Soybeans were mixed, mostly lower, on spread trade and profit taking, but still had good week-to-week gains. Soybeans have maintained some cautious optimism for tariff talks between the U.S. and China, while watching the U.S. harvest, which could be close to wrapping up in some areas. Those negotiations between the U.S. and China are set… ... Continue Reading

Dec. corn $4.23 and 1/4, down 4 and 3/4 centsNov. soybeans $10.41 and 3/4, down 3 centsDec. soybean meal $294.10, up $1.80Dec. soybean oil 50.27, down 60 pointsDec. Chicago wheat $5.12 and 1/2, down 1/2 centDec. live cattle $233.92, down $7.25Nov. feeder cattle $352.20, down $9.25Dec. lean hogs $81.90, up 12 centsNov. Class III milk… ... Continue Reading

At the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, live and feeder cattle closed limit down on fund liquidation, some lower direct trade, and ongoing questions about government intervention on beef prices.  December live cattle closed $7.25 lower at $233.92 and February live cattle closed $7.25 lower at $233.42.  November feeder cattle closed $9.25 lower at $352.20 and January… ... Continue Reading

The soybean harvest is winding down in parts of the Upper Midwest. Stine Seed agronomist Susan Hart covers central and western Minnesota, all of North Dakota, and the north edge of South Dakota. “On the soybean side, I would say we’re almost completely wrapped up. There’s just a few fields still standing out there, we… ... Continue Reading

A weather expert says he expects the overall mild fall weather to continue. Meteorologist Greg Soulje says much of the Midwest had its first hard frost Thursday night, which is a little later than average. “It’s three to five days later than usual so it’s really, climatologically speaking, this is the right time of year… ... Continue Reading

The next generation of agricultural students are seeking specific experiences at the collegiate level.  Jace Green, an ag business major and president of the Student Government Association at Western Illinois University, says today’s students want to get their hands dirty. “That’s the skills that you’re actually going to need.”  He says, “You can deal in… ... Continue Reading

Two researchers at Purdue University say a partnership with NASA could help farmers learn more about crop stress. Anjali Iyer-Pascuzzi, professor of botany and plant pathology, says a four-year experiment growing tomatoes in a growth chamber on board the International Space Station has helped the group study adaptability. “There is a hormone called salicylic acid… ... Continue Reading

A pair of ag economists at Ohio State University say farmers need emergency assistance sooner rather than later. Ian Sheldon says the proposed $10 to $15 billion in economic relief may not be enough. “That nowhere near matches what was handed out back in 2018 and 2019 when we hit $24 to $25 billion,” he… ... Continue Reading

A new national coalition says it plans to amplify the impacts of ag labor shortages and the need for long-term farm workforce solutions. Brandon Raso is a fourth-generation blueberry grower from New Jersey. “We’re all in different commodities,” he says. “We’re all in different states for the most part, and this problem echoes and radiates… ... Continue Reading

A recent trade analysis from North Dakota State University confirms China can get by without purchasing U.S. soybeans in the current marketing year. Sandro Steinbach, the director of the Center for Ag Policy and Trade Studies at NDSU, says China must be willing to pay the price, absorbing some price premiums. “The current Chinese soybean… ... Continue Reading