Author: staff

December corn and January soybeans are both up 3¼¢ this morning. March wheat contracts are making double-digit gains. CBOT wheat is up 12¾¢. KC and Minneapolis wheat are up 13¾¢. Discussing gains wheat made in the overnight trade, The Brock Report said wheat was supported by “technically-driven short covering and fears the Ukraine-Russia war will escalate following President Biden’s decision to allow Ukraine to use U.S. weapons against targets inside Russia.” USDA announced new export sales this morning: India is buying 30,000 metric tons of soybean oil for the 2024/2025 marketing year.Mexico is buying 261,264 metric tons of soybeans for…

On November 8, 2024 International Short Video Competition “Mountain Tai Bringing Prosperity to the Nation” Field Trip was held in Tai’an, the city of the Five Great Mountains, located in Shandong Province. Following the launch ceremony, over 50 leading content creators, internet influencers, and renowned bloggers from various fields will be divided into three teams to embark on field study and creative endeavors.   Team Mountain Tai meticulously explores the profound cultural heritage of Mount Tai and conveys this rich cultural essence to global audiences through the lens of the camera.   Team Wen River showcased the historical heritage and…

If you pay any attention to social media, you’ve likely seen some memes poking good-natured fun at grain cart drivers. Despite the teasing, the auger wagon is an invaluable piece of equipment, moving grain and keeping combines running. Used units are available but not in huge quantities, and pricing remains stable.  “Supply of auger wagons is a little tighter because it’s hard to find a good wagon,” says Mark Stock, co-founder and CEO of BigIron Auctions. “Grain carts have held their value, especially ones with a scale or with a tarp.” Recent Sale Prices A recent search of tractorhouse.com for 2020…

With little sign of a breakthrough on the farm bill in Congress, farm groups are shifting their attention to a proposed $21 billion bailout bill. Help is needed because high costs and lower commodity prices are sharply eroding farm income, they say. Analysts question whether the price tag for the proposed agricultural aid is too high to be accepted and say that in the relatively short lame-duck session under way, there may be room for only one piece of farm-related legislation. The overarching issue for lawmakers is funding the government past Dec. 20, when a stopgap spending law expires. “If…

1. Soybean Futures Higher in Overnight Trading Soybean futures were higher amid a weakening dollar after the greenback had risen to its highest level against a basket of global currencies in more than a year.  The greenback was down 0.2% overnight, a slight reprieve after hitting the highest since October 2023, according to Marketwatch data.  A weaker dollar makes U.S. goods more attractive to overseas buyers seeking dollar-denominated items including agricultural products. A stronger dollar does the opposite.  The U.S. currency has been on the rise after Donald Trump was elected president on promises of imposing tariffs on imported goods.…

In 2024, the combine market has seen significant changes, marked by contrasting trends that reflect the broader agricultural equipment industry’s adaptation to shifting economic conditions. Key reports from equipment analysts reveal that while the market is adjusting to challenges such as surplus inventory, high interest rates, and shifting demand, there are also signs of increasing auction prices for specific models, signaling a complex and nuanced picture. Economic Pressures Impacting the Combine Market One of the most notable trends in the combine market in 2024 is the surplus of equipment. Following strong demand in the early 2020s, dealers are now grappling…

Farmland values continued to climb in many areas in 2024, but the increases were more modest compared with recent years. Experts say prices are likely to dip in 2025.  “It’s a mixed bag,” says Steve Bruere, president of Peoples Co., an integrated land solutions firm headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa. “For every sale you think might be a little weaker, there’s another one the next day that’s incredibly strong. But there’s just not as much strength in the market right now. You can just feel that with the number of people participating in the auctions and the number of bids,…

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., leader of the loosely defined Make America Healthy Again coalition, will head the Department of Health and Human Services in the new administration, said President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday. “For too long, Americans have been crushed by the industrial food complex and drug companies who have engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation when it comes to public health,” said Trump in announcing the nomination on social media. The Food and Drug Administration, which oversees most of the U.S. food supply, is part of HHS. The USDA has jurisdiction over meat and poultry products. Before the Nov.…

by Amy Dalrymple Heat from natural gas flares combined with high winds and dry vegetation caused two of the October wildfires in western North Dakota, according to the state fire marshal. Investigations into an Oct. 5 fire near Keene and a fire the same day near New Town found that both originated with flares at oil and gas wells next to agricultural land with stubble or dry grass, according to investigative reports. The McKenzie County fires occurred in the hours before state regulators asked operators to voluntarily shut down oil and gas wells in areas with high fire danger, according to…

As of Nov. 10, another top corn-growing state joined Texas in completing this year’s corn harvest, and three more top soybean-growing states joined Minnesota in wrapping up soybean harvest. Here’s a closer look at which states are done, according to USDA’s most recent Crop Progress report. Corn Harvest: North Carolina Joining Texas as the second of the top 18 corn-growing states to have completed 2024 corn harvest is North Carolina. Corn harvest in the Tar Heel State reached 100% after a one percentage point increase for the week ending Nov. 10. With that, progress is just ahead of progress last…