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Getting shipping containers into the heartland to help move U.S. agricultural exports has been a two-year challenge, but one logistics expert sees improvement coming soon.  Jason Hilsenbeck with Drayage.com tells Brownfield many twenty and forty-foot shipping containers commonly used for international shipments have had loads transferred as soon as they’re off the ship to rapidly send empty containers back. He says, “You need the import loads arriving intact and not […]

Soybeans were mixed, with nearby contracts weak. Soybeans adjusted spreads and took profits, continuing to monitor conditions in South America. AgRural pegs production at 122.8 million tons, compared to the previous projection of 128.5 million, due to drought conditions impacting southern Brazil. Those have also affected production in Argentina and Paraguay. China bought 132,000 tons of U.S. beans, half old crop, half new crop, the seventh business day in a […]

The CEO of a farm credit cooperative says farmer-members are adjusting to input price-hikes and shortages. Rod Hebrink with Compeer Financial tells Brownfield while commodity prices are high, the cost of nearly every input has risen dramatically. “And there are supply chain challenges. So in some cases it’s going to be a concern about whether we can actually get the products regardless of the price level. But producers are planning […]

Federal Maritime Commission Chairman Dan Maffei says shipping container problems were COVID triggered as the amount of demand for imported consumer goods rose. He tells Brownfield, “Frankly, it went up to such an extent that it has crowded out some other important imports, but it’s also even crowded out exports.” Maffei tells Brownfield the shortage of containers is not as bad now, but problems with logistics remain including early return […]

Chicago Mercantile Exchange live and feeder cattle futures were sharply higher, with boxed beef up at midday, getting ready for the week’s direct business. April live was up $2.12 at $137.90 and June was $1.40 higher at $133.92. March feeders were $1.47 higher at $154.60 and April was up $2.42 at $159.67. Direct cash cattle markets were quiet. This week’s show list looks mixed, higher in Kansas, but lower in […]

May corn closed at $7.50 and 3/4, down 3 and 1/2 centsMay soybeans closed at $16.59 and 1/2, down 1 centMay soybean meal closed at $458.70, down $1.70May soybean oil closed at 74.22, up 142 pointsMay wheat closed at $12.94, up 85 centsApr. live cattle closed at $137.90, up $2.12Apr. lean hogs closed at $100.27, down 17 centsMar. Class III milk closed at $22.61, up 6 centsApr. ...

A farm real estate specialist expects farmland values to be steady to firmer the next six months. Randy Dickhut with Farmers National Company tells Brownfield one indicator is the amount of land on the market. “Right now we’re pretty much the normal winter land auction and sales season volume, so there’s good activity. A nice amount of land that’s coming up for sale, but it’s not overboard or anything. So […]

The drought in the Western Corn Belt is intensifying, and an agronomist says farmers may have to think outside the box to plant crops this year. Thomas Miller with Collins Ag Service and Pfeiffer Seeds covers South-Central Nebraska. “You might have to break up the ground before you plant or you might have to run your pivot just to get some moisture because you can’t put farm implement in soil […]

Milk futures and cash dairy prices were all up on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Monday.  March Class III milk was up $.06 at $22.61.  April closed up $.29 at $23.97.  May closed up $.48 at $24.10.  June was up $.47 at $23.91.  July through February contracts ranged from eleven to thirty-four cents higher with the biggest gains between July and September. Dry whey was unchanged at $0.7575.  No sales were […]