5?

“In hindsight, I should have kept it for nostalgia, but after several years it got time for an upgrade,” he laughs. “I went to a local phone store and called my wife, Alison: ‘I’m gonna upgrade my cell. Should I keep this old one?’”

“She told me, ‘It’s such a cool story so you’ve got to keep that old phone,’” Whitney recounts, while wearing a wide grin. “But when I told her the store was offering me $400 for it, she said, ‘Sold.’”

For more from Chris Bennett (cbennett@farmjournal.com or 662-592-1106), see:

While America Slept, China Stole the Farm

Priceless Pistol Found After Decades Lost in Farmhouse Attic

Cottonmouth Farmer: The Insane Tale of a Buck-Wild Scheme to Corner the Snake Venom Market

Tractorcade: How an Epic Convoy and Legendary Farmer Army Shook Washington, D.C.

Young Farmer uses YouTube and Video Games to Buy $1.8M Land

Bizarre Mystery of Mummified Coon Dog Solved After 40 Years

High Production Costs Could Weigh on the Ag Economy Through 2024, New Survey of Economists Finds

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 19:15:23 GMT

Stronger cattle prices combined with the recent run-up in crop prices aren’t enough to outweigh concerns about the impact high input prices will have on farmers this year and into 2024. While most economists agree the next 12 months could produce more financial challenges for agriculture, views vary on how much financial pressure producers will see and offer differing opinions on the U.S. crop production picture and commodity/feed prices.

The results are part of the June Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor, a new survey of nearly 50 agricultural economists from across the country. It’s the first survey of its kind, collecting insights from economists who represent both the private and public sectors. The economists represent the ag sector across a wide geography and also have expertise in grains, livestock and policy.

The survey is conducted anonymously to allow the highly respected agricultural economists to speak more openly about their economic and production forecasts since their responses won’t be attributed to the university, company or organization they represent. The Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor is a joint effort between the University of Missouri and Farm Journal . The university conducts the survey, collects and crunches the data while Farm Journal distributes the results.

Main Takeaways from the June Survey

Highlights from the first Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor include:

The perceived financial health of U.S. agriculture is trending lower and is expected to continue to decline over the next 12 months.
Production costs, global competition, geopolitical risks, drought and demand headwinds are among the main drivers.
The majority of agricultural economists expect farm income to drift lower, with some expecting levels to land closer to the five-year average in 2024.
High production expenses are the biggest obstacle in 2023.
2023 crop yield estimates vary widely among the economists surveyed.
Economists expect crop prices to drift lower in 2023 and 2024.
Beef cow supplies are forecast to continue to decline this year.

A Current and Future Snapshot of the Agriculture Economy

The monitor shows the perceived financial health of U.S. agriculture has moved slightly lower over the past year, and economists expect that trend to continue over the next 12 months.

The main drivers of the waning outlook include production costs, global competition, geopolitical risks, drought and domestic demand for agricultural commodities.

“I think what’s most surprising is that, on average, those more than 40 economists are in alignment with the more general perception of where agriculture is heading,” says Scott Brown, an agricultural economist with the University of Missouri, who helps author the survey. “What surprised me is the amount of volatility around that average estimate. It just reminds me there’s so many issues at play today, and when trying to predict or suggest the future, even these economists have a wide opinion in terms of where we’re headed in different commodities.”

Falling Net Farm Income

The Monthly Monitor shows all respondents expect farm income to decline from the record level of 2022 for 2023 and 2024. The range of survey responses is what produced the most volatility, with responses varying by as much as $51 billion from the highest to the lowest estimate.

Some economists are projecting farm income levels to return to the 2017-21 average in 2024. The main driver for 2023 forecasts is the expectation for higher production expenses. The biggest factor for the waning outlook in 2024 is the outlook for lower commodity prices.

“It seemed like cattle was the most optimistic commodity out of the mix,” Brown says. “I think there was still some expectation that corn and soybean prices could stay on the higher end, but generally there’s less optimism than coming off the records we would have seen back in 2022. That’s when farm income was a little north of $160 billion, and when you look at some of the forecasts for 2024 in our survey, it’s closer to $120 billion on average. Some are even suggesting farm income levels could fall back to where we were pre-2020, so pre-COVID.”

Wide Range of Yield Estimates

Ahead of USDA’s updated look at planted acres in the June acreage report set to be released Friday, economists don’t see many big changes compared with what farmers intended to plant in March. According to the June Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor, the average survey result was 92.05 million planted acres for corn, which is up slightly from the 92 million acres reported by USDA’s farmer survey in March. The range included 90.5 million acres on the low end and 93 million acres on the high end.

Economists think farmers planted 87.98 million acres of soybeans this spring, slightly higher than the 87.5 million acres reported in March. The highest estimate was 89 million acres of soybeans, with the lowest estimate of 87 million acres.

In March, USDA reported farmers intended to plant 11.26 million acres of cotton. The survey showed economists think with the weather challenges in areas such as Texas, cotton farmers actually planted 11.24 million acres, with the maximum response of 11.9 million and 10.95 million on the low end.

