Top Stories
Drought coverage shrinking across most of the U.S
Spring and early summer rainfall has helped to shrink the drought coverage area in the United States. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says the U.S. Drought Monitor looks vastly different as of July 7th compared to the drought monitor maps of April 2026. The areas of D3 and D4 (extreme and exceptional) drought categories are also shrinking, although Rippey says only some of the regions with those designations have seen improvement. The Great Plains is one of the regions that has benefited from...
USMCA renegotiation will likely take years
According to one trade expert at a recent Brookings Institution event, the USMCA renegotiation process will likely take years and extend past the Trump administration. Visiting Fellow Christopher Sands told the crowd at the event that the required six-year review of...
Beefing up athletic potential
Athletes often overlook one of the most critical components of performance: nutrition. Yet a well-balanced fueling plan can make a measurable difference in strength, recovery, and overall success. That’s where Build Your Base comes in, a comprehensive sports nutrition...
Naig: Pork remains safe after pseudorabies case
Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig says consumers should remain confident in the safety of pork products after Iowa confirmed a rare case of pseudorabies tied to pigs brought into the state from Texas. Naig said the detection marked the first confirmed case in a...
South American Weather and Crop Update (5-27-26)
The weather is drying out quite a bit in South America. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride said some areas are being viewed as deficient in rainfall. McBride said the first crop corn harvest in Brazil is nearly complete. McBride said corn and soybean harvest in...
Rain has been appreciated, but dry weather will return
The weather forecast for the Midwest could be a bit of a mixed bag in the near future. DTN Meteorologist John Baranick said the recent rainy weather will give way to drier conditions across a significant part of the Midwest. Baranick said the South has seen plenty of...
More details of latest U.S.-China ag trade commitment
During President Trump’s visit to China earlier this month, China agreed to purchase $17 billion worth of U.S. ag goods. USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke Lindberg provides some of the details behind the recent agreement by China to...
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More Ag News
Growing crush capacity shifts soy demand priorities
For decades, one of the soybean industry's biggest challenges was finding new markets for soybean oil. Today, however, the conversation is changing. Growing demand from renewable diesel and other biofuel markets has helped create new opportunities for soybean oil,...
Swine industry remains cautious about NWS
Earlier this week, the USDA announced that there was an official detection of New World Screwworm (NWS) in the U.S. The pest was found in a three-week-old calf in South Texas. Since NWS is an indiscriminate parasite, all warm-blooded mammals are at risk of infestation...
Ag economy barometer drops in May
The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer dropped in May. Michael Langemeier, director of Purdue University’s Center for Commercial Agriculture, talked about the decline. Farmers appeared to be deeply concerned about current conditions. Langemeier said...
Recapping a disappointing week in the grain market trade
It has been a difficult week of trade in the grains and oilseeds markets to say the least. Corn and soybeans grinded lower to begin the week and then saw significant losses on Thursday and Friday. Matt Bennett is the CEO and co-founder of AgMarket.Net and he tells the...
Livestock groups react to NWS confirmation
U.S. livestock groups reacted to the USDA’s confirmation of the New World Screwworm in South Texas. “The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and our state partner organizations have been working for more than a year to combat the incursion of the New World...
