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8 cover crop tips for a cool spring By: Jeff Caldwell 04/04/2013 @ 9:14am
A year ago, farmers around the nation were already in the field planting the 2012 corn crop. But, soil temperatures from the western Corn Belt to the northeast have yet to crack the critical 50-degree mark, so ...
Young farmers & large farms may mix -- economist By: Jeff Caldwell 04/03/2013 @ 7:38am
Young farmers typically face an uphill climb in getting a foothold in row crop agriculture, especially when it comes to scaling up in size. But, new data shows younger farmers have a growing tendency to ...
Corn acres dodging 2012 drought areas By: Jeff Caldwell 04/03/2013 @ 7:24am
This year's corn acres are seemingly dodging the areas where drought hit farmers hardest in 2012, according to one expert's analysis of last week's USDA Prospective Plantings report.The federal ...
Eyes are all around on this farm By: Jeff Caldwell 04/02/2013 @ 11:03am
Alex Shaw's always been kind of a computer technology junkie. Now, what started out as a hobby -- and later a 4-H project -- has turned into a way for his Oneida, Illinois, farm family monitor and control ...
5 no-till planting tips for dry fields By: Jeff Caldwell 04/02/2013 @ 9:45am
If you're low on soil moisture and plan on continuing no-till systems in your fields this year, you might want to make a few adjustments before you get rolling this spring, one expert says. Most years ...
Weighing more winter wheat fertilizer By: Jeff Caldwell 04/01/2013 @ 3:58pm
As the spring warmup continues, the Plains winter wheat crop's "stretching its legs," moving out of dormancy and into a homestretch that could be tough for many fields where moisture's been well ...
Wheat farmers: Look out for rust By: Jeff Caldwell 03/29/2013 @ 9:57am
The Plains winter wheat crop's rapidly busting out of winter dormancy. It's a key step in the development of the crop. But, it's also a key time for diseases to work their way north from ...
USDA feeds bears with stocks, planting data By: Jeff Caldwell 03/28/2013 @ 11:06am
U.S. farmers will plant 97.3 million acres of corn and 77.1 million acres of soybeans this year, according to Thursday's annual USDA Prospective Plantings report. Wheat farmers will have 56.4 million ...
The latest on the farmland market By: Jeff Caldwell 03/28/2013 @ 8:21am
Farmland values -- and the general topic's many subplots, like leasing rates, the consequences of skyrocketing prices and how values will respond to a potential continued drought -- continues to ...
Ready for spring? By: Jeff Caldwell 03/27/2013 @ 4:16pm
It's springtime -- time to throw open the shop doors, dust off the iron and get everything in prime shape for when it's time to get into the field and get planting. Here are a few tops to help you ...
Get your sprayer fine-tuned By: Jeff Caldwell 03/27/2013 @ 3:07pm
The marketplace is calling upon you to raise a whale of a crop this year. So, every little bit will help. That includes your sprayer. And now, with the start to planting as much as a month behind the ...
3 signs farmland may be topping By: Jeff Caldwell 03/26/2013 @ 3:32pm
Not even an historic drought could trip up farmland values in the Corn Belt in the last year. Double-digit gains continue even outside of what's typically thought the hotbed of skyrocketing farmland ...
Massive USDA reports coming Thursday By: Jeff Caldwell 03/26/2013 @ 11:04am
Thursday's a big day for the U.S. corn and soybean business. Major USDA reports -- namely Prospective Plantings -- will help crystallize this year's corn and soybean crop sizes. But, the ...
Don't gut corn populations in dry soils -- expert By: Jeff Caldwell 03/26/2013 @ 10:48am
Though parts of the nation's center has taken big steps toward drought recovery after last year, much of Nebraska hasn't. Extreme drought conditions still persist in central and western parts of that ...
Control your tile drainage By: Jeff Caldwell 03/26/2013 @ 10:08am
If there was a way to preserve the lifespan of your field tiling, prevent nutrient buildup within that system and let you start spring fieldwork earlier than normal, would you adopt the tool in your ...
Cattle prices caught in a tug-of-war By: Jeff Caldwell 03/26/2013 @ 9:39am
There are 2 distinct sides to the cattle feeding profitability coin right now.On one hand, there's the depressed macroeconomy. That's got major implications for cattle prices via consumer beef ...
Dry soil this spring? Plant deep By: Jeff Caldwell 03/25/2013 @ 11:08am
Despite recent snowfall in the Corn Belt, soil moisture likely won't be up to its full potential in many parts of the region by the time planters roll.But, all signs point to a serious need for a major ...
Crop country's in the cooler By: Jeff Caldwell 03/25/2013 @ 9:34am
The calendar says it's almost corn-planting time. But Mother Nature's got other ideas.Temperatures are well below normal to start the week in the northern Corn Belt down to south Texas, where ...
Verbal vs. written land lease deals By: Jeff Caldwell 03/22/2013 @ 12:05pm
A hearty handshake has long been thought a binding agreement when it comes to some business deals on the farm. And, for generations, that's included farmland rental agreements. Now, partly because land ...
Get your irrigation ready to work this spring By: Jeff Caldwell 03/19/2013 @ 9:30am
If you irrigate your crops, don't wait until right before you fire up your motor this spring to get your systems ready for the long growing season. If you do, you could be risking inconsistent application ...
Sell cattle early? Here's potential tax help By: Jeff Caldwell 03/19/2013 @ 9:02am
If the drought forced you to sell off cattle last year before you originally wanted or needed to, you may get a tax break this year. Arkansas saw some of the worst of the drought in 2012, and the numbers in ...
Tool helps prevent pesticide drift damage By: Jeff Caldwell 03/19/2013 @ 7:56am
Row crops and specialty crops like fruit, vegetables, bees and organic field crops aren't always the best neighbors. Officials at the University of Nebraska have developed a web-based tool to make the 2 ...
Removing corn stover? Keep your soil intact By: Jeff Caldwell 03/18/2013 @ 3:30pm
A growing amount of corn stover's being removed from fields during or after harvest. But, the removal of that critical crop residue could be causing harm to your fields' future viability, The results ...
Better investment: Farmland or stock market? By: Jeff Caldwell 03/18/2013 @ 11:04am
A 10% to 15% increase in value every year has made farmland an enticing investment opportunity, especially when compared to an equities sector that's had trouble returning much of anything to investors ...
Measuring iron depreciation By: Jeff Caldwell 03/18/2013 @ 8:51am
You can't control everything. Mother Nature's constantly driving home that point. The same's true of crop inputs and the prices you have to pay to get a crop raised. You can control what it ...
Get your pasture back in shape By: Jeff Caldwell 03/15/2013 @ 10:50am
The drought didn't just hurt last year's crops. Much of the nation's pasture land was torched by the heat and dryness, forcing cattle producers to trim herd numbers in a major way.But ...
Drought receding in the Midwest By: Jeff Caldwell 03/14/2013 @ 4:55pm
From the deep South to the Great Lakes, a large swath of the country's emerged from the drought that ripped through crop and livestock potential last year. Now, the most severe drought conditions remain ...
Firm backs off sky-high corn acreage guess By: Jeff Caldwell 03/12/2013 @ 5:15pm
Remember that 99-million-acre corn crop for 2013 forecasters were calling for earlier this winter? That may have been a bit of a stretch after all.A key leader with Informa Economics said Tuesday that early ...
Crop sector margins tightening -- FAPRI By: Jeff Caldwell 03/12/2013 @ 4:56pm
A new report confirms what market analysts, traders and farmers have suspected all along heading into the 2013 growing season: If crop output returns to normal, profit margins could collapse like a house of ...
Drought's end is nigh, some say By: Jeff Caldwell 03/12/2013 @ 12:31pm
The saying goes that drought has a long tail.But, Jim Reed thinks the nation's midsection may be nearing the end of that tail.The Monticello, Illinois, farmer says though his ground's dry now and his ...
USDA breathes some life into corn bulls By: Jeff Caldwell 03/08/2013 @ 11:45am
U.S. corn stocks didn't change over the last month on increased imports and decreased exports, USDA said in its monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report released Friday. Now ...
Rocketing land prices warrant caution By: Jeff Caldwell 03/06/2013 @ 4:02pm
New information shows the skyward trend of farmland values in the eastern Corn Belt is showing little to no signs that it's abating. Ordinarily, that would be cause to be bullish on land in the near ...
Bills target crop insurance funding By: Jeff Caldwell 03/05/2013 @ 4:59pm
Last year was one of broken records for crop insurance indemnity payments on account of the nationwide drought. Though crop insurance was a lifesaver for many farms, especially in parts of the Plains, Midwest ...
Fertilizing wheat? Know before you go By: Jeff Caldwell 03/05/2013 @ 11:47am
What a difference a few inches of snow can make.A month ago, a lot of wheat farmers were wondering whether they'd have enough of a stand to justify spending the time and money on inputs like fertilizer ...
CME Group trims back trading hours By: Jeff Caldwell 03/05/2013 @ 8:23am
The CME Group is again changing trading hours for corn, soybeans, wheat and other ag futures and options contracts.Tuesday's announcement comes after "comprehensive outreach to producers, commercial ...
What's a wind farm worth? By: Jeff Caldwell 03/04/2013 @ 3:49pm
What's a wind farm worth to a rural area and nearby small communities?In a study comprising 12 "wind-rich" states in the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains, USDA researchers found county-wide personal ...
Pork profit outlook dims By: Jeff Caldwell 03/04/2013 @ 2:46pm
Late last year, margins were tough for hog farmers. The drought had really clamped down on the business, largely because of skyrocketing feed costs. But, despite a tough marketplace leading up to Thanksgiving ...
Pioneer steps further into the mobile space By: Jeff Caldwell 03/01/2013 @ 9:43am
Farmers are starting to adopt smartphone and tablet computer technology at a breakneck pace, and in recognition of that trend, DuPont Pioneer officials released 2 new mobile apps to help farmers manage a ...
The latest from the Classic By: Jeff Caldwell 02/28/2013 @ 8:31pm
New tools & technology, predictions for the industry's future and how policy will affect agriculture are all big features of this week's Commodity Classic taking place in Kissimmee ...
Wheat technology catching up By: Jeff Caldwell 02/28/2013 @ 12:02pm
When it comes to yield-improving research, wheat's long been considered a laggard to typically more profit-bearing corn and soybeans. But, with factors looming like an expected crash in water supplies in ...
A quick crop weather world tour By: Jeff Caldwell 02/22/2013 @ 11:11am
The passage of a "Bigfoot of a storm" through the nation's center brought badly needed precipitation in the form of up to 18 inches of snow to points from the southern Plains to the eastern Corn Belt ...
Ag volatility the new normal? By: Jeff Caldwell 02/20/2013 @ 1:30pm
Tight grain supplies and high price volatility (for both crops and the inputs required to grow them) have paced the corn and soybean business in the last few years, begging some to wonder whether those ...
Post-drought pasture leasing tips By: Jeff Caldwell 02/19/2013 @ 1:29pm
Farmland leasing and negotiating land rental rates can sometimes rival walking a tightrope. Get too far out of balance one way or another, and sometimes a deal can completely fall apart. But, that's not ...
Snow's on its way...but how much? By: Jeff Caldwell 02/19/2013 @ 9:01am
Speculation about just how much snow will fall has run rampant ahead of the winter blast that's making its way from the Bering Sea to the central U.S. later this week. One thing that's certain is ...
Irrigated land a hot commodity -- Fed By: Jeff Caldwell 02/15/2013 @ 2:45pm
When a drought's on, you need water.And, new data shows that's exactly what's happened in the farmland market over the last few months in the nation's center where some of the worst effects ...
Protection in a post-MF Global world By: Jeff Caldwell 02/15/2013 @ 9:29am
The farmers and investors who lost money when MF Global Inc.'s leadership skimmed off client funds to retain market positions are a big step closer to seeing the vast majority of those dollars returned.An ...
Farmers, experts: Keep crop insurance afloat By: Jeff Caldwell 02/13/2013 @ 2:41pm
The total damage done to U.S. crop yields inflicted by last year's drought continue to mount in the form of rocketing crop insurance indemnity payments, though industry officials say the total tab will be ...
Wheat trade makeover By: Jeff Caldwell 02/12/2013 @ 2:39pm
The trading of hard red winter wheat in the U.S. will undergo a major change this summer. With the recent acquisition of the Kansas City Board of Trade (KCBT) by the CME Group last month, open-outcry trading ...
Mycotoxins may be back By: Jeff Caldwell 02/12/2013 @ 11:51am
Mycotoxins were a big problem for a lot of corn farmers last year, and the infected grain that's in storage may not be done causing farmers headaches, especially now that temperatures are starting to rise ...
Corn Belt sharing in cattle cutbacks By: Jeff Caldwell 02/12/2013 @ 11:13am
Though cattle producers and feeders in the southern Plains have faced the most dire market and herd health conditions because of the 2012 drought, the implications are far from geographically isolated to that ...
What's up in Ukraine's fields? By: Jeff Caldwell 02/11/2013 @ 4:59pm
Agriculture.com Markets Editor Mike McGinnis chats with Ukrainian ag economist Iurii Mykailov about the status of that nation's grain export ban and how the crops are shaping up there. Mykailov says crop ...
Crop price surge seen through 2015 -- USDA By: Jeff Caldwell 02/11/2013 @ 1:19pm
Grain prices will again entice farmers to plant a lot of corn and soybeans this year, but if Mother Nature cooperates and those large plantings translate to large crop output by the season's end, it could ...
WASDE lifts corn, wheat prices By: Jeff Caldwell 02/08/2013 @ 11:13am
In its monthly World Agricultural Supply & Demand Estimates (WASDE) report, USDA raised corn ending stocks, reflecting lighter usage, both domestically and abroad.At the same time, the agency lowered ...
Wheat could lead post-WASDE movement By: Jeff Caldwell 02/07/2013 @ 3:49pm
Friday's USDA World Agricultural Supply & Demand Estimates (WASDE) report may not be the biggest earth-shaker as far as USDA reports go, but it could shed some light on where the U.S. stands in the ...
Drought grip loosens slightly By: Jeff Caldwell 02/07/2013 @ 10:22am
There's a little less color on the U.S. Drought Monitor map released Thursday morning than there was in the version of the map released a week ago.Parts of northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin, as ...
Farm implications of a changing climate By: Jeff Caldwell 02/06/2013 @ 12:50pm
Regardless of whether or not you believe man has a role in climate change, recent weather changes have caused some dramatic changes in the agricultural landscape and, consequently, both production capability ...
Settling a major farm argument By: Jeff Caldwell 02/05/2013 @ 3:19pm
A lot of farms have dogs. And, a lot of farms have cats. But, which animal's more important to you, in terms of its utility around the place and companionship? Now's your chance to make your voice ...
Making bees & corn work together By: Jeff Caldwell 02/05/2013 @ 12:19pm
What's good for one crop isn't always the best for another. And now, a new research projects seeks to find ways to make production practices for 2 common denizens throughout the nation's ...
Cattle profits ahead...with a big 'if' By: Jeff Caldwell 02/05/2013 @ 9:35am
The drought hit, the market spoke and producers listened, at least to the latest cattle inventory numbers from USDA. The severe conditions of last summer that forced massive liquidation in just about every ...
New loans for young, beginning farmers By: Jeff Caldwell 02/05/2013 @ 8:27am
If you're just starting out on your farm, or looking for a way to get into the business, there's a new USDA program that you may want to know about.The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) has developed a ...
Is El Niño returning? By: Jeff Caldwell 02/04/2013 @ 12:57pm
The last couple of weeks have seen a major recovery in soil moisture conditions in a part of the Corn Belt that suffered some of the most severe of the region's drought stress last summer. It's been ...
Is your machinery snow-ready? By: Jeff Caldwell 02/04/2013 @ 10:49am
You have to spend money to save money, right?That may be the case with a lot of farm operations, but cutting back on energy costs during winter weather outbreaks can be done without pouring out much of any ...
New campaign targets FFA programs By: Jeff Caldwell 02/04/2013 @ 9:59am
After a commercial that aired during the Super Bowl on Sunday night declaring 2013 the "Year of the Farmer," Ram Trucks and Case IH have announced a partnership to continue the message that the Ram ad conveyed ...
Need help getting unstuck? By: Jeff Caldwell 02/01/2013 @ 4:13pm
Getting stuck is a fine way to ruin any otherwise good day on the farm. The people getting you out -- whether it's you, someone else on your farm, or a neighbor down the road -- may not always be the most ...
Farm loans surge; sector still strong -- Fed By: Jeff Caldwell 02/01/2013 @ 3:54pm
A combination of high input costs for crop farmers, high feed costs for livestock farmers and the rush to cash in before year-end accelerated depreciation tax espiration led to sky-high farm lending volume in ...
A trio of farm concerns for the next 12 months By: Jeff Caldwell 02/01/2013 @ 12:58pm
Just how exactly the drought rears its head this year is far and away the biggest concern for most farmers heading into the 2013 crop season. But other issues -- some of which are entangled in the larger ...
2013 a good year for new soil testing tech By: Jeff Caldwell 02/01/2013 @ 12:20pm
If you farm in an area where the drought robbed you of crop yield last fall, chances are you've still got nutrients out in your soils. Whether those nutrients eventually make it back into the soil where ...
All Around 2013 AG CONNECT Expo By: Jeff Caldwell 01/29/2013 @ 3:13pm
Just shy of 400 exhibitors and thousands of farmers from around the world have converged on downtown Kansas City, Missouri, this week for the 2013 AG CONNECT Expo. The event features an array of new technology ...
Top farmers share big future ideas By: Jeff Caldwell 01/29/2013 @ 12:10pm
The 2013 AG CONNECT Expo Masters & Mavericks are some of the most forward-looking farmers in the U.S. And, they're all looking at ways to bring new management systems and technology on to their farms ...
What's new at the 2013 AG CONNECT Expo By: Jeff Caldwell 01/29/2013 @ 11:18am
The 2013 AG CONNECT Expo got started on Tuesday at the Kansas City Convention Center, bringing almost 400 agricultural manufacturers and input companies together from around the world.This year's show ...
A walk through tractor history By: Jeff Caldwell 01/25/2013 @ 10:36am
It's winter, which means it's the heart of farm show season in the U.S., a time when manufacturers roll out the latest new machinery and technology to help farmers get the job done in the field. That ...
2012 a record crop insurance year By: Jeff Caldwell 01/23/2013 @ 4:09pm
Losses to last year's corn crop on account of the drought account for just shy of 60% of total 2012 crop insurance indemnity payments sent to farmers, with soybeans accounting for about 12%, according to ...
Dairy rebound ahead -- economist By: Jeff Caldwell 01/23/2013 @ 3:44pm
The dairy sector's been hurting for a while, but that could change in the next few months, says one dairy economist."We've moved from a really bullish scenario to more of a neutral one in the last ...
More corn, more soybeans, more wheat? By: Jeff Caldwell 01/23/2013 @ 2:52pm
Last year, farmers planted a massive corn crop that ultimately tanked on account of drought stress. Now, early trade expectations are for an even bigger planting this year. And, not just corn; soybeans and ...
Farmland ‘supercycle’ or bubble? By: Jeff Caldwell 01/21/2013 @ 12:55pm
Farmland bubble. Those 2 words have been the topic of reams of speculation in the last few months, and that speculation should zero in on a few key factors through 2013, experts say.First, don’t overlook the ...
Get the most for your irrigation buck By: Jeff Caldwell 01/16/2013 @ 1:13pm
The drought of the last year has only added to concerns that water supplies in the nation's center -- namely those underground -- are dwindling. As a result, water resources for crop use are being ...
More crop insurance this year? By: Jeff Caldwell 01/16/2013 @ 8:11am
The last 2 years have been big ones for the crop insurance industry. More than 60% of corn farmers in Illinois, for example, used revenue protection (RP) products at coverage levels between 70% and 85%, and ...
Keep up quality, keep down loss By: Jeff Caldwell 01/14/2013 @ 2:53pm
Gleaning maximum grain quality and minimum grain loss in your combine may be next to impossible. But, there are ways to get as close as possible to both, one respected ag engineer says."If you get too ...
Knock back resistant weeds By: Jeff Caldwell 01/14/2013 @ 1:32pm
Herbicide-resistant weeds may be on their way to your fields. So, what can you do to make sure you don't become another part of the problem? Turning to different herbicide products is the foremost way to ...
Continued drought likely -- forecaster By: Jeff Caldwell 01/11/2013 @ 3:14pm
Whether the U.S. is able to bulk up its grain stocks and keep up with demand depends entirely on the weather in the next few months and whether or not the drought continues to ravage corn, soybean and wheat ...
Corn stocks tighten; wheat in the lead? By: Jeff Caldwell 01/11/2013 @ 11:04am
The U.S. had 8.03 billion bushels on hand on December 1 of last year, a number smaller than the trade expected -- 17% lower than the same time the previous year -- and based largely on continued apparent ...
Make your farm shop work harder By: Jeff Caldwell 01/10/2013 @ 10:09am
Your farm shop is more than a place to store iron. It's your workshop, mechanic's garage, storage facility, office, and more. So your farm shop -- whether a refurbished barn or top-of-the-line steel ...
Tips & tricks for tip-top tools By: Jeff Caldwell 01/04/2013 @ 1:29pm
Want to get more out of your tools, make them safer, or get a new job done with your existing lineup? Check out a few ideas to stretch what you can do with your tools with these ideas from All Around the ...
Are you replanting winter wheat? By: Jeff Caldwell 01/04/2013 @ 11:01am
Hard red winter wheat farmers in the Plains have some tough decisions ahead.Farmers in areas where snow's fallen this winter are relatively lucky compared to their drier neighbors; that snow's ...
Watch for this wheat bug By: Jeff Caldwell 01/03/2013 @ 10:25am
One bug might be pouring salt on the wounds from a dry, harsh winter for the winter wheat crop in the Plains.Though it's not the most common insect pest in the crop world, the winter grain mite can have ...
Farm bill failure draws industry ire By: Jeff Caldwell 01/02/2013 @ 9:59am
A failure by lawmakers to get a deal done on a new farm bill that would have ended direct farm payments has rankled farm-state legislators and ag group leaders who say party politics trumped the needs of the ...
Drought in 2013: Major pains ahead? By: Jeff Caldwell 12/28/2012 @ 2:30pm
In 2012, the drought's biggest effects were on the surface. Now if the drought continues as we head into 2013, those agricultural implications will likely unfold into deeper ones, figuratively and ...
Cash rents, insurance key to 2013 income By: Jeff Caldwell 12/27/2012 @ 1:48pm
Crop insurance and high grain futures prices combined to kick general farm incomes higher in 2012. Now, as the page turns to 2013 on the calendar, what can we expect in the next 12 months?It's a foregone ...
Snow takes small bite out of drought By: Jeff Caldwell 12/27/2012 @ 12:49pm
The ground is snow-covered in a good portion of the Corn Belt right now, and the moisture from that snow has taken the drought at least a small step in the right direction. Thursday's update of the U.S ...
Prepping for 2013 By: Jeff Caldwell 12/26/2012 @ 11:00am
The end of the calendar year is always a time to pause, reflect on the year that's ending, and look ahead to the one to come. Here are a few topics Successful Farming magazine and Agriculture.com ...
Volatility fuels flex lease interest By: Jeff Caldwell 12/20/2012 @ 7:46am
With sharp variation becoming a common theme in both crop markets and yields, more landowners are turning to flexible leasing arrangements to hedge against potential profit losses, one expert says.But flexible ...
Plan now to make forage last By: Jeff Caldwell 12/19/2012 @ 2:59pm
The drought may have caught a lot of cattle producers off-guard this last year, but with most outlooks favoring a continuation of the dry conditions, there are no excuses to be ill-prepared heading into 2013 ...
