Author: staff

1. Soybeans, Grains Little Changed Overnight Soybean and grain futures were little changed in overnight trading as investors weigh a weaker dollar against concerns about the ongoing trade war with China.  The greenback was down another 0.6% in overnight trading against a basket of its counterparts. A weaker dollar makes U.S. goods more attractive on the global market.  Investors are keeping an eye on demand as trade tensions between the U.S. and China, the world’s largest importer of soybeans, remain high.  The tariff rate on Chinese goods imported into the U.S. may go as high as 245%, according to a…

In 1924, little-known McDonald & Company began selling a tractor equipped with a simple, low-engine-speed diesel. That was six years before Caterpillar would make history by offering a production-line made diesel crawler. Very likely the reason you’ve never heard of the McDonald, which can lay claim to being the first diesel-powered wheeled tractor in the world, is that the machine toiled far from U.S. farmers’ eyes in Australia. Such is the rich history of the Australian-built tractor. Since the 1910s, around 45 manufacturers on that continent effectively competed with imported tractors from Europe and the U.S. to supply farmers on…

By Ryan Hanrahan Government Executive’s Eric Katz reported Tuesday that “the Trump administration is planning to severely scale back or outright eliminate funding for many programs across the Agriculture Department, according to White House documents obtained by Government Executive, as it slashes workers and closes offices at the local level.” “The ‘passback’ document from the Office of Management and Budget [OMB] proposing fiscal 2026 funding levels would gut research and conservation efforts, trim program budgets nearly across the board, and cut staff as part of what OMB called ‘many difficult decisions’ that ‘were necessary’ to reach the proposed spending level,” Katz…

Kubota Tractor Corporation today announced what they’re calling a “groundbreaking” partnership with multi-platinum musician Post Malone. In a play off of one of Malone’s biggest hits, Kubota is saying that this partnership gives them a “Guy For That” when it comes to getting work done. Kubota will provide a range of equipment to manage Malone’s expansive property, while also becoming an official sponsor of the artist’s Travelin’ Tailgate, a fan experience accompanying select dates of his upcoming nationwide stadium tour. Malone will get two L6060 compact tractors from Kubota’s Grand L60 Series, an LX2620 compact tractor, and an SSV75 skid…

As interest grows in careers that support farming, agribusiness, and environmental stewardship, agricultural education programs are seeing a surge in student enrollment — but they’re also facing a critical crossroads: a growing shortage of qualified teachers threatens the future of these programs. With 70 educators across 30 states leaving the profession in just two years, the need to recognize and support those who are preparing the next generation of agriculture leaders has never been more urgent. To help address this trend, Nationwide created the Golden Owl Award in partnership with state FFA organizations to celebrate and invest in the educators…

July corn ended the day up 2¼¢ at $4.91¾ per bushel. July soybeans closed up 3¾¢ at $10.50¼ per bushel. July wheat contracts also closed higher. CBOT wheat closed up 5¢ at $5.61 per bushel. KC wheat was up 3¾¢ at $5.72¼. Minneapolis wheat was up 1½¢ at $6.17. “[It was a] quiet day in the corn market as prices finished with small gains on Wednesday’s session,” said the Grain Market Insider newsletter by Stewart-Peterson Inc. “Fresh news for the corn market was limited, but more weakness in the U.S. dollar helped support the grain markets as traders positioned ahead…

Every winter, I really enjoy teaching our Kluis Grain Trading Academy course. I like to show our students all the players in the grain futures market and how they impact open interest. This winter, it was amazing to watch corn open interest increase to a record 2 million-plus contracts. That is 10 billion bushels! I was amazed at the rally in the corn market. I could start to see the bullish potential develop in October 2024, well after the major low in August 2024.   There’s an old rule that says, “When prices are trending higher and open interest is going…

A 2-year-old Arizona boy is safe after spending a night alone in desert wilderness near Seligman — thanks in part to a ranch dog who led him to safety. The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office says that the child, Boden Allen, went missing from his family’s rural home around 5 p.m. Monday wearing only a tank top and pajama pants. When night approached, the sheriff’s office organized a search effort with over 40 rescuers, state Department of Public Safety rangers, 4×4 trucks, and helicopters fitted with thermal cameras. During the search mission, a helicopter caught sight of two mountain lions roaming…

Recently imposed tariffs – some paused, some rescinded, some increased — have created even more uncertainty in the agriculture economy.  The tariffs included reciprocal tariffs against a number of United States trade partners, and a number of tariff carve-outs, such as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) exemptions of 25% duties against our U.S. neighbors. Currently, a blanket 10% tariff has been imposed on imports from many countries, while imports from China — the biggest U.S. trade partner — are tariffed at a prohibitive 145% after both countries continue to escalate retaliations. Other reciprocal duties have been delayed for 90 days,…

by John Cole Brent Copenhaver and his wife Stacey own Talview Dairy Farm, a dairy operation in Lebanon County, and sell most of their milk regionally in Pennsylvania. To Brent, he thinks there is currently one big issue farmers across Pennsylvania are thinking about. “I think tariffs definitely are on people’s mind,” Brent Copenhaver said to the Pennsylvania Capital-Star. “How that will impact us locally is still, I think, yet to be determined.” The Copenhavers hosted several high-ranking government officials on Monday morning, including U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. She was joined by Republican U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick, U.S.…