Brown points out the yield variation largely depends on upcoming weather, but the dry weather is creating a wide range of yield estimates this year. According to respondents in June, the average estimate for yield includes:

Corn: 178.68 bu. per acre versus 181.5 bu. per acre (USDA’s current estimate)
Soybeans: 51.06 bu. per acre versus 52 bu. per acre
Wheat: 44.47 bu. per acre versus 44.9 bu. per acre
Sorghum: 68.17 bu. per acre versus 69.2 bu. per acre
Cotton: 855.18 pounds versus 841 pounds

“I think when you look at both corn and soybean acres, there wasn’t a lot of deviation from the Prospective Plantings report USDA came out with a few months ago, so we didn’t see a big change there,” Brown says. “On the yield side, there are certainly some differences. The average yield estimate, on the corn side from the survey was a little more than 178 bu. per acre, with a downside of 175 bu. Likewise on soybeans, that came in at about 51 bu. per acre. Both corn and soybeans are below where USDA currently sees yields. I will say those are going to change quickly as we look at weather and what’s occurred since the survey would have gone out roughly a week ago now.”

Economists also expect crop prices to decline this year and next; however, there is a wide range in estimates signaling volatility will continue.

The average corn price is estimated to hit $4.99 per bushel for the current crop year and $4.74 for 2024/2025. The high range of the estimate for this year is $6 per bushel, with a low of $4.25 per bushel. Soybeans are also expected to trend lower, with an average estimate of $12.52 per bushel this year. The high came in at $14 per bushel. The low estimate was $10.85 per bushel. The average estimate for 2024/2025 is $11.90 per bushel.

Wheat prices are estimated to average $7.63 per bushel this year, with a low of $7 and a high of $8.49. The average estimate for wheat prices in 2024/2025 is $7.10 per bushel, with a high of $8 and a low of $6.49.

Mixed Outlook on Livestock

The June Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor also asked economists to provide estimates about beef cow inventory as of July 1, which is a report USDA will release on July 21. Economists who responded expect cow inventory to fall to 30 million head, which represents a decline of 1.2%.

Respondents also see fed cattle prices in 2024 trending to over $181 per hundredweight. But responses also produced high volatility, with one economist even thinking fed cattle prices will average above $195 per hundredweight in 2024.

Most everyone expects a contraction,” Brown says. “With the dry weather we’ve had in cattle country, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, to name a few, I think we will continue to see fewer beef cows when we get that report out in mid-July. There were some who are even calling for larger declines than the nearly 30 million head. It reminds me we’re going to get tighter, and we’re not done talking about record cattle prices if these forecasts hold true.”

Economists are less optimistic about hog prices and milk prices producers will receive this year.

Ahead of the next Hogs and Pigs report from USDA later this week, economists think the breeding hog inventory will be 99.27%, compared to 100.5% one year ago. Economists are more bullish when it comes to exports, but not enough to improve their outlook on hog prices.

“They weren’t as optimistic on cattle or dairy,” says Brown. “When you look at what they were saying for 2024 hog prices, still, the average was below $61. Which if costs stay where they are today, that means red ink continues into 2024. Likewise, the projected all milk price for 2024 is $20.50 in our survey. That probably also makes red ink in 2024.”

The Likelihood of a U.S. Recession

Another major economic indicator for livestock producers is the general economy, as it historically has a direct impact on domestic demand. Of those surveyed, economists expect interest rates to move up 2% over the next six months.

“Although there was a wide range of responses, most economists felt the U.S. economy is not currently in a recession and will not enter one during 2023,” Brown says. “I will point out, though, there appears to be continued uncertainty about the expected general economy health for 2023, given survey responses.”

The majority of economists “somewhat disagree” the U.S. will enter into a recession this year. While at least eight economists say they “somewhat agree” a recession is looming yet this year.

Looking Ahead to July

The June Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor survey is a current snapshot of economists’ views. The survey will be sent to participating economists just days after USDA releases its WASDE report each month. Less than two weeks later, the results will be released.

“It is fairly current, but I’ll just say weather matters a lot, as we talked about, especially with yields. We’ll see how this changes, being able to now come back to the same group and ask what they expect corn and soybean yields to be in another few weeks. We’ll also have the first survey under our belt, and it will be interesting to watch those changes,” Brown says.

Looking to the second survey, Brown says he’s interested in watching changes to the crop-yield side of the equation. Longer-term, he thinks the monthly monitor will reveal bigger trends about the general economic health across all of agriculture and how those forecasts change from month to month.

“I’m really curious to watch [the general economic health] as we get more observations, and see what July looks like relative to June in terms of overall economic health,” he says. “I’m curious to watch as this group of experts continues to digest what’s happening in agriculture.”

How Can The Farm Bill Better Reflect Farmers? House Ag Committee Released A Road Map

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 22:26:00 GMT

The House Ag Committee is set to give an initial outline of budget views and estimates for the 2024 fiscal year. An early look at the report shows the House Ag Committee could push for improvements to the current safety net within Title I of the farm bill and move away from relying on Congress to approve ad hoc disaster aid. The letter also states the current safety net is outdated and doesn’t take into account the rising costs farmers face today.

Just as corn, sorghum, soybean and wheat growers worked to set policy priorities during Commodity Classic, Farm Journal Washington Correspondent Jim Wiesemeyer released an exclusive early look at the House Agriculture Committee’s budget views and estimates for the 2024 fiscal year . He says the panel will hold a business meeting Thursday morning where the panel will go over the changes outlined in the letter.

After reading the initial budget letter from the House Ag Committee, Wiesemeyer called it one of the best he’s seen during his long career of reporting on the business of agriculture.

“The letter presents a clear road map, with lots of transparency, on what is really needed in the new farm bill,” Wiesemeyer says. “Budget panel chairs should take the well-researched policy and funding recommendations to heart in working out a realistic farm bill baseline because without that, the farm bill will not get the reforms it clearly needs to alter Title I and move away from the billions of dollars in ad hoc disaster program payouts. I also applaud what the letter notes is the importance of trade promotion programs and agricultural research — two topics that usually get a lot of farm bill attention in the early rounds of working on the legislation, only to find them short-changed at the end of the process.”