Army Corps begins river rock removal By: Jeff Caldwell 12/19/2012 @ 2:31pm
The Army Corps of Engineers has begun the process of removing rock from the Mississippi River channel in an effort to keep open navigation -- including the movement of grain -- that's been threatened by ...
Winter's here -- are you prepared? By: Jeff Caldwell 12/19/2012 @ 1:57pm
A major winter blast rolled through the nation's center in mid-December, firing up blizzard warnings and bringing with it high winds, heavy snow, and a stern reminder that it's the time of year to ...
Is your herd ready for winter? By: Jeff Caldwell 12/19/2012 @ 11:20am
A major winter blast is working its way across the nation's center this week. Are you ready? If you raise cattle in an area in the storm's path, good preparation will be the difference between a ...
Crop insurance payouts piling up By: Jeff Caldwell 12/19/2012 @ 8:57am
The indemnity checks continue to flow out to farmers around the nation affected by this year's devastating drought. As of this week, more than $8.7 billion has been paid out by the crop insurance ...
Iowa program boosts cover crops By: Jeff Caldwell 12/19/2012 @ 8:44am
More than 100 farmers in Iowa have planted 4,660 acres of cover crops this year in part because of a state cost-share program encouraging them to do so, officials said this week.A total of 117 farmers took ...
Buying a new ATV for your farm? By: Jeff Caldwell 12/14/2012 @ 1:55pm
The purchase decision-making process for all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) isn't a lot different than a lot of other machines on the farm. They're purpose-driven machines, and that's the utmost ...
Time to buy tires? Do your homework By: Jeff Caldwell 12/14/2012 @ 1:47pm
South-central Nebraska farmer Randy Uhrmacher recently did a quick tally of all the tires on his farm. "I've been servicing center pivots the last 2 days. While pumping up tires I got to thinking ...
Do your homework with our new Buyer's Guide By: Jeff Caldwell 12/14/2012 @ 1:37pm
The Agriculture.com Buyer’s Guide is a decision engine that enables farmers to quickly compare complex information on a variety of key products, including row crop and utility tractors, ATVs and ...
Pickup tips By: Jeff Caldwell 12/14/2012 @ 11:29am
A pickup is more than a way to get from point A to point B. It's likely your farm's office, shop, tool chest and more. And, most farmers are fairly loyal when it comes to buying pickups. More than ...
Buying a tractor? Watch these factors By: Jeff Caldwell 12/14/2012 @ 11:08am
It's the cornerstone of your farm's machinery lineup. But, even the best tractors lose their edge and ultimately have to be replaced. So, how do you make what's one of the biggest purchase ...
Streamline feed to offset cattle drought pains By: Jeff Caldwell 12/12/2012 @ 8:58am
If you raise cattle, you may want to block out the last year from your memory as soon as you can. High feed costs, severe drought conditions, and a tanking marketplace have all made life difficult for most in ...
How much N? Illinois project aims to find out By: Jeff Caldwell 12/11/2012 @ 1:21pm
This year's drought did a number on the nitrogen applied to a lot of cornfields. In some places, it's likely there's still a lot of unused nitrogen in the soil while in other spots, it may all ...
Buyers still 'chasing' farmland By: Jeff Caldwell 12/11/2012 @ 12:36pm
With a lot of strong farm incomes this year despite one of the worst dry spells in decades, farmland's still a hot commodity and will likely continue to be even if the drought continues, one expert says ...
Iowa farmland up 24%; is it a bubble? By: Jeff Caldwell 12/11/2012 @ 10:32am
Iowa farmland is worth, on average, just shy of $1,600 an acre more than it was a year ago. The 23.7% increase, up to $8,296 an acre on average statewide, is the key finding in the 2012 Iowa Land Value Survey ...
Little change in WASDE report By: Jeff Caldwell 12/11/2012 @ 7:45am
In its monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report, USDA on Tuesday left corn and soybean stocks unchanged from last month's levels, showing what traders say has been an ...
Summing up the 2012 crop By: Jeff Caldwell 12/10/2012 @ 3:59pm
It's been a year that many corn and soybean farmers would like to forget. Despite early expectations and hopes for a larger corn crop, things quickly went downhill as drought pressures mounted. Take a ...
Time for some farm shop fix-ups By: Jeff Caldwell 12/07/2012 @ 9:43am
How's your farm shop these days? Now that the crop season's over, now's a good time to take stock of your shop and start thinking about any winter projects you want to take on. Get a little ...
Mixed start expected for Friday grains By: Jeff Caldwell 12/07/2012 @ 6:29am
The grains didn't see a lot of movement overnight, and it's got early calls mixed heading into Friday's open outcry trading session.Early calls for the grains are corn 3-5 lower, wheat 3-5 lower ...
'Fiscal Cliff' and your farm By: Jeff Caldwell 12/06/2012 @ 8:49am
Members of Congress aren't exactly lighting the world on fire in their efforts to address the issues that could culminate in the nation falling off the "fiscal cliff" at the end of this month. The ...
Grains choppy heading into Thursday By: Jeff Caldwell 12/06/2012 @ 6:19am
Despite continued bullish signals from factors like continued rain in Argentina, anxieties about macro-level issues such as the so-called fiscal cliff are seeping into the grains and will likely cause a more ...
Low-quality hay causes long-term problems By: Jeff Caldwell 12/05/2012 @ 1:57pm
Even if the drought was ending shortly, the effects on your beef herd wouldn't end with it.That's because after a drought, it can take up to 2 years for cows and their calves to recover from the ...
Wheat farmers face "horrid" winter By: Jeff Caldwell 12/05/2012 @ 12:57pm
In some parts of the super-parched Plains, farmers are already considering abandoning their wheat crop to make other plans for land suffering from a severe shortage of rainfall that has the wheat limping into ...
Soybeans shine in early trading By: Jeff Caldwell 12/05/2012 @ 10:05am
Soybean futures have surged in early trading on renewed fears about the damage Mother Nature's doing to crop prospects in South America. In early open-outcry trading Wednesday morning, March corn is 1 1/2 ...
A little moisture, but not enough By: Jeff Caldwell 12/05/2012 @ 8:59am
Though it's far from the shift that's needed in much of the nation, a move toward more moisture in some locations is a bit of relief in what is shaping up to be one of the driest starts to winter in ...
Grains look for a higher start Wednesday By: Jeff Caldwell 12/05/2012 @ 6:22am
The seesaw is expected to turn back the other day Wednesday, with higher prices -- fueled by concerns about the world's wheat crop conditions and new grain demand talk -- expected at least to start the ...
Serbia ramps up aflatoxin testing By: Jeff Caldwell 12/04/2012 @ 7:47am
In an incident that could manifest itself as yet another factor in an ever-tightening world corn supply situation, the government of Serbia confirmed last weekend that aflatoxin has been discovered in the ...
Grains fight to stay afloat early Tuesday By: Jeff Caldwell 12/04/2012 @ 5:59am
The overnight session saw the grains trying to hold on to Monday's gains, which were trimmed sharply heading into Tuesday's open outcry session.Early calls for the grains are corn unchanged to 2 ...
The world's got a wheat problem By: Jeff Caldwell 12/03/2012 @ 11:04am
It's shaping up to be a rough year for a whole lot of wheat farmers around the world. Whether it's too much moisture or too little, Mother Nature is bringing the pain to a sector that's already ...
Wheat worries push grains higher By: Jeff Caldwell 12/03/2012 @ 9:45am
Crop weather problems around the world -- especially as they pertain to a struggling wheat crop in some key growing regions -- are helping drive CME Group grain futures to big gains early in Monday's ...
Grain futures surging into Monday By: Jeff Caldwell 12/03/2012 @ 6:13am
The grain markets are expected to start out the week on a bullish note, underpinned by crop weather concerns and corresponding market strength from South America to eastern Europe.Early calls for the grain ...
The cases for high & low farmland By: Jeff Caldwell 11/30/2012 @ 11:21am
Some say there's not a bubble building in the farmland market. Others say some factors are lining up to send the market tumbling. So, which one's right? The answer to that question, experts agree ...
Leaders seek help as rivers dry up By: Jeff Caldwell 11/28/2012 @ 1:16pm
Old Man River may be the next casualty of the drought of 2012.On a day when lawmakers and leaders from industries depending on river transportation are drafting a letter to send to President Barack Obama later ...
No farmland bubble building, expert says By: Jeff Caldwell 11/27/2012 @ 3:07pm
Despite factors like interest rates, grain demand, and crop insurance payouts that could tighten farm profit margins to the point that could turn the tide away from the surge in farmland values, one land ...
Watch these factors for land price direction By: Jeff Caldwell 11/26/2012 @ 4:03pm
Farmland prices are in a tricky spot, with some farmers saying they're seeing more land showing up on the auction block, a sign that farm income optimism may be lagging as expectations for grain prices ...
Plains wheat deterioration continues By: Jeff Caldwell 11/26/2012 @ 11:42am
There are pockets in the Plains where the crop's not struggling as much, but overall, the region's hard red winter (HRW) wheat crop is hurting as it heads toward dormancy way short on moisture.Only ...
Picking next year's seed? Watch this variable By: Jeff Caldwell 11/26/2012 @ 10:48am
Though there's growing speculation that this year's drought will stretch into the 2013 crop year, it's fueling a lot of uncertainty about what corn and soybean varieties might perform best next ...
How big a corn crop do we need in 2013? By: Jeff Caldwell 11/26/2012 @ 9:21am
The last time the corn market was a profitable venture for both producers and end-users was the 2010-2011 marketing year, when corn was just shy of $5.20 per bushel, and ending stocks were south of 10% of ...
Farmers weigh key income factors By: Jeff Caldwell 11/23/2012 @ 12:35pm
Where's your farm income headed?There are a lot more questions about farmland values right now than there were a year ago. And, there's a lot of anxiety -- both on and off the farm -- about expanding ...
Weather extremes sharpening, group says By: Jeff Caldwell 11/20/2012 @ 11:53am
Amidst quiet, apprehensive outlooks that 2013 could see the continuation of the drought that chewed through the nation's midsection and more this year, a new outlook gives further evidence that the ...
Wheat deterioration continues By: Jeff Caldwell 11/19/2012 @ 3:53pm
The downturn continues for the winter wheat crop as it starts to sail into dormancy on the Plains. Monday's USDA-NASS Crop Progress report shows another 2% decline in overall winter wheat conditions from ...
Hog farmers: Don't panic By: Jeff Caldwell 11/19/2012 @ 2:29pm
There's a lesson to be learned from how U.S. hog farmers -- some of them, anyway -- handled this year's drought. Don't panic!Just a few months ago, the drought was slashing its way through the ...
U.S. slipping as corn export leader By: Jeff Caldwell 11/19/2012 @ 1:14pm
Is America's role in the corn export business starting to slip? For several reasons, the U.S. role in the global corn trade is doing just that. An acreage base that's relatively static compared to ...
Low rivers may hamper grain movement By: Jeff Caldwell 11/19/2012 @ 10:53am
The drought that smoked through crop yield potential this year is still top-of-mind for anyone near the nation's biggest river system, especially along the Missouri River from the Dakotas to the ...
Ethanol still faces choppy seas By: Jeff Caldwell 11/16/2012 @ 3:13pm
The battle lines were drawn earlier this year, and with action Friday by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the fight's over for now.Leaders of EPA on Friday upheld the federal Renewable ...
Winners & losers in new Fed ag data By: Jeff Caldwell 11/16/2012 @ 2:13pm
There's more proof that the 2012 drought took a chunk out of some farm income potential, this time in new information that shows farm lending rose in the 3rd quarter of this year in the nation's ...
Which first: $9 corn or $14 soybeans? By: Jeff Caldwell 11/14/2012 @ 3:37pm
The corn and soybean markets have spent another week shooting sharply in both directions from zero. New information this week shows there's reason to believe those swings will continue, ultimately ...
Get Christmas shopping for your farmer! By: Jeff Caldwell 11/14/2012 @ 1:59pm
It's that time of year again: Time to shop for the farmer on your Christmas list. Or, are you looking to start dropping gift hints yourself? Regardless of whether you're looking for ...
Adding more weight per head in your herd? By: Jeff Caldwell 11/13/2012 @ 1:12pm
This year's drought led to a widespread liquidation in the U.S. beef herd as the cost of feed skyrocketed and the quantity of available feed fell through the floor.Though economists say the market's ...
Don't get lax with stored corn By: Jeff Caldwell 11/12/2012 @ 11:25am
Warm weather for about half of the weekend wasn't too kind on corn in storage, especially those bushels that were put away a little higher on the moisture scale.Now that things have cooled back down ...
USDA feeds bears with crop size, stocks By: Jeff Caldwell 11/09/2012 @ 7:36am
In its monthly Crop Production report released Friday morning, USDA moved 2012 corn production up slightly and bumped soybean production by 4%. Both are lower than 2011, but the higher crop sizes are expected ...
How will the markets react Friday? By: Jeff Caldwell 11/08/2012 @ 3:14pm
Friday's USDA Crop Production and World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates reports are expected to show U.S. farmers have raised a bigger soybean crop in 2012 than traders and crop-watchers expected ...
Post-election farm bill questions loom By: Jeff Caldwell 11/07/2012 @ 2:00pm
Tuesday's elections featured two sides of an argument about how to move the nation's economy forward. And this will continue to influence upcoming elections.Zero in on the farm sector and it's ...
Ag moves forward after elections By: Jeff Caldwell 11/07/2012 @ 9:20am
The 2012 elections are in the books. President Barack Obama will serve another 4-year term, while the Democratic party retains control of the Senate and the Republican party keeps control of the House of ...
Why irrigate drought-stricken alfalfa now? By: Jeff Caldwell 11/06/2012 @ 1:23pm
If your alfalfa crop fell woefully short this year on account of the drought, you may want to take steps to erase any potential hangover for next year's crop.University of Nebraska Extension forage ...
Flexible land leases in volatile times By: Jeff Caldwell 11/06/2012 @ 11:02am
Interest rates are low, grain prices are high and land values continue to follow those high grains to record or near-record levels. It all adds up for good justification to consider flexible cash lease ...
Despite delays, crop insurance paying off big By: Jeff Caldwell 11/06/2012 @ 10:53am
Despite the devastating hand Mother Nature dealt many of the nation's corn and soybean farmers this summer, the damage to those farmers' bottom lines wasn't as bad as it could have ...
Winter wheat crop hurting -- USDA By: Jeff Caldwell 11/05/2012 @ 3:18pm
Another week of off-and-on precipitation in the Corn Belt has again kept farmers in general from reaching the corn harvest finish line.Monday's USDA-NASS Crop Progress report shows 95% of the crop's ...
Rainfall extremes stoke S.A. crop worries By: Jeff Caldwell 11/05/2012 @ 11:11am
It's been a season of moisture extremes in South America. Much of Argentina has been downright waterlogged this fall, and that's disrupted planting and left farmers with mounting frustrations in a ...
Making planting plans for 2013 By: Jeff Caldwell 11/02/2012 @ 2:00pm
Harvest is just about in the books. That's got a lot of farmers thinking about their crop rotations for 2013. While many say they'll likely stick to their conventional crop rotations, others say ...
Grains tank on negative macros By: Jeff Caldwell 11/02/2012 @ 9:41am
A mostly neutral jobs report, slipping outside markets and lackluster grain export reports Friday morning have overnight grain losses sharpening as the open outcry session begins on the CME Group floor.Just ...
Grains slump after bearish overnight By: Jeff Caldwell 11/02/2012 @ 6:27am
The dip in corn prices late in Thursday's session has infected all the grains heading into Friday, with overnight prices lower across the board leading up to Friday's opening.The result is mostly ...
Stretch feed supplies with this additive By: Jeff Caldwell 11/01/2012 @ 3:56pm
The shortage of feed and forage supplies has been thorough, well-documented, and virtually nationwide this year, increasing prices and eating away at the bottom lines of cattle producers everywhere.But maybe ...
Seed costs seen rising 7% to 10% for 2013 By: Jeff Caldwell 11/01/2012 @ 3:31pm
Seed corn's going to cost you quite a bit more, but the investment will in most cases be well worth it, one expert says.Seed corn could increase in price by up to 7%, and soybean seed could cost you 10% ...
Grains stick higher; will it continue? By: Jeff Caldwell 11/01/2012 @ 10:02am
Gains remain in double digits in the soybean pit, but they're quickly drying up in corn and wheat as the markets open Thursday morning.At the open, the December corn futures contract was 2 3/4 cents ...
Grain price surge rolls into Thursday By: Jeff Caldwell 11/01/2012 @ 6:58am
Wednesday's gains spilled into the overnight trade, and it's got corn, soybean and wheat prices poised for another morning of stronger opening prices.Early calls for the grains are corn 7-10 cents ...
Rationing an already tight corn supply By: Jeff Caldwell 10/31/2012 @ 4:10pm
When it comes to slowing corn consumption in an effort to get demand more in line with existing shorter-than-normal supplies, the marketplace is doing its job... sort of. It's got a long way to go ...
Sandy throws the brakes on harvest -- USDA By: Jeff Caldwell 10/31/2012 @ 3:19pm
Though farmers are still generally well ahead of the normal harvest pace, Mother Nature really threw on the brakes in the last week, bringing progress to a crawl as several key states hover just shy of the ...
Export demand sparks corn rally By: Jeff Caldwell 10/31/2012 @ 2:59pm
U.S. corn futures rallied Wednesday, rising to one-week highs, fueled by positive technical signals and concerns about delayed crop plantings in South America due to heavy rainfall.Corn prices bounced back ...
Drought pushes operating loans higher By: Jeff Caldwell 10/31/2012 @ 2:21pm
Just a few months ago, the number of farmers taking out operating loans was lower than normal, as farm incomes spurred by sharply higher grain prices were enough to make it easier to operate with cash on hand ...
Fertilizer, natural gas prices sliding By: Jeff Caldwell 10/31/2012 @ 1:23pm
Anhydrous ammonia prices have surged in recent weeks. But does that foreshadow an across-the-board jump in prices between now and next spring? As of right now, there are variables tugging on both sides of the ...
Export talk boosts grain futures By: Jeff Caldwell 10/31/2012 @ 12:05pm
Renewed optimism regarding grain export demand in the near future is making its way around the CME Group floor, and that's got grain gains sharpening as Wednesday's session hits the midday point ...
Grains stay afloat in early trading By: Jeff Caldwell 10/31/2012 @ 10:10am
The grains started off on a bullish note Wednesday morning, riding Tuesday's strength and a mostly higher stock trade after a two-day break on account of Hurricane Sandy.In early trading, the December ...
Sandy relenting; dry weather ahead By: Jeff Caldwell 10/31/2012 @ 9:59am
Hurricane Sandy's starting to run out of gas as she marches inland, and now weather experts say the window's starting to crack open for harvest to resume in the areas of the eastern Corn Belt where ...
Grains look to surge into Wednesday By: Jeff Caldwell 10/31/2012 @ 6:59am
Tuesday's stronger prices look to continue into Wednesday's trade after an overnight session that saw the bulls run the show.Early calls for the grains are corn 4 to 6 cents higher, soybeans 9 to 12 ...
Pondering corn-on-corn for 2013? By: Jeff Caldwell 10/30/2012 @ 1:43pm
The drought has made it tough to glean much of any crop data from this year to put to reliable use for next year's corn and soybeans. The moisture shortage frankly made it difficult for any single ...
Farmers dominate SW Iowa land auction By: Jeff Caldwell 10/30/2012 @ 11:01am
The price tag may not have been as eye-popping as the recent $21,900/acre sale in Sioux County, Iowa, but a land sale last Friday goes just as far in showing how strong of a position farmers hold in the race ...
Grains rebound in early Tuesday trading By: Jeff Caldwell 10/30/2012 @ 10:15am
It's 'Turnaround Tuesday' so far on the CME Group floor in Chicago, with corn, soybeans and wheat all trending higher in early Tuesday trading.At mid-morning, the December corn futures contract ...
Sandy rumbles inland, stalls harvest By: Jeff Caldwell 10/30/2012 @ 9:51am
Throughout the northeastern quarter of the U.S., people woke up to one heck of a mess Tuesday morning. Sandy's whipping her way inland Tuesday, taking with her the torrential rain, blasting wind and even ...
Sandy forces USDA, companies to delay reports By: Jeff Caldwell 10/29/2012 @ 3:10pm
The latest USDA-NASS Crop Progress report, usually released weekly at 3:00 p.m. CST each Monday, will be delayed on account of Hurricane Sandy's arrival and subsequent evacuations under way in major ...
What if your farm is in Sandy's path? By: Jeff Caldwell 10/29/2012 @ 1:54pm
If your farm is in or near the path of Hurricane Sandy as it makes its way aground, it's likely to make life tough for the next few days, especially if you're not prepared.The good news is that even ...
Sandy roars in; will she ease dryness? By: Jeff Caldwell 10/29/2012 @ 11:31am
The northeastern seaboard of the U.S. and a region stretching west almost to the Iowa-Illinois state border is in the path of what some are calling the worst hurricane storm system to hit the country in ...
Grains look to start the week mixed By: Jeff Caldwell 10/29/2012 @ 8:00am
Corn and wheat are seen starting the week off on a higher note, while soybeans look to get off on a bearish note after an overnight trade that saw nearby soybeans trade double-digits lower.Early calls for ...
Monster land sale raises big questions By: Jeff Caldwell 10/26/2012 @ 3:25pm
A parcel of farmland sold for just shy of $20,000 an acre a year ago. Now, that $20,000 price point is already in the rearview mirror.An 80-acre field in Sioux County, Iowa, sold Thursday for $21,900 an acre ...
Grain market makers & shakers By: Jeff Caldwell 10/26/2012 @ 1:41pm
It's been a year unlike any other in many ways: Crops slammed by devastating drought, historically tight grain supplies around the world, arguably the most volatile grain markets U.S. farmers have ever ...
Early calls: Overnight grain slide eases By: Jeff Caldwell 10/26/2012 @ 7:54am
Losses mounted early, then eased toward the start of Friday as tight world grain supplies and global economic worries tugged prices back and forth in the overnight trade.Early calls are 2 to 4 cents lower for ...
Drought hangovers & crop rotations By: Jeff Caldwell 10/23/2012 @ 10:17am
Now that much of the 2012 crop is in the bin, you may be turning your attention to how you'll balance corn and soybean acres next year. Will the drought hangover force you to change what you'll ...
Crop insurance can muddy tax waters By: Jeff Caldwell 10/23/2012 @ 9:08am
If you're like many farmers whose crop yields have been gutted by drought this year, you're likely deriving some -- if not most -- income this year from crop insurance. This has a lot of ...
Rains trip up fall harvest progress By: Jeff Caldwell 10/22/2012 @ 3:27pm
Mother Nature's definitely trimmed corn and soybean harvest gains in the Midwest this week; last week was the slowest such period since harvest got rolling 100% earlier this fall.Monday's USDA-NASS ...
Cattle market clawing out of the red By: Jeff Caldwell 10/22/2012 @ 1:50pm
Days after USDA released numbers that showed a steeper-than-expected drop in the number of cattle in feedyards around the country, one expert's now saying that sharp drop in numbers will likely turn the ...
Mother Nature takes baby steps away from drought By: Jeff Caldwell 10/22/2012 @ 10:11am
Rains continue to crisscross through the Midwest, and now there's reason to believe a variable that's not been much a part of the weather conversation this summer and early fall could lead to a turn ...
Ukraine wheat situation turning dire By: Jeff Caldwell 10/19/2012 @ 10:10am
The wheat situation's not getting much better in a key region for that crop outside the borders of the U.S.Agriculture officials in Ukraine this week announced that nation's farmers have wrapped up ...
Per-acre returns key to nailing down cash rent By: Jeff Caldwell 10/17/2012 @ 11:16am
Need help determining what your cash land rent's going to be in the next few years? If so, Gary Schnitkey's your man.The University of Illinois ag economist recently ran the numbers on potential cash ...
