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DTN Fertilizer Trends: Prices Moving Higher
Dry fertilizer spreader. ©Debra L Ferguson Stock Photography Retail fertilizer prices were higher across the board for the third week of December 2020. It’s the second week in a row that all eight major fertilizers were higher than the previous month. Three fertilizers were up a significant amount, which DTN designates as 5% or more. MAP, potash and anhydrous were all 7% more expensive compared to the prior month.
DTN Grain Open: Soybeans Push Holiday Tradition Aside, Trade Higher
Photo: Iowa State University Pre-6 a.m. Globex Prices: March corn is up 1 cent, March soybeans are up 12 cents and March KC wheat is up 1/4 cent. CME Globex Recap: Early Thursday, March soybeans continue to push into new high ground, disregarding the typical expectation for prices to be quiet and mixed in the week before Christmas. U.S. grain and livestock futures will close early Thursday for Christmas eve, at 12:05 p.m. CST for most and at 12:15 p.m. for Minneapolis wheat.
DTN Livestock Closing: Prosperous Day for Contracts
Cattle feeding. Photo: ©Debra L Ferguson Livestock Contracts Felt the Christmas Spirit It was a prosperous day for the livestock contracts considering that the market could have easily traded doggishly lower leading up to the Christmas holiday. GENERAL COMMENTS: It was a great day for the live cattle contracts and phenomenal day for the cash cattle market as both markets head into Christmas Eve fully higher.
Livestock: USDA Wants One-Stop Biotech Shop - DTN
Photo: United Soybean Board Just a week after the Food and Drug Administration approved genetically altered pigs for food and medical use, USDA announced Monday the department is soliciting feedback to take over authority for overseeing regulations for animals produced through genetic engineering. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) already oversees biotechnology for crops.
Sorghum Yield Contest Sees New Record - DTN
Mature sorghum heads. Photo: Lindsay Pace, Mississippi State University Pennsylvania isn’t necessarily the first place that springs to mind when one thinks of sorghum fields, which are so well suited to the semi-arid regions of the Southern Great Plains.
DTN Grain Closing: Higher on the End
DTN Grain Closing: Higher on the End December 23, 2020 By DTN Contributor Soybean harvest. ©Debra L Ferguson Grains End Higher With Risk-On Commodity Performance Grains got off to a bullish start Wednesday morning and stayed higher, posting new contract highs in March corn and soybeans. March Chicago wheat led percentage gains among Wednesday’s grain sector, closing up 12 3/4 cents after the CME reported deliverable stocks of SRW wheat 6% lower than last year’s tight supplies.
DTN Livestock Midday: Livestock Catching More Support
Photo: Kansas State University Livestock Contracts Catch Another Gust of Support The livestock contracts are more than willing to trade higher into Christmas Eve, and the cash cattle market is especially thankful to see the board support as it’s helped the South trade $2.00 higher. Though the livestock contracts trailed into Wednesday with a shaky start, the market leans into the afternoon fully higher.
DTN Cotton Closing: Cotton Holding Bullish Poise
The cotton market ended sharply higher Wednesday as the fall of the dollar and strong export-sales data encouraged speculative buying. After the release of USDA’s robust sales, the market quickly jumped into triple-digit gains and never looked back. Heading into Thursday’s abbreviated session, March cotton is down 1.13 cents, a result of Monday corrective break, but up 3.88 cents on the month and 5.25 cents for the year. The market will halt trading at 1:05 p.m. eastern time.
DTN Cotton Open: Market Rebounds on Strong Sales
Cotton modules lined up in a gin yard. ©Debra L Ferguson The cotton market is staging a decent recovery Wednesday morning. Outside markets such as the Dow, grains, energies, and metals all have a positive cast Wednesday morning, while the U.S. dollar is negative. Thus, a strong cotton trade is being encouraged. USDA issued an exceptionally strong weekly export sales report and that data is undergirding the cotton market.
DTN Livestock Open: Limited Interest Trickles into the Christmas Holiday
DTN Livestock Open: Limited Interest Trickles into the Christmas Holiday December 23, 2020 From DTN ©Debra L Ferguson Stock Photography Although markets are open for another two days before the Christmas break, it is very evident that the holiday season is here with limited trade activity allowing for moderate price shifts without much significant changes in market direction.