According to Wiesemeyer, the budget letter includes the following key points for ag related programs:

Stresses the importance of funding production agriculture programs with Title I, with a strong focus on the farm safety net.
Outlines efforts to alleviate the need for what the House Ag Committee deems as costly and inefficient emergency ad hoc spending
Focuses on the spike in the cost of goods farm and ranch families in the U.S. are facing today

According to Wiesemeyer, the letter points out the Title I safety net is projected to account for two-tenths of 1% of federal spending, while still supporting an industry that accounted for 43 million jobs, $2.3 trillion in wages, $718 billion in tax revenue, $183 billion in exports, and $7.4 trillion in economic activity in 2022.

“We would challenge any Member of Congress to identify other legislation that can take credit for a similar return on investment of federal support,” the letter states.

The 2024 FY budget letter to be outlined tomorrow, also says, “Due to the ineffectiveness of the existing farm bill safety net, Congress has returned to the cycle of providing unbudgeted ad hoc assistance for both weather and market-related disasters, totaling $93.3 billion over six years. This amount is 150% of the entire Title I 10-year baseline. The assistance has been a godsend for many producers who would not have been able to remain in business otherwise in the wake of a trade war, a once-in-a-century pandemic, or historically devastating weather disasters. However, as mentioned above, despite this infusion of assistance, the farm financial picture is beginning to erode due to repeated production losses and skyrocketing inflation.”

The House Ag panel’s budget views say since current policies were designed in the 2014 farm bill, it uses production data from 2012.

“Today, the combination of spiking input costs and outdated policy has rendered the commodity title ineffective. Consider the four crops that represent the largest acreage in the U.S.: corn, soybeans, wheat and cotton. The forecast season average farm price of each commodity would need to fall by roughly 23%, 30%, 21% and 52%, respectively, in 2023 to trigger any support under current law. If left unchanged, while production costs remain sticky, many producers would be bankrupt before Title I support provides assistance.”

House Ag Committee Echoes Commodity Organization’s Policy Priorities

The House Ag Committee’s point regarding the current farm fill’s safety net flaws is also a message Steve Censky, CEO of ASA, expressed to Farm Journal just ahead of Commodity Classic this week.

“We’ve been leading an effort with other commodity and farm groups, to the budget message to the budget committees, letting them know that the agriculture committees are going to need more resources. We’re hopeful that they can get more resources, but we’re also realistic that it’s going to be tough to try to get those additional resources,” says Steve Censky, CEO of ASA.

Censky expresses a need for Congress to adequately fund the 2023 farm bill, but also do so on time, as he says ASA recognizes the current need among growers to see additional resources for things beyond weather events.

“We want to No. 1, fully protect crop insurance, because that’s soybean farmers’ most important risk management tool, but we also want to improve the safety net for soybeans,” Censky says. “Even when we had the China trade war, when U.S. soybean exports plummeted, the safety net, ARC or the PLC programs, did not kick in. Soybean farmers did not receive any payment, and they had to rely on ad hoc payment.”

Tim Lust, CEO of NSP, is also encouraging legislators to strengthen the safety net within Title I of the farm bill. He points out budget sheets today show inflation and higher costs are overpowering commodity prices, but it’s also drought eating into outlooks for farmers. He says both are just two examples of why Title I isn’t a strong safety net for farmers.

“When we look at the number of dollars that have been spent on ad hoc disaster over the last six years, there are ways, without spending the total amount of dollars that we have spent over the last six years, that we could do some things in Title 1 to really provide some extra dollars there to provide a safety net and to get us out of this situation of an every-year disaster,” Lust says.

NSP has been pushing for the two Agriculture Committees to add funding and improve the safety net within the new farm bill, without taking money away from other essential programs such as crop insurance.

“Whether that is a disaster assistance, whether that’s an increase in reference price, there are three or four different ways that you could provide that safety net,” Lust says. “At this point, we’re not really at this point saying exactly what that is, other than to say, it is needed.”

Both ASA and NSP’s concerns seem to be addressed in the initial 2024 budget letter. According to Wiesemeyer, the budget letter says yearly ad hoc payments are not the fiscally responsible way to support producers.

“One of the most difficult aspects of production agriculture is the incredible amount of uncertainty farmers and ranchers face. One of the most important principles of a farm bill is its intention to provide a modicum of predictability to this very risky industry,” the letter states. “With ad hoc assistance, producers and their lenders have no idea what assistance will be available, or which programs they will be eligible for when a disaster strikes. They don’t know if or when policymakers will decide to step in, with action oftentimes occurring a year or more after a loss. Additionally, each time ad hoc assistance is authorized, either Congress or the administration changes the parameters of which losses are eligible. As a result, the committee believes this inefficient and ever-changing delivery of assistance costs the taxpayer substantially more than what would have been needed if the support were incorporated into the existing farm safety net.”

The letter also outlines nearly $20 billion for new funding for conservation programs, which was also part of last year’s focus by the House Ag Committee.

“As for food and nutrition programs, the letter attempts to find a middle ground. It remains to be seen whether any changes in this area will be quickly blasted as unworkable by some who want significant increases in funding and little to no reform,” Wiesemeyer says.

House Ag Committee Questions CBO’s Farm Bill Score

In February, the Congress Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its analysis and projections for the federal debt of the U.S., while also providing a CBO score of the current farm bill. the 10-year baseline for mandatory programs in the farm bill, including crop insurance, showed less money for Title I. That estimate also sent a message to farm groups.

