Field Posts

In the last few years, the ethanol industry has been through a lot. From promised E15 expansion and small refinery waivers through a global pandemic that cratered driving demand through today’s energy scarcity that has prompted the Biden administration to expand E15 availability during the summer months once again.  Though demand is certainly looking up for ethanol, there are risks too as corn and...

The May WASDE dropped Thursday, May 12th, with USDA offering a first look at what might be ahead in the new crop season that’s just starting to unfold.  DTN’s Todd Hultman joins us to unpack the department's updates to production estimates for corn and stocks predictions for wheat, and we'll also take a closer look at what all this might mean for a shifting demand landscape.  The global...

From state-level adoption of low carbon fuel standards to companies like FedEx and Amazon making emission-reduction commitments to global conflicts putting petroleum-based fuel supplies in doubt, just about everything seems to be trending in favor of biodiesel at the moment.  And soybean crush rates reflect that enthusiasm, with crush levels at historic highs and promising to go even higher as man...

It’s been a long winter for cattle producers in the Western United States, as a historic drought has continued and hard choices have had to be made about herd size. Though some precipitation has come, the overall conditions remain dry, and as supply dwindles, producers see signs that later in the year, prices will likely climb… if they have cattle left to sell.  Today we’ll catch up with DTN Lives...

The April WASDE dropped Friday, April 8th, with USDA wrapping up its look at the 2021 crop as it turns its attention to the 2022 season with the March 31st Prospective Planting report. DTN’s Todd Hultman joins us to unpack the latest stock estimates for the major grains, including some surprising adjustments on soybeans due to changes in China, and the increasing role India might play in global wh...

As Plant22 gets underway across the country– farmers are battling high winds, wet soils, cold temperatures and drought. As we look ahead to what looks to be a hot dry year, not only in the US but also in other key growing regions, weather promises to play a major role in operations and in informing the market in the year to come.   DTN’s Team Lead for Ag Weather John Baranick joins us today to pro...

High commodity prices have been the name of the game for months now, and though 2022 promises to be a profitable year for producers, the dramatic rise in the price of inputs is already complicating the picture, and effecting farmer confidence, and thus decision-making, as they report prospective planting and as they look beyond this season. Today, DTN Farm Business Editor Katie Dehlinger joins us...

The day after Spring begins, the American farm sector has, for years, been celebrating National Ag Day. To commemorate the official announcement every March by the secretary of Agriculture, ag industry leaders flock to DC to talk with lawmakers and whip up support for the sector ahead of another season.  But the global pandemic put the in-person version of these festivities on hold for many years,...

The results of the National Wheat Yield contest are in, and the winners represent those producers who were able to roll with the punches during one of the toughest years in living memory. There were definitely surprises; from winners in unusual wheat geographies to unexpectedly good protein levels, but the common thread around intensive management was clear.  DTN staff reporter Emily Unglesbee joi...

The March WASDE dropped Wednesday, March 9th, with USDA offering updated figures on Ukraine wheat and corn supplies, given the state of the ongoing conflict in the region.  DTN’s Todd Hultman joins us to unpack the latest news out of Eastern Europe and South America, and to discuss how roiled markets are thinking about basis, among other indicators, as prices for all the major grains reach highs n...

We welcome DTN’s Todd Hultman’s on a special edition of Field Posts this week to discuss what we know, and the many things we don’t as the Russia-Ukraine War continues to escalate.  As fighting continues and civilians and civilian infrastructure seem to be increasingly targeted for attacks, ag market watchers the world over wait and watch for news not only on the fate of the Ukrainian people, but...

Drones and other autonomous aircraft have been a niche technology with a big following for years in American agriculture– but they’ve been plagued by the problem that too often, they’re too advanced or expensive a tool for what actually needs doing. That’s starting to change rapidly according to Senior Editor for The Progressive Farmer Joel Reichenberger, who’s reporting this month on how farmers...

As farmers look to a future determined more and more by changing climates and limited resources, technology– and the companies that create it– promises to help progressive producers to stay ahead of the curve.  This week, in the first part of our two part technology deep dive, we’ll hear from Progressive Farmer Crops Editor Matt Wilde. He’ll give us the download on autonomous equipment that is, af...

