Corn and rice planting is underway in Missouri. In the first weekly crop progress report of the season, USDA says six percent of the corn is planted in Missouri, in-line with last year’s pace and three points ahead of the previous week. Rice planting is just getting started in Missouri at two percent complete, behind…… Continue Reading
Small grain planting underway in Iowa
Oat seeding is a little ahead of normal in Iowa’s first weekly USDA crop report for 2025. At 20 percent done, the pace is two days ahead of the five-year average but does trail last year by more than a week. Minimal fieldwork was done during the week because of cool, wet conditions, but some…… Continue Reading
Early spring for some SD farmers, dry conditions affect wheat
It’s been an early spring for some farmers in South Dakota. Chet Edinger farms in Davison County says the spring wheat got planted in March and some fertilizer has been applied. “We got a lot of stuff done and then, the rain came at the end of March and we’ve been shutdown since.” USDA says…… Continue Reading
Heavy rains and flooding delay planting progress
Planting delays are likely to continue as much of Kentucky continues to battle historic flooding. Caleb Ragland farms in the central part of the state. “I just hope that there’s some left for the critical growing season throughout the later spring and summer,” he says. “I guess time will tell.” According to the USDA’s weekly…… Continue Reading
Closing Grain and Livestock Futures: April 7, 2025
May corn closed at $4.64 and 1/2, up 4 and 1/4 centsMay soybeans closed at $9.83, up 6 centsMay soybean meal closed at $288.40, up $5.30May soybean oil closed at 45.15, down 69 pointsMay wheat closed at $5.36 and 1/2, up 7 and 1/2 centsJun. live cattle closed at $194.17, down $4.02May feeder cattle closed…… Continue Reading
USDA reports some Illinois planting progress
The USDA says Illinois farmers have been able to get some seed in the ground. Beck’s Hybrids agronomist Matt Montgomery, who’s based in central Illinois, agrees. “There’s actually a little bit of beans, more than I would have expected, in the ground.” He says, “I’m not going to say that it’s anything that rises above…… Continue Reading
Wet conditions put planting on hold in Michigan
Michigan fields are starting the growing season well saturated. Monroe Country farmer Doug Darling tells Brownfield he’s received nearly five inches of rain over the past 10 days. “We’ve gotten a lot of precipitation, so the fields are quite saturated,” he shares. “The corn planter’s hooked up to the tractor, the soybean planter’s hooked up…… Continue Reading
U.S. winter wheat rating lower than last year
The USDA’s winter wheat condition rating is below a year ago. 48% of the crop is in good to excellent shape as of Sunday, 8% less than last year, largely due to year-to-year differences in conditions during dormancy. 5% of the winter wheat crop has headed, matching the five-year average. 2% of corn is planted,…… Continue Reading
USDA says not much activity in Wisconsin fields yet
USDA has begun the weekly crop progress reports for the 2025 growing season, and thanks to the weather, there isn’t much to report in Wisconsin. Greg Bussler with the National Ag Statistics Service office in Madison says much of the state received rain, ice, or snow during the past seven days. He says while conditions…… Continue Reading
Cattle, hog futures lower to start the week
At the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, live and feeder cattle were lower as the market remains concerned about demand. June live cattle closed $4.02 lower at $194.17 and August lives closed $4.17 lower at $190.52. May feeder cattle closed $3.60 lower at $271.12 and August feeder cattle closed $3.00 lower at $278.05. Direct cash cattle trade…… Continue Reading