Rainfall picking up in the Corn Belt By: Jeff Caldwell 10/17/2012 @ 10:46am
There may be a little whiplash ahead for a few corn and soybean farmers. After a record-fast pace to corn harvest so far this fall, the brakes may be screeching over the next few days, with increasing rain ...
CME Group buys KCBT By: Jeff Caldwell 10/17/2012 @ 9:25am
The influence of electronic grain trading took a big step forward Wednesday with the announcement that the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) Group has acquired the Kansas City Board of Trade (KCBT). Now, the ...
Farming 'marginal' acres By: Jeff Caldwell 10/16/2012 @ 1:49pm
There's a lot of grain demand in the world, and there may not be enough supply to meet all that demand. Though some corn and soybean yields have been surprisingly good despite this year's drought ...
Farmers, analysts still bullish corn, soybeans By: Jeff Caldwell 10/16/2012 @ 10:19am
The range of volatility in corn prices in the last few months has been equal to the prices themselves as lately as 2005. That makes marketing grain and managing risk tall orders these days, especially when ...
Corn harvest finish line in sight By: Jeff Caldwell 10/16/2012 @ 7:12am
Corn harvest will be over before we know it.Monday's USDA-NASS Crop Progress report shows farmers are almost 80% through this year's harvest, more than twice the normal pace. As of Sunday, 79% of the ...
Variability rules 2012 corn, soybean crops By: Jeff Caldwell 10/15/2012 @ 10:06am
The 2012 fall harvest in the Corn Belt has revealed a few major key themes that have and will continue to influence both the production and marketing of this year's crop.The 2012 crop year will go down in ...
Grain gains sharpen in late Thursday trading By: Jeff Caldwell 10/11/2012 @ 12:53pm
Earlier gains spurned along by USDA's monthly Crop Production and world supply/demand reports released Thursday have sharpened, with corn, soybeans and wheat all trading sharply higher.In late-session ...
Grains rocket higher on USDA data By: Jeff Caldwell 10/11/2012 @ 9:47am
The gains continue for corn, soybeans and wheat early in Thursday's trading session after USDA released monthly Crop Production and supply/demand numbers Thursday morning.In early trading, December corn ...
Trading range widens after USDA data By: Jeff Caldwell 10/11/2012 @ 7:34am
U.S. farmers will raise a 10.7-billion-bushel corn crop this year, down a touch from last month's estimate and 13% lower than last year's production, according to Thursday's monthly USDA Crop ...
Grains in positive territory at mid-day By: Jeff Caldwell 10/09/2012 @ 10:36am
Corn, soybean and wheat futures remain higher as the mid-session mark approaches in Tuesday's session, with pre-USDA report positioning, demand and strong outside markets leading the way for the grains.At ...
Soybeans lead grains higher Tuesday By: Jeff Caldwell 10/09/2012 @ 7:48am
It's Turnaround Tuesday, at least as the grains get the day started. And, soybeans appear to be in the lead.Corn, soybean and wheat futures are all moving higher in electronic trading. December corn is 3 ...
Previewing Thursday's USDA reports By: Jeff Caldwell 10/08/2012 @ 3:51pm
More and more attention among traders, grain merchandisers and farmers is aiming toward Thursday's monthly USDA Crop Production and World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimate reports, which will be ...
Iowa farmland tops $10,000/acre By: Jeff Caldwell 10/08/2012 @ 12:59pm
Iowa farmland is now, on average, worth $10,000/acre.A year ago, farmland values were climbing at a double-digit clip in Iowa. While that's still true in parts of the state now, the climb has dipped as ...
Fighting emotional strain of drought By: Jeff Caldwell 10/08/2012 @ 10:29am
This year's crops and livestock have fallen victim to the worst drought in decades. But, so too have the men and women who raise them. That emotional toll is often overlooked by a lot of farmers whose ...
Corn, soybeans kick off week lower By: Jeff Caldwell 10/08/2012 @ 8:09am
With not much bullish news to speak of over the weekend and expected record-fast harvest progress when USDA adds up its weekly Crop Progress numbers Tuesday afternoon, the corn and soybean markets are starting ...
A case for flexible land leases after a drought By: Jeff Caldwell 10/05/2012 @ 9:48am
Grain prices are at levels where profit's not all that difficult to nail down, if you have a crop. Taken alone, that's good. But, a recent trend in risk exposure on the land rent market has one ...
Winter annual weeds? Time to treat soon By: Jeff Caldwell 10/04/2012 @ 9:05am
Depending on what weed pressures hit your fields hardest, you may want to get out, scout and consider putting down some post-harvest herbicide before winter rolls in. Specialists have already advised scouting ...
Small & shattering soybeans causing harvest losses By: Jeff Caldwell 10/03/2012 @ 3:28pm
Soybean harvest is rolling right along. But, one issue's starting to pop up in parts of the Midwest where conditions have been driest throughout the growing season.Ohio State University Extension soybean ...
Tallying up 1988 vs. 2012 crops By: Jeff Caldwell 10/03/2012 @ 2:45pm
The growing season's drawn to a close in the Corn Belt and the combines are barreling through the corn and soybean crops at a record pace. So now that the crop year's nearing its close, 2 Corn Belt ...
Talking classic tractors By: Jeff Caldwell 10/03/2012 @ 1:13pm
What's your favorite classic workhorse? There's been no shortage of innovations that have come and gone over the decades -- some for better and others for worse -- from the tricycle front to tracks ...
A mild start to winter? By: Jeff Caldwell 10/03/2012 @ 8:01am
Don't dig out the union suits and long johns just yet.A new winter outlook shows warmer-than-normal temperatures in much of the Midwest and northern Plains through November. Then, things really warm up in ...
Land values not sinking soon, farmers say By: Jeff Caldwell 10/02/2012 @ 12:32pm
There's been a lot of speculation about whether this year's drought and its effects on crop yields and farm incomes will reverse the skyrocketing trend of farmland values. Now as harvest races along ...
Hog industry's red ink deepens By: Jeff Caldwell 10/02/2012 @ 8:57am
Things could be going from bad to worse in the hog sector.That's the latest outlook from Purdue University Extension livestock economist Chris Hurt, who's been watching the industry struggle in the ...
Corn harvest nears 3X normal pace -- USDA By: Jeff Caldwell 10/01/2012 @ 3:29pm
The grain markets felt some major pressure on Monday from a couple of factors, the biggest one being corn and soybean harvest that remains way ahead of the normal pace. As of Sunday, 54% of the nation's ...
Farm bill lapses; what's next? By: Jeff Caldwell 10/01/2012 @ 1:55pm
It's October 1, 2012, the first day U.S. agriculture should be functioning under a new farm bill.But, lawmakers left Washington, D.C., without signing off on a new legislative package. So, now what?"As of ...
USDA Grain Stocks: After the report By: Jeff Caldwell 09/28/2012 @ 2:21pm
Friday's quarterly USDA Grain Stocks report showed smaller-than-expected corn and wheat supplies and larger-than-expected soybean stocks (though some called the current usage of those smaller stocks ...
USDA Stocks report spurs corn bulls By: Jeff Caldwell 09/28/2012 @ 7:49am
An "intermediate bottom" may now be in for the corn market.The corn stocks number in Friday's Quarterly Grain Stocks report came in at the low end of previous trade estimates at 988 million bushels, down ...
Mother Nature backs away from El Nino By: Jeff Caldwell 09/26/2012 @ 2:35pm
Surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean are cooling down. Not a big deal for your crop potential in the Midwest, right? Wrong.This trend, seen developing over the last 4 weeks, signals a shift back away from ...
It's a good year for soil testing By: Jeff Caldwell 09/26/2012 @ 1:45pm
With harvest running at full steam in much of the nation's middle, other jobs like soil testing may seem far from your mind. But, it's more important this year than usual to make sure you get a good ...
Cattle cuts shrink MO land demand By: Jeff Caldwell 09/26/2012 @ 8:03am
Farmland prices and land rental rates will likely move higher in the next year in Missouri, according to a recent report. But, there are a couple of variables unique to that state that could shape just how ...
Drought-year seed-buying tips By: Jeff Caldwell 09/25/2012 @ 9:14am
Thinking about what corn varieties you'll plant next year? You may want to reconsider how much stock you put into this year's variety performance data if you're planning on using it in making ...
Harvest chugs ahead -- USDA By: Jeff Caldwell 09/24/2012 @ 3:56pm
Corn harvest continues at a speed now 3 times the normal clip after a week that saw U.S. soybean harvest progress more than double, according to Monday's USDA-NASS Crop Progress report.More than 1/3 of ...
Congress punts on farm bill By: Jeff Caldwell 09/21/2012 @ 7:45pm
Lawmakers are heading home from Washington, D.C., this week until the November elections have come and gone, leaving on the table a farm bill, the continued stall of which continues to baffle farmers in a year ...
Manure in a drought year By: Jeff Caldwell 09/21/2012 @ 10:21am
Thinking of applying manure this fall? There are some unique challenges this year, courtesy Mother Nature's stinginess with rainfall through this last growing season. "The extended period of dry weather ...
Shake up your farm shop By: Jeff Caldwell 09/20/2012 @ 10:24am
Whether you're sprucing up your existing farm shop or you're weighing the pros and cons of building a new shop building altogether, you've got a lot of decisions to make, from the size and ...
Welding wonders, blunders & more By: Jeff Caldwell 09/20/2012 @ 8:21am
Everybody's got their own tricks when it comes to welding. But, there are also a lot of tools and ideas out there that might be able to help you streamline this common job on the farm. Check out one ...
Talkin' Tires By: Jeff Caldwell 09/19/2012 @ 1:47pm
Fall can be a tough time to keep your tires in good shape, whether on the truck or machinery in the field. Sharp corn stalks, loaded grain trucks and the occasional soft spot or pothole can all make things ...
No more flat truck tires? By: Jeff Caldwell 09/19/2012 @ 11:34am
In parts of Brazil, where infrastructure to get grain from the field to the terminal, some large trucks actually have to keep air lines running to each tire in case the rough road causes a tire blowout or ...
How's your harvest rolling? By: Jeff Caldwell 09/19/2012 @ 11:01am
As corn harvest nears its midpoint and farmers get rolling on soybeans, weather and the fungal corn disease aflatoxin remain the biggest concerns as yields come in from the field as variable as they have in ...
Weather, aflatoxin top harvest-time worries By: Jeff Caldwell 09/19/2012 @ 10:16am
Though most farmers harvesting corn likely won't need the extra time, Mother Nature's going to provide just that, according to the latest weather forecast looking ahead to mid-November.In their ...
Will your tractor ever run itself? By: Jeff Caldwell 09/19/2012 @ 8:17am
Your machinery one day will be able to operate itself -- with you behind a computer screen or other type of controller -- in the field. Manufacturers say they've already got the building blocks in place ...
Harvest pace jumps with mixed results By: Jeff Caldwell 09/18/2012 @ 10:09am
More than a quarter of the nation's corn crop is in the bin. That's a record for some farmers and near one for others. And, forecasters say with few weather delays expected in the next few days, the ...
Latest on land rents By: Jeff Caldwell 09/14/2012 @ 3:29pm
Recent data shows the climb in cash rent levels paid by farmers will likely slow in the next year in the heart of the Corn Belt. The numbers come after a summer when speculation grew about how this year's ...
Looking down the weather road By: Jeff Caldwell 09/14/2012 @ 1:09pm
Weather experts are looking ahead to 2013 and seeing signs that the drought that has dominated U.S. weather this summer likely won't altogether die down before next year's critical crop time arrives ...
Corn yields 'all over the place' By: Jeff Caldwell 09/13/2012 @ 10:44am
Forty-five to 75 bushels/acre in northwest Illinois. One hundred to 170 in north-central Iowa. Twenty to 50 in southeast Missouri.Those are just a few examples of the corn yields coming in from the early ...
Cash land rent climb mellowing in Illinois By: Jeff Caldwell 09/13/2012 @ 10:01am
If you farm rented ground, the jump in what you pay for that land may not sting as badly next year as it did this year.A recent survey of farm managers and rural appraisers in Illinois shows that, while the ...
Will drought stretch into 2013? By: Jeff Caldwell 09/13/2012 @ 9:28am
If this outlook's correct, look out.Iowa State University Extension climatologist and ag meteorologist Elwynn Taylor said recently though there's been a shift away from the La Nina period in the El ...
Farmers cry foul on USDA crop data By: Jeff Caldwell 09/12/2012 @ 10:10am
In Wednesday's Crop Production report, USDA officials didn't change their expectations much for this year's corn and soybean crops. Harvested acres were left unchanged and basic bushel numbers ...
USDA bearish corn, bullish soybeans By: Jeff Caldwell 09/12/2012 @ 7:34am
U.S. farmers will raise 10.7 billion bushels of corn and 2.63 billion bushels of soybeans this year, according to Wednesday's monthly USDA Crop Production report. The government left harvested acres ...
What can you expect Wednesday morning? By: Jeff Caldwell 09/11/2012 @ 3:42pm
As more combines start to roll into the field this fall, widely varying corn yield reports are rolling in, fueling speculation just where USDA will drop the needle Wednesday morning when officials release the ...
Tips to get up a late-planted wheat crop By: Jeff Caldwell 09/11/2012 @ 11:07am
The generally accelerated timeframe for most cropping activities this year has turned from largely a blessing to a curse for wheat farmers who jumped on planting the 2013 crop earlier than normal.The drought ...
Harvest steps ahead; crops stabilize -- USDA By: Jeff Caldwell 09/10/2012 @ 3:24pm
Corn conditions were unchanged from a week ago as farmers made another 5% dent in corn harvest, according to Monday's USDA-NASS Crop Progress report. As of Sunday, 15% of the nation's crop is in the ...
A few more alternative feed sources By: Jeff Caldwell 09/10/2012 @ 2:50pm
The drought's created a lot of talk in the last few weeks about alternatives to "normal" forage feed sources. Now, add to that conversation the possibility to raise feed from brassica crops like canola ...
Clean wheat = higher-yielding wheat By: Jeff Caldwell 09/10/2012 @ 1:09pm
Just shy of 13% of the Kansas wheat crop was lost to disease in 2012, just ahead of the normal pace. That number was higher on account of some diseases like nematodes that are growing in prevalence, adding to ...
Farmland keeps climbing despite drought By: Jeff Caldwell 09/07/2012 @ 2:30pm
Indiana farmers have been hit harder than most in the Midwest by this summer's drought. But, that hasn't stopped land values from going crazy in that state in the last year, a new survey shows.This ...
Tips to keep up your yield monitor By: Jeff Caldwell 08/30/2012 @ 9:25am
Field conditions are going to be tough enough when you get harvest underway this fall. Don't let a faulty yield monitor make things even worse. Yields may be bad enough; don't let bad yield data add ...
So, you've got aflatoxin; now what? By: Jeff Caldwell 08/29/2012 @ 2:26pm
In a 1,000-bushel load of corn, if 1 kernel's infected with aflatoxin, that's enough to force the farmer to leave the elevator without unloading.That's the situation that some farmers say they ...
'Tsunami of red ink' ahead for hog business By: Jeff Caldwell 08/29/2012 @ 9:58am
U.S. hog herd numbers are being slashed hard as per-head losses start to pile up because of previously high inventories and skyrocketing feed prices on account of this summer's drought. Now, a "tsunami of ...
Get ready to roll this fall By: Jeff Caldwell 08/28/2012 @ 2:15pm
If you're not already rolling, fall harvest is right around the corner. And, there are a lot of unique challenges facing farmers this year. Get some of the latest information on ways to best arm yourself ...
Farmland value gains slow -- Fed By: Jeff Caldwell 08/27/2012 @ 3:28pm
The direction's the same, but the pace has fallen back a bit in the upward movement of farmland values in the Corn Belt, according to a recent report from the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank.Now, that's ...
Crops stable; corn combines roll -- USDA By: Jeff Caldwell 08/27/2012 @ 3:21pm
Corn and soybean conditions both took small steps lower in the last week as farmers start to put more of a dent into this fall's corn harvest.As of Sunday, 22% of the nation's corn crop is in good or ...
Aflatoxin worries piling up By: Jeff Caldwell 08/27/2012 @ 9:59am
There are a lot of expectations for a quick corn harvest this fall. That's reasonable, some farmers say, given the crop's going to be short and dry. But, on the contrary so far, some early loads to ...
Falling land values? Watch interest rates By: Jeff Caldwell 08/27/2012 @ 8:24am
High cash rents and low interest rates are the 2 main factors keeping farmland values in the stratosphere right now. But, there's at least one sign that a decline in values could be in the cards, one ...
Prepping soils for the 2013 crop By: Jeff Caldwell 08/23/2012 @ 3:38pm
Once you get this fall's crop in the bin, the drought of 2012 will be behind you, right? Wrong.How you handle your fields after harvest this fall and next spring before planting your 2013 crop will go a ...
Central U.S. drought intensifies By: Jeff Caldwell 08/23/2012 @ 9:00am
The majority of the states of Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas, as well as major portions of Nebraska and Missouri are under exceptional drought conditions, the most severe classification on the U.S. Drought ...
Time to fine-tune your irrigation efficiency By: Jeff Caldwell 08/22/2012 @ 9:54am
One silver lining to this year's drought -- if you irrigate, that is -- is that issues with your irrigation systems will stick out like a sore thumb.There are countless ways that the uniformity of center ...
Consider alternative grazing, forage sources By: Jeff Caldwell 08/22/2012 @ 8:59am
If you're struggling to find feed for your cattle herd, you may be overlooking a few alternative feedstocks that, though obviously of lower quality, can get you through this tough drought period.A lot of ...
Keep your eyes peeled for stalk rot By: Jeff Caldwell 08/21/2012 @ 2:55pm
Just when you think this year's corn yield potential hadn't sunk enough, another developing has now come along and could knock your yields down even further, one expert says.This summer's ...
Flexible cash rent + indemnity payments = ? By: Jeff Caldwell 08/21/2012 @ 2:18pm
Flexible cash leases have grown in popularity immensely over the last few years. But, what happens in a flexible lease situation when drought slams your crop to the point where indemnity payments are about the ...
Tips to tackle soybean harvest challenges By: Jeff Caldwell 08/21/2012 @ 1:21pm
Smaller-than-normal, drought-slammed corn kernels aren't the only things that could complicate harvest this fall. It could also be a tough go running the combine through this year's drought-shortened ...
Another stable week for corn, soybeans -- USDA By: Jeff Caldwell 08/20/2012 @ 3:46pm
Corn conditions were unchanged and and soybeans actually gained a percentage point in the "good" quality category in Monday's USDA Crop Progress report.Still, despite a general stabilization at current ...
Barge traffic slows as drought slams rivers By: Jeff Caldwell 08/20/2012 @ 2:26pm
Even though this year's corn and soybean crops have been gutted by drought in much of the nation, there's still grain piling up to the sky in some spots because the main way to get it moved down the ...
What if your field catches fire? By: Jeff Caldwell 08/17/2012 @ 1:44pm
In a lot of ways, a combine in a corn or soybean field is just about a perfect recipe for a fire disaster: There's plenty of dry plant matter, a lot of highly combustible fluids and a ton of friction ...
Start your canola out right By: Jeff Caldwell 08/16/2012 @ 3:03pm
Want to get your canola crop off on the right foot? Time it right and get, one expert says.The best time to plant canola in the fall is 6 weeks before the first killing frost, says Kansas State University ...
Take caution when 'dusting in' wheat this fall By: Jeff Caldwell 08/16/2012 @ 2:40pm
Most of the state of Kansas is under the worst drought conditions it's seen in years. And, right now's a bad time for that to be happening, with many farmers there starting to look ahead to planting ...
Rainfall 'haves and have nots' in S.A. By: Jeff Caldwell 08/16/2012 @ 9:07am
Mother Nature's been far from kind to U.S. farmers lately. How's she treating the nation's biggest competition for global grain sales in South America?Lately, in Brazil and Argentina, the ...
Another week, another drought jump By: Jeff Caldwell 08/16/2012 @ 8:56am
As more farmers start preparing to harvest this year's drought-shortened corn crop, the most severe drought conditions grew by leaps and bounds in the central Plains and southern Corn Belt over the last ...
Expectations surge for cranberry harvest By: Jeff Caldwell 08/15/2012 @ 3:26pm
The drought's been tough on a lot of crops this year. But despite it all, the cranberry crop's going to be a big one in WIsconsin this fall. That state looks to lead the nation in cranberry ...
Check corn nitrates before ensiling By: Jeff Caldwell 08/15/2012 @ 10:18am
The drought's had nitrates moving up in many corn stalks out there, and if you're feeding drought-stressed corn silage, it's important to test it for potential buildups of the chemical so ...
Drought levels off land values, incomes By: Jeff Caldwell 08/15/2012 @ 10:02am
The rise in farmland values, ag operating loan demand and expectations for overall weaker farm incomes all slumped in the second quarter of 2012 on account of the worsening drought conditions across the ...
Corn changes for 2013 By: Jeff Caldwell 08/14/2012 @ 3:48pm
Most of the nation's combines are still in the shed and some farmers are already looking ahead to 2013 and thinking about how they'll apply some lessons learned this year.Tillage, seed selection and ...
Fire danger high this harvest By: Jeff Caldwell 08/14/2012 @ 10:58am
One of the most potentially dangerous challenges of this drought year lies ahead in harvest. With all that dry plant matter in the field, all it takes is one spark or overheated part to ignite a field ...
Heat, dryness easing; will it matter? By: Jeff Caldwell 08/14/2012 @ 9:37am
There are signs that the conditions that have fueled this summer's drought may be easing, though it's too early to say the drought has ended, weather experts say.Rain showers have been criss-crossing ...
Crop conditions stabilize -- USDA By: Jeff Caldwell 08/13/2012 @ 3:31pm
Corn conditions changed just barely over the last week, with the "very poor" category gaining 1% and the "fair" category losing 1%, according to Monday's USDA-NASS Crop Progress report. That now means 51% ...
Drought pains & market moves By: Jeff Caldwell 08/10/2012 @ 3:14pm
Crop conditions are the worst they've been in decades. USDA recognized at least part of that likely slash in crop output in its August 10 crop production and grain supply/demand reports that ...
Leaders assure indemnities will be paid By: Jeff Caldwell 08/10/2012 @ 10:31am
After USDA released numbers that at least begin to show the kinds of losses most corn and soybean farmers are facing this year, leaders of the national crop insurance industry said Friday their industry will ...
'White flag' for corn users? By: Jeff Caldwell 08/10/2012 @ 9:38am
This year's drought, the resulting effects on crop yields and the market consequences add up to a lot of uncharted waters for many farmers, at least in the last couple of decades.Friday's USDA Crop ...
123-bushel corn, 36-bushel soybeans -- USDA By: Jeff Caldwell 08/10/2012 @ 7:33am
Coming in slightly below earlier analysts' estimates, USDA pegged this year's drought-shortened corn and soybean crops to yield 123.4 bushels/acre and 36.1 bushels/acre, respectively, in its monthly ...
$17.59 corn & $55.09 soybeans?! By: Jeff Caldwell 08/09/2012 @ 3:20pm
With the current stocks-to-use ratio well below the low mark set in 1973 -- adjusted for inflation, of course -- those are the prices, in constant dollars, corn and soybeans could be worth based on the current ...
Drought pressure tightens despite rains By: Jeff Caldwell 08/09/2012 @ 10:40am
Despite a few showers that moved through the Corn Belt over the last few days, the drought took another step in the wrong direction in the last week, according to Thursday's update of the U.S. Drought ...
Tough decisions mount as harvest nears By: Jeff Caldwell 08/08/2012 @ 1:46pm
Just like most of this year's growing season, this fall's corn and soybean harvest isn't going to be easy. There are both unique management and agronomic factors to consider when determining how ...