Arkansas Soybeans: Against All Odds, Crops Enjoy Steady Year
Mature soybean field. ©Debra L Ferguson If there’s one thing Arkansas soybean growers can say when no one else can, it might be this: 2020 has been a pretty good year. Despite an overly wet spring, delayed planting, and a slow-rolling harvest, the crop saw subtle increases in both acreage and average yield, bringing the state’s total production up from about 127.9 million bushels in 2019 to about 139 million in 2020.
DTN Livestock Closing: Uneventful Markets for Tuesday
Photo: Kansas State University Cattle Sink Lower While Hogs Battle for a Higher Close Tuesday’s market was mostly uneventful with cattle contracts trading lower and cash cattle trade yet to really test the market, but the lean hog market was able to close slightly stronger. GENERAL COMMENTS: It was a downward sliding day for the cattle contracts, but the lean hog market was able to secure a slightly higher close right before the day’s end.
Arkansas Peanuts: Slow Start, Strong Finish
Despite a plant-then-replant start, the 2020 Arkansas peanut growing season ended with a smoother harvest than in previous years thanks to weather and a couple of new buying points, Andy Vangilder, an extension educator for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said. The season was also marked by peanuts’ expansion out of northeastern and east central Arkansas, adding interest and at least one grower in southeastern Arkansas.
Arkansas Rice: Strong Year Despite Slow Start, Prolonged Finish
Rice variety trial. Photo: Mary Hightower, University of Arkansas It almost goes without saying that 2020 will be a year to remember — even if many across the country may already be dreaming up ways to forget it. For Arkansas rice growers, the year proved to carry burdens both familiar and novel. Throughout the late winter and early spring, wet weather across much of the Southern Plains prevented almost all early planting in Arkansas rice.
Ag Economy: COVID Related Impacts on Rural America
Last week, the USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) released its annual report exploring characteristics and economic indicators associated with Rural America: “Rural America at a Glance: 2020 Edition.” This year’s edition of the report focused on COVID-19 related conditions and the pandemic’s impact on the rural economy. Today’s update includes highlights from the report, which was written by John Cromartie, Elizabeth Dobis, Thomas Krumel, David McGranahan, and John Pender.
Biotech Cotton Key to Eliminating Devastating Pest from U.S., Mexico
The pink bollworm, a voracious caterpillar pest, quickly evolved resistance to two Bt proteins produced by biotech cotton in India, but it continues to be suppressed in Arizona after more than 20 years. (Photo: Alex Yelich, University of Arizona) For much of the past century, the invasive pink bollworm wreaked havoc in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico – inflicting tens of millions of dollars in damage annually to cotton on both sides of the border.
USDA: Weekly National Peanut Prices
The following prices are effective from Wednesday 12/23/20 at 12:01 am Eastern Time until midnight Tuesday 12/29/20. The next announcement is scheduled for Tuesday 12/29/20 at 3:00 pm Eastern Time. * $424.55 per ton for Runner peanuts * $415.57 per ton for Spanish peanuts * $428.74 per ton for Valencia peanuts * $428.74 per ton for Virginia peanuts These NPP are based on the loan rates for 2020-crop peanuts announced on July 9, 2020.
DTN Livestock Open: Positive Market Tone Continues
DTN Livestock Open: Positive Market Tone Continues December 22, 2020 From DTN Photo: Texas AgriLife Extension Trade activity is expected to remain subdued Tuesday and through the rest of the week with the focus on the Christmas holiday Friday. This should put the focus on cash market development over the next couple of days.
DTN Grain Open: Weaker as Volatility Heightened
Pre-6 a.m. Globex Prices: March corn is down 1/2 cent per bushel, January soybeans are down 1 cent, and March KC wheat is down 10 cents. CME Globex Recap: Grain markets are mostly weaker across the board overnight as the strength witnessed Monday cannot be maintained completely. Leading losses are wheat contracts which should come as no surprise when row crops are not leading the charge higher.
DTN Livestock Closing: Contracts Secure a Stronger Close
Photo: Kansas State University Heading into a new week on a positive note, the livestock contracts defended their positions through Monday’s close, which offers a stronger marketplace for Tuesday’s trade. GENERAL COMMENTS: Monday had a shaky start, but as the day progressed traders invested in the livestock contracts and ultimately allowed for a stronger close.
Arkansas: Most Crops Fare Surprisingly Well in 2020
2020 has been an extraordinary year, by almost any measure. And although the past 12 months have been filled with many challenges and setbacks, some sectors of the economy — including many Arkansas row crops — saw better outcomes than anyone could have predicted. Across the state, Arkansas residents experienced more than double the average annual rainfall throughout the first third of 2020, with the Delta region seeing more than 11 inches of rainfall in March alone.
