Author: staff

USDA published the latest Crop Progress report on Monday, Aug. 4. Here’s a closer look at recent weather and the status of Colorado’s most important crops in early August. Weather In Monday’s Crop Progress report, USDA said farmers had 6.4 days suitable for fieldwork the week that ended Aug. 3, compared to 6.5 days this time last year. Colorado’s current precipitation departure. Iowa Environmental Mesonet USDA rated Colorado topsoil moisture 10% very short, 22% short, 59% adequate, and 9% surplus. Subsoil moisture conditions in the state were rated 10% very short, 21% short, 58% adequate, and 11% surplus. Corn Acreage…

1. Wheat, Corn Futures Rise in Overnight Trading Wheat and corn were higher in overnight trading on technical buying amid plunging prices in recent weeks.  Speculative investors who were short the market, or had bet on lower prices, likely bought back contracts and closed their positions after the front-month wheat contract dropped to the lowest level since 2000 in intraday trading yesterday and corn futures reached contract lows for a third straight session.  Grain and soybean futures on the Chicago Board of Trade have been under pressure as the wheat harvest rolls on and persistent concerns about demand as the…

Corn ear rots pose a significant challenge for farmers across the country. From 2012–2024, ear rot fungi cost farmers $8.6 billion in yield loss, according to the Crop Protection Network (CPN). Reduced grain quality due to the presence of mycotoxins can cut even further into the farm’s bottom line.  With no rescue treatments, management for ear rots must start early and last season-long to prevent profit loss.  “While infections can be variable [year to year], losses overall are going up,” said Tyler Harp, a technical product lead for Syngenta. “If you haven’t done any management before you have an infection…

By Ella Cao and Lewis Jackson BEIJING, Aug 6 (Reuters) – China has extended for three months an investigation period for beef imports, the commerce ministry said on Wednesday, giving global suppliers a breather from the prospect of trade curbs as domestic industry battles to reduce a supply glut. The inquiry, launched last December, came as slowing demand squeezes the world’s largest market for imports and consumption, but does not target a particular country. However, trade measures to reduce imports would hit major suppliers such as Argentina, Australia, Brazil, and the U.S. The investigation will now run until November 26, the ministry said, citing “the…

Unverferth has upgraded its Pro-Force spreaders with new Air Command section control and additional smaller pull-type models.  Air Command The new Air Command section control option uses pneumatics to divert material on to the spinners, designed for accurate and economical 4-section control. The section control uses a Raven, an automated and autonomous farm technology company, RCM ISOBUS controller to control sections as needed. The Air Command has fewer moving components than Unverferth’s previous offerings, designed for ease of use. The Air Command section control will be available on PTO-operated spreader models 2250 and 1850, and 1450 and smaller models with…

July, perhaps the most critical month for corn development, may be over, but its full effects on the national corn crop are still to be seen.  To understand the month’s impacts, we asked agronomists in some of the top corn-growing states to describe July in a single word, reflecting the crop’s progress, condition, and challenges in their regions. Here are their insights. Extreme Eric Wilson described July in Iowa as “extreme.” He’s a Wyffels agronomist who supports southern and northeast Iowa. “July, which is typically one of the driest months, experienced a tremendous amount of rainfall,” Wilson said.  Topsoil moisture…

Image courtesy of the USDA The American Royal has selected its 2025 class of Royal Scholars. These college students will represent the American Royal mission and advocate for the agriculture industry throughout the next year. The Royal Scholars — who are studying agriculture, food or natural resources — will each receive a $3,000 scholarship. This year’s recipients were selected from 166 candidates from 29 states, representing 40 colleges and universities. “We are proud to continue the legacy of the American Royal and support the future of agriculture with the Royal Scholars program,” said Pat Macy, managing director of the American…

The August USDA World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report is due Tuesday, Aug. 12. Going into the report, here is what farmers need to know about the U.S. corn, soybean, and wheat markets, and what Grain Market Insider will be looking for in the updated balance sheets. The July WASDE report showed U.S. old-crop corn carryout decreasing by 25 million bushels while old-crop soybean stocks were unchanged. The new-crop ending stocks estimate for corn decreased by 90 million bushels, soybean ending stocks increased by 15 million bushels, and wheat stocks declined by 8 million bushels.  The August WASDE…

Depending on which side you believe, rural America is about to either suffer the loss of a record number of hospitals or be infused with the largest fiscal investment in two decades. As with everything political these days, the dichotomy is too stark to span with hearsay alone. I have to admit it was a bit jarring to see a list of 12 “at-risk” hospitals in Indiana, with my own hometown’s Ascension St. Vincent Clay Hospital in Brazil smack dab in the middle. Also, on the list is neighboring Sullivan County Community Hospital. Meanwhile, the two hospitals in our other…

The USDA published its most recent Crop Progress report Monday, reporting for the first time this season which states had corn at the dented growth stage. Here’s a closer look at which 11 of the top 18 corn-growing states had dented corn. North Carolina The state had the most corn at the dented growth stage: 71%. that was an increase of 13 percentage points since the prior week. The five-year average for this time of year is 42% North Carolina’s corn was rated 1% very poor, 3% poor, 19% fair, 60% good, and 17% excellent. Texas As of Aug. 3,…