Don't let your soybean aphid guard down By: Jeff Caldwell 08/07/2012 @ 8:13am
Soybean aphids were going to be a big problem this year. That was what some specialists were saying at the beginning of the growing season before Mother Nature cranked up the furnace and turned off the water ...
50% U.S. corn acres ready for the plow By: Jeff Caldwell 08/06/2012 @ 3:22pm
The broken record keeps on playing the same tune. Another week's passed and the corn and soybean crops have taken another step south in overall crop conditions. Now, only 23% of the country's corn ...
Current cattle pains, future cattle gains By: Jeff Caldwell 08/06/2012 @ 2:21pm
The cattle industry is, in generally, hurting badly on account of the drought. But at the same time, is there also opportunity in the sudden drop in auction market prices and growing glut of cows and calves on ...
2 ways to help your corn survive drought By: Jeff Caldwell 08/06/2012 @ 12:21pm
One lesson that this year's drought has already driven home for many farmers is the value of retaining crop residue through management practices that use any number of methods to prevent the scorching ...
Keep up with land rents in a drought year By: Jeff Caldwell 08/06/2012 @ 9:41am
The longer the drought of 2012 persists, the more wrinkles the devastating weather pattern develops for farmers. The latest one has ramifications well beyond when the rain starts to fall. This summer's ...
Thinking of grazing standing corn? By: Jeff Caldwell 08/03/2012 @ 1:34pm
If your corn's cooked, you've got your indemnity payments lined up and you've got cattle to feed, why not graze your standing corn? This eliminates a lot of costs, experts say, from harvest and ...
The long & short of the '12 drought By: Jeff Caldwell 08/03/2012 @ 9:47am
Grain supplies were already tight heading into this summer's drought. And now, they're expected to stay near record-lows for the foreseeable future.But, it won't last forever; high grain prices ...
Monsanto wins case against Pioneer; appeal planned By: Jeff Caldwell 08/02/2012 @ 1:32pm
The court's reached a decision and an appeal is already in the works in a case pitting 2 agribusiness giants against one another regarding a popular crop production system.On Wednesday, the case in the ...
Drought chokehold tightens By: Jeff Caldwell 08/02/2012 @ 9:57am
The news isn't great, but there was at least a slight decline in the amount of the nation under drought conditions in this week's update of the U.S. Drought Monitor. Unfortunately, that's not ...
Resolving drought's Civil War By: Jeff Caldwell 08/01/2012 @ 3:51pm
The drought of 2012 has tensions running high. The corn and soybean crops are boiling away, livestock farmers are liquidating herds rapidly and ethanol refiners are wondering how much longer they can keep ...
Ethanol mandates & corn prices By: Jeff Caldwell 07/31/2012 @ 1:50pm
There's been a lot of talk lately of putting the federal Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) on hold because of this year's drought-shortened corn crop and what that could mean to prices down the road for ...
Avoid common crop insurance mistakes By: Jeff Caldwell 07/31/2012 @ 9:37am
Crop insurance is a popular topic among farmers at this point in this summer of drought when many will be facing considerable crop yield losses, with some likely to ultimately harvest nothing from the fields ...
Drought's hurting speciality crops, too By: Jeff Caldwell 07/31/2012 @ 8:25am
This summer's drought has the corn and soybean crops hurting badly. But, they're not the only crops taking a massive hit from the heat and dryness. Many specialty crops are struggling to get through ...
Another week of drought damage -- USDA By: Jeff Caldwell 07/30/2012 @ 3:23pm
The week-over-week decline in corn and soybean conditions wasn't as sharp as the previous 2 weeks, but the trend remains firmly entrenched: the crops are going downhill quickly. Monday's USDA-NASS ...
Which way for farmland prices? By: Jeff Caldwell 07/30/2012 @ 2:52pm
Is the farmland bubble bursting?In the short term, no. But, in the longer term, a few key factors may contribute to downward pressure on land values. But at the same time, there's equal reason to believe ...
Drought pains sharpen By: Jeff Caldwell 07/26/2012 @ 11:05am
Another week of little to no rainfall in much of the Corn Belt now has the worst 2 categories of drought conditions expanding from the western slope of the Rocky Mountains to the eastern Corn Belt and ...
2012 a crop year many want to forget By: Jeff Caldwell 07/25/2012 @ 3:43pm
As this week's MDA EarthSat Weather July Crop Tour makes its way toward its final destination along the Missouri River, one thing's clear: This year's one many farmers will be happy to ...
Ag lending sector solid -- Fed By: Jeff Caldwell 07/25/2012 @ 2:06pm
Farm prices are strong right now, and that's got farm lending volume rising, according to a new survey from the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank. The results of the latest survey of ag lenders in the ...
Corn, soybean yield hole deepens -- USDA By: Jeff Caldwell 07/23/2012 @ 3:15pm
The decline in corn and soybean conditions continues, showing the drought of 2012 seemingly has no intentions of loosening its grip on this year's crops.Monday's USDA-NASS Crop Progress report shows ...
The drought's many faces By: Jeff Caldwell 07/20/2012 @ 1:49pm
The corn and soybean crops are taking the most visible hit from the 2012 drought. But, that's not the only sector feeling the pain from the heat and dryness. There are a lot of angles to the drought story ...
The latest drought talk By: Jeff Caldwell 07/20/2012 @ 12:51pm
The drought of 2012 is starting to manifest itself in farm country not just in poor crop yields and higher grain market prices. The livestock sector's taking a major hit, questions abound on the future of ...
Turning to silage during drought By: Jeff Caldwell 07/19/2012 @ 10:44am
The cattle herd's hurting out there and producers are struggling to find ways to keep their animals fed in a year when forage is in extremely short supply on account of ongoing drought conditions around ...
'Exceptional' drought grows By: Jeff Caldwell 07/19/2012 @ 8:48am
The severity of the drought of 2012 took a major step for the worse over the last week, and now most of the state of Indiana is under "extreme" drought stress, according to Thursday's update of the U.S ...
July Crop Tour: Looking back & ahead By: Jeff Caldwell 07/18/2012 @ 10:09am
The next 2 weeks don't look too promising if you're a farmer in the Corn Belt waiting on rain to kick some life into your crops. The maps on the right show the likelihood of rainfall ...
Tour the parched Corn Belt By: Jeff Caldwell 07/18/2012 @ 9:49am
Virtually all of the area covered by the MDA EarthSat Weather July Crop Tour has seen just a fraction of the normal rainfall during the month of July, if any at all. The tour will wind its way from ...
Drought wreaking havoc on cattle, hog farmers By: Jeff Caldwell 07/17/2012 @ 10:54am
While the corn and soybean crops have taken the worst beating from this year's drought so far, the nation's livestock farmers aren't faring a whole lot better. Hog and cattle farmers are ...
Another rough week for corn, soybeans By: Jeff Caldwell 07/16/2012 @ 3:47pm
Another week without much of any relief from drought conditions in what many are now considering one of the worst crop years in decades has passed, taking with it another major chunk of yield potential from ...
Tour will tally crops By: Jeff Caldwell 07/16/2012 @ 12:33pm
Weather experts and crop specialists will be criss-crossing the nation's corn and soybean country this week to see just how much damage Mother Nature's inflicted on this year's crop and what the ...
Kill shot coming for WCB corn? By: Jeff Caldwell 07/16/2012 @ 8:17am
A lack of rainfall and hotter-than-normal temperatures over the next few days in the bulk of the Corn Belt could deliver a fatal blow to many of the region's corn fields, forecasters and farmers say. A ...
Traders trim early gains, even positions By: Jeff Caldwell 07/13/2012 @ 10:38am
Early gains have been trimmed as traders look to even positions heading into the weekend.Nearby corn futures are trading 3 1/4 higher at $7.35 1/2, while nearby soybeans are 17 1/2 higher at $15.46 1/2 and ...
Corn leads grains higher at mid-day By: Jeff Caldwell 07/12/2012 @ 11:02am
Worries about lightened demand that sent the grains lower Wednesday afternoon seem a world away Thursday, with all CME Group grains trading higher as the mid-day point rolls around.At mid-session, nearby ...
'Extreme' drought growing By: Jeff Caldwell 07/12/2012 @ 8:38am
This week's U.S. Drought Monitor shows the 20% downward adjustment in projected corn yields in Wednesday's USDA WASDE report may be just the beginning.Thursday's update of the Drought Monitor ...
Corn, soybeans tank on demand worries By: Jeff Caldwell 07/11/2012 @ 2:22pm
Grain futures started Wednesday's trade sharply higher on USDA's slashing of projected corn and soybean yields and demand. Then, the latter seemed to gradually outweigh the former and traders ...
Grains sag as focus shifts to demand By: Jeff Caldwell 07/11/2012 @ 12:26pm
The marketplace appears to have already taken into account a lower corn yield forecast from USDA, and appeared at mid-day on Wednesday to be trading only the lower demand numbers released earlier in the ...
Grains ride weather, USDA higher By: Jeff Caldwell 07/11/2012 @ 8:22am
Reports that were generally thought to be bullish corn and neutral wheat and soybeans have ushered in higher prices in all 3 pits as many trader and analysts say the focus has returned to Mother Nature.In ...
1988 all over again? By: Jeff Caldwell 07/11/2012 @ 7:56am
Is it 1988 all over again? That's about the tone from Wednesday's USDA reports that cut projected corn yield by a record amount to 146 bushels/acre, but also showed demand is slowing.Now, it's ...
USDA: Corn yield = 146; focus back on weather By: Jeff Caldwell 07/11/2012 @ 7:41am
U.S. farmers will raise a corn crop of around 146 bushels/acre this year, but numbers show demand rationing is already underway. But, is that happening at a quick enough pace to keep up with what's going ...
USDA preview: 'Unprecedented' By: Jeff Caldwell 07/10/2012 @ 3:22pm
Besides the drought year of 1988, it's the driest year since the Dust Bowl. Soil moisture levels are the lowest they've been in more than a century. These are the kinds of numbers that very well ...
A wide range of potential yields & profits By: Jeff Caldwell 07/10/2012 @ 2:03pm
One hundred thirty-five or 165? Those are the extremes of projected U.S. corn yield in a recent report showing the range of potential profit for grain farmers in the Midwest whose crops have fallen victim to ...
Broker accounts frozen; wrongdoing suspected By: Jeff Caldwell 07/10/2012 @ 11:12am
Months ago, MF Global's demise, after which it was learned the firm had commingled and later lost investors' funds, shook the grain markets. Now, another firm's seemingly in the same ...
Avoid drought's 'tail' in your herd By: Jeff Caldwell 07/10/2012 @ 8:55am
The corn and soybean crops are hogging much of the spotlight when it comes to growing damage from the drought conditions around the nation this summer. But, it's the beef sector that could see the ...
Crop stress mounts, conditions drop -- USDA By: Jeff Caldwell 07/09/2012 @ 3:55pm
The shape of the nation's corn crop took another big step lower in the last week, according to Monday's USDA-NASS Crop Progress report.A week ago, 48% of the crop was in good-to-excellent shape ...
'Do-or-die' time for the corn crop By: Jeff Caldwell 07/05/2012 @ 1:37pm
"Hot or cold, wet or dry, price the crop before the 4th of July." That's the old adage that Agriculture.com senior contributor Red Steele says he's considered in the past when marketing grain. But ...
More fuel on the grain market fire By: Jeff Caldwell 07/05/2012 @ 11:19am
"Hot or cold, wet or dry, price the crop before the 4th of July." That's the old adage that Agriculture.com senior contributor Red Steele says he's considered in the past when marketing grain. But ...
'Average by extremes' By: Jeff Caldwell 07/03/2012 @ 11:32am
Knee-high by the 4th of July is an antiquated term from decades ago that once described about how far along the corn crop would be by Independence Day.This summer, though, reaching this milestone may be out of ...
Heat, dryness slam crop conditions -- USDA By: Jeff Caldwell 07/02/2012 @ 3:20pm
The nation's corn and soybean crops have taken a beating in the last week, according to Monday's USDA Crop Progress report.The amount of that crop in good to excellent conditions went from 58% to 48% ...
Uncertainty fuels record land sale pace By: Jeff Caldwell 07/02/2012 @ 2:03pm
Record prices aren't keeping farm land from selling at a record volume around the Midwest. And, the blistering pace of land sales in corn and soybean country isn't expected to slip much anytime in ...
Weather leaps over bearish USDA data By: Jeff Caldwell 06/29/2012 @ 7:34am
U.S. farmers planted 5% more corn this year than a year ago and soybean acreage is down slightly, though the numbers rank among the highest planted acreage for both crops. Both numbers are higher than the ...
'Extreme' drought grows By: Jeff Caldwell 06/28/2012 @ 10:20am
Drought conditions have gone from "severe" to "extreme" in several key areas in the last week, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, the latest version of which was released Thursday morning. The most ...
Don't neglect cattle heat stress By: Jeff Caldwell 06/27/2012 @ 3:47pm
When the blast furnace cranks up outside, it's tough on everybody, including your cattle herd. Though there are other issues specific to things like toxicity in grazing cattle, it's important for ...
Hot, hot, hot! By: Jeff Caldwell 06/27/2012 @ 1:13pm
How hot is it around the country? Temperature records are being blown out of the water by triple-digit readings from the Rocky Mountains to the mid-South. Readings of 100 degrees or more have been common in ...
Heat's cranking up By: Jeff Caldwell 06/27/2012 @ 10:26am
The mercury's cranking up in the nation's midsection this week -- in some spots well beyond the triple-digit mark -- pouring salt on the open wound of worsening drought conditions in the Plains and ...
Calf grazing deaths rise in drought years By: Jeff Caldwell 06/26/2012 @ 1:53pm
The summer heat's not just sinking crop yield potential. It's also endangering the lives of grazing cattle and calves on the most drought-stricken ranches around the nation.Veterinarians are ...
Mother Nature shifting gears? By: Jeff Caldwell 06/22/2012 @ 3:04pm
Friday morning, grain futures were running high, posting double-digit gains until about the middle of the day, when a new forecast was released. Then, with an almost laser focus on Mother Nature, traders took ...
Rainfall frustration mounting By: Jeff Caldwell 06/21/2012 @ 12:38pm
A line of thunderstorms moved through the Midwest Wednesday night, providing mild relief to some parched parts of the Corn Belt, but not enough to other areas where a drink is badly needed. The front broke up ...
Hot nights rob corn yields By: Jeff Caldwell 06/21/2012 @ 12:32pm
Hot, dry daytime conditions aren't the only things knocking this year's corn crop away from its full yield potential so far this spring. Once the sun goes down, in some areas, it's just as ...
A 1988 repeat? Not yet, specialist says By: Jeff Caldwell 06/20/2012 @ 12:10pm
Don't stick a fork in your corn crop just yet, because even though the heat and dryness so far this growing season's taken a toll, it's not done yet.Though the highest potential corn yield may ...
The cost of farming marginal land? By: Jeff Caldwell 06/19/2012 @ 3:54pm
Would you farm land that you knew wouldn't make a crop? How about if you know you'll still make money? Farmers exploiting situations like these -- farming poor ground but still making money because ...
Spider mites moving into dry soybeans By: Jeff Caldwell 06/19/2012 @ 3:00pm
In the driest areas of the Corn Belt, add spider mites to the list of potential yield-robbers in your soybeans.The hot, dry weather is ideal for 2-spotted spider mites, which holds the potential to inflict ...
Pollinating corn & dry, hot weather By: Jeff Caldwell 06/19/2012 @ 9:45am
Though dry conditions stretch from the Plains to the eastern stretches of the Corn Belt, some corn fields appear in greater need of a drink than others. Now, as the crop is entering pollination in some of the ...
Corn, soybean decline continues -- USDA By: Jeff Caldwell 06/18/2012 @ 3:26pm
Another week of mostly hot, dry weather in the majority of the Corn Belt means another week of declining corn and soybean conditions, according to Monday's USDA-NASS Crop Progress report. As of Sunday ...
Heat fires up; markets dial in By: Jeff Caldwell 06/18/2012 @ 2:51pm
One crop consultant said Monday his area got more than 3 inches of rain on Friday...and sprayers were rolling in that area Monday. It's a sure sign that rains that fell over the weekend in some of the ...
Farmland bubble? Depends on your acreage By: Jeff Caldwell 06/15/2012 @ 1:57pm
Do you think farmland values are in a bubble? If the results of a recent study are correct, your answer will depend a lot on how many acres of land you own.In a survey of just shy of 250 farm landowners and ...
Hollywood & your farm By: Jeff Caldwell 06/15/2012 @ 8:50am
What does Hollywood have to do with what happens on your farm every day? Not much, at least on the surface. But, the city on the west coast has a lot to do with shaping opinions through film and other media ...
Wanted: Rain! By: Jeff Caldwell 06/14/2012 @ 12:44pm
News that rainfall chances over the next week to 10 days may be declining has already-parched crops in a shaky spot in many parts of the nation's midsection. In some parts of the Corn Belt ...
Rain's on the way By: Jeff Caldwell 06/13/2012 @ 8:30am
Rain's on the way to a lot of the Midwest over the next few days, bringing with it "prospects for improvement within the next 7 to 10 days" in about 3/4 of the Corn Belt.That's according to Craig ...
The next shot for rain? By: Jeff Caldwell 06/12/2012 @ 9:11am
When will it rain again? That's the $64,000 question in much of the Corn Belt these days as crop stress mounts on hot, dry weather. So, is there another shot of rain in the near future? This week will ...
WASDE bearish corn, bullish wheat, soybeans By: Jeff Caldwell 06/12/2012 @ 7:40am
The U.S. is making more ethanol, using an additional 50 million bushels of corn. But, exports are seen dipping by the same amount, adding up to a likely bearish combination for the grain trade.That's the ...
Watch out for these early-season issues By: Jeff Caldwell 06/11/2012 @ 3:45pm
A combination of a warm winter, early planting window and now a dry, hot start to summer has caused some crop diseases and issues to blow up in parts of the Corn Belt, specialists say.The good news is the hot ...
Corn conditions slide on heat, dryness: USDA By: Jeff Caldwell 06/11/2012 @ 3:30pm
The hot, dry weather's taking a toll on the nation's corn crop. Monday's USDA-NASS Crop Progress report shows the number of corn acres in good-to-excellent condition dropped 6% over the last ...
Crops stress after 'highly variable' rain By: Jeff Caldwell 06/11/2012 @ 1:48pm
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, almost all of Iowa, Illinois and Missouri is abnormally dry, with patches of drought reaching the moderate to severe phase in parts of the southern Corn Belt and Plains ...
Crop stress mounts; will markets jump? By: Jeff Caldwell 06/08/2012 @ 2:48pm
It's getting hot and dry in most of the Corn Belt. And, the bad news is the forecast looks hotter and drier.Both the 6- to 10-day and 11- to 15-day outlooks show the heat and dryness is likely to ramp up ...
CME expands pit trading hours By: Jeff Caldwell 06/08/2012 @ 1:36pm
A few weeks ago, CME Group officials expanded electronic trading hours, leaving a 3-hour break in the afternoon each trading day. But, the hours didn't quite mesh with pit trading, something that garnered ...
Father's Day on the farm By: Jeff Caldwell 06/08/2012 @ 8:02am
Don’t forget, Father’s Day is Sunday, June 17! Looking for a special gift for Dad this Father’s Day? Click through the slideshow for some great gift giving ideas. Slideshow: ...
All around the Expo: WPX 2012 By: Jeff Caldwell 06/07/2012 @ 1:33pm
What's the weather like out there? The answer to that question -- as well as what it means to the corn and soybean crops in the field right now -- will have a huge influence on the hog market ...
Crop potential, herd growth big hog topics By: Jeff Caldwell 06/07/2012 @ 1:03pm
What's the weather like out there? The answer to that question -- as well as what it means to the corn and soybean crops in the field right now -- will have a huge influence on the hog market moving ...
Hog expansion: Where, when & how? By: Jeff Caldwell 06/05/2012 @ 4:12pm
Feed costs, weather and expansion possibilities. As the world's hog industry comes together this week for the annual World Pork Expo, those are the topics that will likely make their way around a lot of ...
Precise GIS data: Now what? By: Jeff Caldwell 06/05/2012 @ 1:56pm
"I have all this data, so now what can I do with it?"That's a familiar question for John Fulton. The Auburn University Extension ag and biosystems engineer says he works with farmers all the time who have ...
System fuels pivot with water, hydraulics By: Jeff Caldwell 06/05/2012 @ 11:16am
With diesel fuel costs hovering above $4/gallon, filling up the tank to power a center pivot can really make you cringe. That's no longer a problem for Roger Barton, a Utah farmer who, with the help of ...
USDA ramps up organic research By: Jeff Caldwell 06/05/2012 @ 10:58am
A new project from the USDA Sustainable Agricultural Systems Laboratory is looking at ways organic farmers can get more out of their production while sticking to natural systems. According to a USDA report ...
USDA: Corn stable despite dryness By: Jeff Caldwell 06/04/2012 @ 3:31pm
About all of the nation's soybean crop is planted, and all but a handful of the nation's corn acres have emerged, according to Monday's USDA-NASS Crop Progress report. Corn conditions ...
Some pests coming on early By: Jeff Caldwell 06/04/2012 @ 2:36pm
The bugs are on the move.Soybean aphids, Japanese beetles and Black cutworms are just a few of the insect pests agronomists are finding in the field, some a couple of weeks earlier than normal. Iowa State ...
Drought 'fearmongering' mounts By: Jeff Caldwell 06/04/2012 @ 10:58am
Summer may be a couple of weeks away, but according to the thermometer in a lot of spots around the country, it's been here for quite a while already.And now, the already-dry conditions in much of corn ...
Machinery costs up 15% -- economist By: Jeff Caldwell 05/31/2012 @ 10:46am
The bullish factors have outweighed the bearish ones in the farm machinery marketplace in the last 2 years, and that's led to a double-digit rise in machinery costs since 2010, new research shows. Prices ...
Knock down machinery fire potential By: Jeff Caldwell 05/31/2012 @ 9:52am
Though they're more common during fall harvest when fields are dry and full of fuel, field and equipment fires can happen anytime. But, there are a few things you can do to help keep it from happening on ...
Crude oil slides south of $90/barrel By: Jeff Caldwell 05/30/2012 @ 3:55pm
Crude oil futures fell to below $90/barrel Wednesday on the same macroeconomic factors that sunk the grain markets, some of which are poised at multi-month lows.The lagging oil prices mean gasoline will likely ...
Nebraska program targets rural broadband By: Jeff Caldwell 05/30/2012 @ 11:20am
The list of high-tech tools for the farm that depend on high-speed web connectivity today to function properly continues to grow. Recognizing that the development of consistent broadband infrastructure is a ...
Farmland values sliding? Some say yes By: Jeff Caldwell 05/30/2012 @ 10:05am
It's been another huge year for farmland values and credit conditions in the heart of the Corn Belt. But, more players in the region's ag lending sector say they're less bullish on these trends ...
Monsanto leaders see major earnings growth ahead By: Jeff Caldwell 05/30/2012 @ 8:23am
Based on strong sales in the company's seed and traits business, Monsanto leaders say they expect financial performance to outpace expectations earlier this year.Monsanto CEO Hugh Grant said this week he ...
Heat, dryness drag corn conditions lower By: Jeff Caldwell 05/29/2012 @ 4:00pm
Dry, hot weather's causing a dip in corn conditions, with 5% fewer acres in good-to-excellent shape compared to just over a week ago, according to Tuesday's USDA-NASS Crop Progress report.72% of the ...
China taps U.S. to build swine, crop genetics By: Jeff Caldwell 05/29/2012 @ 2:35pm
One one side of the coin, it could be seen as a global competitor taking U.S. resources and using it for its own gain. On the other side of the coin, regardless of the means, it could generate more demand for ...
