Field Posts

For nearly two years now, record high land sales have seemingly become a monthly or even weekly occurrence in the markets for agricultural acres — especially in the heart of the Corn Belt. As prices have continued to climb even as commodity prices cool and interest rates rise, many have started to question what factors are driving this white hot sector. And there are a lot of factors, from the cla...

The October WASDE dropped Thursday, October 12th, and it wasn’t certain that it would, given the threat of a government shutdown that was narrowly avoided in recent weeks. Chaos in Congress is just one of the breaking news stories causing anxiety throughout financial and commodity markets, especially after a renewed conflict in the Middle East thrust the geopolitical state of Central Asia and East...

Cattle producers have been enjoying a generally positive year in the markets so far, and there’s hope for more good times ahead even as the seasons shift and growers begin the longer term work of rebuilding herds. But uncertainties remain — from the impacts of near-record high carcass weights to an uncertain winter weather outlook. DTN Livestock Analyst ShayLe Stewart joins us today to discuss the...

If Congress doesn’t act in the next couple of days to continue funding government agencies, by Sunday, October 1st, the federal government will be back in shutdown mode, and the consequences could be wide ranging. For the ag sector, worries about everything from FSA loan processing to passing a farm bill to what a downgrade in the US’s financial rating could mean are keeping many keen eyes trained...

Since 2005, DTN Progressive Farmer has been selecting two farmers every year from across the country to participate in their annual View from the Cab Project. These farmers spend a full year getting to know DTN’s Pamela Smith as they work through  weekly calls and check-ins, sharing their stories and their seasons with the broader farm community.  The second 2023 farmers we’re checking in with are...

The September WASDE dropped Tuesday, September 12th, finding DTN’s Lead Analyst Todd Hultman on the road in Nebraska — talking with farmers about the disconnect between USDA’s prediction of a near-record corn crop and what growers see out in the fields. Going into the report, expectations were high that a reduction in yield estimates for US grains could bring some bullishness to the market, but wi...

As a sultry August turns to September and the weather world is riveted by hurricanes and tropical storms, farmers across the corn belt are continuing to deal with unexpectedly persistent hot and dry weather that’s sapping the last hope for a yield rebound. With harvest already queued up, attention is starting to shift to the further future — where an intensifying El Nino indicates that this winter...

For farmland owners who aren’t interested in simply selling off heritage property to the highest bidder, exploring alternatives can be a daunting process — even when there is a clear farm family heir who’s interested in continuing the business. The good news is, there are multiple options for property holders who are committed to avoiding development and keeping their land in agriculture — and DTN...

DTN’s sixth annual Digital Yield Tour wrapped up just days ago on August 11th, 2023, and the tour’s conclusion coincided with a USDA report that largely agreed with the event's findings. Which is to say — 2023 started out rough, but the corn crop in particular is making a stunning comeback.    Today, DTN Farm Business Editor Katie Dehlinger joins us to reveal both the national and the state l...

The August WASDE dropped Friday, August 11th, coming on the heels of DTN’s Annual Digital Yield tour and of USDA’s most recent farmer surveys. Overall, perspectives on the August report were positive, as USDA seemed to adjust crop estimates to be more in line with perspectives from farmers and analysts– reflecting a crop that’s improving, but that had a very difficult start. DTN’s Lead Analyst Tod...

On July 27th, the 2023 Spring Wheat and Durum Tour hosted by the Wheat Quality Council wrapped up its survey of the Northern Plains crop, tallying three days and hundreds of fields of data into a final overall yield prediction of about 47 bushels per acre — despite summer drought conditions and an uncertain start to the season. DTN Crops Editor Jason Jenkins made his way from Fargo across the stat...

A shifting drought picture and more favorable weather in key cow-calf states are colliding with dry weather in the corn belt and extreme heat in the Southern US to make for an uncertain cost picture in today’s cattle market. But nevertheless, inventory remains tight and prices are strong as the market slides towards Labor Day.  DTN Livestock Analyst ShayLe Stewart joins us today to discuss recent...

