Top 5 Things to Watch

By DTN Staff

OMAHA (DTN) -- Here are the Top 5 things the DTN Newsroom is tracking for the week of Aug. 17. Watch for coverage of these and other topics throughout the week on our subscription platforms as well as on www.DTNPF.com.

Note that all report release and webinar times are Central Daylight Savings Time unless otherwise noted.

1. DTN Ag Summit Series Webinar: While our 2025 DTN Digital Yield Tour wrapped up over the weekend, we'll have more details about both the numbers and the science behind them during our DTN Ag Summit Webinar, on Tuesday, Aug. 19. The webinar is free, and will run from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. We'll discuss the results from our yield model estimates, the recent USDA Crop Production and World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) reports and other crop estimates, and take a deep dive into this year's weather, including the next DTN long-range forecast. To sign up for the free webinar, go here: https://www.dtn.com/….

2. More yield thoughts: This week, if you missed some of our Digital Yield Tour, see here: https://www.dtnpf.com/…. It explains how the tour was done, as well as breaks down by state the results, has comments from our market and weather analysts, and includes interviews with farmers and other sources telling us first-hand what their season has been like and how their crops are doing as of early August.

3. Cool front pushes on Erin: As the weekend's heat gets tempered by a cool front coming from the north, we'll evaluate how the hot weather stressed crops that have been on the dry side. That front will drop temperatures 7-10 degrees Fahrenheit through the week. The bigger question is will the front hold Hurricane Erin -- the first named hurricane of the season in the Atlantic -- off of the East Coast as expected. If not, northern Florida and the Carolinas could be in for rough weather. Showers behind the front will be scattered, and their benefit will depend on how much falls in rain-deficit areas versus blanketing already well-stocked soils. All that will continue to weigh on whether this corn crop truly becomes the record USDA and others are predicting.

4. Field Days begin: DTN reporters will be at a number of field days and farm shows in the coming weeks. Watch for the latest in new crop inputs and equipment, as well as a healthy dose of political stump speeches.

5. Reports due this Week: Monday at 9 a.m. we'll see the Homebuilder Confidence Index numbers, followed by 10 a.m. Grain Inspections. At 3 p.m. we'll have the weekly Crop Progress report and analysis. Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. we'll see Housing Starts for July and Building Permits data. At 11 a.m. is the Census of Agriculture. On Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. the EIA Weekly Petroleum report including ethanol data is released. At 1 p.m. the Minutes of the Fed May meeting are revealed, then at 2 p.m. we'll see Broiler Hatchery data. Thursday at 7:30 a.m. is Grain Export Sales, with Initial Jobless Claims, S&P Flash Services and Manufacturing PMI for August also that morning. At 10:30 a.m. the Weekly Economic Index, then at 2 p.m. Livestock Slaughter and Slaughter Weekly. Friday at 9 a.m. we'll see Existing Home Sales and U.S. Leading Economic Indicators. At 2 p.m. the latest Cattle on Feed report, followed by our analysis, plus County Estimates Cash Rent, Chicken and Eggs and Cold Storage data. At 2:30 p.m. the CFTC's Commitment of Traders report is out.

DTN bonus content:

-- Watch video of farmer Travis Dixon of Audrain County, Missouri, as he shares how his corn and soybean crops have done through the 2025 season. DTN Crops Editor Jason Jenkins visited Dixon's farm and you can see the video at https://www.dtnpf.com/….

-- Reporter's Notebook Host Elaine Shein interviews DTN Farm Business Editor Katie Dehlinger about the 2025 DTN Digital Yield Tour results, as well as the upcoming Aug. 19 DTN Ag Summit Webinar, which will also be focused on the tour. They include how viewers can register for free to watch that event. See: https://www.dtnpf.com/…

You can find DTN Field Posts podcasts at https://www.dtnpf.com/…, https://www.buzzsprout.com/…, and they're also available on podcast hosting sites such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Watch for the latest news at www.dtnpf.com, and follow and like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/dtnprogressivefarmer. You can find our news on Instagram as well. Give us a follow @dtn.agnews

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