“As we see the baseline come out in the CBO score, right now there’s less money for Title I, meaning that we’re going to have to figure out how to divide that pie even thinner,” Chandler Goule, CEO of National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG), said ahead of Commodity Classic.

However, the budget letter from the House Ag Committee called out CBO’s cost estimate, stating it varied from other analysis available today.

“When compared to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Agriculture Policy Research Institute (FAPRI), subject matter experts in predicting macroeconomic trends in commodity prices, CBO shows a price series that, across major covered commodities, is 10% to 15% lower than FAPRI and USDA projections. As a consequence, these assumptions may result in modifications or improvements to existing programs scoring more costly than they would if CBO’s price assumptions were more in line with USDA and FAPRI.”

Push for Permanent Disaster Aid? Sorghum Producers Seek to Secure Stronger Safety Net in the Farm Bill

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 18:22:05 GMT

Farmers in the Southern Plains are looking at another year of drought. With winter dryland crops dwindling by the day, area farmers have growing concerns about having enough moisture to plant their 2023 spring crops. Now, groups like National Sorghum Producers (NSP) are pushing for either permanent disaster assistance or other changes to strengthen the safety net within Title 1 of the Farm Bill.

As growers gather at the 2023 Commodity Classic this week, it’s a story of moisture extremes for farmers across the U.S. Record snowfall continues to call in California, improving the water outlook for irrigation this year. The upper Midwest has also been hammered by continuous snowfall this winter.

It’s a stark contrast from the Plains. Already faced with the most severe levels of drought on the U.S. Drought Monitor, NOAA’s seasonal drought outlook paints a dreary picture with forecasts for drought persisting through spring. However, it’s the concern longer-term that’s also driving NSP’s priorities within the 2023 Farm Bill. Tim Lust, CEO of NSP, wants to see legislators strengthen the safety net within Title One of the Farm Bill, including more permanent disaster aid.

“When we look at the number of dollars that have been spent an ad hoc disaster over the last six years, there are ways, without spending the total amount of dollars that we have spent over the last six years, that we could do some things in Title 1 to really provide some extra dollars there to provide a safety net and to get us out of this situation of an every year disaster,” says Lust.

Lust says as the Farm Bill sits today, reference prices don’t cover cost of production increases that farmers across the country have seen the past two years. He says that’s further proof there’s not an adequate safety net in place today.

“As always, there are caveats about how that’s done,” says Lust. “It can’t impact crop insurance negatively, and there are some of those cornerstones that certainly are not negotiable, but the goal is how do we get that safety net for our growers going forward.”

NSP is pushing for the two Agriculture Committees to find more funding for an improved safety net within the new Farm Bill, but Lust says NSP isn’t recommending to Congress how they should craft those programs just yet.

“Whether that is a disaster assistance, whether that’s an increase in reference price, there are three or four different ways that you could provide that safety net,” says Lust. “At this point, we’re not really at this point saying exactly what that is, other than to say, it is needed.”

Issues with 2022 Ad Hoc Disaster Relief

Sorghum producers have plenty of fuel to back his push for an improved safety net for farmers. Last year, sorghum producers saw the worst yields since 1960. Farmers aren’t only revising some of their acreage plans this year due to the moisture situation in the Plains, they’re also still trying to financially recover from the scars of last year’s drought.

“Obviously, we were very happy to see legislation in the December bill that provided assistance for 2022,” he says. “One of the things that we have certainly been talking about is how that is implemented, and what that looks like. The ERP 1 model that was used for ‘20 and ’21 worked very well. Our board and leadership has grave concerns about the ERP Phase 2 methodology and what that looks like, and so certainly a lot of concerns over how exactly the ’22 disaster is implemented.”

Lust and sorghum farmers aren’t alone in their concerns over how those Emergency Relief Program Phase 2 payments. The program is ad hoc and distributes disaster aid for losses from weather events like drought. Changes for Phase 2 require farmers to submit their tax information and the payment is capped at $2,000. Farmers are reluctant to hand over such personal financial information over to the government for a payment that doesn’t begin to cover the 2022 financial losses in areas that need it most.

A group of Senators sent a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack last week and voiced deep concerns about ERP 2. Nineteen GOP members of both the House and Senate urge USDA to reconsider the methodology used for ERP Phase 2. The legislators say the process is extreme and the requirement for farmers to hand over their personal tax records shouldn’t be a requirement, as the information doesn’t necessarily correlate to crop losses by crop year, which they claim makes Phase 2 less precise.

Sorghum as the Ideal Crop for Climate Solutions

There’s an expectation for farmers to possibly plant more sorghum acres in the drought areas this year. Weather is a gamble, but as farmers try to find ways to still grow a crop, sorghum is an attractive option since it requires less water compared to other row crops like corn.

Lust says sorghum’s hardiness also provides an opportunity to answer USDA’s call for more climate-smart agriculture practices across the country. Lust and sorghum farmers know it’s a crop that doesn’t require as much water, but now they dig into the data of not only the inputs of sorghum, but also the valuable outputs of a grain that can be used for feed and food.

“We were blessed to be one of the groups that was announced as a potential awardee,” says Lust. “We are not through that contract process yet, so it’s not final, but working almost daily with USDA to finalize that contract process.”

In total, USDA is in the process of finalizing $3 billion worth of climate-smart commodities grants . The recipients are a combination of both public and private groups, all working toward a common goal.

