Blogs

  • 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.

  • Ag Policy Blog

    Reflecting a battle that will build during the farm bill debate, the House Agriculture Committee hearing on Tuesday was dominated by conflicts between Republicans and Democrats over SNAP, work requirements and what percentage of people who crossed the border seeking asylum make up SNAP recipients. (DTN file photo)
    Posted by Jerry Hagstrom , DTN Political Correspondent

    Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack testified Tuesday in a marathon session with nearly 50 members of the House either diving into their own monologues or asking the secretary repeatedly about food assistance, climate-smart programs, USDA assistance for meatpackers, Chinese...

  • Canada Markets

    The December MGEX spring wheat contract closed higher for a fourth session, breaching the contract's 20-day moving average on March 24 and the 50-day on March 27. The move has also breached the 38.2% retracement of the move from the October high to the March low. The lower study shows the Dec23/March24 spread inverted for a second day. (DTN ProphetX chart)
    Posted by Cliff Jamieson , Canadian Grains Analyst

    Ahead of this week's USDA reports, new-crop MGEX spring wheat futures are seen moving above resistance.

  • Ethanol Blog

    A new Morning Consult poll of voters finds broad support for year-round E15 sales. (DTN file photo)

    A recent poll conducted on behalf of the Renewable Fuels Association found national support for allowing E15 sales year-round.

  • Ag Weather Forum

    This still frame from the GFS forecast for the evening of March 31 shows the height of the storm where impacts are expected to be maximized, including strong winds, severe weather in the middle of the country, heavy rain, and moderate to heavy snow across the north. (Tropical Tidbits graphic)
    Posted by John Baranick , DTN Meteorologist

    A storm system will traverse the country this week with widespread impacts including strong winds, widespread rainfall, severe storms and heavy snow.

  • 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.

  • MachineryLink

    You may want to remove rust and spare the metal part. But there are several things to consider when choosing to remove rust versus replacing metal parts and machinery. (Photo courtesy of Kano Laboratories)

    Be sure you get a rust remover that dissolves the rust away rather than a rust converter, which just changes the rust to a more stable layer of iron oxide. These layers may inhibit further corrosion and may be suitable for some coatings and linings, but the buildup may...

  • 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.