Author: staff

In the USDA Crop Progress report released on Aug. 18, seven states reported mature corn. The five-year average for the mature growth stage this time of year is 3%. Here’s a closer look at the states that reported. Texas Texas is leading the pack with the most mature corn being reported at 65%. That’s up 5 percentage points from the prior week. Texas is five points ahead of the five-year average for this point in the season.  Texas corn was rated 2% very poor, 6% poor, 30% fair, 40% good, and 22% excellent for the week ending Aug. 18. North Carolina The…

By Jonathan Stempel and Bhargav Acharya Aug. 15 (Reuters) – The U.S. government said on Friday it sued California to stop the state from enforcing stringent emissions standards for heavy-duty trucks that President Donald Trump recently declared void. In complaints filed this week in two federal courts, the U.S. Department of Justice said federal law preempts the California Air Resources Board from enforcing various emissions rules governing heavy-duty trucks and engines. These include the Clean Truck Partnership, a 2023 initiative with manufacturers designed to advance California’s goal of lowering emissions, while giving the truckmaking industry flexibility to meet emissions requirements. The Justice Department sued after a House of Representatives committee…

Claas has announced the new Jaguar 1000 series of self-propelled forage harvesters with the company’s widest crop flow channel to date. The series is launching with four models: the Jaguar 1080, 1090, 1100, and 1200, ranging 850–1,110 hp with throughput rates of up to 500 tons per hour. “We didn’t just tweak the old platform — we reimagined everything,” said Matt Jaynes, product manager at Claas of America. “These machines feature a truly ground-up engineering approach, with wider crop flow, a more intelligent drive system, and significant advancements in chop quality and cab comfort.” Performance Claas Jaguar 1000 series forage…

By Cami Koons Last week marked the first time since mid-June that statewide precipitation levels were below normal, while temperatures were 2-4°F above normal for the period, according to State Climatologist Justin Glisan. Despite the diminished precipitation levels, soil moisture remains high. Crops rated highly during the Aug. 11–17 reporting period, though developments for corn and soybean acres are slightly behind the five-year average, according to the crop progress and condition report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  Twenty-seven percent of corn has reached the dent stage, one day behind the average. Nearly 80% of Iowa corn is in the…

USDA published the latest Crop Progress report on Monday, Aug. 18. Here’s a closer look at recent weather and the status of Wisconsin’s most important crops in mid-August. Weather Nick Groth, agronomic service representative for Syngenta Crop Protection covering the state of Wisconsin, said, “On the morning of Aug. 12, a storm brought heavy wind and rain to southern Wisconsin. There were several fields south of Madison that showed significant lodging after this event. I have seen significant corn rootworm damage in that area this year and wonder if that may be part of the issue.” A continuation of this…

What Happened On Aug. 12, the USDA released the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report. The report contained many surprises, including a significant increase in corn acreage as well as yield. Planted acres increased by 2.1 million acres to 97.3 million. Yield increased from 181 bushels per acre to an eye-popping record 188.8 bushels per acre. Production rose from 15.705 billion bushels to 16.742 billion. Demand also improved, with increases noted to feed usage (up 250 million bushels), ethanol (up 100 million bushels), and exports (up 200 million bushels). The net of all these numbers was an increase in…

A Florida woman is suing Keely Farms Dairy in New Smyrna Beach after she says raw milk from the facility sickened her toddler and led to the loss of her unborn child. Court records show that the case was filed in the 18th Judicial Circuit Court in Seminole County, Florida, on August 14, 2025, under Case No. 2025CA001856. The lawsuit was brought by Rachel Maddox, both individually and as the parent and legal guardian of her minor child, identified only as L.U. The defendants named in the case are Keely Farms Dairy LLC and Natures Natural Foods LLC, which operates…

By Jason Franken and Joe Janzen Last week, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released new 2025 planted acreage estimates for major crops in its monthly Crop Production report. USDA’s WASDE (World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates) report, released the same day, generally uses the most recent acreage estimates produced by NASS to forecast crop supply for the coming marketing year. For the second time, NASS used August data on crop acreage enrolled in farm programs from the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) to update its planted acreage estimates for corn and soybeans. In previous years, NASS only updated acreage…

Ahead of 9 a.m. CT, December corn was down 2¾¢ at $4.03¾ per bushel. November soybeans were down 4¾¢ at $10.36½ per bushel. This morning, USDA announced Mexico is buying 228,606 metric tons of soybeans for the 2025/2026 marketing year. December CBOT wheat was down 3¼¢ at $5.21¾ per bushel. December KC wheat was down 5½¢ at $5.22¾ per bushel. December Minneapolis wheat was down less than a penny at $5.85¾. “With fresh news scarce and all eyes on the Pro Farmer Crop Tour, reports of southern rust, tip-back, and tar spot continue to circulate,” said Cole Raisbeck, commodities broker…

By Julie Ingwersen GRAND ISLAND, Nebraska, Aug. 18 (Reuters) – The production potential of Ohio’s corn crop is the highest in at least 22 years, scouts on the annual Pro Farmer tour of top U.S. producing states found on Monday, but dry conditions could limit yields by the time the autumn harvest rolls around. Meanwhile, corn yield potential in South Dakota is the highest since 2020, with plenty of moisture to aid crop development, tour scouts said. Grain traders are watching to see whether the four-day crop tour, which began Monday and crosses seven top U.S. corn and soybean states, will support the U.S.…