“In our case, it’s working with our growers, looking at climate-smart practices, and looking at how those transform into markets,” explains Lust. “Whether those be our biofuel markets, or whether those be some of our food markets, it’s about how we look at that being monetized and what those future market opportunities could be.”

Lust says that’s all supported by collecting the data from all that research, which starts at the farm level.

“Obviously, there is a significant data collection component to this, and really gives our leadership, our members, and our producers in general, the opportunity to document and learn a lot about our crop and what really is happening on the ground,” says Lust. “Certainly, we’ve done some small-scale projects with universities, we’ve done a few individual farms, but we’ve never done anything this broad scale.”

Once the details of the grant are finalized with USDA, Lust says NSP will immediately get to work, uncovering even more reasons why sorghum is a sustainable solution for the call to bring more climate-smart practices and products to the market.

And today, Lust points out sorghum is already playing a more vital role in U.S. food programs, showing just how versatile sorghum truly is.

“One of the things that we’ve certainly worked on and prioritized the last several years is adding sorghum into the USDA feeding programs,” he says. “We’re excited to have sorghum approved to be a part of those programs and a lot of ongoing work, particularly in the breakfast side, about how whole grain sorghum moves into the breakfast side of school breakfast and school lunch programs. So, we’re excited about what some of those opportunities are and with many of the health attributes, and wholegrain attributes, that sorghum checks the box on.”

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WinField United Expands Answer Plot Program to Research Farm In North Dakota

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 15:16:58 GMT

WinField United’s Answer Plot program is expanding in two ways: first, with a larger dedicated research farm covering 162 acres in North Dakota, and second, with a focus on hard red spring and winter wheat, spring and winter canola, field peas, sunflowers, and other diversified field crops.

As explained by Ryan Moeller, seed product manager, this first of its kind dedicated research farm allows for the WinField United team to use crop rotations at the site necessary for the diversity of its research. The Wilton, North Dakota site consolidates and elevates the opportunities for diversified field crop research which had been previously scattered and in smaller scale.

“It’s tricky to get all of these crops in the rotation,” he says. “Whereas the Answer Plots before have been exclusively corn and soybeans and located on smaller sites, we needed a bigger space.”

He says another advantage is they can use the site as a draw for bringing in people for educational agronomy events. This summer had the initial field day for the site, and Moeller said attendees were impressed about the investment and data behind the Croplan brand.

“Really, I want ag retailers to know this is their farm. This is also the farmer’s farm. We are committed to diverse field crops. There are a lot of companies, it’s corn/beans/corn/beans. Our corn/beans are important and we believe diverse field crops are just as important,” Moeller says. “It shows our commitment to them and their diverse field crops.”

Currently, one crew lead and two additional team members are establishing the first field trials.

As Moeller says, the goal of the Innovation Farm is to collect agronomic data to help bring improved product and agronomic recommendations to help growers.

Some of the first research trials include:

Large-scale genetic and performance testing and screening capabilities for multiple crops
Herbicide efficacy trials
Nitrogen trials
Fungicide response
Shatter testing on commercial and pre-commercial canola products–a first for Croplan.

“We want this site to be the best applied agronomic research center and be known as leaders in bringing forward the kind of insights we are researching,” Moeller says.

This Researcher Looks to Uncover Renewable Diesel Source in Unique Place

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 19:13:13 GMT

Step into greenhouses at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (ULN), and you’ll discover research taking root to answer a growing global need for more oil–from jet fuel, to heavy equipment, as well as food products and industrial needs.

The demand for oil continues to ramp up as biomass based diesel, which includes renewable diesel , is fueled by the focus on finding cleaner burning fuels. Seeing that need is exactly what one UNL researcher made the focus of his latest research .

“Our research is focused on making more oil and better oil,” says Edgar Cahoon, professor of biochemistry and also director of the center for plant science innovation at UNL. “We’re trying to address the need for the for more oil, there’s a world shortage of vegetable oils, but also tried to make higher value oils for producers.”

Department of Energy Shows Interest in UNL Research

The need is so great, Cahoon’s research just received a $12.8 million grant from the Department of Energy over the next five years.

Cahoon says he’s part of a group of a researching team, led by UNL, who is using biotechnology tools to improve crops, unlocking the full potential of two oilseeds, but then those findings will be applied to crops not known for producing oil.

“We’re doing that both in traditional oilseed crops like soybean, but also trying to make more oil and vegetative or biomass crops like sorghum,” he adds.

Uncovering What Genes Produce the Oil

So, exactly what are the researchers trying to uncover? Cahoon says his research is out to find what makes the oilseeds oil-producing machines.

“This idea that we’re going to be engineering, vegetable oil production and the leaves of stems, leaves and stems of sorghum is kind of a new idea. And it’s really both a scientific challenge and at some point, will be a bio processing challenge,” says Cahoon.

Through biotechnology, Cahoon and the team are working to introduce genes that increase the genetic diversity of the plant, and ultimately, allow the crops to produce higher levels of oil.

“We want to add more value to the these biomass crops like sorghum by engineering pathways to make oils, not in the seeds, but in the the leaves and the stem of the crop to add more value. In the bio processing of sorghum, not only do we get the biomass, but we can get the vegetable oil,” Cahoon explains.

It’s not just traditional oil seed crops such as soybeans being explored here in this greenhouse, but also crops that don’t traditionally aren’t crushed for oil.

“We’re working with the biomass crops, they don’t traditionally make vegetable oils, so they they’re used for things like biofuels,” Cahoon says.

The Push for More Oil to Fuel Demand

The research is being driven by a growing hunger worldwide for more oils, and one that doesn’t seem to be on pace to slow down anytime soon.

