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DTN Livestock Closing: Contracts Bat for Higher Prices
Cattle feeding. Photo: ©Debra L Ferguson Livestock Contracts Bat for Higher Prices Heading into Friday, the livestock complex is hopeful to keep these strong gains. GENERAL COMMENTS: Thursday ended up being a great day for the livestock market as support was ample and contracts were able to close fully higher. Hog prices closed lower on the National Direct Afternoon Hog Report, down $0.18 with a weighted average of $54.90 on 7,164 head.
DTN Grain Closing: Row Crops Hold Small Gains
DTN Grain Closing: Row Crops Hold Small Gains January 21, 2021 By DTN Contributor Soybean harvest. ©Debra L Ferguson Row Crops Hold Small Gains; Wheat Slides Lower After three days of selling, March contracts of corn and soybeans finished the session with small gains Thursday, helped by news of more export sales. All three U.S. wheats ended a little lower despite a new forecast of continuing drought in the western U.S. Plains.
DTN Cotton Closing: Cotton Higher
Defoliated cotton field ready for picking. Photo: Lance Clemmons, GW Farms. The market ended with triple-digit gains Thursday as the U.S. dollar traded lower and Chicago grains recovered. Currency traders believe stimulus on top of stimulus will only devalue the buying power of the U.S. dollar, thus exacerbating its downward trend. Of course, cotton traders will also monitor the situation with China’s Xinjiang Province to see if there are any retaliations.
DTN Livestock Midday: Contracts Soak Up Market’s Support
Photo: Kansas State University Thursday has ended up being a far better day than anticipated as all of the livestock contracts are trading higher into the afternoon. General Comments Support is pouring into the livestock contracts allowing the entire marketplace to trade higher heading into Thursday’s afternoon. Unfortunately, with there already being a good test on this week’s cash cattle market it’s going to be hard for feedlots to push the cash cattle market higher.
DTN Grain Midday: Corn and Beans Higher
Corn, Beans Higher at Midday; Wheat Trending Lower Corn is 2 to 3 cents higher, soybeans are 7 to 8 cents higher, and wheat is flat to 6 cents lower. The U.S. stock market is mixed with the Dow down 30. The dollar index is 30 lower. Interest rate products are mixed. Energies are mixed with crude down $0.10. Livestock trade is higher. Precious metals are mixed with gold down $2.50.
DTN Cotton Open: Sharply Higher on Strong Trend
Photo: Nick McMichen The cotton market has posted new life-of-contract highs Thursday morning, reflecting strong global equity markets and the acceleration of COVID vaccinations that will soon ramp up. However, the market remains in an overbought technical condition, and traders are wary of the recent ban of Chinese textile imports for the Xinjiang Province Cotton is also being supported on the idea that new, untethered amounts of stimulus will soon pass the Congress.
DTN Livestock Open: Lean Hog Rally Continues to Gain Momentum
DTN Livestock Open: Lean Hog Rally Continues to Gain Momentum January 21, 2021 From DTN Photo: NCRS Strong midweek gains in lean hog futures is offsetting early week pressure in the hog complex. The expectation is that fundamental and technical support moving into the complex will stimulate further momentum in most lean hog futures contracts.
DTN Grain Open: Markets Rebound After Three-Day Skid
Mississippi River Port ©Debra L Ferguson Stock Photography Pre-6 a.m. Globex Prices: March corn is up 6 1/2 cents per bushel, March soybeans are up 9 cents, and March KC wheat is up 3 1/2 cents. CME Globex Recap: Grain markets are firmer across the board with gains being led by corn as March futures rally over 1.2%. The last three days features some tree-shaking but it appears that found buyers overnight.
DTN Livestock Closing: Lean Hogs Demand Support
Photo: Kansas State University Wednesday’s marketplace was a mixed bag as both the lean hog and feeder cattle contracts enjoyed ample support and closed fully higher, but the same can’t be said for the live cattle market. GENERAL COMMENTS: Tuesday’s problem in the lean hog complex was that the market’s fundamentals neglected to support the board, but low and behold, the lean hog market was met with ample support and close fully higher Wednesday.
