Author: staff

December corn is down 1½¢ this morning. January soybeans are down 8¼¢. December wheat contracts are also down. CBOT wheat is down 6¼¢. KC wheat is down 5½¢. Minneapolis wheat is down 6¢. “It’s difficult to sustain a rally in the corn and soybean markets in the midst of a record harvest when storage is limited and rains are falling in South America, leading to expectations of record crops there as well,” said Arlan Suderman, chief commodities economist at StoneX. “Demand for corn and soybeans has been good lately, as end users seek to increase coverage at what is perceived…

The 97th National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis honored outstanding FFA chapters for their exceptional work in promoting leadership, agricultural education, and community engagement. While all FFA chapters strive to be exemplary, some go above and beyond to showcase true FFA leadership. These chapters are named Model of Excellence chapters and showcase qualities in all categories of growing leaders, building communities and strengthening agriculture. Only 10 high school and five middle school chapters are chosen to hold this prestigious title, but just one high school and one middle school chapter can be named the overall national winner. The Signal…

Another presidential election is rapidly bearing down upon us. As in previous elections, polls show that the candidate many Americans prefer is the one named None Of The Above.      Why is this? What is the cause of this widespread voter dissatisfaction? The answer lies in one of the most basic, essential pieces of farm equipment: the manure spreader.      I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking “OK, he’s going to launch into some lame analogy about how politicians are always spouting off about this or that and how it compares with the operation of the aforementioned you-know-what slinger.” Well, I’m not.…

The 97th National FFA Convention & Expo, held October 23 to 26 in Indianapolis, culminated in the election of the 2024-25 National FFA Officer Team. Over 70,000 FFA members and supporters gathered to celebrate agricultural education, innovation, and leadership, joined by thousands watching remotely from across the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  The six FFA members elected to serve for the 2024-25 year come from Illinois, Ohio, Wisconsin, Kentucky, California, and Georgia — with the excitement from those who’s names were called to the celebration in the audience being visible in the videos that were shared…

By Ryan Hanrahan Agri-Pulse’s Brad Hooker reported at the end of this past week that “Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday directed the California Air Resources Board to accelerate its regulatory review of the E15 blend of gasoline. Newsom said the higher ethanol mix would reduce gas prices while supporting the state’s stringent regulations on tailpipe emissions.” “The governor seized on new research from the University of California, Berkeley, and the U.S. Naval Academy showing that boosting the ethanol ratio from the current 10% to 15% would lower prices at the pump by 20 cents per gallon, adding up to $2.7…

The National Weather Service precipitation outlook shows an above average chance for rain across the Midwest. That comes as good news for Midwest farmers. According to Iowa State Climatologist Justin Glisan, Iowa experienced its driest September on record, and as of Oct. 21, was on track for its second-driest October on record. However, he said there is a chance for widespread precipitation throughout the Corn Belt before Halloween.  “Any moisture that we can bank now before we freeze up in winter is much needed for the next growing season,” Glisan said. National Weather Service Topsoil Moisture Glisan expressed concern about…

1. Soybean, Grain Futures Lower in Overnight Trading Soybeans and grains were lower overnight on favorable weather in parts of South America.  Rainfall in southern Argentina has “eradicated” most of the dryness in the region, Commodity Weather Group said in a note to clients.  Dry areas have been reduced to less than 10% of corn and wheat areas, the forecaster said.  Another round of precipitation is expected in northern Brazil, giving a boost to crop prospects, CWG said. Still, the week-two outlook is drier.  “Recent drier spots in southern Brazil corn (and) soy linger, but occasional showers limit concerns,” Commodity…

Thirty people have contracted bird flu from exposure to infected animals this year, and more cases are expected, said the Centers for Disease Control on Thursday. At the same briefing, the USDA said it was confident of eradicating the viral disease in dairy herds despite the ever-rising number of outbreaks in California. The No. 1 dairy state, California has accounted for 137 of the 339 infected herds nationwide, or 40%. In the past 30 days, it was home to 97 of the 101 outbreaks in 14 states nationwide. The other four were in Idaho. Some states have gone months without…

By Maximilian Heath BUENOS AIRES, Oct 24 (Reuters) – Recent rainfall over Argentina’s agricultural heartland will likely continue into November, allowing for the normal planting of soybeans and corn, a leading meteorologist told Reuters on Thursday. The expectation of healthy rainfall follows significant precipitation in recent weeks that reversed an earlier dry spell over the key farming area, home to much of the South American nation’s grains output. “The final days in October will be dry, but we’ll see a return to rain in November,” said meteorologist German Heinzenknecht, citing a trend that should cover top farmland with around 100…

Brad Wilson said if the U.S. Department of the Treasury doesn’t issue regulations on the 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit soon, the 45-billion-gallon-a-year biodiesel plant he manages in northwest Iowa may have to idle. “You’re going to be selling at a huge loss and just rolling the dice, hoping when the final guidelines come out from Treasury the credit value is enough to cover the loss,” said Wilson, President of Western Iowa Energy, a biodiesel plant located in Wall Lake, Iowa. “There’s no way we are going to take that risk in today’s market.” Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director…