Early fuel critical to corn root growth By: Jeff Caldwell 05/29/2012 @ 2:02pm
A toddler doesn't eat as much as an NFL offensive lineman.But, whether 35 pounds or 350 pounds, a person needs the same basic nutrients, just in different amounts.The same is true with a young corn crop ...
'No magic bullet' to boosting dairy herd reproduction By: Jeff Caldwell 05/29/2012 @ 1:43pm
A lot of beef cattle producers have used artificial insemination to bring about more predictable, higher-yielding pregnancy rates in their herds. Though it's less common in the dairy sector, it can have a ...
Ethanol business needs E15 to survive -- experts By: Jeff Caldwell 05/29/2012 @ 10:57am
Last year was a big one for the ethanol business. U.S. producers refined just shy of 14 billion gallons of the biofuel and exports grew sharply, capping off a 2-year trend moving from a net importer to a next ...
Dryness hampering weed control, farmers say By: Jeff Caldwell 05/29/2012 @ 9:57am
The moisture outlook for the parched parts of the Corn Belt and mid-South is improving. While it's likely to slash the heat and drought stress on the region's crops, it may not come in time for ...
Farmers find variable yields as KS combines roll By: Jeff Caldwell 05/29/2012 @ 9:27am
Tuesday's the day when a lot of test cutting turns into full-blown wheat harvest -- weeks ahead of the normal start time -- for farmers throughout Kansas.So far, variability is the theme of this ...
An ever-changing grain marketplace By: Jeff Caldwell 05/25/2012 @ 4:20pm
The last week has seen some big changes in the grain trade. First, CME Group officials expanded electronic trading hours. Then, officials on Friday announced they're seeking federal approval to expand ...
Thirsty crops need more than a shower By: Jeff Caldwell 05/24/2012 @ 1:14pm
From Plains wheat country to the eastern Corn Belt, there's a lot riding on rainfall chances this weekend.The last several weeks have seen just fractions of normal rainfall in the nation's ...
Cooperative buys stake in Brazil logistics By: Jeff Caldwell 05/24/2012 @ 9:38am
The American investment in Brazilian agriculture continues with the announcement Thursday that the large U.S. farmer-owned cooperative CHS Inc. has bought 25% ownership in a Brazilian ag logistics company.The ...
Bearish combo greets corn trade By: Jeff Caldwell 05/24/2012 @ 8:16am
Favorable crop weather, namely growing rainfall chances in some of the driest parts of the Corn Belt, as well as lower-than-expected corn export sales numbers released Thursday morning, could push grain ...
A few answers on new CME Group hours By: Jeff Caldwell 05/23/2012 @ 9:59am
There are a lot of questions swirling around CME Group leaders' decision to expand electronic trading hours. Though it's not an enormous expansion, time-wise, it has some major implications for grain ...
New tool targets fuel efficiency for trucks By: Jeff Caldwell 05/22/2012 @ 2:32pm
The automotive industry has rolled out a lot of new systems and tools in recent years to boost fuel efficiency in passenger cars in the U.S.But, it's medium- and heavy-duty trucks where the biggest ...
One tool to boost irrigation efficiency By: Jeff Caldwell 05/22/2012 @ 11:56am
With such a dry start to spring, the prospect of keeping crops watered on irrigated ground may seem daunting...and pricey. But, there's one simple tool that you can use to get more out of your irrigation ...
Ukraine, Russia wheat hurting for rain By: Jeff Caldwell 05/22/2012 @ 10:40am
Much of what's underpinned a hot wheat market lately is drought stress not just in the U.S., but in major wheat-growing regions abroad, namely in parts of eastern Europe.It's been dry in the former ...
Don't count on a hog market rally yet By: Jeff Caldwell 05/22/2012 @ 8:45am
There were a lot of expectations for a resurgence in the hog market this spring. It's happened in each of the last 5 years. But, it hasn't happened yet this spring. Why not?The answer's not a ...
Drought fears heat up as planting wraps By: Jeff Caldwell 05/21/2012 @ 3:23pm
Almost all the nation's corn is planted and just over 3/4 of the soybeans are in the ground, according to Monday's USDA-NASS Crop Progress report.Monday's report also is the first of the season ...
EPA green-lights rice sheath blight control By: Jeff Caldwell 05/21/2012 @ 1:58pm
A year ago, Louisiana farmer Kim Frey lost about 20% of his rice yield potential because of sheath blight. Recent federal action could make that kind of loss a thing of the past.“Last year we had whole cuts ...
Dry weather spreading By: Jeff Caldwell 05/21/2012 @ 10:15am
A quick look at a National Weather Service map showing the nation's percent of average precipitation since the beginning of this year reveals a trend that is beginning to stoke concerns of crop stress ...
Farm country drought worries rising By: Jeff Caldwell 05/18/2012 @ 2:18pm
It's drying up in the Plains and Corn Belt, and the trend -- that could be just getting started -- has a lot of farmers and grain market participants a little worried."Soil moisture below the first inch ...
Plains wheat sliding; markets watching By: Jeff Caldwell 05/17/2012 @ 9:54am
A quick turn to drier conditions and a crop that's weeks ahead of its normal developmental pace has the Plains winter wheat crop moving downhill quickly, and the trend could have a ripple effect that hits ...
Crop insurance payout nears $11 billion By: Jeff Caldwell 05/16/2012 @ 3:34pm
A few months ago, questions circled closer to the $9 billion mark.But now, some are speculating the crop indemnity payments for the last crop year could soar beyond the $11 billion mark, according to a crop ...
Corn Belt soil erosion worries continue By: Jeff Caldwell 05/16/2012 @ 3:12pm
There's a lot of soil erosion so far this spring around Clarke McGrath. The Iowa State University (ISU) Extension field agronomist near Harlan in western Iowa says it's the worst it's been in ...
Weathering a wide corn planting window By: Jeff Caldwell 05/16/2012 @ 2:06pm
It's been a few years since the corn planting window has swung this wide open. It's been about 2 months since some farmers started planting corn, and that means there's going to be a lot of ...
Farmland value surge rolls on -- Fed survey By: Jeff Caldwell 05/15/2012 @ 2:31pm
Farmland values are enticing more landowners to cash in and put more acres up for sale, but the growing inventory for sale has yet to slow the market's upward scream, according to the results of a recent ...
Corn planting nears its end -- USDA By: Jeff Caldwell 05/14/2012 @ 3:24pm
Just shy of 90% of the nation's corn crop is planted, and farmers in all but a couple of states are well on their way to an early wrap to planting season, Monday's USDA-NASS weekly Crop Progress ...
Market wants soybeans -- economist By: Jeff Caldwell 05/14/2012 @ 2:04pm
Though the outside markets -- namely the stock market, which has been tanking over the last few days -- are doing a lot to push grain prices lower, there's still a lot of fundamental support for soybeans ...
Update: Renting land & losing money By: Jeff Caldwell 05/11/2012 @ 11:01am
If a farm next to yours -- a piece of ground that you've been yearning to get your hands on -- comes up for rent, how far would you go to get it? Would you go far enough to make it a financially losing ...
Spring sprayer prep roundup By: Jeff Caldwell 05/11/2012 @ 9:49am
Untitled Document Once you've got your crops planted, the meanest of the spring rush may be over. But, don't kick back and relax just yet. It's a good time to make sure your ...
Get your sprayer in shape By: Jeff Caldwell 05/11/2012 @ 9:25am
What you're spraying to control pests in your crops may not be as important as how you're putting it down. That makes good sprayer calibration more important than it's ever been, especially ...
Planting weather window flies open By: Jeff Caldwell 05/11/2012 @ 8:56am
A whole lot of corn ought to get planted over the next few days in the Midwest.The 6- to 10-day outlook shows little to no precipitation in the Corn Belt, and that ought to allow some major planting progress ...
Is your herbicide still working? By: Jeff Caldwell 05/09/2012 @ 11:16am
If you planted corn earlier and quicker than you usually do, your crop may be subject to greater-than-normal early weed pressures.Farmers made massive planting progress over the last 2 weeks in some key Corn ...
Another big week for Corn Belt planters By: Jeff Caldwell 05/07/2012 @ 3:46pm
Farmers had another speedy week in the corn planters despite some fairly regular and, in spots, heavy rainfall in the heart of corn and soybean country.As of Sunday, 71% of the nation's corn crop is in ...
Get interactive with AG CONNECT 2013 By: Jeff Caldwell 05/07/2012 @ 2:45pm
Get a jump on the 2013 AG CONNECT Expo and find out how much -- and who -- you know in your business by tying in to a new interactive program leading up to the ag industry show in Kansas city next January.AG ...
Iowa land rent shoots past $250/acre mark By: Jeff Caldwell 05/07/2012 @ 11:37am
If you think farm land sale prices are high, how does an increase of $38 a year...to rent row crop acres...hit you?That's what the results of the latest Iowa State University (ISU) Extension land rental ...
U.S. soybeans to Brazil: Will the market care? By: Jeff Caldwell 05/04/2012 @ 1:57pm
Brazil hasn't bought U.S. soybeans on the export market for a long time. But, that's just what's likely to happen in the coming weeks and possibly months. So, will the market take note, or have ...
Jobs data sinks grains in early trading By: Jeff Caldwell 05/04/2012 @ 10:13am
A disappointing U.S. jobs report released Friday morning sent the grain market on a downward slide in early trading as investors sold off to reduce risk exposure.In early trading, nearby corn futures traded 5 ...
BASF targets 'overall plant health' with new fungicide By: Jeff Caldwell 05/03/2012 @ 2:58pm
Federal officials signed off on a new ingredient key to a lineup of new BASF fungicides on Thursday, paving the way for farmers to access a limited supply of the products in 2012, with a full product roll-out ...
Training vital to young farm worker safety By: Jeff Caldwell 05/03/2012 @ 8:49am
Much to the relief of farmers and ranchers, the U.S. Department of Labor last week backed away from what was garnering massive criticism from farm country: A proposal to restrict child labor on farms.But even ...
6 factors to consider when replanting corn By: Jeff Caldwell 05/02/2012 @ 3:37pm
Spring got off to a roaring start in March. But, since then, the weather's turned cooler and damp in much of the Corn Belt, trimming planting progress and in some cases, creating the need to replant some ...
Corn Belt rains fueling soil erosion By: Jeff Caldwell 05/02/2012 @ 9:43am
Another storm system that brought spotty heavy rainfall and severe wind will again push back planting progress in central and western parts of the Corn Belt. But, it could be doing more than that.According to ...
Tips to back off herbicide resistance By: Jeff Caldwell 05/01/2012 @ 3:05pm
A herbicide-resistant weed or 2 here and there is inevitable in today's crop production systems. It's going to happen. Now, whether those 1 or 2 weeds turn into widespread resistance that threatens ...
Early-planted corn facing a tough go By: Jeff Caldwell 05/01/2012 @ 8:29am
If you planted corn way earlier than normal in hopes of getting an early start, Bob Nielsen has good news and bad news for you.First, the good news is if you applied "a healthy rate" of starter fertilizer when ...
Corn planters race by halfway point By: Jeff Caldwell 04/30/2012 @ 3:33pm
Even in areas where progress was in the single digits a week ago, corn planters played a major week of catch-up in a season that's already running ahead of the normal pace by a wide margin.Monday's ...
Farming to end starvation By: Jeff Caldwell 04/30/2012 @ 10:31am
Imagine making less than $1 per month. Imagine not being able to afford food for you or your family. Imagine living in an area constantly shredded by violence and epidemic disease.What would you do? For ...
Farm loan volume following profits higher By: Jeff Caldwell 04/30/2012 @ 9:25am
Ag lenders have a lot more loans on the books right now than they did a year ago, according to new information from the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. Loan portfolios grew by about a third at small and ...
Where are your soil nutrients? By: Jeff Caldwell 04/30/2012 @ 8:26am
Most all fall-applied anhydrous was still in the soil when winter broke. But, that happened earlier than normal, and some nitrification happened throughout the month of March, when temperatures were warmer ...
Export demand sends grains skyward By: Jeff Caldwell 04/27/2012 @ 3:15pm
Soybean futures shot through the roof Friday on news of massive new export sales. That factor has combined with a shrinking crop outlook for South America to fuel major upside for soybeans and, at ...
Time to talk hay By: Jeff Caldwell 04/26/2012 @ 10:04am
Spring arrived early this year, and with it, so did the start to the hay and forage growing season. So, how is your alfalfa crop looking so far this spring? Join the discussion: Your hay cropCheck out some of ...
What if you plant soybeans this early? By: Jeff Caldwell 04/26/2012 @ 9:35am
If this week's USDA Crop Progress report was any indication, there could be a lot of farmers in Illinois ready to plant soybeans soon. But, is it okay to plant soybeans this early? A lot of research shows ...
Soil moisture still short in some areas By: Jeff Caldwell 04/26/2012 @ 8:38am
Recent rainfall has improved soil conditions immensely in some parts of the Corn Belt. But, the subsoil moisture worries aren't over in other areas. One area of great concern right now is northwestern ...
Has your alfalfa been nipped by frost? By: Jeff Caldwell 04/26/2012 @ 8:17am
The alfalfa crop in much of the Midwest has gotten a boost from the early start to spring. But, temperatures have dipped in the last month, leaving some fields susceptible to frost and freeze damage. So, how ...
6 tips to salvage swathed alfalfa after a rain By: Jeff Caldwell 04/25/2012 @ 3:02pm
If your alfalfa crop's ready for its first cut ahead of the normal time this spring, but conditions aren't perfect, there are a few ways to prevent any problems caused by haying during cool, wet ...
Plenty of room for soybean bulls By: Jeff Caldwell 04/25/2012 @ 11:46am
A couple of days of double-digit gains in the soybean trade fueled by new export sales potential could be tipping the acreage battle scale in that crop's favor over corn, at least for the acres where a ...
Reaching a fair pasture rent deal By: Jeff Caldwell 04/25/2012 @ 8:39am
If you're on either side of a pasture rental agreement, there may be factors you're overlooking that could become part of negotiating a price, one specialist says. Things like insurance, fence ...
Bale your own hay or hire out? By: Jeff Caldwell 04/25/2012 @ 8:17am
Can you get a better deal baling your own hay or having a custom baler do the work for you?It all depends on your equipment costs, operating costs and what it takes to raise your crop versus what you pay for ...
Live cattle close limit-down after BSE find By: Jeff Caldwell 04/24/2012 @ 2:42pm
A dairy cow has tested positive for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or mad cow disease, on a farm in California, federal officials announced Tuesday. And, it had the live cattle market locked ...
Outlook favors Corn Belt trend yields By: Jeff Caldwell 04/24/2012 @ 9:25am
A new outlook shows trend or above-trend corn and soybean yields could be in the cards for much of the Corn Belt this summer. That's if Mother Nature has anything to say about it.The North American Summer ...
Throwing the brakes on corn planting? By: Jeff Caldwell 04/23/2012 @ 3:46pm
If they keep moving at this rate, by the second week of May, there may not be a whole lot of corn left to plant in the U.S. But, looking at the forecast for the coming week or so, that could be a big ...
Think long-term with wild land prices By: Jeff Caldwell 04/23/2012 @ 1:41pm
Some Corn Belt values have seen their sharpest price jumps ever. Crop prices have been good. Interest rates have been low. Farm incomes have been healthy. Makes for a healthy outlook for farm land values ...
Drainage tile still a hot commodity By: Jeff Caldwell 04/20/2012 @ 2:52pm
Last month, Timewell, Illinois-based Timewell Tile sold 12 times the amount of farm tiling supplies and materials than it did in March 2011. That's despite some major increases in raw materials in the ...
Early planting = above-trend yields? By: Jeff Caldwell 04/19/2012 @ 9:20am
This week's USDA Crop Progress report shows farmers are getting their corn in the ground, generally, at the quickest national pace on record. So, beyond just having time to stop and take a breath, then ...
Replanting corn? Knock down old stand first By: Jeff Caldwell 04/19/2012 @ 9:04am
A lot of corn acres have faced freezing temperatures since they were planted. Some were salvaged, but others may have gotten knocked out. So, now what?Replant's inevitable in some cases, but just make ...
When is cold too cold for young corn? By: Jeff Caldwell 04/18/2012 @ 11:32am
A couple of pages on Mother Nature's calendar must have been out of order. In much of the Corn Belt, March was mostly dry and unseasonably warm. Now, April's turned wetter and cooler. Though the ...
Corn planters roll at breakneck pace By: Jeff Caldwell 04/17/2012 @ 3:34pm
It's not the 20% to 25% completion level that some in the trade were expecting, but corn planting is still moving at a record pace in the U.S., according to Tuesday's USDA-NASS Crop Progress ...
Storms roar, rains fall, markets watch By: Jeff Caldwell 04/16/2012 @ 9:21am
Weekend storms brought more than 100 tornadoes and in some cases, up to 6 inches of rain to the nation's midsection. And, the severe weather and moisture came at a key time in the crop year, with the ...
Are you ready for severe weather? By: Jeff Caldwell 04/13/2012 @ 11:30am
When forecasters call for ominous conditions, it can raise concerns and even fears for the worst in rural America. Are you prepared? Farmers and Agriculture.com Farm Business Talk members say they're ...
Max out your corn yield potential By: Jeff Caldwell 04/11/2012 @ 10:10am
The world's appetite for corn isn't getting any smaller, and that's got U.S. farmers under the gun to raise the best corn crop they can this year. Doing so starts from the ground-up and begins ...
Grains open Wednesday mixed By: Jeff Caldwell 04/11/2012 @ 10:00am
The grains are off to a mixed start Wednesday, with corn and wheat trading slightly higher and soybeans dipping just into the red.In early trading, nearby corn futures are 3 1/4 cents higher at $6.38 per ...
Grain prices slow hog herd growth By: Jeff Caldwell 04/10/2012 @ 1:00pm
The continued decline in South American soybean crop output expectations, like the one released Tuesday, have implications for more than just the grain markets. Though it's been poised at the brink of an ...
A few early corn insect threats By: Jeff Caldwell 04/10/2012 @ 12:36pm
A lot of the latest weather forecasts for this summer in the Corn Belt include warmer-than-normal temperatures and the likelihood of less-than-normal precipitation. That's good news for some insect ...
Freezing temps roll into Corn Belt By: Jeff Caldwell 04/10/2012 @ 11:03am
Blame a major mass of Canadian air for the sub-freezing temperatures that hit part of the Corn Belt overnight and is expected to sink temps as low as the 20s again Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning ...
USDA rolls out bullish WASDE numbers By: Jeff Caldwell 04/10/2012 @ 7:39am
In its monthly World Ag Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report Tuesday Morning, USDA left U.S. corn stocks and use unchanged and lowered global soybean production based largely on crop trouble in South ...
Corn planting at 7% -- USDA By: Jeff Caldwell 04/09/2012 @ 3:44pm
Farmers made decent strides in planting corn in the last week, but it wasn't the barnburner most in the grain trade expected. As of Sunday, 7% of the nation's corn is planted, according to ...
Out with La Niña, in with El Niño? By: Jeff Caldwell 04/09/2012 @ 1:05pm
El Niño or La Nina: Which will stand up and take control of this summer's crop weather in the Midwest? The weather-forecasting community has spent recent weeks looking for a signal on the direction and ...
Planters rolling; is the time right? By: Jeff Caldwell 04/09/2012 @ 10:45am
The trade expects that, by the time USDA releases its weekly Crop Progress report Monday afternoon, farmers will have made some pretty major strides planting corn and the numbers will reflect a fairly busy ...
El Nino & corn yield potential By: Jeff Caldwell 04/06/2012 @ 2:04pm
It's likely going to be warmer than average, but the mercury likely won't top out as high as last summer. That's the assessment of the meteorologists at MDA EarthSat Weather, a Gaithersburg ...
Freeze drops in on western Corn Belt By: Jeff Caldwell 04/06/2012 @ 7:51am
The freezing temperatures that everybody was hoping would stay at bay hit parts of the western and central Corn Belt overnight and into Friday morning.According to Freese-Notis Weather, Inc., temperatures are ...
6 calving tips from the crowd By: Jeff Caldwell 04/04/2012 @ 11:53am
How's your calving season going? Producers around the country say so far, for the most part, the warmer-than-normal weather has been kind to a lot of calving cows. But, what else goes into a successful ...
Moisture concerns flaring up By: Jeff Caldwell 04/04/2012 @ 9:14am
While the soil moisture's rapidly improving in parts of the southern Plains so far this spring, there are still dry pockets. One of those areas that's thirsty is Nebraska. The U.S. Drought Monitor ...
Plains wheat advancing rapidly By: Jeff Caldwell 04/03/2012 @ 9:12am
What a difference a year can make. A year ago, much of the southern Plains was severely short on moisture, making for disastrous conditions for the region's winter wheat crop. But, this year's an ...
Corn planters start out slowly -- USDA By: Jeff Caldwell 04/02/2012 @ 3:39pm
Farmers in some Corn Belt states aren't waiting any longer before they start planting corn. Monday afternoon saw the release of this year's first weekly USDA Crop Progress report, and it shows that ...
Tips to keep your grain bins mold-free By: Jeff Caldwell 04/02/2012 @ 2:29pm
Not planting yet? Then it's a good time to make sure your stored grain isn't developing a mold problem. The warmer-than-normal weather this last winter may have been easy on your back, without as ...
Keep spring fieldwork timframes tight By: Jeff Caldwell 04/02/2012 @ 11:05am
If you're holding off to plant corn despite the warm spring weather thus far, just don't fill that time with excessive tillage passes through your fields, advises one agronomist.The warm winter and ...
Weather, China looming large By: Jeff Caldwell 03/30/2012 @ 9:46am
The weather and China. If you want to draw a bead on where grain prices are going, there are your new drivers.That's the message from the CME Group floor Friday morning after USDA released bullish ...
Grains will 'stay nervous' By: Jeff Caldwell 03/30/2012 @ 8:02am
USDA pegged 2012 corn acreage toward the top end of the previous trade estimate range Friday morning. That, taken alone, is bearish. But, add to it the tightest old-crop corn stocks in almost 2 decades, and ...
95.9 million corn acres in 2012 -- USDA By: Jeff Caldwell 03/30/2012 @ 7:36am
U.S. farmers are going to plant a lot more corn this year, USDA said Friday morning, and that's got the corn trade in a bearish state of mind ahead of Friday's opening bell.In its annual Prospective ...
What if there's no late frost? By: Jeff Caldwell 03/29/2012 @ 10:34am
The weather's nice now, but the window for frost and freeze potential is far from closed. But, what if it doesn't freeze? What if the May-like March weather will stick around through spring and into ...
Soil temps slip; more rain likely soon By: Jeff Caldwell 03/29/2012 @ 8:40am
If you're looking to plant corn in the next few days, Mother Nature seems to be holding you back at arm's length.A look at soil temperatures for the state of Iowa over the last few days reveals the ...
FSA lifts CRP prescribed burning mandate By: Jeff Caldwell 03/28/2012 @ 11:39am
The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is changing this year. Changing a lot. There are new signup periods, new land practices and plantings, and new requirements. But, one of the program's requirements ...
Early planting & yield prospects By: Jeff Caldwell 03/28/2012 @ 10:45am
The rains that fell over much of the central U.S. have dried out enough to allow farmers to get back into the field and resume what so far has been a jump-start to the crop season.It's been quite an ...
Managing soil diseases By: Jeff Caldwell 03/27/2012 @ 11:04am
Once you've had a soil-bourne disease present in your field, it's likely going to be there for a long time. But, whether they continue to cause crop damage depends on how you manage specific ...
Kansas wheat crop looking good By: Jeff Caldwell 03/27/2012 @ 9:51am
A crop that was in dire condition is starting to improve and actually "looks pretty good" in parts of the Plains.Rains have fallen around the wheat belt in the last couple of weeks, and combined with the ...
Early corn planting roundup By: Jeff Caldwell 03/23/2012 @ 3:26pm
The weather's been great lately, enticing a lot of Corn Belt to start rolling out the planter. But, there are a lot of pitfalls to planting this early; there's a lot more time for the ...
