Field Posts

The May WASDE dropped Friday May 10th, bringing with it a bullish mood for corn and wheat markets that was strong enough to even offset some pessimism in the soybean arena. With US planting conditions taking a turn for the wet and disagreeable weather rearing its head in Latin America, the USDA’s initial outlook for a record crop seems to be fading already.  DTN’s Lead Markets Analyst Todd Hultman...

Reports earlier this month that dairy cattle have become infected with the strain of High-Path Avian Influenza, or HPAI, that has been affecting wild and domestic bird populations for more than two years rocked cattle markets and brought an air of pessimism to a beef sector that seemed to defy doubt. But with a recent report from USDA offering more hope that supplies are still limited and demand r...

Finding space on a farm for a family member to return can be a tough challenge. More and more, returnees are looking to build adjacent businesses to earn their keep, exploring everything from direct to market meats to u-pick operations. Growing these enterprises can be a great way to build confidence and develop the skills that will help them take over the farm, and in many cases, they can also be...

The April WASDE dropped Thursday April 11th, keeping the momentum of data releases going as USDA looks to the season ahead. Overall, many questions remain, though updates on planting intentions and the March 28th grain stocks report suggest that anemic prices might be here to stay a little while longer.  DTN’s Lead Markets Analyst Todd Hultman joins us today to dig into the USDA’s three latest rep...

The Census of Agriculture is a long standing USDA tradition, stretching all the way back to the department’s founding. A few weeks ago, the department revealed its latest iteration, updating the 2017 numbers with the latest figures that captured the impacts of trade wars, the global pandemic, and half a decade of extraordinary uncertainty.  To help us tackle this huge trove of agricultural data, a...

March 19th, the official first day of spring of this 2024 leap year, was followed shortly by some of the wettest and most wintery weather many have seen since harvest. The waning El Nino pattern deserves some of the credit or the blame, as farmers worrying about drought balance the need for more soil moisture and the desire to get in the field.  To help us sort out this unpredictable is DTN’s Team...

2024’s National Ag Day is March 19th, with major events taking place in Washington DC and all around the country as farmers, their families, and ag industry members gather to celebrate their work. The day will kick off with a Presidential proclamation honoring the day, followed by words from the Secretary of Agriculture, the President of the American Farm Bureau Federation, and so much more.  To b...

The 100th annual USDA Ag Outlook Forum took place February 15th and 16th, and the Department’s keystone event didn’t disappoint. Given current conditions and forecasts, analysts are expecting a record crop of corn, soybeans and wheat in 2024, which will further flesh out a global stocks figure that could continue to drive prices down. All of that, economists expect, could ead to the largest annual...

The 2024 Commodity Classic was held February 28th through March 2nd in balmy Houston, Texas, and participants flocked from around the country and the world to see the latest tech and hear news-making announcements from the Secretary of Agriculture, leaders in agribusiness, and national commodity groups. This year’s event drew the most attendees ever, with more than 11,000 farmers and members of th...

The March WASDE dropped Friday March 8th, and despite maintaining its status as a quieter report, a key announcement offered some support for soybeans, as other news of the week depressed wheat.  DTN’s Lead Analyst Todd Hultman joins us today to dig into the latest numbers, in particular some global figures, from USDA that provides updates to past soybean exports to China and maintains its discrep...

On February 7th, 2024, a federal judge ruled that the EPA had unlawfully approved dicamba for over the top use in cotton and soybeans, leading to a ban for three dicamba-based weed killers for 2024. What exactly that would mean for growers who had already bought and paid for seeds and chemistry for the new crop was unclear, until the EPA issued an order a week later that allows for limited sales a...

The smallest cattle herd in the history of USDA reporting is currently standing in the US as we speak, and the reduced stock extends from feeder and grass calves all the way to heifers and bred cattle. On top of that, tough winter weather at the start of the year has curbed slaughter weights, making a beef market that’s still hungry for product even hungrier.  DTN Livestock Analyst ShayLe Stewart...

 The February WASDE dropped Thursday, February 8th, and despite being a relatively quiet report, still sent waves through commodity markets as USDA diverges from Brazilian officials in its estimate of Brazilian crops. The result– some confusion about the global corn stocks and some hope that Latin American competition might not be too fierce in 2024.   DTN’s Lead Markets Analyst Todd Hultman joins...

