Blogs

  • Canada Markets

    The green line represents the bid for No. 1 large green lentils delivered Saskatchewan plants, while the red line represents the trend in red lentils. Both reached crop-year highs this week. (DTN graphic by Cliff Jamieson)
    Posted by Cliff Jamieson , Canadian Grains Analyst

    Large green lentils and red lentils reached a crop year high over the week ending March 29.

  • MachineryLink

    The VT1100 Turbo-Max from Great Plains Ag features a stronger frame, larger turbo blade and a new, double basket finishing option. (Photo courtesy of Great Plains Ag)
    Posted by Dan Miller , Progressive Farmer Senior Editor

    Here's a two-minute look at Great Plains Ag's new vertical tillage VT1100 Turbo Max with its larger frame for new finishing attachments, new finishing baskets and adjust-on-the-go option for the cab.

  • Ag Weather Forum

    Flooding and freezing conditions have caused some damage to California's almond groves. How much damage is still uncertain. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images photo)
    Posted by Bryce Anderson , Ag Meteorologist Emeritus

    Heavy rain, snow and cold bring the prospect of delayed almond flowering and late planting of high-demand produce crops in "America's Salad Bowl."

  • Ag Policy Blog

    A map showing Margin Protection plans that will be offered with an expansion for corn and soybeans announced by USDA's Risk Management Agency. The expansion will go into effect for the 2024 crop year, but producers will have to lock in their Margin Protection coverage by Sept. 30, 2023. (Map courtesy of USDA Risk Management Agency)
    Posted by Chris Clayton , DTN Ag Policy Editor

    USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA) on Thursday announced it would expand Margin Protection plans for farmers in 1,255 counties for soybeans and 1,729 counties for corn production. The expansion will happen for the 2024 crops.

  • Ethanol Blog

    Gasoline retailers said they need regulatory certainty to continue E15 sales. (DTN file photo)
    Posted by Todd Neeley , DTN Staff Reporter

    Gasoline retailers and ethanol industry officials have been meeting with federal lawmakers and Biden administration officials this week in Washington, D.C., making a case for an emergency waiver to allow E15 sales to continue this summer.

  • Market Matters Blog

    The Fednav Limited Federal Dart enters the Duluth harbor assisted by a tug, on its way to drop of its load of 23,000 short tons of Turkish cement destined for the CRH/Ash Grove Cement Company terminal on Rice's Point in Duluth, Minnesota. (Photo courtesy of Schauer Photo Images)
    Posted by Mary Kennedy , DTN Basis Analyst

    The first oceangoing ship of the season arrived in the Twin Ports of Duluth-Superior, breaking a record for the earliest arrival.

  • Fundamentally Speaking

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

    Scatterplot showing the metric tons of corn per grain consuming animal unit vs. the average farm price expressed both in nominal terms or the actual figure the USDA posts and the real average farm price which is the nominal price adjusted for inflation

  • Sort & Cull

    Snow accumulations in the North during the weekend have feeder cattle contracts trading higher. (ProphetX chart)
    Posted by ShayLe Stewart , DTN Livestock Analyst

    We often view the grain markets as highly reactive to any weather changes, but the cattle contracts can be affected by weather developments, too.

  • Technically Speaking

    The chart above is a daily chart of November 2023 soybean futures, reflecting a possible bullish reversal signal Friday. (DTN ProphetX chart by Dana Mantini)
    Posted by Dana Mantini , Senior Market Analyst

    For 13 straight days, November soybeans closed lower -- before Friday that is. On Friday, the market overcame more early selling to close up sharply to finish last week.

  • An Urban's Rural View

    Three thoughtful farmers agree economics helps explain the increasing disparity in voting patterns between suburbs and rural America, but cultural issues also play a role. (DTN file photo by Elaine Shein)
    Posted by Urban C Lehner , Editor Emeritus

    Three farmers emailed detailed thoughts on whether economics or cultural issues better explain why the countryside votes increasingly Republican even as Democrats make electoral gains in the suburbs.

  • Production Blog

    After three days of constant reference, a Commodity Classic program booklet may get a little bruised and battered, but it's still a vital resource to navigating all the event has to offer. (DTN photo by Jason Jenkins)

    The 2023 Commodity Classic drew a record crowd to a sold-out trade show. Here's a rundown on three more items from the event that caught the attention of one DTN crops editor.

  • South America Calling

    The forecast for central Brazil for April suggests dry weather for the primary safrinha corn growing areas. (DTN graphic)
    Posted by John Baranick , DTN Meteorologist

    After some delayed planting for safrinha corn, Mother Nature is not helping out by reducing rains across central Brazil going into and through April.

  • Editors' Notebook

    Posted by Greg D Horstmeier , DTN Editor-in-Chief

    March 21 is National Ag Day. Hope you'll join us to salute all the important things agriculture brings to our nation and the world.

  • Minding Ag's Business

    The average interest rate on a non-real estate farm loan hovered around 6% in the fourth quarter of 2022. While that's the highest rate farmers have seen in 10 years, it's close to the 20-year average. (Chart courtesy of the Kansas City Federal Reserve)

    The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's most recent survey of lenders shows that non-real estate farm loans increased by 20% on average as production costs climbed. Interest rates also climbed to a 10-year high, putting additional pressure on financing costs.