Early corn planting could up pest dangers By: Jeff Caldwell 03/23/2012 @ 3:06pm
If you're planting corn this early, how will your crop's insect pressures differ from a more "normal" year?Farmers taking advantage of the quick start to spring could face different pest pressures at ...
Planting early? Watch those weeds By: Jeff Caldwell 03/23/2012 @ 11:49am
If you plant corn now, you may be setting yourself up for some increased pest pressure later on in the growing season. And, the unseasonably warm weather isn't just enjoyable for you. The weeds that made ...
Land value gains show farmer optimism By: Jeff Caldwell 03/21/2012 @ 3:26pm
Farmers buying land in Illinois see the current trend of profitability continuing at least the next year or so, at least based on the current trend in that state, according to the results of the survey of farm ...
Pre-report acreage estimates piling up By: Jeff Caldwell 03/21/2012 @ 1:35pm
Corn and soybean acreage estimates are coming in ahead of next Friday's likely market-moving USDA Prospective Plantings report. And, those numbers are starting to creep higher.Last week, Informa Economics ...
Early planting & replant payback By: Jeff Caldwell 03/21/2012 @ 10:07am
If you plant corn this early and it gets frozen or falls victim to another weather-related disaster, chances are your crop insurance won't pay for you to replant the crop. But, with most products ...
Costs rise for 2012 corn crop By: Jeff Caldwell 03/21/2012 @ 9:08am
What did it cost you to raise your 2011 corn crop? Add about $50/acre to that and that's about what it will be this year. That's according to some new research from University of Illinois Extension ...
Beef herd growth starting slowly By: Jeff Caldwell 03/21/2012 @ 8:49am
There's been talk for months that tight beef supplies would turn around years of herd cuts and expansion would begin. Recent numbers show that's starting to happen.First, how much has the herd ...
Tractor sales up, combine sales down By: Jeff Caldwell 03/21/2012 @ 8:03am
Farmers are buying more tractors so far this year than they were a year ago, according to a report from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) out this week.As of last month, tractor sales in all ...
Grain declines leveling off? By: Jeff Caldwell 03/21/2012 @ 6:45am
There looks to be a little more life in the corn, soybean and wheat trades Wednesday after overnight prices appear to have stemmed the sharp declines seen in all pits after Tuesday's session.Early calls ...
Planting corn early? Watch treatment timing By: Jeff Caldwell 03/20/2012 @ 12:50pm
With all the talk of early planting lately, the idea of early fieldwork has almost taken a backseat. But, just as the wrong conditions later on in the spring could doom an early-planted crop, bad timing can ...
Grains slump to start Tuesday By: Jeff Caldwell 03/20/2012 @ 9:49am
Bearish news from early spring fieldwork progress and a separation from mostly bullish outside markets has sent the grains lower Tuesday in early trading after a lower day Monday.In early trading, the May corn ...
Grains starting spring lower By: Jeff Caldwell 03/20/2012 @ 7:03am
Monday's CME Group slide in grain prices continued overnight and looks to at least start Tuesday's session on the same note, sources say. Early calls are corn 4-6 cents lower, soybeans 8-10 lower and ...
Is it 'nuts' to plant now? By: Jeff Caldwell 03/19/2012 @ 1:47pm
A farmer in southeast Iowa was planting corn last weekend. So says Agriculture.com Marketing Talk frequent contributor djsinseia. The local coffee shop talk, he says, ranges from "He's nuts" to "He might ...
Is it N time yet? By: Jeff Caldwell 03/19/2012 @ 11:03am
The calendar may not say so yet, but for a lot of Corn Belt farmers, spring has sprung. So, as fieldwork begins -- which it has in a lot of areas after days of 60- to 80-degree temperatures -- it's a good ...
Pondering early planting By: Jeff Caldwell 03/16/2012 @ 2:14pm
With as mild as the weather's been in the Corn Belt lately, a lot of farmers have turned attention to spring fieldwork, with planting not too far in the back of their minds. But, say the ...
Land price surge sticking around By: Jeff Caldwell 03/13/2012 @ 3:49pm
Whether driven by economics or emotion, the farm land value climb in Indiana's not going to change anytime in the near future, a recent survey there shows. A survey conducted with Indiana farm managers ...
'Spite effect' drives crazy land sales By: Jeff Caldwell 03/13/2012 @ 12:31pm
The continued spike in farm land values continues to be a huge story for corn and soybean farmers in the Midwest. But, are all these eye-popping land sale numbers really good indicators of where the land ...
Moisture extremes stress corn country By: Jeff Caldwell 03/12/2012 @ 7:22pm
If you're east of the Illinois-Indiana state line, you're likely on the wet side. If you're west of that line, you're probably too dry.That's according to farmers in Agriculture.com ...
Export jump fuels bullish hog outlook By: Jeff Caldwell 03/12/2012 @ 8:21am
There are 2 signs lately that there's reason for pork producers to be bullish on their marketplace.On Monday, the U.S. Meat Export Federation released a report showing U.S. pork exports were up sharply in ...
NE farm land rockets 31% higher By: Jeff Caldwell 03/09/2012 @ 1:37pm
Just when you think farm land values can't increase at a steeper clip, more numbers come along to blow off the top.That's happened again this week, this time in Nebraska. The latest survey of farm ...
Outside markets to trump WASDE By: Jeff Caldwell 03/09/2012 @ 7:41am
USDA left U.S. corn ending stocks unchanged, bringing them in right about where the trade expected, in its monthly World Ag Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report Friday morning.The report shows U.S ...
A 'quick start to spring' By: Jeff Caldwell 03/08/2012 @ 10:00am
The mild, spring-like early-March weather will probably continue for at least the next 10 days to 2 weeks, allowing farmers to get some early fieldwork done in the Corn Belt, one weather expert says.Places ...
What's a coronal mass ejection? By: Jeff Caldwell 03/08/2012 @ 9:24am
There's a different CME in the news this week.It's the solar phenomenon coronal mass ejection, not the Chicago Merchantile Exchange, that's been making headlines around the world this week ...
Celebrate National Ag Day! By: Jeff Caldwell 03/08/2012 @ 7:50am
It's your day! On Thursday, the U.S. is celebrating the agriculture industry with National Ag Day. As one of the day's sponsors, Successful Farming magazine and Agriculture.com is proud to ...
Warm winter poses unique crop threats By: Jeff Caldwell 03/06/2012 @ 12:58pm
It's been a warm winter in much of where the nation's corn, soybean and wheat crops are grown. And, it's been dry...a lot of farmers are heading into spring with a lot less soil moisture than a ...
Corn prices could slip through 2012 -- FAPRI By: Jeff Caldwell 03/05/2012 @ 3:28pm
Net income for corn and soybean farmers has been good in the last couple of years. Though that looks to continue in 2012, a new outlook this week has crop yields bouncing back and grain stocks normalizing ...
Beefing up corn stocks By: Jeff Caldwell 03/05/2012 @ 1:53pm
Is the market already planning on big corn and soybean crops this year? The March 2013 corn futures contract is trading between 80 and 85 cents lower than the March 2012 contract, a sign that "there is general ...
China facing grain bottlenecks By: Jeff Caldwell 03/05/2012 @ 9:50am
China continues to be a major user of U.S. corn and soybeans. But all the while, the nation's leaders are building up ag production capacity at home. Though it's helping meet the nation's ...
What's cookin' at Classic By: Jeff Caldwell 03/02/2012 @ 2:07pm
This year's Commodity Classic in Nashville, Tennessee, features a lot of new machinery, equipment and technology at the trade show and a lot of discussion about the industry's future ...
Will rains benefit S.A. crops? By: Jeff Caldwell 03/02/2012 @ 9:34am
Despite reports showing suffering corn and soybean crops in parts of South America, rains have fallen over the last 2 days, and that's got some of that region's leaders sounding optimistic about ...
Tools to keep up your soil By: Jeff Caldwell 03/01/2012 @ 11:29am
A couple of tools -- one old and one new -- look to be helping farmers maintain good, clean soil conditions heading into planting and beyond this spring.There's been a lot of talk among farmers and ...
What will a new fence cost this year? By: Jeff Caldwell 02/29/2012 @ 11:38am
Is building some new fence on your spring to-do list?If the answer's yes, but you're still waffling on what type of fence to build, Iowa State University Extension ag economist William Edwards can ...
What's precision worth? By: Jeff Caldwell 02/27/2012 @ 10:11am
What exactly does all that precision ag technology mean to your farm's bottom line? How's $8 or $9/acre sound?That's the result of a year-long study conducted by Iowa State University Extension ...
Will the ag 'boom' bust soon? By: Jeff Caldwell 02/14/2012 @ 3:19pm
Farming's a business of booms and busts. Each period of prosperity is followed by a downturn, some sharper than others. The last few years has been pretty good for a lot of U.S. farmers -- crop prices are ...
Making precision ag portable By: Jeff Caldwell 02/14/2012 @ 11:22am
A new tech tool lets you glean more data from your fields when planting your crop, but more importantly, puts it in a format in which you can take it with you wherever you go regardless of whether you've ...
$5 corn & no ag subsidies? By: Jeff Caldwell 02/13/2012 @ 3:11pm
Federal officials released a set of major ag outlook reports Monday, showing both where USDA officials anticipate crop sizes going in the next few years and how the Obama administration intends to delegate the ...
USDA trims corn, ups wheat stocks By: Jeff Caldwell 02/09/2012 @ 7:41am
The big number traders were watching ahead of Thursday morning's USDA grain supply and demand reports -- Argentina's corn crop size -- came in at the low end of trading estimates, representing a ...
Knock down herbicide resistance By: Jeff Caldwell 02/08/2012 @ 1:39pm
Glyphosate resistance isn't the end of the world.It certainly doesn't mean the popular herbicide is no longer any good, according to experts who took part in the Respect the Rotation events last ...
Planting corn into bone-dry soils? By: Jeff Caldwell 02/07/2012 @ 3:42pm
After a relatively dry fall and the same conditions through much of winter so far, there's some concern about dry conditions once corn-planting time rolls around in the Corn Belt this spring. So, if you ...
Land rent auctions 'stunning' By: Jeff Caldwell 02/07/2012 @ 9:59am
Murray Wise spent most of his day Monday trying to figure out how he'd handle it."I was stunned when I saw this," he says.The farm land broker and manager said it all started when he saw a copy of the ...
Latest on the land market By: Jeff Caldwell 02/06/2012 @ 12:57pm
Farm land and its rising value continues to be one of the biggest stories in the business of farming in the U.S. this winter. Now, there's recent speculation that it's not just the value to the owner ...
Meat giants share high expectations By: Jeff Caldwell 02/03/2012 @ 11:01am
Recent reports show the livestock business is in fairly good shape. And now, further proof of the sustainability of that strength comes in reports from 2 giants in the processing and retail sector on ...
Rounding up the 2012 cattle convention By: Jeff Caldwell 02/03/2012 @ 9:51am
The 800-pound gorilla in the cattle barn is this one: Is there a place for the cattle industry in the new 21st-century energy-based agriculture? Is the slide in cattle numbers and beef producers irreversible? ...
Is your fall-applied nitrogen escaping? By: Jeff Caldwell 02/02/2012 @ 9:30am
Last fall's fieldwork went smoothly for a lot of Corn Belt farmers. Harvest went quickly, then good field conditions and weather allowed plenty of opportunity to get this year's fertilizer applied ...
Arctic blast pounding Russian wheat By: Jeff Caldwell 02/01/2012 @ 11:08am
The major factor driving the wheat trade higher this week is half the world away from the wheat pits in Chicago and Kansas City.Arctic air is slamming much of the wheat-growing areas of Ukraine and central ...
Crunching the crop rotation numbers By: Jeff Caldwell 02/01/2012 @ 10:08am
The majority of farmers seem content to stick to their normal crop rotations this year. But, a sizable chunk -- 27% -- say they'll be planting more corn this spring.Those results from a recent ...
Wheat leads Turnaround Tuesday By: Jeff Caldwell 01/31/2012 @ 2:09pm
Wheat led the charge Tuesday as all major grains closed out Tuesday's CME Group trade sharply higher.At the close, March corn was 7 1/4 cents higher at $6.39 per bushel, March soybeans were 13 3/4 higher ...
Cattle herd expansion is on By: Jeff Caldwell 01/31/2012 @ 10:53am
The slimming down of the U.S. cattle herd on account of high feed costs seems to have dried up, and now herd expansion appears to be in the cards through this year, one economist says.Late last week ...
Grains kick off Tuesday sharply higher By: Jeff Caldwell 01/31/2012 @ 10:09am
Overnight strength in the grain pits based on anxiety about the EU debt situation spilled over to Tuesday's open, with corn, soybean and wheat futures all opening sharply higher.At the open, March corn ...
'Turnaround Tuesday' time? By: Jeff Caldwell 01/31/2012 @ 7:50am
Another Turnaround Tuesday could be in the cards, with overnight trading sending corn, soybeans and wheat futures higher after a sharply lower session Monday.Early calls for the grains are corn 6-8 higher ...
Grains sink in defensive Monday session By: Jeff Caldwell 01/30/2012 @ 2:19pm
The grains ended Monday just like they started.March soybeans led the slide, finishing the day 33 3/4 cents lower at $11.85 1/4 per bushel, according to Barchart.com. March wheat was 2 1/2 lower at $6.44 3/4 ...
Soybeans lead grains sharply lower By: Jeff Caldwell 01/30/2012 @ 9:51am
Soybeans are leading a board full of sharply lower prices in early CME Group grain trading Monday morning.In early trading, March soybeans are 22 1/4 cents lower at $11.96 3/4 per bushel, while March corn is 9 ...
Feds send LightSquared back to the drawing board By: Jeff Caldwell 01/30/2012 @ 8:59am
There are a lot of people in rural America -- including a lot of farmers -- who could benefit from better wireless connectivity. But, there's a big hitch in one company's plan to boost rural ...
Agronomy roundup By: Jeff Caldwell 01/27/2012 @ 11:43am
Spring will be here before you know it. In the meantime, take a few minutes to get ready to roll the dirt and get your crop in by checking out some of our latest agronomic features and chat in Crop ...
Grains mill around mixed in early trading By: Jeff Caldwell 01/27/2012 @ 9:53am
Corn and wheat have started higher, while soybeans are slightly lower in early trading Friday.In early trading, nearby corn futures are 4 cents higher at $6.38 1/2 per bushel, while nearby soybeans are 3 1/2 ...
Friday's trade seen starting mixed By: Jeff Caldwell 01/27/2012 @ 8:42am
Look for a mixed start to Friday's grain trade, with soybeans and wheat muddling around the unchanged mark and higher movement for corn, analysts say.Early calls for the grains are corn 3-5 higher ...
Rainfall chances improving down south By: Jeff Caldwell 01/26/2012 @ 9:18am
There's reason to believe that the dryness that's dominated southern Brazil and Argentina's crop weather over recent weeks could be on the way out, at least temporarily, one forecaster says ...
Land market keeps farm credit solid By: Jeff Caldwell 01/25/2012 @ 1:56pm
Surging farm land values in the nation's midsection haven't slowed down, and that's been good for ag lenders in the last year, according to a report released Wednesday by the Federal Reserve ...
For-hire trucking surged in late 2011 -- report By: Jeff Caldwell 01/25/2012 @ 10:38am
Some economists say as the trucking industry -- one closely related to the agriculture sector -- goes, so goes the economy in general. And, if recent numbers are any indication, the economy could be on its way ...
Clean energy 'promising' -- Obama By: Jeff Caldwell 01/25/2012 @ 9:39am
President Barack Obama didn't say the word "ethanol" Tuesday night during his State of the Union address. But, he did spend a lot of time talking about American energy production and his ...
Meet the 'Osama bin Laden' of weeds By: Jeff Caldwell 01/24/2012 @ 12:15pm
Get to know Palmer amaranth now, because you may wind up with fields full of it this summer if you're not careful. There are a lot of questions floating around right now about how to manage the weed ...
Crop insurance payouts top $9 billion By: Jeff Caldwell 01/24/2012 @ 10:11am
If crop insurance indemnity payments are an accurate picture of the value of crop losses, 2011 was a record year.Those payments added up to more than $9 billion for the first time in history last year, and ...
Volatility paces long-term weather outlook By: Jeff Caldwell 01/23/2012 @ 9:43am
The chances of a repeat of 2011 crop weather in the Corn Belt's likely this year, and if that happens, it could be a lot harder on crop yields. This winter's weather isn't far off from a year ...
Watch equities for farm land direction By: Jeff Caldwell 01/20/2012 @ 11:31am
Want to know where farm land prices are headed? One good place to watch is the stock market. And, the way things may shape up throughout 2012, that market could be the culprit of lower farm land ...
China's role to the grains By: Jeff Caldwell 01/19/2012 @ 3:13pm
China's Gross Domestic is higher than a lot of analysts thought it would be when the nation's leaders reported it Tuesday. But, it's still trending the opposite direction, and any ...
Irrigation boost crop energy efficiency -- study By: Jeff Caldwell 01/19/2012 @ 1:27pm
Irrigated corn on the Plains is energy-intensive, high-cost and high-risk, right? Wrong.That's the theme of a recent portfolio of research by University of Nebraska agronomists Ken Cassman and Patricio ...
Mitigating farm land flood damage By: Jeff Caldwell 01/19/2012 @ 11:11am
Last summer's Mississippi River flooding that included the deliberate breach of a levee in southern Illinois and Missouri may have started irreversible change to that region's landscape and its ...
Are your soils compacted? By: Jeff Caldwell 01/19/2012 @ 10:13am
If your soils are frozen and hard as a rock, this may not be in the cards for you just yet. But, if your temperatures are around the freezing mark, one way to stave off winter cabin fever and improve your crop ...
2012 looks bright for cattle business By: Jeff Caldwell 01/18/2012 @ 11:03am
A combination of fewer downside price risks stemming from factors like a gradual tightening of beef supplies and more upside potential through population growth and increased protein demands will likely add up ...
Demand healthy for higher-end beef By: Jeff Caldwell 01/18/2012 @ 10:08am
Feeding $6- to $7-per-bushel corn is a tough pill to swallow. But, many ranchers are making that work not only via the recent rally in cattle futures, but also focusing on premium markets that can net even ...
What if China stops growing? By: Jeff Caldwell 01/17/2012 @ 3:26pm
China's Gross Domestic is higher than a lot of analysts thought it would be when the nation's leaders reported it Tuesday. But, it's still trending the opposite direction, and any larger ...
Weather to trump USDA reports -- traders By: Jeff Caldwell 01/12/2012 @ 1:27pm
Though Thursday's USDA crop production, grain stocks and world supply/demand reports will have the "market bulls running to the door like salmon swimming up a spring stream, free food for the bears" as ...
Breaking down the yield numbers By: Jeff Caldwell 01/12/2012 @ 8:06am
According to Greg Thessen, Iowa state director for USDA-NASS, here's how corn yield broke down for major Corn Belt and Plains states for the 2011 crop:Illinois: 157 bu/ac; no change from 2010Indiana: 146 ...
USDA crop numbers high & bearish By: Jeff Caldwell 01/12/2012 @ 7:34am
The 2011 average corn yield was 147.2 bushels/acre and 41.5 bushels/acre for soybeans, according to Thursday's USDA annual Crop Production report.That means a corn crop of 12.4 billion bushels, up ...
USDA feeds market bears || Farmland 'bubble?' By: Jeff Caldwell 01/11/2012 @ 2:41pm
Farmers will plant about the same size of corn and soybean crops that the trade expected before Thursday's USDA Prospective Plantings report. But, the agency's Grain Stocks report showed there's ...
Fertilizer trends tough to predict By: Jeff Caldwell 01/10/2012 @ 2:57pm
What kind of crop rotation will be most lucrative for you this spring depends a lot on input costs. And, the most volatile crop input from recent years looks to be the leader again this year.Looking back over ...
Little relief in sight for Argentina By: Jeff Caldwell 01/10/2012 @ 10:16am
The entire economy of Argentina is starting to feel the effects of the hot, dry weather that's been ruthless to the ag sector there in recent weeks and months.A weekend that was filled with hopes of some ...
USDA closures draw ire, applause By: Jeff Caldwell 01/10/2012 @ 8:39am
In a move lauded by some and slammed by others, USDA announced this week the forthcoming closure of more than 250 USDA offices around the country and the "workforce decrease" of more than 7,000 ...
Vilsack: Rural America a 'bright spot' By: Jeff Caldwell 01/10/2012 @ 8:05am
The rural economy's healther this year than it was when he was named President Barack Obama's secretary of agriculture, Tom Vilsack said late last week. The former Iowa governor said Friday his ...
Focus turns to Thursday USDA reports By: Jeff Caldwell 01/09/2012 @ 3:23pm
Thursday morning, we'll get what's thought of as the final, most accurate picture of the previous year's corn and soybean crop output and domestic grain stocks on hand. And, farmers and traders ...
Midwest winter dryness continues By: Jeff Caldwell 01/09/2012 @ 9:06am
The small town of Cordova, Alaska, has had 18 feet of snow this winter. That's a far cry from what's fallen in the Midwest thus far, and that lack of winter precipitation's stoking anxiety about ...
Thinking of going corn-on-corn? By: Jeff Caldwell 01/06/2012 @ 2:24pm
If you were starting to plant your corn and soybeans tomorrow, would you know how much of each crop you'd be planting? There are a lot of questions surrounding the big variables influencing what will go ...
Any New Year's farm business goals? By: Jeff Caldwell 01/04/2012 @ 10:41am
For a lot of folks, the arrival of a new year means one thing: New Year's Resolutions.But, a new diet plan, money-saving scheme or general path toward self-fulfillment typically falls off the radar once ...
Hog producers: Follow 'prudent path' By: Jeff Caldwell 01/04/2012 @ 10:34am
The breeding hog herd's expanding, profits are at healthy levels and another good year's expected for hog producers who have been embattled in recent years by tough market conditions and major ...
Tractor, combine sales moving different directions By: Jeff Caldwell 01/03/2012 @ 3:57pm
Farm machinery sales are expected to move up by just under 5% in the coming year, down from last year, but higher than what's seen ahead, according to one industry group. The Association of Equipment ...
Drought talk heads north By: Jeff Caldwell 01/03/2012 @ 2:25pm
The last 3 weeks have been a hot, dry stretch in Brazil and Argentina and the grain markets in the U.S. have taken note. And, while that hot, dry weather's continuing in the southern hemisphere, it's ...
Grains close out 2011 on bullish note By: Jeff Caldwell 12/30/2011 @ 1:52pm
The grain markets closed out the last trading day of 2011 on a strong note, with corn, soybeans and wheat all ending the day higher.At the close, March corn was 8 1/2 cents higher at $6.46 1/2, January ...
Grains higher despite bearish pressures By: Jeff Caldwell 12/30/2011 @ 11:21am
The grains look like they're heading out of 2011 on a higher note, with higher prices in all pits at mid-day.March corn's 6 3/4 cents higher at $6.44 3/4 per bushel, January soybeans are 13 1/2 ...
Grains lift on S.A. weather, positioning By: Jeff Caldwell 12/30/2011 @ 9:48am
Year-end positioning and South American weather are the 2 big factors with the most attention from the trade Friday, and prices reflect those variables in early trading.At the open, March corn is 6 1/2 cents ...
Grains ride weather, exports higher Friday By: Jeff Caldwell 12/30/2011 @ 7:54am
Corn, soybeans, and wheat trended higher in overnight trading, and that strength is expected to spill over into Friday's open on the CME Group floor.Early calls for the grains are corn 6-8 cents higher ...
Grains slump on profit-taking, weather By: Jeff Caldwell 12/29/2011 @ 2:03pm
The mid-day trend continued through the closing bell Thursday, with corn, soybeans and wheat closing at session lows.March corn ended the day 4 1/2 cents lower at $6.38 per bushel, March wheat was 6 cents ...