Thompson on Cotton: Market “Plowing Through Resistance”
Undeterred by an economy which seems to be hitting the brakes, the cotton market is plowing through resistance levels at a breakneck speed. Closing Friday at 77.16, it gained over three cents on the week, nearly six cents for the month, and up an astonishing 30 cents since the rally began in April. Given this meteoric rise, overheated conditions must remain a concern. As more and more people buy into a market, you run out of buyers at some point.
Texas: Virtual Northeast Panhandle Crop Profitability Conference, Jan. 7
Photo: Texas AgriLife Extension All Northeast Panhandle area crop producers are invited to the virtual Northeast Panhandle Crop Profitability Conference, an online crop budgeting and market outlook meeting hosted by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service offices in Ochiltree and Lipscomb counties on Jan. 7.
Ag Trade: Brazil in “Advanced” Talks with China to Boost Corn Sales
Corn stocks at an elevator location during harvest. ©Debra L Ferguson Stock Images Last week, Bloomberg writers Isis Almeida, Samy Adghirni, and Tatiana Freitas reported that, “Brazil is close to an agreement that would allow the world’s second-largest corn exporter to boost sales of the grain to China, a move that could threaten the U.S.’s dominance, according to people familiar with the matter.
DTN Grain Closing: Soybeans On High Demand
DTN Grain Closing: Soybeans On High Demand December 21, 2020 By DTN Contributor Soybeans Reject Early Weakness to Rally on Dry Weather, Demand Despite early Monday weakness related to an alleged new strain of coronavirus in the United Kingdom, leading to new travel bans and restrictions, soybeans were able to bounce back on stout demand and a bullish weather outlook for South America. Funds are estimated to have bought over 10,000 contracts of soybeans on the day.
DTN Cotton Closing: Cotton Down Despite Recovering Dow
The market finished slightly lower Monday, despite the fact the Dow Jones overcame its 600-point deficit to stand virtually unchanged at the time of cotton’s close. Nonetheless, cotton was still weighed down by its overbought condition. Of late, its ability to easily post higher highs encouraged more speculative buying, stretching its charts to technical extremes.
Congress Wraps Up 2020 with Appropriations and Relief Bills
Last night, after months of negotiations, Congressional leadership reached agreement on a massive legislative package that combines an FY 2021 omnibus appropriations bill that funds the entire federal government through September 2021, and a $900 billion supplemental coronavirus package that includes crucial assistance for rice farmers along with billions in aid for the ag and food sectors as well as other industries struggling amid the pandemic.
DTN Livestock Midday: Monday Gives Good Start
Cattle feeding. Photo: ©Debra L Ferguson Monday is off to a good start as the livestock contracts rally higher. General Comments The livestock contracts have warmed up as Monday continues to trade and heading into the noon hour, the marketplace is trading fully higher. Traders were slow to start the day off but as more time goes on their willingness to invest has grown.
DTN Grain Midday: Beans and Wheat Higher
Soybean harvest. ©Debra L Ferguson Corn is narrowly mixed, soybeans are 14 to 16 cents higher, and wheat is flat to 3 cents higher. The U.S. stock market is weaker with the Dow down 160. The dollar index is 29 higher. Interest rate products are firmer. Energies are weaker with crude down $1.90. Livestock trade is mixed with hogs leading. Precious metals are mixed with gold down $7.50.
Midwest: 3 Soybean Gall Midge Webinars in Jan.
Soybean gall midge larva. Photo: Iowa State University Since 2018, soybean gall midge has expanded its range, claiming eight new counties in Nebraska this year. With its aggressive spread, Midwestern producers are encouraged to attend a three-part webinar series featuring the latest information on this invading soybean pest.
DTN Cotton Open: Sharply Lower on New COVID Twist
Cotton module on conveyor belt at Mill Creek Gin. ©Debra L Ferguson The cotton market is sharply lower Monday morning fearing the possible outbreak of a new strain of COVID-19 in the UK. Overnight, the British invoked strict new safety measures, including shutting off air travel with Europe. The British government is holding emergency meetings Monday morning to make other determinations.