Farmers for Soil Health is both a collaboration amongst farmer groups and a program hoping to motivate a big change in the US ag landscape.  The group’s mission– to advance the use of soil health practices like cover crops to help improve farmer profitability, as born out of an agreement between the National Corn Growers and the Soy and Pork checkoffs. Recently, the group won an unprecedented $95...

Tech aficionados and leading brands from around the globe descended on Las Vegas January 9th through 12th to see and show off their latest tools and toys at the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show. Artificial intelligence and autonomous machines were just the beginning, as more than 25 categories were represented — everything from sustainability to cryptocurrency.  DTN’s Dan Miller was at the show to c...

The January WASDE dropped Friday, January 12th, offering further confirmation of 2023’s record corn crop and adding bearish pressure to the commodity markets overall as the US stock picture across the board looks healthier than many expected.  DTN’s Lead Markets Analyst Todd Hultman joins us today to offer his insight on not only the January WASDE, but also other key announcements from USDA, inclu...

Farmland news was hot in 2023 and promises to remain so in 2024, whether it’s about how much land is selling, how much it’s going for, or who’s buying it. The market has been driven by a number of unpredictable factors in recent years, everything from the pandemic to trade aid to investor interest and high commodity prices. But how long can the run-up last, and what can growers and land buyers exp...

DTN’s 2023 Ag Summit, and the 2023 crop year is officially a wrap, and farmers across the country are looking forward to more than just 2024. The end of the year is, for many, a time to think about the generations past and those still to come, and it’s at time at DTN when we think about the young farmers and ranchers who are confidently leading the way into an uncertain future.  In that vein, DTN’...

Though the December WASDE dropped Friday, December 8th, the neutrality and general lack of changes in the report meant that DTN’s Lead Markets Analyst Todd Hultman could focus more on his discussion at the 2023 DTN Ag Summit about the bigger picture in the markets and how it might drive markets in 2024 and beyond.  Today, we’re dropping in on Todd’s market forecast to hear more about how he sees t...

The 2023 DTN Ag Summit wrapped up in early December with DTN Ag Meteorologist  John Baranick helping attendees look ahead to the 2024 crop season with an eye to weather in the US and around the world. After months of establishing a new El Nino pattern that’s edged towards a super El Nino event, the latest models are predicting that that effect may diminish mid-way through next year, sending weathe...

From November 9th to the 15th, equipment manufacturers from around the world descended on Hanover, Germany to unveil new equipment and introduce farmers to their most advanced technologies at the annual Agritechnica Trade Show.  Progressive Farmer Senior Editor Joel Reichenberger was there, visiting with some of the 3000+ vendors to stay abreast of announcements ranging from advanced combines to n...

Fertilizer prices across the board are down off near all-time highs from this time last year, and providing less angst as the farm sector moves into the winter months. However, that doesn’t mean that uncertainty and risk are gone, as two global conflicts in key fertilizer exporting regions threaten to throttle supply if conditions change. This week, we’re joined by DTN editor and reporter Russ Qui...

The November WASDE dropped Nov. 9, 2023, bringing with it the unexpected announcement of an expected record corn crop. After late season drought impacted much of the corn belt, this update came as a shock to market watchers, and helped contribute to a bearish outlook in the marketplace.  DTN’s Lead Markets Analyst Todd Hultman joins us today to offer his insight on what’s informing USDA’s evolving...

With harvest well underway and the end of the year looming, many farmers are starting to think about what equipment they might upgrade or purchase before 2024 arrives. And there is a lot to consider. From the increasing opportunity to acquire autonomous tools like grain carts to upgrades on tractors, combines, and implements, the world of farm equipment is advancing fast, and staying on top of the...

With harvest well in view for most farmers, plans for winter down time are also coming into focus. For years, DTN’s Ag Summit has been helping farmers prepare strategically for the uncertainties in the markets, weather and current events of the year to come, and this year is no exception. We’re talking to DTN’s Katie Dehlinger today about this year’s event, entitled “Fortifying Your Financial Foun...