Blogs

  • Ag Policy Blog

    A new study from corn and soybean groups looks at what would happen if China reinstated tariffs or raised corn and soybean tariffs to 60%, matching tariffs former President Donald Trump wants to impose on China. In either case, U.S. exports fall dramatically while Argentina and Brazil sell more commodities to China every year. (Chart from analysis by the World Agricultural Economic and Environmental Services)

    A new study released by American Soybean Association and National Corn Growers Association highlights another trade war with China could cost corn and soybean farmers roughly $5 billion to $8 billion a year in lost value. Meanwhile, prices would increase for South American...

  • Ethanol Blog

    The pongamia tree produces a high oil content making it suitable as a feedstock for the production of biofuels. (Photo by Svnavare (CC BY-SA 4.0)

    Chevron Renewable Energy Group announced it has invested in Terviva Inc., a California-based company that has developed technology to grow pongamia trees for biofuels production.

  • Ag Weather Forum

    The soil moisture anomaly map, valid as of Oct. 12, points to below-normal soil moisture for most of the country. (USDA NASS graphic)
    Posted by John Baranick , DTN Meteorologist

    While it has been good for harvest and fieldwork, the lack of rain has caused widespread drops in soil moisture and has increased drought significantly for much of the U.S.

  • Sort & Cull

    Consumers are already battling inflation everywhere they turn. How much more can they really afford to spend on beef before prices simply get too high and beef consumers turn to other more affordable proteins? (DTN ProphetX chart)

    Feedlot managers can afford to play 'hard ball' and roll some of their showlists over if prices aren't what they desire, but what concerns DTN Livestock Analyst ShayLe Stewart the most about the current market dynamics is boxed beef demand.

  • An Urban's Rural View

    China dominates world manufacturing and is working hard to increase its lead by investing heavily in new factories. (Chart courtesy of CEPR)

    In resisting China's efforts to boost its domination of manufacturing and in the process put other countries' manufacturers out of business, should the U.S. go at it alone or band together with other countries?

  • Market Matters Blog

    After a very temporary reprieve from Hurricane Helene, the Mississippi River at Memphis is falling once again. Pictured is the USACE Memphis District Dredge Hurley at work. (Photo courtesy of USACE Memphis District)
    Posted by Mary Kennedy , DTN Basis Analyst

    Hurricane Helene provided some relief to the Lower Mississippi River, but with the return of dry conditions, water levels are expected to drop.

  • South America Calling

    Models bring rain into central Brazil, circled, but do so at different intensity and coverage. The European model on the left is much more aggressive than the American GFS model on the right. (DTN graphics)

    A system is bringing scattered showers into central Brazil on Oct. 10 and are expected to continue after the storm passes next week. However, models disagree on the coverage and intensity of the rainfall, which may or may not make a difference for producers planting...

  • Editors' Notebook

    Hybrid How-To is the cover story of the September 2024 issue of Progressive Farmer, and one of the many stories in the special seed package in that issue. We're beginning to share those pieces on our digital platforms this week. (DTN/Progressive Farmer photo by Jason Jenkins)
    Posted by Greg D Horstmeier , DTN Editor-in-Chief

    From the latest in seed corn production technologies to the newest ideas for cover crop mixes to continued consolidation in the seed industry, we'll cover the 2025 seed selection waterfront in a series of stories starting the week of Oct. 7.

  • Production Blog

    Beth Williard, senior formulation development chemist for insecticides, demonstrates the fertilizer compatibility of Plinaxolin insecticide technology compared to an unnamed competitor during the biennial Syngenta Crop Protection Media Summit held at the company's North American Crop Protection headquarters in Greensboro, North Carolina, Oct. 1-3. (DTN photo by Jason Jenkins)

    Every other year, Syngenta hosts its agricultural media summit, which this year was held in Greensboro, North Carolina. Here are some developments the company shared with journalists this year.

  • Fundamentally Speaking

    Chart by Joel Karlin, DTN Contributing Analyst
    Posted by Joel Karlin , DTN Contributing Analyst

    2023 and 2024 winter wheat yields for the top 18 growing states and the U.S. vs. the percent those yields deviated from the 25-year trend.

  • Canada Markets

    A worker strike began at the Port of Montreal on the morning of Sept. 30. (Public Domain photo by Andre Chivinski)
    Posted by Mary Kennedy , DTN Basis Analyst

    As one Canadian union ends a strike in the Port of Vancouver, another union went on strike in the Port of Montreal.

  • Minding Ag's Business

    A federal appeals court issued a ruling on an ongoing legal dispute involving attorneys' fees awarded in the Syngenta corn settlement. (DTN file photo)
    Posted by Todd Neeley , DTN Environmental Editor

    The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit last month rejected appeals filed by attorneys who represented farmers in the Syngenta corn settlement. The attorneys for years have been contesting court allocations of compensation for legal fees in the case.

  • Technically Speaking

    This is a daily chart of November soybeans, showing an extreme oversold condition and trading just above Friday's contract low. (DTN ProphetX chart)
    Posted by Dana Mantini , Senior Market Analyst

    November soybeans have been battered and beaten up. The market was already reeling when USDA came up with one million additional acres of soybeans planted and a record yield of 53.2 bpa. In the past few weeks, soybeans have registered new contract lows as funds reveled in...

  • MachineryLink

    The Space Weather Prediction Center has issued a watch for a minor-level geomagnetic storm this weekend (DTN image courtesy of the Space Weather Prediction Center)

    The Space Weather Prediction Center has issued a minor-level geomagnetic storm watch for this weekend. A storm of this intensity will have little to no impact on farming guidance systems.