Author: staff

DAILY Bites Judge denied FTC’s request for Deere’s dealer financial database in antitrust case. Deere says that it had already shared key financial data during discovery. Lawsuit centers on Deere’s control over repair access for farm equipment. DAILY Discussion A federal judge has denied requests from the Federal Trade Commission, five states, and farmer plaintiffs to compel John Deere to produce a key financial database in ongoing antitrust litigation focused on repair restrictions for agricultural equipment. At the center of the dispute is Deere’s Dealer Financial Analysis dataset — a consolidated spreadsheet that includes detailed financial metrics such as dealer…

Evaluating cattle productivity often focuses on common benchmarks such as body condition, weight and feed consumption. Yet, there’s another informative — and sometimes ignored — performance indicator in plain sight: manure. What comes out of the back end of your cattle can tell you a lot about your nutrition program. By utilizing a manure scoring tool, you can analyze your cattle’s manure and better understand how well the rumen is working to ensure your nutrition dollars are being used by the cow and not just passing through into their manure. “Think of manure scores as a short-term report card on…

What Happened August live cattle futures peaked on June 9 at $220.05 per hundredweight (cwt). Prices then slid over $12, anticipating that demand would weaken after the Fourth of July. However, August futures rebounded, screeching into a new contract-high price, trading just under $221 per cwt as of this writing. The sharp rebound came on the heels of better-than-anticipated Fourth of July demand, a weaker dollar, and futures short covering. Cash prices continue to hold a premium to futures, a likely contributor to higher prices. Still, high prices and time of year might suggest the market is vulnerable to a…

DAILY Bites Over 40 U.S. ice cream companies have pledged to eliminate synthetic food dyes by 2027. The FDA has fast-tracked approval of the new plant-based dye gardenia blue. Upcoming dietary guideline updates are expected to support full-fat dairy products. DAILY Discussion On Monday, federal officials and industry leaders signaled a shift in U.S. nutrition policy, with plans to update dietary guidelines in the coming months to include full-fat dairy products and continued efforts to reduce sugar in school milk. “I grew up in a world where milk was the healthiest thing that you could eat,” said Health Secretary Robert…

By Rodrigo Viga Gaier and Ana Mano RIO DE JANEIRO/SAO PAULO, July 15 (Reuters) – Brazilian meatpackers are weighing whether to make new shipments of beef products to the U.S. after President Donald Trump announced a 50% tariff on Brazil last week, Roberto Perosa, president of Brazilian beef lobby ABIEC, said. The U.S. is Brazil’s second most important beef products market after China, which is the South American country’s number one importer of the commodity, according to trade data. “New shipments are under analysis by the private sector due to the increase in tariffs,” Perosa said on Tuesday. The announcement of the tariffs affected Brazil’s cattle market last…

A little after 8:30 a.m. CT, December corn was down less than a penny at $4.17¾ per bushel. November soybeans were up 1¾¢ at $10.08¾ per bushel. September wheat contracts were mixed. CBOT wheat was down less than a penny at $5.41¼ per bushel. KC wheat was up 2¼¢ at $5.25¼ per bushel. CBOT spring wheat was down 2¢ at $5.85. Minneapolis wheat was up less than a penny at $6.04¼.  “I’m keeping a close eye on weather and heat forecasts heading into late July and early August, since crops will be entering critical stages of development,” said Cole Raisbeck,…

By Boris Camiletti Tar spot of corn, caused by the fungus Phyllachora maydis, has become one of the most challenging foliar diseases for corn growers in the Midwest. First identified in the U.S. in 2015, tar spot has spread rapidly, driven by favorable weather conditions and susceptible hybrids [1]. In Illinois, we have received multiple reports of tar spot in corn still in vegetative stages during the 2025 season, with confirmed cases across several counties. These early-season detections highlight the persistent nature of the disease and the importance of timely management. Understanding Tar Spot: Symptoms and Disease Cycle Tar spot typically…

As the ethanol industry seeks to decarbonize, so as to meet tax credit requirements, pipeline companies are planning to establish routes across the Midwest. Those pipelines will transport and sequester carbon dioxide (CO2) generated during ethanol production, allowing ethanol plants to take advantage of tax credits.  The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 expanded the 45Q tax credit.  According to documentation from the Iowa Corn Growers Association, this credit incentivizes carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), with the federal government providing funding as follows: $85 per metric ton (17¢ cents per gallon of ethanol) for CO2 permanently sequestered underground, and$60 per…

December corn ended the day up 5¾¢ at $4.18 per bushel. November soybeans closed down less than a penny at $10.07 per bushel. September CBOT wheat closed down 3½¢ at $5.41½ per bushel. September KC wheat was down 1¼¢ at $5.23. September Minneapolis wheat was down 10¢ at $6.03¾. “A muted reaction to last Friday’s balance sheet update limited market interest outside of the corn complex,” said Karl Setzer, partner at Consus Ag Consulting. “The world corn inventory is expected to fall to its lowest level in over a decade this year, giving that grain some much-needed support. We are…

USDA published the latest Crop Progress report on Monday, July 7. Here’s a closer look at recent weather and the status of Minnesota’s most important crops as July starts out. Weather “We had some really warm weather again, and again we had ample rain across much of the state,” said Tim Dahl, agronomic service representative for Syngenta Crop Protection. Jared Goplen, agronomy manager for Wyffels Hybrids, admitted there have been some pockets of wind, hail and heavy rainfall, but nothing has amounted to substantial damage. In Monday’s Crop Progress report, USDA said farmers had 4.2 days suitable for fieldwork the…