The growing need for oil that can be turned into renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel is an industry trend that started making waves just over a year ago. For more than a year, S&P Global Commodity Insights has been digging into the need for more oil. Their current forecast shows how that demand is expected to continue to grow, and considering a large portion of these products are already used for food and industrial purposes, analysts say more supply will be needed to meet that demand.

Some of that supply could come from new feedstock supplies like camelina, another crop UNL is currently researching.

“We also work on non-food oil crops,” says Cahoon. “One of them is camelina, we think that’s an alternative especially for maybe more marginal dry land applications. And as a cover crop for rotations with crops like soybean.”

Cahoon says vegetable oils are the most energy dense molecules produced on the planet, which is why they are an attractive option for the quest to find more oil to supply renewable fuels and bioproducts.

“They have the functionality that you need for the food applications, but they also have a lot of energy stored within the molecules that can be broken apart and used for diesel applications for jet fuel applications,” he adds.

UNL’s Focus on Biotechnology

Cahoon says the research is taking root at UNL for one major reason: the University’s continued investment and focus on biotechnology, which is a vital tool in meeting the exploding demand.

“We’re really fortunate at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln because we have some of the best facilities in the public sector for crop biotechnology,” he says.

The living laboratory is rooted in understanding farmers’ needs to create value-added opportunities, even beyond traditional uses of food and biofuels. Cahoon says the research at UNL facilities today are aimed at not only understanding the enzymes that could allow different crops to generate oil, to producing soybean plants that even feature fish oils, it’s all about meeting a growing demand.

Did Frost Bite Your Corn Or Soybeans? Use These Tips to Assess Damage

Mon, 23 May 2022 15:40:06 GMT

The frigid air that blew through the northern Corn Belt and Mountain States over the weekend left its mark on corn and soybean fields. From burnt leaf tissue to blotchy, curled leaves, Farm Journal Field Agronomist Missy Bauer shares these tips to evaluate frost damage.

To ensure the growing point is OK, Bauer says to split open the plant from the base of the crown up.

“If the plant is a bright white to yellow color (not brown or mushy) then it should keep growing,” she explains. “Don’t be alarmed if the plant has some buggy whipping [twisted whorls] – that’s just the new tissue replacing the old tissue.”

If you see a field with some blotching and leaf damage — a white or greyish cast as you drive by — that is the damaged soybean tissue and leaves that have rolled or flipped over.

“Pay particular attention to the low-lying areas and sandier soils,” she says. “No-till fields, in many cases, are worse.”

Be diligent about scouting soybean fields to evaluate stands and determine final plant population, Bauer advises. “I am most concerned about fields already marginal on stand counts due to prior frost events,” she adds.

Bauer is comfortable keeping stands of 65,000 to 70,000, if they are uniform. To determine plant populations, follow the instructions outlined in this Purdue University Extension tip sheet to use a hula hoop for 15” and narrower rows and a yardstick for 20” and 30” rows. The Extension bulletin also has information on percent of normal yield based on final populations, which is helpful when making replant decisions.

When counting plants be sure to only count ones that will survive, Bauer adds. If the unifoliate leaves are burnt off but the cotyledons are healthy, those plants will survive. If a plant is burnt below the cotyledons, it won’t survive. If the stem below the cotyledons is not firm and doesn’t have good turgor pressure, it will also likely not survive.

At this point, Bauer says, it’s important you don’t add any more stress to corn and soybeans already under stress.

“We recommend holding off on applying your post-emergent herbicides for 120 growing degree days (or heat units) from the time of the frost,” she says. “Soybean fields that have good stands and limited frost damage can be rolled. Wait until after the 120 growing degree days and the proper growth stage on fields with heavy frost damage where plants must regrow from new growing points.”

Strong Prices, Lower Seed Costs Spur Surge in Sorghum Acres

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 19:02:31 GMT

Thanks to increased export demand, solid prices and new technology for weed control, U.S. farmers are planting more grain sorghum in 2021.

Total U.S. sorghum acres are projected to reach 6.91 million acres this season, according to the most recent USDA Prospective Plantings Report.

That’s more than 1 million acres above the 5.88 million acres USDA says U.S. farmers planted in 2020, and a 12% increase in acreage over 2019.

Kansas leads the country in sorghum production, with farmers there growing more than half of the total expected acres. USDA says farmers there will plant 3.6 million acres of the crop this year, and acreage could go even higher.

“Stronger cash bids along with stronger new crop 2021 forward contract bids” could encourage more production, according to Jesse McCurry, executive director for the Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission and Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association.

On the organizations’ website, they report that Kansas State University expects current marketing year average U.S. farm prices for grain sorghum to be $5.09 per bushel.

The crop has been on an upward production trajectory in Kansas for the past several years. Farmers there grew 3 million acres in 2020 and 2.6 million in 2019.

Strong demand abroad. China continues its reign as the No. 1 buyer of U.S. sorghum. The country “purchased a net 2.6 million bushels of U.S. old-crop grain sorghum in the week ending May 27, along with 5.1 million new-crop....” Arlan Suderman, chief commodities economist for StoneX Group, Inc., posted in a Tweet on Friday morning.

China purchased a net 2.6 million bushels of U.S. old-crop grain sorghum in the week ending May 27, along with 5.1 million new-crop, but the old-crop was a switch from previous sales to "unknown" #oatt
— Arlan Suderman (@ArlanFF101) June 4, 2021

McCurry says while China is an important relationship the U.S. will continue to nurture, at the same time it looks to add other export opportunities.

