Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Wheat”
Settling Ohio After the Appalachian Crossing Once early American settlers crossed the Appalachian Mountains, many chose to stop rather than continue westward. After enduring difficult and often dangerous travel, these settlers found what is now eastern and central Ohio to be an ideal place to establish permanent communities. Fertile land and favorable growing conditions made the region especially attractive to …
Grains and Livestock Futures Reflect Market Calm Amid Venezuela Geopolitical Shift It’s been 85 years since the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. January 7th, 2026 won’t be remembered in the same way, but military action in Venezuela years from now could be seen as a major turning point in world events. Recent geopolitical developments in Venezuela have …
Grain and Livestock Futures Move in Opposite Directions Early in the New Year Grain and livestock futures are starting the new year on sharply different paths, highlighting contrasting supply-and-demand forces across the agricultural markets. While corn and soybean futures remain under technical pressure, cattle markets continue to surge to new highs driven by animal health concerns and border restrictions. In …
USDA Releases Farmer Bridge Assistance Program Payment Rates The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has officially released the long-awaited payment rates for the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program, providing clarity and certainty for producers planning for the 2026 growing season. Announced late last year, the FBA Program delivers $12 billion in total assistance, with $11 billion allocated to row crop …
Agriculture’s Early Push Toward the West As America grew in its earliest decades, farming advanced steadily alongside the movement of settlers. In an American Agriculture History Minute, Mark Oppold explains that agriculture continued its western migration soon after early colonists established themselves. As pioneers crossed the Appalachians and sought new opportunities, they brought farming with them, shaping the agricultural character …
Markets Focus on Federal Reserve as USDA Monthly Crop Report Takes Backseat Yesterday’s USDA monthly crop report (WASDE Report) entered a market environment already dominated by two major developments: the administration’s $12 billion farm aid package and expectations of another Federal Reserve rate cut. With financial markets laser-focused on interest rate movements, both Chicago grain traders and Wall Street placed …
Alabama Issues Notice to Suspend Grain Dealer License Over Unpaid Producers The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) has issued a formal notice of intent to suspend a grain dealer license after multiple farmers reported missing payments for delivered grain. Commissioner Rick Pate announced the action following complaints from Alabama producers who had not been paid by Hansen-Mueller Co. …
Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern Merger Advances Amid Agricultural Concerns Shareholders of Union Pacific (UP) and Norfolk Southern (NS) railroads have nearly unanimously approved the next step in the multi-year process to merge the two companies. If completed, the merger will create America’s first coast-to-coast railroad, promising faster delivery times and competitive rail rates for many industries. Potential Benefits Highlighted by Rail …
Senate Passes USDA Funding and Farm Bill Extension in Measure to Reopen Government As part of efforts to reopen the federal government, the U.S. Senate has passed a funding measure that provides USDA appropriations for fiscal year 2026 and includes an extension of farm bill programs set to expire at the end of the year. The measure also extends federal …
The Roots of American Farming In the early days of American settlement, the first colonists arriving in Plymouth Colony faced unfamiliar soil, weather, and challenges unlike anything they had known in England. According to Mark Oppold in American Agriculture History Minute, these settlers initially relied on the seeds they brought from their homeland—planting barley and peas as their primary crops. …