Biofuels: Corn Price Pressures Ethanol Margins - DTN
Ethanol plant. Profit margins continued to fall at DTN’s hypothetical ethanol plant as soaring corn prices offset higher ethanol prices at the 50-million-gallon Neeley Biofuels plant. The DTN National Corn Index has spiked from about $3.75 per bushel in early October to $4.99 on Wednesday. The March futures price on the Chicago Board of Trade — the price paid by DTN’s hypothetical plant — closed at $5.24 on Wednesday, jumping by about $1 since the middle of December.
Soybeans, Corn: Chinese Demand Undergirds Robust Prices
Corn stocks at an elevator location. ©Debra L Ferguson Stock Images Reuters writers Hallie Gu and Dominique Patton reported last week that, “China’s soybean imports jumped 13% to an annual record in 2020, customs data showed on Thursday, after crushers ramped up purchases amid improved margins and healthy demand from the country’s rapidly recovering pig sector.
Iowa: Virtual Option for Private Pesticide Applicator Courses
Gloves are the most important part of personal protective equipment. Photo: Nebraska Farmer Due to COVID-19, the Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP) at Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host a limited number of statewide virtual private pesticide applicator Continuing Instruction Course (P-CIC) programs.
DTN Livestock Midday: Mixed Trade Continues
Cattle feeding. Photo: ©Debra L Ferguson Mixed Trade Continues throughout Livestock Contracts It’s another day of mixed trade as the feeder cattle and lean hog contracts absorb the market’s support but leave the live cattle contracts to wane lower. General Comments The livestock contracts continue to trade split heading into Wednesday’s afternoon as the live cattle market is trading mostly lower but the lean hog contracts have found the fundamental support needed to yield a higher trading day.
DTN Cotton Closing: Cotton Ends Higher
Defoliated cotton field ready for picking. Photo: Lance Clemmons, GW Farms. Cotton Ends Higher as Grains Show Life The cotton market finished Wednesday slightly higher, as the Chicago grains, over the course of the trading day, did manage to pare much of their initial losses. At the start of the morning, corn was down 15 cents, while soybeans were off 35 cents, but by the session’s close, corn had come back about 10 cents and beans had come up roughly 15 cents.
DTN Grain Closing: Row Crops Finish a Third Day Lower
DTN Grain Closing: Row Crops Finish a Third Day Lower January 20, 2021 By DTN Contributor Freshly harvest soybeans loaded in truck for transport to grain elevator. ©Debra L Ferguson Outside markets were largely favorable for commodity prices Wednesday, but row-crop prices finished lower, pressured by increased rain chances in South America. The three U.S. wheats were also lower, in line with Wednesday’s international wheat prices.
Ohio: Gibberella Ear Rot and Vomitoxin in Corn
Maturing corn. Photo: University of Illinois If your grain was harvested from a field with Gibberella ear rot (GER), it is more than likely contaminated with mycotoxins. Deoxynivalenol, also known as vomitoxin, is one of the mycotoxins most commonly produced by the fungus Fusarium graminearum that causes GER. Another name for this fungus is Gibberella zeae, hence the name of the disease.
DTN Grains Midday: All Lower for Wednesday
Soybean harvest. ©Debra L Ferguson Corn is 5 to 6 cents lower, soybeans are 17 to 19 cents lower, and wheat is 4 to 6 cents lower. The U.S. stock market is firmer with the Dow up 195. The dollar index is flat. Interest rate products are flat to lower. Energies are mostly higher with crude up $0.45. Livestock trade is mostly higher. Precious metals are firmer with gold up $24.50.
DTN Cotton Open: Market Lower as It Eyes Grain Loss
Photo: Blair Fannin, Texas AgriLife Extension The cotton market is slightly lower Wednesday as it eyes the meltdown occurring in the Chicago grain futures. The decline in the Chicago markets is being blamed on their steep overbought situation and perhaps improving weather in South America. To that end, with little direct news of its own to trade upon, cotton is deferring to those outside negative influences. Still, the cotton market continues to glow off its January crop report.
DTN Grain Open: Markets Move Sharply Lower
On-farm grain bin. ©Debra L Ferguson Stock Photography Pre-6 a.m. Globex Prices: March corn is down 11 1/2 cents per bushel, March soybeans are down 27 1/2 cents, and March KC wheat is down 7 cents. CME Globex Recap: Grain markets are sharply lower overnight with losses being led by corn, soybeans and soy meal as wetter South American forecasts trip off a needed technical correction.