Since 2005, DTN Progressive Farmer has been selecting two farmers every year from across the country to participate in their annual View from the Cab Project.  These farmers spend a full year getting to know DTN’s Pamela Smith as they work through  weekly calls and check ins, sharing their stories and their seasons with the broader farm community.  The first 2023 farmer we’re checking in with is Z...

DTN’s 6th annual digital yield tour is just a few weeks away — getting started August 7th and running through August 11th. DTN’s tour partner Gro Intelligence will be back with industry-leading, real time predictions of national yield for corn and soybeans, as well as much more granular breakdowns to the state level.  Today, DTN Farm Business Editor Katie Dehlinger joins us for a preview of the to...

The July WASDE dropped Wednesday, July 12th, and as it came on the heels of an unprecedented June 30th planted acreage report, updates were expected for USDA’s outlook. What analysts actually saw in the July WASDE however, left many scratching their heads– trying to understand how USDA could translate a drought stricken crop throughout the corn belt into an all-time record yield prediction. DTN’s...

An unexpected Derecho was whipping across key parts of the corn belt today as we recorded this podcast, representing just the latest in a long line of storms and unpredictable weather events that have crowded the forecast at the last minute so far this season. One thing’s for certain– as the La Nina ebbs and the El Nino comes into full effect, the wilder the possibilities get on the weather front....

Before the flashy demo at the farm show and the test drive at the local retailer, a lot of farm tech gets its start in university labs. Today, we’re zooming in on what’s happening in one small corner of the basic research space, to get an idea what might be in the future of soil moisture and nutrient management.  Today, we’re joined by Senior Editor for The Progressive Farmer Joel Richenberger (Ri...

The recent DTN Ag Summit Series brought color to USDA’s reports of planting season and to what might be ahead during an uncertain summer with discussion among farmers, market analysts, and other experts about what they’re seeing in the field.  Today, we’re dropping in on a session hosted by Farm Business Editor Katie Dehlinger, who’s joined by farmers from two very different regions with a lot of...

Uninteresting as the trade expected, a few unexpected changes were still enough to catch analyst attention. And beyond updated figures, the concerns of cold and wet soils delaying planting last month have morphed into worries that hot and dry soil in the Eastern corn belt might already be threatening USDA’s outlook for a record crop this year.  DTN’s Lead Analyst Todd Hultman joins us to dig into...

Over the last two decades, the US livestock industry has had some painful encounters with foreign animal diseases– from High Path Avian Influenza and its impact on the poultry industry to “mad cow” to the current looming fear of African Swine Fever. One of the most challenging things about these kinds of highly transmissible and dangerous diseases is how difficult they are to study, and how vulner...

On May 17th, the annual Winter Wheat Tour wrapped up its survey of the Southern Plains wheat crop with its report on predicted yield averages, which indicated that the persistent impact of droughts have indeed driven wheat production to near-record lows. Progressive Farmer Senior Editor Joel Reichenberger made his way to Colby, Wichita, and finally Manhattan, Kansas this week with more than a hund...

The May WASDE dropped Friday, May 12th, as market watchers waited with high expectations for USDA’s latest insights as plant2023 continues. A number of unexpected adjustments made this a May report to remember, especially as the outlook for a possibly bin busting crop collided with continuing tight stocks.  DTN’s Lead Analyst Todd Hultman joins us to dig into not only the latest on old and new cro...

Plant 2023 is off to a relatively good start, despite cold and wet conditions lingering in the Northern Plains. For much of the central corn belt, from Nebraska to Indiana and Ohio, farmers are having luck, getting into fields weeks before they were able to in recent years– which could prove promising for key crop plantings this season.   To bring us the latest on where planting stands now and how...

Despite optimistic news coming out of recent USDA reports for livestock producers, factors like drought continue to weigh down cattle markets, and the discouraging signs have left some analysts scratching their heads. DTN Livestock Analyst ShayLe Stewart joins us today to untangle the many issues that are driving today’s markets, and offers advice on how producers should be thinking about prices a...

Getting approval to sell E15 year round has been a priority for the ag sector for years – and the industry has gotten close – especially 2022, to reaching that goal. However, with the summer driving season just weeks away, the ethanol sector continues to wait on a decision from EPA about whether a waiver will be granted this year to allow continued selling of high-ethanol blend fuel during the bus...