The February WASDE dropped Wednesday, February 9th, with USDA bringing the attention back to the drought in South America, even if their estimate struck traders as shy of the mark.  DTN’s Todd Hultman joins us today to unpack the rest of a relatively quiet report and to discuss how possible conflict in Eastern Europe, among other factors, might be playing into market moves.  We’ll discuss the deta...

Though the intensity of discussions and debate within the cattle industry have waned slightly due to more favorable prices; pending lawsuits and proposed regulations have kept disputes over price fixing and market distortions top of mind for many producers and lawmakers alike. As organizations like the American Farm Bureau meet for their annual meetings, some surprising dissent surfaced. DTN Ag Po...

Dicamba has been at the center of pesticide controversy for years, and though EPA says they don’t expect to be able to make changes before the 2022 season, a recent EPA analysis might have changed the stakes in a pending lawsuit that could cause some mid-season disruptions. On top of that, EPA also announced in January a new strategy for complying with the Endangered Species Act, which is already...

Big things are happening in the world of farm equipment, whether we’re looking back at the recently released 2021 sales figures, or looking ahead to some big announcements arriving about electric and autonomous machines.  Today, we’re talking with Progressive Farmer Senior Editor Dan Miller, who is fresh off the 2022 consumer electronics show in Las Vegas, where John Deere made waves with the unve...

The January WASDE dropped Wednesday, January 12th, putting the focus back on the global crop after affirming that the 2021 harvest in the US turned out mostly as expected. DTN’s Todd Hultman joins us today to unpack the latest on global stocks, and to discuss how he’s monitoring news about inflation, high fertilizer prices, supply chains, and COVID-19 as we move into the first quarter of the new y...

DTN Progressive Farmer’s 2022 Class of best farmers and ranchers was announced in Chicago at the DTN Ag Summit in December, and attendees got to learn all about the young leaders who are moving American agriculture forward.   This week, you’ll get to meet them too.   We’re closing out the year with a celebration of the enthusiastic thoughtfulness of these young families, who are running revolution...

A record number of Americans have left their jobs over the last 18 months, and the high demand for workers as the economy transitions out of a pandemic have sent wages soaring. For farmers, this has meant having to get creative and savvy about finding, recruiting, and retaining top performers in order to keep their businesses operating. This week, we’re joined by Lori Culler, DTN farm business adv...

The December WASDE dropped Thursday, December 9th, confirming many expectations about minimal changes to the US crop for corn and soybeans while introducing a bit of the unexpected for wheat.   DTN’s Todd Hultman joins us today to unpack just a few updated update figures, and to discuss what other factors he’ll be following most closely as markets switch their focus to other regions during the US’...

DTN has been tracking farmer sentiments about the present and future of ag markets since 2010 through a tri-annual survey, which becomes the Ag Confidence Index.     The latest numbers have arrived, and the verdict is clear. Though things are looking good in many parts of the country today, the future looks much more uncertain.     This week, we’re joined by DTN Editor-in-Chief Greg Horstmeier, wh...

Fertilizer prices have been on a long climb over the course of 2021, and in the last few weeks have reached some truly jaw dropping heights as retailers struggle to even place orders for the chemical that farmers plan to use for the year ahead.  This week, we’re joined by DTN editor and reporter Russ Quinn to dig into what’s driving  these price spikes, from a myriad of supply chain disruptions to...

Just a few weeks ago, a record-setting price of $26,000 per acre was paid for a stretch of Iowa farmland, representing the latest in what seems like an unstoppable upward trend in sales. There doesn’t seem to be any ceiling for this market, and  today, DTN’s Victoria Myers joins us to discuss her recent story about America’s new Land Rush. She’ll walk us through the current trends in the market, w...

The November WASDE dropped Tuesday, November 9th, creating some short term confusion as traders moved on lower soybean ending stock numbers before measuring their response in light of weak export figures.   DTN’s Todd Hultman joins us today to unpack the updated figures in a report, which is likely to be the last major adjustment to the 2021 yield numbers before the January WASDE.  We’ll discuss t...