DTN Livestock Open: Outside Market Volatility Adds Uncertainty
DTN Livestock Open: Outside Market Volatility Adds Uncertainty January 20, 2021 From DTN ©Debra L Ferguson Stock Photography Active pressure in grain markets during overnight trade is expected to lead to mixed market moves in livestock futures at opening bell. The focus on production costs will be tempered by questions of further long-term market direction.
Ag Input Suppliers Face Antitrust Lawsuit - DTN
A new lawsuit alleges crop input manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers coordinated a boycott of online sales platforms such as Farmers Business Network and AgVend to prevent greater price transparency, a move the lawsuit argues amounts to collusion to keep prices artificially high in violation of antitrust laws. The lawsuit, which seeks class-action status, was filed in the U.S. District Court for southern Illinois by Barbara Piper on behalf of her late husband’s estate.
DTN Livestock Closing: Contracts Facing Resistance
Photo: Blair Fannin, Texas AgriLife Extension Tuesday Left the Livestock Complex Mixed Tuesday roared into the week optimistically, allowing the livestock contracts to trade higher early in the day. However, as the day drew closer to closing the live cattle and lean hog contracts faced some resistance. GENERAL COMMENTS: The livestock complex closed mixed Tuesday afternoon.
North Carolina Corn: 5-Minute Field Day on Side-Dressing - Video
Sidedressing Corn. Photo: Case-IH Side-dressing equipment and technology is emerging to help farmers improve yield. But is it worth the investment in time and equipment? A team of field crop agents from across the state worked together to answer this question. In this video we take you to commercial farms, demonstrate side-dressing equipment and show you the results of our replicated research trial.
Biofuels: EPA Seeks Input on E15 Labels and RFS General Waiver
Bloomberg writers Jennifer A Dlouhy and Kim Chipman reported late last week that, “The Trump administration advanced a flurry of biofuel policy proposals Friday, including plans that could help ethanol producers sell more of the corn-based fuel. “Final decisions about those possible changes to biofuel-blending mandates and warning labels at pumps dispensing higher-ethanol E15 gasoline will now fall to President-elect Joe Biden.
DTN Cotton Closing: Cotton Higher in Subdued Trade
Defoliated cotton field ready for picking. Photo: Lance Clemmons, GW Farms. The cotton market ended Tuesday’s session higher, but well off its top-end prices. Some traders are nervous over Wednesday’s inauguration ceremonies and would like to see additional congressional stimulus. The U.S. dollar was down Tuesday. The market is in a steep decline and has become “oversold.” Thus a short-covering rally unfolded last week.
DTN Grain Closing: Row Crops Turn Lower
DTN Grain Closing: Row Crops Turn Lower January 19, 2021 By DTN Contributor Freshly harvest soybeans loaded in truck for transport to grain elevator. ©Debra L Ferguson Row Crops Turn Lower, Wheat Ends Mixed March KC wheat traded up 14 cents Tuesday morning, but finished just 1 cent higher after being pulled down late by lower closes in corn and soybeans. Beneficial rains fell in South America over the weekend and Brazil’s soybean crop is getting closer to increased harvest activity.
Louisiana Master Farmer Program Graduates 2020 Class
A combine cuts a rice crop as a storm approaches. Photo: Bruce Schultz, LSU AgCenter The Louisiana Master Farmer Program, an LSU AgCenter-led initiative that teaches about conservation, recently graduated its 2020 class. Five new Master Farmer certifications as well as 14 recertifications were awarded Jan. 13 during a virtual meeting of the Louisiana Association of Conservation Districts. Also, Mead Hardwick, of Tensas Parish, was named the 2020 Louisiana Outstanding Master Farmer.
Texas: Mills County Designated Natural Disaster Area to Drought
Hot, dry, windy conditions dry out crops and exacerbate drought conditions. Photo: Bob Nichols, USDA Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue designated Mills County, Texas, as a primary natural disaster area. Producers who suffered losses due to recent drought may be eligible for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loans. This natural disaster designation allows FSA to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters.