Grains slide further Thursday By: Jeff Caldwell 12/29/2011 @ 11:46am
A mixed start has turned one direction Thursday at mid-day, as soybeans lead corn and wheat lower.March corn's 4 3/4 cents lower at $6.37 3/4 per bushel, while March wheat's 4 cents lower at $6.47 ...
End is nigh for ethanol blenders' credit By: Jeff Caldwell 12/29/2011 @ 10:26am
In June, the U.S. Senate voted toe nd the ethanol blenders' tax credit, a move decried by some ag groups and shrugged off by others. Now, that tax credit, formally known as the Volumetric Ethanol Excise ...
Grains open Thursday mixed By: Jeff Caldwell 12/29/2011 @ 9:52am
Corn's unchanged, wheat's holding on to slight gains and soybeans are slightly lower in early trading Thursday.Shortly after the open, March corn traded unchanged at $6.42 1/2 per bushel while March ...
Thursday grain trade starting lower By: Jeff Caldwell 12/29/2011 @ 7:08am
Just like they led all grains higher earlier in the week, soybeans are now leading all grains lower. Early calls for the grains are corn 2 cents lower to 2 cents higher, wheat 3-5 cents lower and soybeans 8-10 ...
Soybeans slip & fall into the red By: Jeff Caldwell 12/28/2011 @ 2:07pm
The uptrend in soybeans didn't last long Wednesday, and the January contract ended an up-and-down day in the red.At the close, March corn was 9 1/4 cents higher at $6.42 1/2 per bushel, March wheat was 6 ...
Soybeans flip, surge past $12/bushel By: Jeff Caldwell 12/28/2011 @ 11:45am
Soybeans have made a comeback from earlier bearishness and now join corn and wheat futures in the black at mid-day.March corn is 8 1/4 cents higher at $6.41 1/2 per bushel while March wheat's 9 cents ...
Profit-taking sends soybeans lower By: Jeff Caldwell 12/28/2011 @ 9:49am
Soybeans opened Wednesday's trade lower on profit-taking and corn-soybean spreading, sources say.March corn opened Wednesday's session 1 3/4 cents higher at $6.35 per bushel, while March wheat was 1 ...
Grains mixed heading into Wednesday By: Jeff Caldwell 12/28/2011 @ 7:05am
After a huge day for the bulls on Tuesday, the tone's more mixed going into Wednesday's trade, with corn and wheat higher but soybeans -- the big winner Tuesday -- dipping into the red. Early calls ...
Soybeans near $12 on La Nina pressure By: Jeff Caldwell 12/27/2011 @ 4:59pm
The grains closed out a monster rally Tuesday with double-digit gains in the corn, soybean and wheat pits on the CME Group floor.At the close, March corn was 13 3/4 cents higher at $6.33 1/4 per bushel, March ...
S.A. weather rally continues By: Jeff Caldwell 12/27/2011 @ 11:09am
A sharply higher opening has turned into a much more sharply higher trade as Tuesday's session nears its midway point.March corn has shot 13 cents higher at $6.32 1/2 per bushel, while March wheat is 20 ...
La Nina sends grains through the roof By: Jeff Caldwell 12/27/2011 @ 9:48am
La Nina's in the driver's seat for the grains Tuesday, and if the opening prices are any indication, it's going to be a bullish ride.March corn started the day 9 3/4 cents higher at $6.29 1/4 ...
Corn, soybeans look to start higher By: Jeff Caldwell 12/27/2011 @ 7:39am
Corn and soybean futures look to start Tuesday's trading session higher, while wheat still has some weakness to deal with, sources say.Early calls for the grains for Tuesday's session are corn 2-4 ...
Corn, soybeans end Friday higher By: Jeff Caldwell 12/23/2011 @ 2:09pm
Corn and soybean market bulls got an early Christmas present Friday, as both of those pits ended the day's session higher, capping off a week-long rally.At the close Friday, March corn was $6.20 1/2 per ...
Corn, beans dip; S.A. weather worries grow By: Jeff Caldwell 12/23/2011 @ 10:02am
Corn and soybean futures have dipped into the red in early trading Friday, as traders work to limit risk exposure ahead of the 3-day Christmas holiday weekend ahead. In early trading, March corn is 3/4 cent ...
Grain trade looks to start Friday higher By: Jeff Caldwell 12/23/2011 @ 7:26am
The grains kept ahold of slight gains in the overnight trade Thursday night and Friday morning, and those gais are expected to spill over into Friday's open outcry session on the CME Group floor ...
Grains manage 4th day of higher prices By: Jeff Caldwell 12/22/2011 @ 2:07pm
Corn slumped toward the closing bell, but remained on the plus side Thursday, with other pits ending the day higher in low-volume trading focused on weather in the southern hemisphere.At the close, March corn ...
Export sales figures add to grain surge By: Jeff Caldwell 12/22/2011 @ 1:12pm
Like college football analyst and former coach Lee Corso is famous for saying: Not so fast, my friend! After it looked like the grains were going to start giving back some of this week's gains, the slide ...
Grain gains continue Thursday slide By: Jeff Caldwell 12/22/2011 @ 10:23am
The CME Group grains are hanging on to slim gains in early trading Thursday.March corn is trading 1/2 cent higher at $6.17 per bushel, while March wheat is 1 1/2 higher at $6.18 1/2 and January soybeans are 5 ...
Grain gains slip into Thursday By: Jeff Caldwell 12/22/2011 @ 8:07am
After a slightly higher overnight trade, the CME Group grains look to hang on to those slim gains to start the day Thursday.Early calls for the grains are corn 1-3 cents higher, soybeans 2-4 higher and wheat ...
Brazil weather worries spur grain rally By: Jeff Caldwell 12/21/2011 @ 2:05pm
After a lower overnight and bearish start to the day's trade, the grains rebounded Wednesday to close higher across the board.At the close, March wheat was 9 1/2 cents higher at $6.16 1/2 per bushel ...
Grains turn higher at mid-day Wednesday By: Jeff Caldwell 12/21/2011 @ 11:35am
After an overnight trade and start to Wednesday spent in the red, the grains have rebounded and are trading higher at mid-day.At mid-day, March corn has moved 4 1/4 cents higher to $6.11 1/4 per bushel ...
Brazil rains sink U.S. grains By: Jeff Caldwell 12/21/2011 @ 10:02am
Tracking overnight losses, the grains opened Wednesday's trade slightly lower on news that rains are falling in South America, improving on the hot, dry crop-stressing weather there.In early trading ...
What will you get for corn & beans in 2012? By: Jeff Caldwell 12/21/2011 @ 8:17am
How's $5.65/bushel corn sound? How about $11.20 soybeans? Those are the average crop planning prices for 2012, according to Iowa State University Extension ag economist Chad Hart. Corn prices will fall ...
Grains look to start lower Wednesday By: Jeff Caldwell 12/21/2011 @ 7:47am
After 2 days of higher trading, corn, soybean and wheat futures look to start Wednesday's session on the lower side after a bearish overnight trade.Early calls for the grains are corn 2-4 lower, soybeans ...
Grain surge, cattle & hogs slump Tuesday By: Jeff Caldwell 12/20/2011 @ 2:00pm
After dipping earlier in the day, the corn trade rebounding, joining soybeans and wheat to close on the high side Tuesday.At the close, March corn was 6 1/2 cents higher at $6.07 1/2 per bushel, while January ...
Corn market dips into the red By: Jeff Caldwell 12/20/2011 @ 10:47am
Early trading's got corn dipping into the red, while soybeans and wheat hold on to slight gains, gripping on to favorable outside market factors. In early trading, March corn is down 1/4 cent at $6.00 3/4 ...
Grains seen starting higher By: Jeff Caldwell 12/20/2011 @ 8:24am
Look for a higher start to Tuesday's trade after Monday's strength spilled over into the overnight trade despite earlier gains being trimmed.Early calls for the commodities are corn 3-5 higher ...
Weather stokes grain, cattle trades By: Jeff Caldwell 12/19/2011 @ 3:19pm
Anxiety about hot, dry weather in South American corn and soybean country and worries about the opposite in the central U.S. Plains sent grain and livestock futures surging Monday.March corn futures ended the ...
Grains surge on weather worries By: Jeff Caldwell 12/19/2011 @ 12:56pm
Bolstered by crop-wilting weather in South America and a slower pre-holiday trading pace, the CME Group grains continue to trend higher Monday.At mid-day, March corn is 18 cents higher at $6.01 per bushel ...
Monday looks bullish for the grains By: Jeff Caldwell 12/19/2011 @ 9:11am
The grains look to start the week before Christmas on a positive note, with corn, soybeans and wheat called to open Monday's trade higher, sources say.Overnight trading saw the grains heading sharply ...
Would you raise your own land rent? By: Jeff Caldwell 12/15/2011 @ 1:46pm
Raise your own farm land rent? That may sound crazy, but with today's skyrocketing land values, that may be a smart thing to do if your land rental rates haven't changed in a while."A young neighbor ...
Tips for investing in farm land By: Jeff Caldwell 12/14/2011 @ 10:22am
There's no doubt about the direction of farm land prices. But, the land market has a mind of its own and "its own set of rules," making investing a whole different ballgame.Few assets in the world have ...
MF Global back on the hot seat By: Jeff Caldwell 12/13/2011 @ 2:36pm
With former MF Global (MFG) executives in the on-deck circle, a group of farmers and members of agribusiness sat across the table from Senate Agriculture Committee members on Capitol Hill Tuesday to discuss ...
Time to buy a new tractor? By: Jeff Caldwell 12/12/2011 @ 10:08am
Is a different tractor on your Christmas list this year? If you're on the fence about it, how should you decide?That's just the predicament Agriculture.com Farm Business Talk member Range2W finds ...
Making 5-figure farm land prices work By: Jeff Caldwell 12/09/2011 @ 1:54pm
Commodity prices have spent the last few months on the decline. But, a recent $20,000/acre farm land sale in northwestern Iowa shows the land market has yet to share the same trend. The recent land sale ...
USDA loosens corn, soybean stocks By: Jeff Caldwell 12/09/2011 @ 7:38am
In its monthly World Ag Supply/Demand Estimates (WASDE) report issued Friday morning, USDA cut corn usage and raised U.S. corn ending stocks, both by 5 million bushels, a combination that will likely be ...
Lawmakers grill MFG's Corzine By: Jeff Caldwell 12/08/2011 @ 3:00pm
Jon Corzine never intended for customer money to be commingled with those funds set aside for investment at MF Global.That was repeatedly his answer to the question whether he had overseen such a transfer ...
2012 grains 'down, not out' By: Jeff Caldwell 12/07/2011 @ 10:53am
World inventories of grain are still at or near historical lows, and that means the "long-term bull run" in the ag commodities isn't over. But, it may seem like it at some points in the next 12 months ...
Iron sales growth seen slowing in next 3 years By: Jeff Caldwell 12/06/2011 @ 2:20pm
Between an increase in the amount of new machinery farmers are buying this year and a general softening of the macroeconomy, the rate of growth in the U.S. farm machinery business is expected to slip in the ...
Is dwarf corn the next big thing? By: Jeff Caldwell 12/06/2011 @ 8:12am
Remember this word, because it might be one of the biggest developments in corn production research in the last decade: Brassinosteroids.That's the name of a naturally occurring steroid hormone in corn ...
Farmers buying more new iron By: Jeff Caldwell 12/05/2011 @ 3:31pm
Farm incomes are surging. As a result, so too are farmers' machinery investments, according to a recent report.It could be because they're replacing older equipment that "was not replaced earlier in ...
Grains mixed to close out the week By: Jeff Caldwell 12/02/2011 @ 2:12pm
Corn fell out of bed Friday, closing lower while soybeans and wheat ended the day higher.March corn ended Friday 8 1/4 cents lower at $5.86 1/2 per bushel, while January soybeans were 7 3/4 cents higher at ...
Small town age gap growing By: Jeff Caldwell 12/02/2011 @ 1:40pm
It's no secret that rural towns in the nation's middle are losing residents. But, it's the age of the residents leaving those small farm towns that could have the biggest, longest-lasting ...
Grains start Friday session mixed By: Jeff Caldwell 12/02/2011 @ 9:53am
Soybeans and wheat are higher while corn dipped lower shortly after the open Friday morning.Early expectations are for a higher trade Friday, with focus returning to bullish outside factors. But, a feared lag ...
Friday grain trade seen starting higher By: Jeff Caldwell 12/02/2011 @ 7:39am
The grains managed slight gains in overnight trading, and that's expected to spill over to Friday's trading session, sources say.Early calls for the grains are corn 2-4 higher, soybeans 5-7 higher ...
Corn, soybeans slide on demand worries By: Jeff Caldwell 12/01/2011 @ 4:11pm
Poor export demand and generally lackluster demand prospects for corn and soybeans sent those grains tumbling after a few days of bounceback gains on the CME Group floor Thursday.At the close, March corn was 6 ...
Weak export data sinks corn, soybeans By: Jeff Caldwell 12/01/2011 @ 12:34pm
Demand's in the driver's seat for Thursday's grain trade, and at mid-day, it's driving corn and soybean futures lower.At mid-day, March corn was 8 1/4 cents lower at $5.93 per bushel, while ...
Grains start higher; is the bottom in? By: Jeff Caldwell 12/01/2011 @ 9:47am
The grain market's strength in late trading Wednesday and the overnight session has fueled a strong start to Thursday's session, with corn, soybeans and wheat all trading higher. And now, some ...
Grains look to start Thursday higher By: Jeff Caldwell 12/01/2011 @ 7:41am
The grains spent the overnight trade on the higher side, and that strength is expected to spill into Thursday's trading session.Early calls for the grains are corn 4-6 cents higher, soybeans 9-11 higher ...
Grains close higher despite late slip By: Jeff Caldwell 11/30/2011 @ 2:13pm
An up-and-down trading day ended with corn, soybeans and wheat all in positive territory Wednesday.At the close, December corn was 3 1/4 cents higher at $6.01 1/4 per bushel, while January soybeans were 6 1/4 ...
Profit outlook slips for 2012 crop By: Jeff Caldwell 11/30/2011 @ 1:30pm
The recent slide in grain prices has 2012 crop revenue projections slipping.Nearby corn futures prices have fallen by around 90 cents in the last 3 months. That dip, at least in central Illinois, translates to ...
Profit-taking tips corn lower By: Jeff Caldwell 11/30/2011 @ 11:32am
It didn't take long for profit-taking to trim the gains fueled by this morning's move by the Federal Reserve to lower a key interest rate.Traders knocked the grains off morning highs in taking ...
Rate cut sends grains skyward By: Jeff Caldwell 11/30/2011 @ 9:48am
Early calls were for slightly higher grain prices Wednesday. Then, in stepped the Fed.After the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank and other world banks agreed to cut a key interest rate for bank fund transfers ...
Fed trims key bank rate By: Jeff Caldwell 11/30/2011 @ 9:35am
In a move to stabilize the shaky world economy but will also likely provide bullish fuel for the grain markets, the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank joined 5 other world central banks to lower the overnight index ...
Grains look higher to open Wednesday By: Jeff Caldwell 11/30/2011 @ 7:25am
It looks like another day of higher trading for the CME Group grains, though gains aren't expected to match the sharply higher moves of earlier this week.Early calls for the commodities are corn 3-5 ...
Grains ride outside factors higher By: Jeff Caldwell 11/29/2011 @ 2:19pm
The grain markets finished Tuesday's trading session higher, with wheat posting gains of nearly 20 cents/bushel.At the close, the December corn futures contract was 6 1/4 cents higher at $5.91 3/4 per ...
Crop, livestock incomes surging -- USDA By: Jeff Caldwell 11/29/2011 @ 1:45pm
When 2011 is in the books, net farm income will be almost 30% higher than it was last year, according to new USDA information. In all, U.S. farm income is expected to net just shy of $101 billion, $21.8 ...
Senate hearing will target MF Global By: Jeff Caldwell 11/29/2011 @ 10:59am
Congress is getting involved in the MF Global bankruptcy situation.On Tuesday, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) said in around 2 weeks, a Senate hearing will call leaders of the upended brokerage firm to Capitol ...
Grains rise on bullish outside news By: Jeff Caldwell 11/29/2011 @ 10:15am
There's not much fundamental news to trade on for corn and soybeans Tuesday morning, and the resulting focus on outside factors has the grains trading in the black.In early trading, December corn is 3/4 ...
Grains look to start slightly higher By: Jeff Caldwell 11/29/2011 @ 7:55am
After a higher day Monday, the grains look to continue that trend, at least at the start of trading Tuesday.Early calls for the grains are corn 1-2 cents higher, soybeans 3-5 higher and wheat 3-5 higher ...
Grains surge on demand, EU debt news By: Jeff Caldwell 11/28/2011 @ 2:10pm
Though down from earlier double-digit gains across the board, the CME Group grains managed to close higher for first time in over a week. December corn futures ended the day 8 1/2 cents higher at $5.91 per ...
Ruts in your field can be costly By: Jeff Caldwell 11/28/2011 @ 1:33pm
Got ruts?Whether from a wet spring or soggy fall, if your fields are full of ruts, it could cost you either lost production or a chunk off your bottom line to smooth things out, according to a Pennsylvania ...
Grains higher on possible EU debt deal By: Jeff Caldwell 11/28/2011 @ 11:45am
Crude oil and the equities are higher and the U.S. Dollar index is lower, a combination that's keeping the grain trade higher at mid-day, though the trade's given back some of the sharper early ...
Outside markets buoy grain futures By: Jeff Caldwell 11/28/2011 @ 9:54am
The grain markets -- like the financials and other indices -- have spent a lot of time in the red lately. Is Monday the start of a turnaround? Nearby corn jumped 10 1/2 cents in early trading Monday morning ...
Cash land rent ups red ink risk By: Jeff Caldwell 11/28/2011 @ 9:17am
Farm income projections for next year are still on the profitable side. Grain prices have slid since summer, but expected $5.40/bushel and $11.70/bushel prices for corn and soybeans, respectively, still mean ...
Grains looking up to start Monday By: Jeff Caldwell 11/28/2011 @ 7:39am
After an extended period of lower markets around the world, the grains are seen turning higher to start the week, sources say.Early calls for the commodities are corn 10-12 higher, soybeans 13-15 higher and ...
MF Global 'disaster' worsens By: Jeff Caldwell 11/22/2011 @ 2:24pm
What started out as a bad situation is getting worse.MF Global's announcement that it was filing for bankruptcy a couple weeks ago has set into motion a string of events that led to the revelation this ...
Keep your stored grain in good shape By: Jeff Caldwell 11/22/2011 @ 9:55am
As much as farmers in some areas would like it to fade from their memory banks, the hot, dry weather of last summer is still making its presence felt even as the mercury slides, now in the form of grain ...
Supercommittee upends farm bill By: Jeff Caldwell 11/22/2011 @ 9:20am
After the "Supercommittee" on Capitol Hill failed this week to reach a deal to trim the federal deficit, lawmakers are now taking stock of how federal programs will now end up. That includes Senator Chuck ...
Harvest wraps; focus turns to demand By: Jeff Caldwell 11/21/2011 @ 3:42pm
Farmers have the 2011 U.S. soybean crop whipped, and the corn crop's not far behind.It's not what Monday's USDA-NASS Crop Progress report shows that's the story; it's what it ...
Is a handheld GPS on your wish list? By: Jeff Caldwell 11/21/2011 @ 1:06pm
Even though most of today's new machinery comes equipped with in-cab monitors, handheld GPS units can be a big help with jobs other than mapping fields, making it easier to justify the cost of having GPS ...
Corn tanks below trading range By: Jeff Caldwell 11/17/2011 @ 1:18pm
Corn futures "fell out of bed" Thursday, with late trading falling more than 30 cents lower and leading all grains lower.December corn fell to 31 1/4 cents lower Thursday afternoon, settling at $6.11 1/2 per ...
Soybeans shine in harvest 2011 By: Jeff Caldwell 11/17/2011 @ 10:56am
Dust in your teeth or mud under your fingernails? This fall's corn and soybean harvests left most farmers with one or the other. Late summer and fall saw moisture extremes in about every field in the ...
Grains slump on exports, debt worries By: Jeff Caldwell 11/17/2011 @ 10:25am
The tumble continues: Corn, soybean and wheat futures are all trading lower in early trading Thursday.December corn futures are 15 3/4 cents lower at $6.27 per bushel, while January soybeans are 9 1/4 cents ...
Fertilizer leading higher 2012 inputs By: Jeff Caldwell 11/16/2011 @ 10:47am
A lot of early outlooks for 2012 crop input costs are higher, with some as much as 16% higher than this year's crop. See more: Getting ahead of 2012 inputs So, how do these kinds of increases stack up for ...
What's 'fair' cash rent for your land? By: Jeff Caldwell 11/15/2011 @ 2:36pm
Is what you're paying for cash rent "fair?" That's the target of recent data from University of Illinois ag economist Gary Schnitkey. Though average cash rent figures are posted for each state in ...
Farm land values continue skyward By: Jeff Caldwell 11/15/2011 @ 2:16pm
The farm land values rocket shows no sign of falling from orbit, at least in the 2 districts of the U.S. Federal Reserve encompassing much of the nation's midsection.Land gained 25% in value in both the ...
Land, capital top young farmer concerns By: Jeff Caldwell 11/15/2011 @ 10:43am
Tony Eickman was out of the running before the bidding even began for a quarter of ground near his Templeton, Iowa, farm."A neighbor's 160 acres are up for sale. The lawyer sent out a newsletter stating ...
Feeding distillers grains? Keep this in mind By: Jeff Caldwell 11/15/2011 @ 7:55am
Are you feeding distillers grains to your beef or dairy herd?Despite recent slides in the grain markets, corn is still relatively expensive as a feedstock. It's making distillers grains a more attractive ...
Make the most of your hay situation By: Jeff Caldwell 11/11/2011 @ 1:00pm
Hay has been a hot topic this summer and fall around the nation's midsection. The weather has made it tough for a lot of farmers to raise a good crop, and in some areas where the hay crop's been ...
Get more from lower quality hay By: Jeff Caldwell 11/11/2011 @ 9:32am
With a lot of quality issues around the country with this year's hay crop, livestock feeders need to watch what they're feeding their animals now more closely than ever.In the southern Plains, both ...
Post-USDA report market tug-of-war ahead By: Jeff Caldwell 11/09/2011 @ 8:48am
Outside markets are "getting pummeled" and that has taken away what many expected to be a bullish jolt of energy for the grain markets after USDA released its monthly Crop Production and World Ag Supply and ...
USDA trims corn ending stocks, yields By: Jeff Caldwell 11/09/2011 @ 7:33am
Despite lowered projected yields and tighter expected ending stocks for U.S. corn, USDA expects the per-bushel price range to stay put from last month's estimate. And now, at least until there's a ...
Christmas gifts for farmers -- 2011 By: Jeff Caldwell 11/08/2011 @ 3:32pm
For that hard-to-buy-for farmer or rancher on your Christmas list, click through the slideshows below to find the latest and greatest farm gift ideas, from books and toys to machinery and power ...
Paying everybody on the farm By: Jeff Caldwell 11/08/2011 @ 1:32pm
For today's young farmers, off-farm income is typically a necessity. It's otherwise next to impossible in many cases to get started farming.But, some younger farmers are growing increasingly ...
Harvest near its end in western Corn Belt By: Jeff Caldwell 11/07/2011 @ 3:56pm
Farmers in Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan still have a good amount of corn to pick, but elsewhere, they're either at or near the finish line for this year's corn and soybean ...
Weather tops early 2012 crop anxieties By: Jeff Caldwell 11/07/2011 @ 10:32am
For a lot of farmers, it wasn't the best crop year they've ever had. There were a lot of good soybean yields and not quite as many good corn yields, but with most of the 2011 crop in the bin, some ...