DTN Grain Open: Whipsawed on Outside Market Selling
©Debra L Ferguson Stock Photography Pre-6 a.m. Globex Prices: March corn is down 4 cents per bushel, January soybeans are up 1 cent, and March KC wheat is down 9 3/4 cents. CME Globex Recap: Grain markets are following the outside market influence although the soy complex is doing its best to shake negative stench. Grain market fundamentals for corn and soybeans have not changed since Friday and remain supportive in our opinion.
DTN Livestock Open: Christmas Week Brings Hopeful Expectations
DTN Livestock Open: Christmas Week Brings Hopeful Expectations December 21, 2020 From DTN The combination of firming livestock markets last week and continued focus on plans to roll out another COVID-19 vaccine starting Monday morning is creating hopes of moving forward and back to normal as soon as possible.
Sow Seeds for Your Family This Winter - DTN
The Richard family (photo by Allen Breaux Studio) While spring is a time for planting, and fall is a time for harvesting, the winter months offer an opportunity to interact differently with family and business partners. The time spent inside working on financial and business planning, or in the shop working on equipment, or just hanging out with your family during the holidays are chances to nurture the relationships that sustain your family business.
AgFax Weekend: In Memoriam | Jump in Farm Income Unsustainable
Best Young Farmers/Ranchers: Raising the Next Gen of Black Farmers – DTN 12-16 Best Young Farmers/Ranchers: How a Town Girl Returned to the Farm – DTN 12-15 California: Department of Justice Sides With Ag on Prop 12 – DTN 12-17
Weekly Cotton Market Review - USDA
Cotton harvest near cotton gin with modules lined up in the gin yard. ©Debra L Ferguson Average spot quotations were up 285 points from the previous week, according to the USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service’s Cotton and Tobacco Program. Quotations for the base quality of cotton (color 41, leaf 4, staple 34, mike 35-36 and 43-49, strength 27.0-28.9, and uniformity 81.0-81.9) in the seven designated markets averaged 71.14 cents per pound for the week ending Thursday, December 17.
Cleveland on Cotton: “Finally, a Good Day to Be a Grower”
Wow, where is the market going? Cotton just does not want to quit. It’s finally a good day to be a cotton grower. Saddled by what USDA told us were abnormally high world and U.S. stocks, questionable demand, and a lackluster world economy, the cotton market was doomed to die on the vine somewhere between 67 and 74 cents. Forget that. Prices just keep climbing. There has appeared to be “no reasoning” in market price activity. Yet, we always know the market is right.
Drought Monitor Weekly: Record Dryness Out West with Limited Relief
This U.S. Drought Monitor week saw some modest improvements in drought conditions across portions of the Southwest, southern Great Plains, South, lower Midwest, and portions of the Northeast. Drought-related conditions deteriorated in southern California, the southern Great Basin, Texas, Minnesota, and parts of New England.
Rural Internet: FCC Ruling Should Boost High-Speed Access - DTN
Recent Federal Communications Commission (FCC) action could bolster internet connectivity and speed in rural areas with limited or no access to broadband infrastructure. The FCC amended its rules regarding TV white spaces in late October to increase the maximum permissible power and antenna height of equipment so Wi-Fi signals embedded in unused over-the-air TV channels (TV white spaces) can be transmitted farther.
NOAA Seasonal Drought Outlook - Dec., Jan., Feb.
Moderate La Niña conditions continued over the equatorial Pacific, with a 95-percent chance of persisting through the end of March 2021. The MJO is also active, with an eastern Maritime Continent event underway, but it was weakening. While the MJO may not influence the midlatitude pattern, especially early in the outlook period, climate anomalies associated with the La Niña response will likely play the dominant role throughout the Boreal winter months.
Moving Grain: 2020 Operational Costs of Trucking
ATRI Releases 2020 Operational Costs of Trucking The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) recently released a study analyzing detailed trucking costs from 2008 to 2019. According to the study, from 2018 to 2019, the average marginal cost per mile incurred by motor carriers decreased 9.3 percent to $1.65. Still, that average was 6 cents higher than in 2016, the last time the freight market softened. Costs in most other categories also decreased.
Rice Market: U.S.-Korea Quota Agreement Fulfilled Overnight
Rice harvest. ©Debra L Ferguson Stock Photography Last night, following a year full of obstacles to overcome, the U.S. and Korea finally fulfilled contracting requirements for the U.S. country-specific quota (CSQ) agreement. The CSQ agreement called for 132,304 MT milled basis, of annual U.S. rice purchases as part of Korea’s World Trade Organization commitments.
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