Louisiana: Virtual Rice, Soybean, Crawfish Production Meeting Now Available
Young rice field at pre-flood. ©Debra L Ferguson The LSU AgCenter hosts rice/soybean/crawfish production meetings annually at various locations throughout the state. As you are aware, there were many challenges recently due to COVID-19. The decision was made to host the production meetings in an online format because we know the need in providing you the most up-to-date research/information and still provide it in an area where you deem is safe.
USDA: Weekly National Peanut Prices
The following prices are effective from Wednesday 01/20/21 at 12:01 am Eastern Time until midnight Tuesday 01/26/21. The next announcement is scheduled for Tuesday 01/26/21 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.
Georgia Pecans: Upcoming Virtual County Production Meetings
As a result of COVID, we will be forced to hold virtual rather than in-person county pecan production meetings this year. I know this comes as a disappointment to many but this is being done in the interest of everyone’s safety. The plan is to host these meetings via Zoom on three separate dates so that county agents and growers can have multiple opportunities to participate as they wish.
Oklahoma: Time to Topdress Wheat
Photo: University of Arkansas Usually, the alarm for beginning wheat nitrogen (N) topdressing gets sounded right away in early January. A significant portion of the Oklahoma wheat belt has received a good amount of moisture in the past weeks, which was great to save the crop from the severe drought in the fall. However, some parts of the state would still benefit from additional moisture (Fig. 1).
Texas: 2021 High Plains Budgets, Profitability Analyzer Available to Producers
Irrigated cotton filed in the Concho Valley of Texas. Photo: Haley Kennedy, Texas AgriLife IPM Agent As producers begin planning for their new cropping season, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service has released the 2021 District 1 Texas Crop and Livestock Budgets and an updated 2021 High Plains Crop Profitability Analyzer budgeting tool.
DTN Grain Midday: Corn & Beans Lower
Soybean harvest. ©Debra L Ferguson Corn, Beans Lower; Wheat Mixed Corn is 5 to 6 cents lower, soybeans are 24 to 27 cents lower, and wheat is narrowly mixed. The U.S. stock market is firmer with the Dow up 80. The dollar index is 20 points lower. Interest rate products are firmer. Energies are mostly higher with crude up $0.70. Livestock trade is mixed. Precious metals are firmer with gold up $12.50.
DTN Livestock Midday: Feeder Cattle Contracts Relieved at Corn Prices
Photo: Kansas State University The livestock contracts trade mixed heading into the new week, but thankfully the feeder cattle market is finally catching a break after being immensely pressured the last two weeks. General Comments The support that upheld both the live cattle and feeder cattle contracts is weakening in the live cattle contracts as some deferred contracts are battling modest resistance.
DTN Cotton Open: Higher, Follows Outside Markets
Photo: Mississippi State University The cotton market is storming out of the gate Tuesday morning, encouraged by a strong Dow Jones and weaker U.S. dollar. In addition, gold and crude oil are higher. Last week, the market saw a bullish supply-demand report and strong weekly export sales, but only closed about 70 points higher on the week. Clearly all the scary political rhetoric coming out of Washington took its toll on many markets last week.
DTN Grain Open: Mixed Following Holiday Weekend
©Debra L Ferguson Stock Photography Pre-6 a.m. Globex Prices: March corn is down 1 cent per bushel, March soybeans are down 13 cents, and March KC wheat is up 7 3/4 cents. CME Globex Recap: Grain markets are mixed with wheat contracts leading higher while row crops and products are weaker. Global equities are mostly higher following the long weekend in the United States with U.S. futures looking to add gains later Tuesday morning.
DTN Livestock Open: Upward Market Shift Sought Following Long Weekend
DTN Livestock Open: Upward Market Shift Sought Following Long Weekend January 19, 2021 From DTN Following a long three-day weekend, livestock traders are expected to quickly step back into the market with a combination of follow-through buying and cautionary positioning developing Tuesday morning.
Arkansas Winter Wheat Acres Highest in Four Years
Tatanka is a new hard red winter wheat developed by Kansas State University. Pictured is a field of Tatanka wheat near Colby, Kansas. Arkansas producers planted about 180,000 acres of winter wheat in the fall of 2020, according to a report released Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The acreage is the highest for the state since 2017, when growers planted about 200,000 acres.
