Author: staff

December corn ended the day up 7¾¢. January soybeans closed up 2¢. December wheat contracts were mixed at the close. CBOT wheat was up less than a penny. KC wheat was down 2¾¢. Minneapolis wheat was down 5¢. “Futures were quite volatile today which was not unexpected following the U.S. Presidential Election results,” said Karl Setzer, partner at Consus Ag Consulting. “Former President Trump won re-election by a wider-than-expected margin. While Trump has a history of supporting business, he also has a history of placing trade tariffs, and this generated a mixed reaction to his re-election by supporting the equities…

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that, starting in 2027, students eligible for free or reduced-price school meals will no longer incur processing fees. The USDA has also released guidelines for schools to help them transition smoothly to this new policy and is encouraging early implementation. The goal is to eventually remove online payment fees for all families, ensuring fair access to school meals. Secretary Vilsack emphasized USDA’s commitment to equitable meal access for children, noting that this initiative is a step toward making healthy school meals free for all students. “USDA and schools across America share the common goal…

The November World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report is due Friday, Nov. 8. Going into the report, here is some context to know for the corn, soybean, and wheat markets and what Grain Market Insider will be looking for in the updated balance sheets. Corn Market Expectations October’s WASDE report wasn’t a large needle mover: The market was expecting a smaller carryout number and the USDA obliged.  While carryout was lowered, it came in higher than expected due to an increase in yield to 183.8 bushels per acre (bpa) from 183.6, versus expectations of 183.4 bpa. This offset…

Saying when harvest is over on our farm is kind of difficult. The combines are being blown off, washed, winterized, and put in the back of the sheds. However, we do cover crops on all our acres, so I never consider harvest over until those are in the ground. Whatever season you call it, things are still busy. I’m married to the Energizer Bunny himself, so there is no slow time on our farm with him. Every season just keeps rolling in to the next. My husband, Matt, is one of the lucky few who is so passionate and in…

By Ryan Hanrahan The House and Senate Agriculture Committees will see changes to membership this upcoming legislative session after at least two incumbent committee members, New York Representative Marcus Molinaro and Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, were not re-elected.  As of 8 a.m. ET Wednesday, those races are the only current losses for incumbents on either the House or Senate Ag Committee, though many of the races that had been considered toss-ups heading into election day remain undecided. That includes Republican John Duarte of California, who currently leads his opponent 51-49 with 49% of the vote reported. In Oregon, incumbent Republican…

By Cami Koons After a near-record dry September and October, Iowa received some much-needed rain while many farmers finished off their corn and soybean harvests for the season. Corn harvest reached 92% complete in the state, which is two weeks ahead of the average schedule, according to the Iowa crop progress and condition report for Oct. 28 through Nov. 3. Soybean harvest is 98% complete in the state, according to the national report.  Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said the damp and rainy conditions may slow the progress of farmers who still have crops to harvest.  “However, it will…

1. Soybeans, Wheat Modestly Higher Overnight Soybean and wheat futures were modestly higher in overnight trading on demand for U.S. supplies, though trading is quiet ahead of today’s elections. Corn was little changed.  Exporters reported sales of 150,000 metric tons of corn to Mexico for delivery in the 2024/2025 marketing year that started on Sept. 1, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a report yesterday.  An unnamed country bought 120,000 tons of corn and a separate unknown destination purchased 132,000 tons of soybeans, USDA said.  The agency on Friday reported several sales to overseas buyers including 132,000 tons of…

By Jonathan Coppess, Gary Schnitkey, Carl Zulauf, and Nick Paulson Since the tariff and trade conflicts that began in 2018, through the pandemic relief assistance efforts in 2020, American farmers have received an unusual amount of ad hoc and supplemental or emergency assistance (see e.g., Farmdoc Daily, April 18, 2018; July 31, 2018; Aug. 16, 2018; Aug. 28, 2018; May 22, 2020; July 10, 2020; Sept. 3, 2020; June 6, 2022; April 5, 2023). From 2018 to 2023, USDA reports a total of $77.8 billion in ad hoc and supplemental assistance to farmers, along with another $14.5 billion in non-USDA…

DAILY Bites Authorities dismantled a multimillion-dollar theft ring smuggling California farm equipment into Mexico. “Operation Tractor Pull” led to the arrest of seven suspects and the recovery of $1.3 million in stolen equipment. The theft ring impacted California’s agricultural community, with some equipment still unrecoverable across the border. DAILY Discussion The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office in California has dismantled what is being called a sophisticated criminal network responsible for the theft of heavy farm equipment in the San Joaquin Valley. The equipment, with a value estimated to be in the millions, was transported across the border into Mexico. Dubbed “Operation…

Eight years between nearly any two pieces of equipment — whether cars, trucks, combines, or tractors — normally means two completely different machines. Technology changes fast, and manufacturers constantly update what they bring to market.  But if you visit Stoller and Klein Farm in Illinois, you’ll see a 2014 and a 2022 planter sitting side by side, both equipped with virtually identical technology, allowing the farmers to stay on the cutting edge of production efficiency while keeping an eye on their bottom line.  In the early 2000s Stoller and Klein Farm started adding Precision Planting products to their planter, a…