There has been much discussion and focus on the weather conditions in South America, and Brazil in particular where it has been dry across the central and southern parts of the country. Heavy rains are also causing crop loss in some of the northern areas. The forecast is for more La Nina effect, and the outlook for Argentina is dry and warm as well.  In the U.S., fall rains – including mid-December big storms/tornadoes – in Minnesota and Wisconsin have helped pull much of the dry areas of the western corn belt out of drought conditions, but things remain dry. With weather above normal in December the rains have helped soil moisture; colder weather and freezing for the rest of the winter will slow that process. La Nina coul...