Farm Tractor Sales Finish 2020 Up 17 Percent in U.S., 10 Percent in Canada
Kubota breaks into higher-horsepower large utility Ag tractor segment in North America with the unveiling of the all-new Kubota M8 Series diesel tractor line. Photo: Business Wire Farm tractor and self-propelled combine unit sales finish the year with solid growth across the U.S., while sales in most sectors in Canada were also positive according to the latest data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM).
Minnesota: Over-Application of Potash Containing Chloride Can Hurt Soybean Yields
Photo: University of Minnesota Past posts have discussed the potential issues which chloride (Cl) in potash can present for soybean production in Minnesota. The 2020 growing season was the fourth year of a long-term study funded by the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion council which compares potassium sulfate and potassium chloride (KCl) to calcium chloride (CaCl2) and a no fertilizer control.
Illinois: All the Changes for 2021 Dicamba Applications in Soybean
Herbicide application in soybeans. Photo: ©Debra L Ferguson In late October 2020, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) announced new five-year registrations for the dicamba-containing products XtendiMax, Engenia and Tavium. These labels include new and/or additional application restrictions that were not included on previous labels.
DTN Livestock Closing: Contracts Defending Through Friday
Cattle feeding. Photo: ©Debra L Ferguson Livestock Contracts Defend Their Positions Through Friday’s Close It was a week filled with stout pressure but come Friday’s trade the livestock contracts were met with support that ultimately carried through the day’s close. GENERAL COMMENTS: After a tough week, the livestock contracts were granted renewed support and largely were able to close higher before the long weekend.
Alabama: Producers Plan for 2021 with 2020 Cotton Pest Recap
Life in 2020 was dominated by COVID-19, however, the work continued for cotton producers. While the Alabama cotton industry had an unusual weather season, no one cotton pest dominated the growing season. Alabama Cooperative Extension System entomologists Scott Graham and Ron Smith said while there were notable pests, no single species required extra effort to control.
Illinois: Release of the 2018 Farm Bill What-If Tool for 2021 Decisions
For the 2021 cropping year, farmers can change their Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) choices from the selections made for the 2019 and 2020 crop years. We have revised the 2018 Farm Bill What-If Tool to aid in making decisions. This tool is a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that calculates ARC and PLC payments under different user-entered price and yield scenarios. Last year’s version, the previous release of this tool, only allowed for the evaluation of 2019 payments.
AgFax Weekend: A Tribute to AgFax Founders | New PPP Loans
Shurley on Cotton: Enjoying One Heck of a Ride, But Caution Ahead 1-15 Ag Trade: Blazing Soybean Consumption Likely to Slow in Coming Weeks – DTN 1-15 Corn Market: Are Supplies Tight Enough Support $5 or More? – DTN 1-11 Cleveland on Cotton: Fewer Acres Likely Despite Continued High Prices 1-11
Weekly Cotton Market Review - USDA
Average spot quotations were up 118 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 76.52 cents per pound for the week ending Thursday, January 14, 2021. This is the highest weekly average since week ending September 13, 2018 when it was 78.98 cents.
Global Markets: Soybeans - Chinese Demand, Supply Concerns Drive U.S. Priced Higher
Soybean prices continued to rise in December after falling back from late November highs. Cash prices pushed past $13.00/bu in early January following futures prices in Chicago that rose above $13.50/bu. Central Illinois cash prices have added $1.00/bu since mid-December, propelled by short-term uncertainty for soybean and product shipments out of Argentina as well as tightening supplies in the United States and concerns regarding yields in South America.
USDA: Peanut Price Highlights
Photo: Clemson University Peanut prices received by farmers for all farmer stock peanuts averaged 21.2 cents per pound for the week ending January 9, up 0.9 cent from the previous week. Marketings of all farmer stock peanuts for the week ending January 9 totaled 26.6 million pounds, down 25.7 million pounds from the previous week. Runner-type peanut prices averaged 20.0 cents per pound for the week ending January 9, down 0.3 cent from the previous week.
Global Markets: Cotton - Strong U.S. Exports Buoyed by China
Photo: Nick McMichen Record U.S. shipments through December are supporting a stronger U.S. export forecast at 15.25 million bales, despite production falling 5.0 million bales from the previous year. China has accounted for almost half of U.S. exports in the first 5 months, with the country’s total imports forecast at 10.5 million bales, the highest level in 7 years.
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