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Nebraska farmers took advantage of a mostly favorable week of weather. In its first weekly crop progress report of the year, the USDA says oat planting progressed to 14 percent and is now equal with the five-year average. Winter wheat condition is rated 27 percent good to excellent. Moisture levels remain a major concern statewide, with just 19 percent of topsoil and 18 percent of subsoil rated adequate and none […]

A livestock economist says uncertainty is hindering expansion of the swine herd. University of Missouri’s Scott Brown says producers have been slow to respond to higher prices.  “They don’t know whether if they produce more hogs, if there’s going to be the ability to process those hogs,” he says.  “And to me, we’re really starting to see out of the data this idea that producers are going to sit on […]

The soybean complex closed higher on fundamental support. Mixed South American weather has kept the market’s attention. Moderate to heavy rains are expected for Brazil this week with little to light showers expected for Argentina. Even with expected rainfall, Argentina and the southern half of Brazil remain in extreme drought. North American weather is becoming more important as planting season ramps up. Gains for crude oil on the day have […]

Spotty cold and dry conditions in parts of the state are causing some Tennessee farmers to worry about the wheat crop, while light showers in other areas are helping to green up pastures.  Winter wheat is rated 75% good to excellent with 33% of the crop jointing.  Nineteen percent of the apple crop is in full bloom.  Pastures are rated 44% good to excellent.  Topsoil moisture is 94% adequate to […]

Kansas growers had five days suitable for fieldwork last week and varying levels of moisture. In the first crop report of the season, USDA says winter wheat condition was reported at 31 percent good to excellent with 11 percent jointed.  Progress is ahead of last year but slightly behind average. Two percent of corn has been planted. Topsoil moisture is only 46 percent adequate to surplus and subsoil moisture is […]

Cool, wet weather limited fieldwork across Iowa this past week. In its first weekly crop progress report of the year, USDA says there were less than two days suitable to be working ground statewide, but some farmers were able to apply fertilizer and seed oats. Dean Meyer grows corn and soybeans near Rock Rapids in northwest Iowa. “We’re eagerly anticipating heading to the field (but) we need a warming trend […]

Wet and muddy conditions persist in Michigan with snow and icy rain reported over the past week. In the first crop report of the season, USDA says about five percent of the state is experiencing moderate drought, mostly in southern counties of the Upper Peninsula and northwest Lower.  Topsoil moisture is 99 percent adequate to surplus and subsoil moisture is at 92 percent. Winter wheat condition was reported at 38 […]

The USDA released its first crop progress report of the year showing most crops at or near the five-year average planting pace. Corn is on pace with last year and the five-year average with two percent of the crop planted. Texas’ crop is past halfway planted, Kansas is at two percent and Missouri is at one percent. Cotton is six percent planted nationally. Oats are 23 percent planted, two percent […]

In its first weekly crop progress and condition report for the year, the USDA gives Illinois winter wheat a 58% good to excellent rating. The rating is one percentage point below the previous week and 16 points behind this time last year. For the week ending April 3rd, the agency reports a 41-degree average temperature for the state, more than 6 degrees below average, with rainfall slightly above normal- putting […]