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. 24. 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. Eyes on the finishing crop: Leaf rust, stunt, wilt, wrapped tassels, tip back, pod shed, plagues of locusts, alien space lasers -- pick your favorite way corn and soybean yields will fall off the record-yield pace that was so widely discussed last week. We'll continue to keep pace with how the 2025 crop is finishing off.

2. Come see us in Decatur: This week marks that big farm show in Decatur, Illinois. Come see us at plot 360. We'll have a peek at new tools and services DTN is working on for 2026, as well as our traditional weather and markets outlook sessions. Those outlooks, featuring DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick and DTN Lead Analyst Rhett Montgomery, take place at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, and 10 a.m. Thursday. The weather looks ideal for seeing and hearing the latest technologies and products for farming.

3. We've been talkin' 'bout Jackson: Stocks rallied following Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's speech at the annual Fed retreat in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, which hinted at lower interest rates due to the poorer-than-expected employment reports earlier in the month. Powell gave what is likely his last speech at Jackson Hole as his term as chair ends in May 2026. Questions remain about how long the rally will last as President Donald Trump continues to put pressure on the Fed. Economists continue to note the irony that the poor labor report, which cost Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Erika McEntarfer her job, is likely to be the issue that gives Trump the lower interest rates he's been pushing for.

4. Cool weather sets in: The cold front moving down into the Midwest last week was welcome, though showers will be waning. A significant drop in temperature will make it feel more like fall going early into this week. The front will stall across the Southern Plains, where showers will be more numerous and possibly heavy. Farther north, Canada's conditions will also be cooler and appears drier after the past week's showers and storms. Models do not bring in another significant chance for rain to the Prairies until next weekend, offering up a seven- to eight-day window for fields to dry out and combines to roll. Colder air does bring a slight risk of frost Sunday and Monday. Frosts are unlikely, but since it's late August it cannot be ruled out in a couple of spots.

5. Reports due this week: It will be a week full of home-buying data. Monday at 9 a.m. the latest New Home Sales data is out, followed by 10 a.m. Grain Inspections. At 2 p.m., Poultry Slaughter numbers come out, then at 3 p.m. the weekly USDA NASS Crop Progress report is released, with DTN analysis to follow. Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. we'll see Durable Goods Orders, at 8 a.m. the S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index, then at 9 a.m. the latest Consumer Confidence index. Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. the EIA Weekly Petroleum report, including ethanol data, is released. At 2 p.m. comes Broiler Hatchery, U.S. and Canadian Cattle and Hogs report (NASS). Thursday reports start at 7:30 a.m. with Grain Export Sales, Initial Jobless Claims and GDP First Revision. At 9 a.m. is Pending Home Sales Index (NAR) data. At 10:30 a.m. is the Weekly Economic Index. At 2 p.m. we'll see latest Slaughter Weekly numbers. Friday morning is busy, with 7:30 a.m. release of Personal Income and Spending (July), PCE (Personal Consumption Expenditures) Index and Core PCE Index (excludes food and energy) numbers, plus Advanced U.S. Trade Balance (July) and Advanced Retail and Wholesale Inventories. At 9 a.m. Consumer Sentiment data is out, at 2 p.m. we'll see the latest Agricultural Prices numbers, then at 2:30 p.m. the CFTC's Commitment of Traders report is out.

DTN Bonus Content: The August WASDE dropped Aug. 12, stunning the market with a nearly 17-billion-bushel corn crop prediction -- shattering the previous record. The eye-popping number was helped along by a 188-bushel-per-acre yield estimate and an additional 2.1 million planted acres over the July figure. To help us understand all the details, DTN Contributing Analyst and longtime veteran of the podcast Todd Hultman joined DTN Field Posts Podcast Sarah Mock on Episode 256. He walked listeners through this record forecast and the corresponding demand estimates, keeping in mind what wildcards are still at play and what he expects as far as changes that might yet be ahead for the crop itself. Then he tackled the updates on the soybean crop, which also included a record high yield -- though not likely high enough to alter the fundamental supply picture.

Hultman also gave insight on the current and emerging trade situation, the weather forecast as farmers head into harvest, and discussed the cost of production relative to price.

You can find Episode 256 and other 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

(c) Copyright 2025 DTN, LLC. All rights reserved.