Field Posts

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, who brings up updates on what to expect from the all virtual ev...

The September WASDE dropped Monday, September 12th, and with harvest looming and the crop looking lackluster, grain markets in particular are on tender hooks as they await any new information about the 2022 stocks.  DTN’s Todd Hultman joins us to unpack some surprise adjustments that USDA made ahead of the September 30th report. And as corn and soybeans information gets an update, he’ll put it in...

It’s just weeks away from the end of another year for the cattle market, and the most recent news for and from the markets has been discouraging. But for DTN Livestock Analyst ShayLe Stewart, the next steps for savvy cattlemen are clear– don’t panic, and keep the fundamentals in mind.  Today, we’ll talk through the latest data with ShayLe, checking in on feed markets, drought impacts, and slaughte...

Senior Editor for The Progressive Farmer Joel Richenberger is fresh off a visit to the 2022 InfoAg conference, and has been digging into the rapidly maturing world of drone technology since his return.  What was once a piece of fringe equipment used for scouting and photography has this summer grown into a valuable implement that farmers around the country are using for precision spraying. Not one...

DTN’s 5th annual Digital Yield Tour wrapped up just days ago on August 12th, 2022, and yield estimates meaningfully lower than USDA’s left some surprised and others feeling validated.   Today, DTN Farm Business Editor Katie Dehlinger joins us to reveal the latest estimates that Gro Intelligence published during the tour, including granular estimates for 10 key midwestern states and national yield...

The August WASDE dropped Friday, August 12th, and with the broader US economy reckoning with turmoil and the global harvest still uncertain, markets were eager for the information infusion from USDA.  DTN’s Lead Analyst Todd Hultman joins us to unpack some of the adjustments the department made that moved markets as analysts zero in on final estimates before harvest. He covers the drought picture,...

A host of factors — from the war in Ukraine to the global pandemic — have been putting the refined fuels market through the wringer, both in the US and around the globe.  The result — record low inventories in recent months for fossil fuels from gasoline and diesel to propane and natural gas. The inevitable price increases have helped contribute to price inflation for consumers, but for farmers, t...

DTN’s 5th annual digital yield tour is just a few days away-- taking place August 8th through August 12th.   With the help of cutting edge data from Gro Intelligence, including satellite imagery, AI and machine learning that updates day by day, the tour promises to add some very timely clarity on what as currently an uncertain crop picture.  Today, DTN Farm Business Editor Katie Dehlinger joins us...

Farmers and ranchers across the US are in the thick of the season, and watching carefully as even the slightest weather shifts move markets. What has been a hot, dry, and drought-stricken summer for many has ag commodity watchers on the edge of their seats as harvest looms, and the size and condition of the corn, soybean and wheat crops, among others, come into sharper focus.    DTN’s Team Lead fo...

Transitioning a farm from one generation to the next is a many stepped process, some of which are legal or financial, but many more of which are personal, interpersonal, and emotional. And that can make this work really, really hard.  Today, DTN Special Correspondent Elizabeth Williams joins to talk more about her series on the process of succession planning. She’ll share wisdom she’s learned in h...

Since the now infamous occurrence of a class of compounds described as forever chemicals on a West Virginia farm years ago led to devastating consequences for animals and humans alike, EPA, state regulators, and scientists have been detecting PFAS across the country, in soil, water, and even human blood.  High concentrations of PFAS in some areas have led authorities to prohibit farmers in multipl...

The USDA’s June 30th acreage report has been long anticipated– as conditions over the months since the March prospective planting report have shifted considerably.  DTN’s lead analyst Todd Hultman joins us today to put the report’s findings into perspective– as ag markets have softened, and that trend looks to continue, despite market fundamentals.  Todd unpacks his expectations going into the rep...

For many months now Boerson Farms has been at the center of a federal investigation, led by the IRS. This comes after a number of lawsuits were filed against the farm in recent years, primarily attempting to force Boerson Farms to pay money owed to companies both local and national, that had provided products and services used to operate the farm’s 83,000 cropland acres. One creditor, Helena Agri-...

The 2022 Ag Symposium was held by the Kansas City Fed May 23rd and 24th, and the theme of the bank’s annual event is help wanted in agriculture .  Today, DTN Farm Business Editor Katie Dehlinger joins us to talk more about what she heard from President of the Kansas City Fed, Esther George, and from various Fed economists who have their attention trained on the ag sector as inflation climbs, globa...

The June WASDE dropped Friday, June 10th, and what is usually a quiet report ahead of a more interesting USDA missive at the end of the month did not disappoint.  Nevertheless, DTN’s Todd Hultman joins us to unpack the smaller updates that the department made to their production and stock estimates, and to talk about why even small tweaks matter in today’s historically tight supply situation. We’l...

After months of back and forth on various legislative proposals, the House and Senate Agriculture Committees both sat down for a hearing in recent weeks to learn more from industry leaders about the problems and needs of the cattle market when it comes to price transparency.  In light of the added recent hardships of rising feed prices and inflation in the grocery store, many ranchers are looking...

On May 19th, the annual Winter Wheat Tour wrapped up its survey of the Southern Plains wheat crop, which were estimated yields based on the results of 550 stops through the region. Progressive Farmer Crops Editor Matt Wilde made his way to Kansas with dozens of other industry experts to participate in collecting the data, and reports what he saw on the ground.  Today, we’ll talk about crop develop...

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,...