“We have made inroads recently with Vietnam and have had a strong customer in Mexico in previous years,” he says.

Sorghum is valued in the U.S. and abroad for its ability to fit a variety of human and animal food uses.

“It’s essentially a neutral ingredient that can be used in all sorts of applications, from food to liquor to ethanol to feed,” McCurry told Chip Flory, AgriTalk host on Thursday. “The Chinese also use it to produce a drink called baijiu and to feed ducks.”

China is the No. 1 producer in the world for duck, harvesting about 5.5 million pounds of duck meat annually. The protein has been increasingly important to the Chinese this past year, with the toll African Swine Fever has taken on the country’s hog herd.

Weed-control options support production. While strong prices are fueling acreage growth, new herbicide-tolerant technologies are adding acres as well.

This year sees the introduction of three, non-genetically modified products: igrowth sorghum, marketed by Advanta, Inzen sorghum, marketed by Corteva/Pioneer and Double Team sorghum, marketed by S&W.

“Farmers have over-the-top weed control options now, and that’s got a lot of guys considering sorghum that hadn’t wanted to grow it previously,” McCurry says.

Along with that, seed costs for sorghum – sometimes one-fourth that of corn – is a factor that farmers often weigh in their production and marketing decisions, he adds.

Brent Bean, Sorghum Checkoff agronomist, notes the cost of seed varies considerably depending on the crop, seeding rate, traits and treatments applied to the seed.

He provides the table below, which reflects the range in seed cost per acre for dryland production of various crops, and discusses the benefits of growing sorghum here: https://bit.ly/34MrQrl

Sorghum growers go to the field. Kansas farmers are just now ramping up their sorghum planting, McCurry says, so it’s still a question how final acres will net out.

“We’ll be planting sorghum here into the 4th of July,” he says. “And then there’s the double-crop question – what farmers will plant, soybeans or grain sorghum – after they harvest the wheat crop the end of this month. That could add some more acres.”

New Crop Sorghum Surpasses $5 as U.S. Weekly Sorghum Exports Shatter Records

Three Herbicide-Tolerant Sorghum Technologies Finally Reach Farmers

Sorghum Steals the Spotlight

U.S. Plains Farmers Bet on Sorghum as Chinese Demand Lifts Prices

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 18:51:42 GMT

U.S. farmers are poised to expand plantings of sorghum by nearly 20% this year, a far larger percentage than soy or corn acres, as the crop purchases mainly by China for use in animal feed and to make baiju liquor trades at a premium.

Although strong demand for corn and soybeans lifted futures prices of those crops to near-decade highs, farmers said sorghum is particularly appealing this year as it is more resistant to drought.

A rally in commodity crops has been driven by Chinese imports of feed grains, as the country’s hog herd recovers from a deadly pig disease. But continued demand is uncertain as China is also trying to reduce its reliance on imported crops like corn.

“China is the joker in the deck. Maybe it even represents two jokers, because it is such a big player,” said Kent Winter, president of the Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association, who farms outside Wichita.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in March projected U.S. sorghum plantings for 2021 at 6.940 million acres, up 18% from the previous year and the most since 2015. Seedings of corn, the most-planted U.S. crop, were seen roughly flat at 91.1 million acres.

Some observers expect sorghum acreage will rise even further when the USDA releases updated U.S. acreage estimates on June 30. Private analytics firm IHS Markit Agribusiness recently projected U.S. 2021 plantings at 7.350 million acres.

“We need that bump to meet demand and the need for supplying our customers,” said Jesse McCurry, executive director of the Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission.

U.S. production of sorghum, also called milo, is centered in Kansas, where it competes for acres with corn, and in Texas, where it competes with cotton. Planting of the U.S. corn, soy and cotton crops is nearly finished, but sorghum planting was only 72% complete nationally by June 13.

USDA expects a 2021 crop (marketing year 2021/22) of 10.846 million tonnes, the largest since 2016/17 and up 14% from a year earlier.

Winter said U.S. Plains farmers have watched cash sorghum prices trade at a rare premium to corn.

“A lot of guys started making plans last winter, based on what was a new-crop bid for 2021 sorghum, and it has hung in there. It’s an attention-grabber,” he said.

Sorghum yields about two-thirds as many bushels per acre as corn in Kansas but it tends to be cheaper to grow, and drought tolerance makes it well-suited to arid areas where corn and soybeans struggle to thrive.

China has booked 917,000 tonnes of new-crop U.S. sorghum so far this year, up from 305,000 tonnes at this time a year ago. USDA expects total sorghum exports of 8.9 million tonnes in 2021/22, just under all-time record exports in 2014/15. But traders caution that high prices could dent the grain’s appeal.

“Demand for U.S. sorghum is so-so this year because prices are too high,” said a grains trader with an international trading house. “It is not super economical to buy sorghum to use in feed.”

(Reporting by Julie Ingwersen; Additional reporting by Hallie Gu in Beijing; Editing by Bill Berkrot)

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Strong Prices, Lower Seed Costs Spur Surge in Sorghum Acres

Calyxt's Next Generation High Oleic, Ultra-Low Linolenic Profile Soybeans

Wed, 19 May 2021 21:28:16 GMT

Calyxt, Inc., a plant-based technology company, announced today that its next generation premium high oleic low linolenic (HOLL) soybean oil trait has exceeded industry performance targets expected in the premium oil segment. This marks a step-improvement on Calyxt’s first gene-edited product that was commercialized in the U.S. by delivering superior functional performance plus a -superior functional performance and fatty acid profile superior to other premium oils.