Having NH3 issues in dry soils? By: Jeff Caldwell 11/04/2011 @ 10:17am
Though rains have fallen over the last week in much of the Corn Belt, it's been an awfully dry fall in the region. And now, that could affect how much fertilizer you can put down before winter sets ...
Does corn-on-corn have a future? By: Jeff Caldwell 11/02/2011 @ 10:03am
Continuous corn was kind of a dud this year. Average corn-after-corn yields were almost 30 bushels lower than corn rotated with soybeans. See more: Corn-on-corn drawbacks big this year But, that's not the ...
Corn bounces back late By: Jeff Caldwell 11/01/2011 @ 3:34pm
After spending much of the day in the red, corn and wheat futures managed to turn higher late in Tuesday's session, leaving soybeans the only grain to finish lower.At the close, December corn futures were ...
Greece news sinks grains further By: Jeff Caldwell 11/01/2011 @ 1:12pm
The grain trade continues to sink into the red Tuesday, with corn, soybeans and wheat all trading lower on bearish global economic news, namely regarding the Greek debt situation and a referendum that ...
What's your side business? By: Jeff Caldwell 11/01/2011 @ 12:28pm
Sure, you may be running hard to get your crops in the bin now. But, once the bins are full and the equipment's in the shop for the winter, you may have time to get that side business you've been ...
Tuesday grain trade starts ugly By: Jeff Caldwell 11/01/2011 @ 10:02am
Early trading has the grains deeply in the red Tuesday morning as worries about European debt and MF Global's bankruptcy situation drive the bearish bus.December corn is 8 1/4 cents lower at $6.38 3/4 per ...
Farm profits fueling healthy ag banks By: Jeff Caldwell 11/01/2011 @ 9:28am
Business is good at most ag banks these days. The last year has seen some of the sharpest gains in profitability of any commercial banks in the country, according to a new report.Despite increases in ...
Outside pressures slaughter grains By: Jeff Caldwell 10/31/2011 @ 2:38pm
Though they edged back from sharper losses earlier in the day's session, corn, soybean and wheat futures all took a beating in Monday's trade.December corn futures ended the day 8 cents lower at ...
Grains tank on EU debt, MF Global news By: Jeff Caldwell 10/31/2011 @ 11:04am
Worries about the European debt crisis and fresh concerns about the news that a major trading firm has filed bankruptcy have the grains trading sharply lower in early Monday trading.At 11:00 AM CST, December ...
Harvest slows as finish line nears By: Jeff Caldwell 10/31/2011 @ 10:41am
In another couple of weeks, corn and soybean harvest should be completed.That's the theme of Monday's USDA-NASS Crop Progress report that shows 78% of the nation's corn and 87% of the soybean ...
New law would target young farm workers By: Jeff Caldwell 10/26/2011 @ 11:37am
A lot of farms depend on the labor of strong-backed farm kids. But, some of those farm kids may be affected if current efforts in Washington, D.C., reach fruition.Lawmakers have proposed changes to child labor ...
New bill targets young, beginning farmers By: Jeff Caldwell 10/25/2011 @ 3:24pm
If House and Senate ag leaders have their way, a new program for young and beginning farmers will be a part of the next farm bill.Lawmakers announced this week they're introducing the Beginning Farmer and ...
Feed costs fueling bullish cattle returns By: Jeff Caldwell 10/25/2011 @ 3:11pm
Though corn prices are still at relatively high levels, there are half a million more cattle being fed than a year ago.There are 2 main takeaways from that number, says Purdue University Extension livestock ...
Beef cattle prices look strong into 2012 By: Jeff Caldwell 10/25/2011 @ 1:19pm
The southern Plains drought of the last year continues to shrink the beef cattle herd in that region as feed costs and other profit factors keep cattle producers discouraged from expanding their stock.Beef cow ...
Buffer strips perform well in new study By: Jeff Caldwell 10/25/2011 @ 1:04pm
A new take on a fairly common conservation practice can do a lot more than previously thought to control nutrient runoff in crop fields, according to new research in Iowa.A project testing the viability of ...
'Cold-dominated' winter ahead? By: Jeff Caldwell 10/25/2011 @ 10:31am
Though the weather between now and winter's onset will likely be mostly variable, a lot of signs point to another "cold-dominated" winter in the U.S., especially in the eastern third of the country.The ...
Corn hybrid selection checklist By: Jeff Caldwell 10/25/2011 @ 8:34am
What can this year's corn crop teach you for next year? Whatever you took from this year's crop, make sure you apply it to your hybrid selections for 2012, even if you are buying early. Some farmers ...
Corn, soybean harvest progress surges By: Jeff Caldwell 10/24/2011 @ 3:22pm
Soybean harvest moved another big step toward completion, while farmers got almost 20% of the nation's corn crop out of the field in one week, according to Monday's USDA-NASS Crop Progress ...
Getting ahead of 2012 input costs By: Jeff Caldwell 10/20/2011 @ 10:01am
A report earlier this week showed fertilizer prices are on the rise. Now, one economist says that's not the only crop input that's heading higher for corn and soybean farmers in the coming ...
Different weather 'worlds' By: Jeff Caldwell 10/20/2011 @ 8:57am
If you're in the western Corn Belt, you are probably nearing the end of soybean harvest. But, if you're in the eastern part of the region, progress may be maddeningly slow.All while frost and ...
Anhydrous prices surging again By: Jeff Caldwell 10/19/2011 @ 9:00am
Don't look now, but fertilizer prices are surging again.A recent report from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service shows prices for anhydrous ammonia in the state of Illinois have jumped $52/ton since ...
Another big harvest week steams by By: Jeff Caldwell 10/17/2011 @ 3:24pm
If the harvest pace continues for corn and soybeans, Craig Solberg's prediction could prove dead-on."I still fully believe that most of this year's Midwest harvest will be done by the end of ...
Stay safe this harvest season By: Jeff Caldwell 10/17/2011 @ 2:12pm
Farming's a dangerous business. Especially during times when you're racing the clock, Mother Nature or both, like during harvest. Farmersforthefuture.com member and Cuba City, Wisconsin, farmer Matt ...
Poultry poised for global growth By: Jeff Caldwell 10/17/2011 @ 12:23pm
Despite a tough marketplace now, the prospects are bright for the global poultry industry, says a new report from Rabobank. New players are entering the global poultry market, namely from Brazil ...
No farm dust rule changes -- EPA By: Jeff Caldwell 10/17/2011 @ 11:08am
The current rule for dust from farms is good enough as it is now, the director of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) told lawmakers in a letter late last week.In a letter dated Friday, EPA ...
Expect more big harvest strides By: Jeff Caldwell 10/17/2011 @ 9:46am
Though a lot of corn and soybeans were harvested over the last week, it won't beat the record for soybean harvest, at least, the previous week because of showers around the eastern Corn Belt that will ...
Grains surge on export demand By: Jeff Caldwell 10/14/2011 @ 9:46am
A higher overnight trade has translated to an early CME Group trade Friday that's got corn, soybeans and wheat all in the black for the first time in 3 days.In early trading, the December corn futures ...
Grains turning higher for Friday By: Jeff Caldwell 10/14/2011 @ 7:44am
After a couple of lower days for the corn trade, it looks like things should turn around once Friday's CME Group session starts. After a higher overnight trade, prices look to begin Friday higher.Early ...
Soybeans surge, corn struggles Thursday By: Jeff Caldwell 10/13/2011 @ 3:06pm
Despite news of another purchase of U.S. corn by China, that market ended Thursday's CME Group trading session lower, while soybeans ended the day sharply higher based on stocks USDA showed tighter in its ...
Soybeans climb out of the red By: Jeff Caldwell 10/13/2011 @ 10:09am
Things have turned around in the soybean pit, but wheat and corn futures continue to sag in early trading Thursday.In early trading, nearby corn futures are 11 1/2 cents lower at $6.29 1/4 per bushel, while ...
Grains continue post-USDA-report slump By: Jeff Caldwell 10/13/2011 @ 7:32am
Wednesday's losses extended into the overnight trade, and that's expected to set up a lower opening for Thursday's CME Group grain trade Thursday. Early calls for the commodities are corn 6-9 ...
Wrapping up Wednesday's USDA reports By: Jeff Caldwell 10/12/2011 @ 3:51pm
Wednesday ended up being a lower day on the CME Group trading floor after USDA released what originally appeard to be bullish crop production figures. Though the trade didn't move up Wednesday, analysts ...
Feed demand & livestock margins By: Jeff Caldwell 10/12/2011 @ 3:33pm
The livestock sector's benefited from the recent slide in grain prices. It's allowed producers to nail down feed supplies and keep a wider profit margin intact. But, with lower estimated grain stocks ...
USDA follow-up: Soybean questions By: Jeff Caldwell 10/12/2011 @ 2:22pm
There have been a lot of reports this fall of higher-than-expected soybean yields coming out of the field. So, when USDA-NASS actually trimmed its bean yield estimate slightly to 41.5 bushels/acre in ...
3 regions seen affecting U.S. markets By: Jeff Caldwell 10/12/2011 @ 1:22pm
Now that USDA's spoken, analysts and traders say the new trading range for corn is $5.50 to $7.00; which end of that price range, however, depends on a few factors moving ahead, both at home and abroad.On ...
USDA numbers friendly By: Jeff Caldwell 10/12/2011 @ 7:33am
The U.S. corn and soybean crops are both slightly smaller than earlier expected, according to Wednesday's monthly USDA Crop Production report.Corn is forecast at 12.4 billion bushels, down 1% from last ...
Soybean harvest nearing its end By: Jeff Caldwell 10/11/2011 @ 4:04pm
Fueled by mostly hot, dry weather in the Midwest, farmers made major strides in corn and soybean harvest last week, moving just ahead of the normal pace for this week in corn while registering a double-digit ...
'Borlaug Dialogue' convenes this week By: Jeff Caldwell 10/11/2011 @ 9:50am
Dr. Norman Borlaug helped save the lives of more than 1 billion people. This week, world leaders, policy specialists and ag and food researchers and others are gathering to celebrate Dr. Borlaug's legacy ...
Corn pressuring dairy margins By: Jeff Caldwell 10/11/2011 @ 9:30am
This fall's corn harvest hasn't exactly been a bin-buster everywhere, and those lower yields are expected to tighten margins in another sector that's already felt a lot of pains in the last few ...
Weather favoring soybeans, wheat By: Jeff Caldwell 10/11/2011 @ 9:01am
This week's USDA Crop Progress report, set for release Tuesday afternoon because of Monday's Columbus Day holiday, should show some major harvest strides after a hot, dry week in the Corn Belt last ...
Irrigation big for NE land prices By: Jeff Caldwell 10/10/2011 @ 1:27pm
If new data for land values and rents in Nebraska is any indication, potential means everything.Dryland ground with "potential for irrigation development" saw the highest gains over the last 5 years, according ...
Don't get lax on field fires By: Jeff Caldwell 10/10/2011 @ 1:16pm
With little or no rain over the weekend and continued in much of the Corn Belt, it looks to be another week of high field fire danger this week as farmers start in on another busy week of corn and soybean ...
Big USDA numbers coming up By: Jeff Caldwell 10/07/2011 @ 3:15pm
On Wednesday, USDA will release crop production and supply/demand reports. It's one of the biggest "report days" of the year, with a lot of eyes on both this year's crop size and the amount of grain ...
Good news for hog farmers By: Jeff Caldwell 10/07/2011 @ 2:52pm
Things are finally looking up in the hog industry. There's reason to be optimistic after a recent report from USDA showing the breeding herd hasn't change much in the last year. Couple that with ...
Friday grains look to start lower By: Jeff Caldwell 10/07/2011 @ 7:24am
After Thursday's higher start but quick reversal into the red, the grains are expected to continue that lower trend Friday, as traders continue to posture ahead of next week's USDA crop production ...
Field fire danger running high By: Jeff Caldwell 10/06/2011 @ 1:58pm
Warm, dry and windy conditions have helped farmers make quick work of a lot of their fields this fall. But, those same conditions have made harvest as dangerous as it is fruitful for a lot of farmers. This ...
Grains trim early gains, drift lower By: Jeff Caldwell 10/06/2011 @ 12:32pm
Corn and soybeans remain on the high side at mid-day Thursday, while wheat futures slumped into the red.At mid-day, nearby wheat was 8 3/4 cents lower at $6.16 1/2 per bushel, according to Barchart.com. Nearby ...
Grains start Thursday higher By: Jeff Caldwell 10/06/2011 @ 9:46am
As expected after a bullish overnight trade, the CME Group grain pits all started Thursday's trade on a high note.Nearby corn futures started the day off 4 1/2 cents higher at $6.10 per bushel, while ...
Picking up downed corn By: Jeff Caldwell 10/06/2011 @ 8:50am
A wicked wind storm hit a stretch of central and north-central Iowa in mid-July. It was as bad a time as any for such a storm -- the area's corn crop was about a week shy of pollination. Grant Kimberley ...
Grain trade finds some legs Thursday By: Jeff Caldwell 10/06/2011 @ 6:57am
Overnight trading found corn, soybean and wheat futures moving higher, and though some traders say the upside potential is limited, a higher start is expected for Thursday's CME Group trade.Early calls ...
Dry weather perks up soybean harvest By: Jeff Caldwell 10/03/2011 @ 3:56pm
The combines are really rolling this week, and while corn harvest is closer to the normal pace, soybean harvesters made the most progress in the last 7 days, according to Monday's USDA-NASS Crop Progress ...
Glyphosate-resistant waterhemp rising By: Jeff Caldwell 10/03/2011 @ 1:57pm
Looking back on this year's growing season in Indiana, one weed specialist says for him, one lesson stands head-and-shoulders above the rest.Throughout this season, Purdue University's Bill Johnson ...
Input cost anxiety mounting By: Jeff Caldwell 10/03/2011 @ 1:32pm
As the grain markets struggle to climb out of the red after Friday's bearish USDA Grain Stocks report, input costs for next year's crops are taking on some new significance in a lot of farmers' ...
Stocks, prices could bring back demand By: Jeff Caldwell 09/30/2011 @ 7:36am
USDA released quarterly grain stocks Friday morning, showing USDA reported stockpiles more than 160 million bushels larger than expected, and more old-crop soybeans in storage than a year ago.The data is ...
Expect a cold one this winter By: Jeff Caldwell 09/28/2011 @ 9:45am
It's not far off...and, if you were a fan of last winter's weather, you're in luck. But, if your snowblower needs repairs, you might want to get those taken care of before Old Man Winter ...
Soybean harvest gets off & running By: Jeff Caldwell 09/26/2011 @ 3:43pm
Corn farmers gained some ground over the last week in harvesting their crop and soybean harvest finally got off the ground in the 18 main bean-growing states, according to Monday's USDA-NASS Crop Progress ...
Are soybean prices too low? By: Jeff Caldwell 09/26/2011 @ 1:33pm
Concerns about the instability of the world economy and resulting uncertainty about global grain demand have been the biggest driver of the slide in grain prices lately. But, one economist says the grains may ...
Be patient with lodged corn By: Jeff Caldwell 09/26/2011 @ 10:57am
Some farmers are shooting through corn harvest with no major issues so far. Others, though, are being delayed by rainfall and stalk strength and lodging could become an issue soon, if it's not already. If ...
How can mobile work on your farm? By: Jeff Caldwell 09/23/2011 @ 3:18pm
Kelly Robertson remembers his old bag phone well. Always in the cab of his pickup, the simple phone was a "tool of convenience" on his Benton, Illinois, farm.But, that phone didn't even have caller ID. It ...
Soybean yields all across the board By: Jeff Caldwell 09/23/2011 @ 10:16am
After this summer's generally parched conditions in the nation's midsection, it's been difficult to conjure much optimism heading into soybean harvest in a lot of areas. And, for some farmers ...
Corn yields coming in mixed By: Jeff Caldwell 09/22/2011 @ 4:00pm
Combines are rolling in the Corn Belt. So, what's the crop making so far? Yields are all across the board as harvest gets rolling in corn and soybean country. Corn moisture levels are still on the high ...
Milk prices keeping dairy industry afloat By: Jeff Caldwell 09/22/2011 @ 10:35am
Despite high-priced feedstocks and declining production in some areas, higher milk prices are helping dairy farmers get by, and one specialist sees the profit margin -- albeit a tight one -- to remain in the ...
Land rents up 13% in Indiana By: Jeff Caldwell 09/21/2011 @ 10:29am
It's another repeated refrain on what's seemed like a broken record in recent months: Farm land rents are heading higher in 2012, according to new information from Purdue University.The results from ...
Wheat planters roll as drought lingers By: Jeff Caldwell 09/21/2011 @ 9:28am
Rain's fallen in much of the central portion of the U.S. over the last week -- some spots getting as much as 4 inches last weekend -- and though it's a welcome break from this summer's drought ...
Frost nipped northern soybeans hard By: Jeff Caldwell 09/20/2011 @ 10:33am
Though it didn't cause much of a stir in the grain markets, last week's frost and freeze in the northern Corn Belt had a little more of an effect on the region's soybean crop than earlier ...
Combines roll, basis tanks By: Jeff Caldwell 09/19/2011 @ 4:00pm
Corn harvest is, as far as USDA's concerned, officially underway. In the 18 states comprising the vast majority of the nation's crop, farmers have 10% of their corn harvested as of Sunday. Southern ...
Bin or sell this fall? By: Jeff Caldwell 09/19/2011 @ 3:41pm
Is the corn bull run over? Some analysts say it is, something that could be confirmed by the number of farmers with 2011 and 2012 grain already forward-contracted. But, there's a lot of bin space empty ...
Keep the air on stored grain this fall By: Jeff Caldwell 09/16/2011 @ 2:45pm
A dry spring, a hot, dry summer and a fall that's already seen temperatures slip below the freezing mark in parts of the Corn Belt. It's certainly been far from an average year. So, what's it ...
Corn-on-corn drawbacks big this year By: Jeff Caldwell 09/16/2011 @ 1:37pm
So far this fall, continuous corn is coming up pretty short compared to corn raised in a rotation with soybeans.Initial reports from the field show that, using "reasonable" average input costs and crop yields ...
Harvest gains traction By: Jeff Caldwell 09/16/2011 @ 11:22am
Now that this week's frost threat has come and gone for the bulk of the Corn Belt, it looks to be warming up over the next few days, allowing corn and soybean harvest to really get rolling...if it stays ...
Trade shrugs off frost scare By: Jeff Caldwell 09/15/2011 @ 9:51am
Though the grain markets seemed unfazed by the the sliding mercury overnight Wednesday and into Thursday morning, farmers say the low temperatures amounted to a killing frost in some northern parts of the Corn ...
Adding up potential corn frost damage By: Jeff Caldwell 09/14/2011 @ 3:45pm
If you were late planting corn and your crop's still got some work left to do before it's in the homestretch, a frost this week could be bad news for you.But, if you're using recent crop data to ...
Early yields send corn futures tumbling By: Jeff Caldwell 09/13/2011 @ 3:15pm
With a lot of talk about potential frost looming later this week, early corn yield reports from the southern parts of the Corn Belt are coming in higher than just a couple weeks ago, and that's got the ...
Crop conditions stable -- USDA By: Jeff Caldwell 09/12/2011 @ 3:21pm
Corn and soybean conditions didn't change a lot in the last week as harvest creeps north.In Monday's USDA Crop Progress report, corn rated good-to-excellent gained 1%, while soybean conditions were ...
Frost is on the way By: Jeff Caldwell 09/12/2011 @ 1:54pm
The F-word is back in the forecast.After what's been one of the hottest, driest summers on record in some parts of the country, the key word in the weather this week is frost. Parts of the northern Corn ...
Time for fall tillage? Not so fast By: Jeff Caldwell 09/12/2011 @ 10:34am
A lot of signs point to a relatively quick, painless harvest season this fall. If that quick timeframe is realized on your farm, you'll likely have time to get your soil ready for next year -- namely ...
USDA cuts corn supply, yield guesses By: Jeff Caldwell 09/12/2011 @ 7:33am
In its monthly world supply and demand report, USDA lowered total corn supplies by 442 million bushels, with total corn use for this year projected at 400 million bushels lower. "Projected feed and residual ...
Any life left in dry fields? By: Jeff Caldwell 09/09/2011 @ 2:49pm
For those corn and soybean fields that already look pretty well cooked, is there any hope of recovery before you fire up the combine? The eastern Corn Belt has seen rain -- some heavy -- over the last few ...
Feeding cover crops? Test for nitrates first By: Jeff Caldwell 09/09/2011 @ 12:30pm
Hay supplies are tight going into this fall. But, if you plant cover crops, you could be sitting on a potential feed source. Just make sure you're not doing more harm than good. A lot of common cover ...
Will grain storage pay this fall? By: Jeff Caldwell 09/09/2011 @ 11:31am
Just because this year's crop is expected to be smaller -- and a lot more grain bins have been built in corn and soybean country over the last few years -- doesn't mean you should automatically look ...
Looking ahead to Monday's reports By: Jeff Caldwell 09/09/2011 @ 8:46am
On Monday, USDA will release its monthly Crop Production and World Agricultural Supply & Demand Estimates (WASDE) reports, and early expectations are that the numbers will lead to a tighter marketplace for ...
When will your harvest start? By: Jeff Caldwell 09/07/2011 @ 2:54pm
What's your harvest timeframe? The forecast looks dry for the next couple of weeks and farmers are taking stock of when they'll fire up the combine and get this year's crop out of the field. So ...
Young farmers see a diverse future By: Jeff Caldwell 09/07/2011 @ 2:12pm
What's tomorrow's successful farm going to look like? High technology and crop diversity are just a couple things that will pace the next generation of farmers on the land, young farmers say.Ben ...
Illinois land nets almost $9,000/acre By: Jeff Caldwell 09/07/2011 @ 10:52am
A recent farm land auction brought just shy of $8,700/acre for a 565-acre farm in central Illinois.And, it wasn't an investor. This buyer was the one who's going to be farming the ground.Sounds high ...
USDA hosting organic farming session By: Jeff Caldwell 09/07/2011 @ 10:18am
Federal officials are looking at making some changes to current organic farming regulations and supports and they are asking for public input.USDA officials will hold a public listening session on the future ...
Is fall the time to buy? By: Jeff Caldwell 09/02/2011 @ 1:21pm
One look across a lot of corn and soybean fields in the Midwest these days may not exactly inspire many farmers to break out the checkbook and start stocking up on crop inputs and new iron.But, despite the ...
From the crowd: Land & $6 corn By: Jeff Caldwell 09/02/2011 @ 12:10pm
Grain market price volatility has been a constant over the last few years for corn and soybean farmers. But now that prices have about doubled from a couple of years ago, some farmers wonder whether the new ...
'Zipper ear' cutting corn yields By: Jeff Caldwell 09/02/2011 @ 10:07am
Having issues with kernel set in your corn this year? Kernel abortion and incomplete pollination issues have popped up in a lot of fields in the Corn Belt this year, especially after the dryness and heat of ...
Grain prices have farm incomes surging By: Jeff Caldwell 09/02/2011 @ 8:50am
Despite sinking estimates for this fall's corn and soybean crops, surging crop prices have average farm incomes heading higher for 2011, according to new information from USDA.The USDA Economic Research ...
Uncertainty paces Canadian canola harvest By: Jeff Caldwell 08/30/2011 @ 2:47pm
Parts of Canada and the northern stretches of the U.S. have had a lot of rain this summer. And, now that harvest is moving across the western part of Canada -- the region that's seen the largest increases ...
Canada growing more canola By: Jeff Caldwell 08/30/2011 @ 2:18pm
The 2011 canola crop in Canada could be a big one.Statistics Canada released its latest crop size estimates recently, showing that nation's canola crop could break records. The latest data show Canadian ...