We have been away from markets for a few days, so we missed a lot of the most recent price volatility. As we return and try to get up to speed again, here are a few things that seem to us to stand out:
USDA calls the corn crop 96 percent planted as of 20 May, which is fabulously early. It is 15 percent above the average of the last five years. The rapid pace of planting is due to the early spring warmth across the entire Corn Belt along with few weather interruptions to cause planting delays. Good planting conditions by definition are conditions that also promote early emergence and early plant growth. Thus, it is not too surprising that USDA's first weekly corn crop condition report of the 2012 growing season showed that as of 20 Ma...
Key Takeaways: President Trump announced $8 billion in additional agricultural assistance through the Harvest Fuel Relief Program, as USDA projects farm fuel and oil expenses will increase 28.8 percent in 2026. The package follows $12 billion in earlier relief, while government farm payments w...
Key Takeaways: A student group from the University of Chicago is protesting to bring back onion futures trading. Trading in onion futures was banned in 1958 following a spectacular bout of market manipulation that resulted in a corner of the physical market. The ban on onion futures led t...
Beef packer margins deteriorated to $141/head last week, down $55 from the prior week as fed cattle prices strengthened while the Choice cutout remained nearly unchanged. The cutout held near $373/cwt while fed cattle prices climbed $4/cwt to $224/cwt, narrowing processor profits. Despite the d...
