Author: staff

If you ever thought about making a marketing plan for your farm, it’s time to make it happen. You can do it! Let’s look at how you can make a plan that works best for your farm. Every year, I enjoy teaching all the classes for my Kluis Grain Trading Academy, but I have a favorite: Creating a Marking Plan. This class brings together all the concepts we teach during the previous classes.  First, let’s review the basics: Simple is better. Yes, a more complex plan may cover more risks and scenarios. But a simple plan ends up being better,…

What Happened The August World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report indicated a big increase in expectations for the U.S. corn crop and carryout. Yet on the world front, not much change was noted. World stocks-to-usage remain at their lowest level since 2013 when, the low for December corn futures came in late fall at $4.12. As of this writing, December 2025 corn futures are trading near $4.06 with a contract low of $3.92.   Given this historical comparison, it’s challenging to believe corn futures could get much lower. The rise of the cost of production in the last 13…

Claas has updated the Lexion 8000 combine lineup with a new model, bump in horsepower, more comfort features, and better visibility. “Just like the producers we serve, we’re focused on continuous improvement,” said Dennis Ogle, head of sales at Claas. “Today’s operator deserves equipment that not only matches the demands of the field, but also offers greater comfort for long hours in the seat.” Higher Horsepower Claas is reshuffling its Lexion line for model year 2026. The 2026 Lexion 8500, available in wheeled and Terra Trac models, rated at the same 506 hp as last year’s Lexion 8600. The 2026…

December corn ended the day up 2¾¢ at $4.23 per bushel. November soybeans closed down 13½¢ at $10.41 per bushel.  December CBOT wheat ended the day down 6¢ at $5.28¼ per bushel. December KC wheat closed down 8½¢ at $5.11¼ per bushel. December Minneapolis wheat was down 5¾¢ at $5.74¼. “Corn’s technical breakout, strong demand, and shrinking supply outlook are fueling short covering, with traders eyeing $4.30 resistance and September’s WASDE [World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report] for confirmation,” said the Grain Market Insider newsletter by Stewart-Peterson Inc. “…Soybeans remain under pressure from meal weakness and Chinese demand fears,…

Key Takeaways Corn slipped in condition — Good/excellent ratings dropped 2 points week-over-week, with denting progress slightly behind the five-year average, though maturity is just ahead.Soybeans declined more sharply — Good/excellent ratings fell 4 points, with pod-setting on track and leaf-drop just ahead of average.Small grains are wrapping up — Spring wheat harvest is slightly ahead of normal, while oat harvest lags just behind average. Today, the USDA published the 22nd Crop Progress report of the 2025 growing season. Here’s a look at the latest corn, soybean, wheat, and oat numbers. Corn As of Aug. 31, 90% of the corn crop across…

A runaway Longhorn, described variously in reports as a cow or bull, was fatally shot deputies in Dodge County, Minnesota, after a 50-minute pursuit in which the animal repeatedly charged at people and vehicles, forcing highway closures. The incident began around 2 p.m. August 31 when farmer Brandon Schmoll reported that one of his cows had escaped while being transferred to a pasture along County Road 34, east of Dodge Center. According to KAAL-TV, Sheriff Scott Rose said dispatch “alerted the Canadian Pacific Railroad about the incident” and that deputies “shut down both lanes of Highway 14 multiple times as…

Top Third Ag Marketing helps farmers become better agricultural marketers with the goal of marketing crops and livestock in the top third of prices. Mark Gold and his team provide AGDAILY.com with the latest information and a look ahead in their audio commentary. Listen here! https://www.agdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/agdaily-Top-Third-2025-09-02.mp3 The post Markets in Minutes: Top Third looks ahead for Labor Day week appeared first on AGDAILY.

Lant Elrod “I became so frustrated working on large projects in my shop,” said Joe Keeley of south central Michigan. “Ninety percent of the time, I am working alone, and I need something to make my work easier. I came up with an idea to take a truck crane and retrofit it to use with a pallet fork.” He cut two 32x2x4-inch pieces of quarter-inch tube for the side rails, and three 20x2x4-inch pieces of quarter-inch tube for the cross rails, which he welded on both ends. Then he used grade-5 bolts to attach the crane onto the new platform.…

Farmer sentiment dipped for the third straight month in August, with the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer Index falling 10 points to 125. Producers expressed markedly less optimism about the future, as reflected in the Index of Future Expectations, which fell 16 points to 123. This marks the lowest reading for the future index since last September. Producers’ perspective on current conditions changed little this month, as the Current Conditions Index rose 2 points from July to 129. Sentiment differed widely among producers according to whether their operations focused mainly on crops or livestock. Crop producers responded with much…

Across the United States, youth in 4-H and FFA spend months preparing for livestock shows, creating projects, finding ways to educate the public about animals, and so much more. The culmination of all their hard work leads to their county fair, where oftentimes the youth compete both to win and for an opportunity to take their skills to the next level. County fairgrounds come alive with the sounds of excited kids, animals of all varieties, the smell of fair food and more. Amid that excitement, the most important thing is the youth who make it all happen, learning and leading…