Preliminary composition analysis indicates that Calyxt’s trait for its next generation soybean with a high oleic and low linolenic fatty acid profile is best-in-class. It is expected to offer the highest levels of heart-healthy oleic acid and ultra-low levels of linolenic acid of any premium oil, on par with high-oleic sunflower oil.

“Our R&D team continues to identify and unlock high value plant-based products and metabolites through the use of Calyxt’s proprietary TALEN editing systems, breeding approaches, and advanced analytics platforms that built upon the learnings from our first edited product,” said Travis Frey, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer at Calyxt. “The early-stage validation of HOLL, our most complex product to date, marks an exciting step-change in our ability to discover, understand and harness the potential of complex plant biological pathways to deliver the next generation of plant-based solutions in a fraction of the time.”

“We’re excited by the performance of the HOLL trait in terms of desirable fatty acid profile, improved oxidative stability, increased shelf life, and reduced polymerization,” said Sarah Reiter, Vice President of Business Development. “We look forward to partnering with elite soybean companies to introduce this trait through their premium seeds as a compelling alternative to commodity soybean and other premium oils.”

Calyxt’s HOLL was developed through combined proprietary editing technologies and breeding approaches to deliver the desired attributes. Having completed foundation seed production, HOLL will be advancing into seed production for a potential 2023 launch. The company is currently evaluating potential collaborators for the North American and global markets and intends to partner with elite soybean companies to bring this product to market.

New Crop Sorghum Surpasses $5 as U.S. Weekly Sorghum Exports Shatter Records

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 13:49:26 GMT

As U.S. farmers finalize 2021 planting plans, sorghum is still vying for acres. U.S. sorghum growers are enjoying not only a strong basis, but new crop prices above $5 as the hunger for U.S. sorghum hasn’t waned.

Just this week, USDA confirmed U.S. sorghum shattered records last week, with a total of 33.9 million bushels of purchases. Driven by the top buyer of China, the total smashed the previous record set in August 2020 by 10 million bushels.

“U.S. sorghum exports continue to signal very strong demand for our crop, and new purchases at this level only reaffirm that,” says Tim Lust, CEO of the National Sorghum Producers (NSP) . “The size of shipments reported this last week is equivalent to the size of approximately 10 to 12 Panamax vessels.”

NSP says China’s buying hasn’t just been on old crop, but strong new crop sales are a new turn of events for sorghum producers. NSP says new crop purchases of U.S. sorghum for this point in the marketing year are also at a record level, reaching 40 million bushels this past week. That’s a 264% increase from the previous record set in 2014.

“I think on the High Plains, what we’re seeing is a bid for acreage,” says Wayne Cleveland, executive director to the Texas Sorghum Association. “We have some folks anywhere between $1 to $2 over the futures, which is really kind of unheard of on the Plains. It’s buying acres. Talking to our growers kind of the irony of what’s going on in the valley, which the bid yesterday in the valley was $1.30 over. But the irony is that’s new crop. There’s no old crop left, I think last week sales report, we saw that China basically bought ever kernel of grain sorghum that was left out there at 26 million bushels. So all crop is over with in Texas, everybody’s clearly focused on the new crop.”

“This is the strongest new crop demand we have ever seen at this time in the season,” says Lust. “Availability is so scarce that the sorghum crop being planted now is being marketed at the same time, and farmers have not even started planting in Kansas yet. This sends a strong demand signal to U.S. sorghum producers from our international customers, and we look forward to getting the 2021 crop in the ground.”

The 2021 acreage debate is far from over, and last-minute acreage decisions are possible. USDA showed in its March Prospective Plantings report that U.S. farmers intend to plant 6.9 million acres of sorghum in 2021, which is more than 1 million acres above the 2020 total.

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China Makes Historic U.S. Sorghum Purchases with No Signs of a Slowdown

68% Of Farmers Say They've Locked In Their 2021 Crop Mix

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 20:13:08 GMT

While the first Prospective Plantings Report for 2021 shows total corn and soybean acres will be up over last year, the increases announced Wednesday weren’t what the marketplace anticipated. However, USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer was quick to offer this reminder to everyone who expected a different outcome.

“This is an intentions report, it’s about prospective plantings,” Meyer told U.S. Farm Report Host Tyne Morgan.

Indeed, the March Prospective Plantings Report provides the first official, survey-based estimates of U.S. farmers’ 2021 planting intentions. The NASS acreage estimates are based on surveys conducted during the first two weeks of March from a sample of nearly 80,000 farm operators across the nation.

Meyer says the June report will provide more clarity on how many acres farmers actually plant and how those acres break out between crops.

Based on a Farm Journal Pulse Survey, 68% of farmers say they have already settled on their crop mix for 2021.

Of the 772 farmers who responded to the survey, distributed in late March, 522 said they wouldn’t change their crop mix, regardless of what they learned from the Prospective Plantings Report. However, a small percentage of farmers (7%) said they would consider switching more than 50% of their acres to other crops yet this spring.

Some of those changes are likely to show up as more sorghum acres, Meyer anticipates.

“We’re seeing sorghum pop back up along the lines of what we saw in 2015,” he says. “(Based on what) the Chinese are taking, they’re still saying a lot of corn and now they’re taking a lot of sorghum, so I think that remains part of the story.”

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Prospective Plantings: 91.1 Million Acres Corn, 87.6 Million Acres Soybeans

Prospective Plantings Preview: Seed Sales Point to 90 to 92 Million Acres of Corn in 2021