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 April 30. Watch for coverage of these and other topics through the week on our subscription platforms as well as on DTNPF.com.

1. Crop update: We're continuing to track 2023 planting, and possible replanting, progress as farmers work around rain, floods, dryness and frosts, all depending on where you're putting seed in the ground. The USDA Weekly Crop Progress report is out Monday after 3 p.m. CDT.

2. More rain for Plains?: A low-pressure center over the Southwest could stir up showers in the Plains states early in the week, with wet weather moving eastward later. Canada Prairies should begin to warm up and be mostly dry this week.

3. Banking rumbles: Our analysts are continuing to watch the overall economic news, as the Wall Street Journal reports federal regulators have taken control of First Republic Bank and sold assets to JPMorgan Chase & Co. On the commodity front, USDA's weekly export inspections is due at 10 a.m. CDT Monday, and at 2 p.m., the Fats and Oils report.

4. New spring, new view: This week kicks off our very popular annual feature, View From the Cab. Each season DTN Crops Technology Editor Pam Smith chronicles a pair of U.S. farmers with a weekly update of what they're doing, what they're thinking, and general information about them, their families and their farming operation. This year's participants are Chandra and Mike Langseth, of Barney, North Dakota, and Zachary Grossman, of Tina, Missouri. The Langseths are the fifth generation to operate the farm on the edge of the Red River Valley. Chandra also is a full-time agriculture assistant professor at North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton, North Dakota, teaching precision ag and agronomy courses. Most of the operation is dryland but also includes center pivot irrigation on six quarter sections. Crops include corn, soybeans, and some alfalfa.

Zach Grossman is a row crop/livestock producer, who farms 1 1/2 hours northeast of Kansas City. The 30-year-old farms with his father, Curt and a younger brother, Trent, who's 19. The family partnership produces corn, soybeans and winter wheat, in addition to running a seed dealership and custom grain-hauling business. Zach and Trent operate a 75-head commercial spring-calving cow herd and raise hay. Zach also works as an ag loan officer at a local bank, which will add a unique perspective to the weekly feature. The introductory story on Grossman is here: https://www.dtnpf.com/…

5. Floods move south: We'll continue our watch of the big spring melt, and the flooding that those late-season snow storms in the north are bringing to the upper and middle Mississippi River Valley. The Mississippi has gone from historic low levels to flooding in less than 12 months, playing havoc with towns, area farmland and shipping efforts.

Be sure and watch for the latest news at www.dtnpf.com, and follow and like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/dtnprogressivefarmer.

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