Which way the market breaks out (higher or lower) largely depends on any fresh scraps of fundamental news traders can find.

Bottom line: There is no room for error in producing the 2019 corn crop.

Now that the New Year is upon us, it’s time to put “Brush up on my grain marketing skills” at the top of your resolution list!

The world will be watching wheat, and if weather becomes an issue, prices will likely quickly respond.

You probably heard about the African Swine Fever outbreak in China and how it’s now linked to at least 23 cases in eight different provinces. This is a BIG deal.

You probably heard me say on television during various agricultural marketing shows when referring to commodity price patterns, “We are likely to be stuck in a sideways trading pattern.”

While trade issues will likely continue to be the center focus, there are plenty of other things to monitor as well. Here are key dates to be aware of as summer starts to wrap up.

The supply and demand fundamentals continue to balance each other well, which is why prices continue to chop and traded in this sideways pattern. Yet be aware of what might be lurking ahead.

It happens nearly every year; the summer weather rally. Seasonally, that is also the best time to capture cash marketing opportunities for new crop sales.

While you’re busy in the fields this month, there are a few reports coming that will likely trigger larger-than-normal market reactions.