University of Florida Extension Service and Florida A&M are all teaming together to again sponsor the 15th annual Peanut Butter Challenge. During October and November, all collected peanut butter will be distributed to local food pantries this winter. A total of 38 of Florida’s Extension Service offices will be collecting the protein-packed favorite. Participating county extension offices will collect sealed, …
Grain Trade Updates
Grain trade will have a couple of hours to trade numbers from today’s monthly crop report, and then we’ll have to wait until Tuesday when markets reopen. Columbus Day holiday on Monday, markets will be closed, as well as banks, post offices, and government offices. Most analysts expect USDA to lower corn production from the September report. Average estimates have …
Challenges in the Peanut Industry
Last year across the peanut belt, a surprise, the government shut down. That sent shockwaves across the peanut industry as the government shutdown caused no loans to be paid to the farmers, but it took a miracle to open the Federal State Inspection Service and allow peanuts to be graded and set aside and to be paid for later. Farmers …
Peanut Market Trends
Checking on the peanut market right now on trends they say. The international market has picked up a lot with more activity than the U.S. domestic market. That comes from brokers dealing in peanuts. The international market is faced with dwindling supplies from all origins with the same problem the U.S. is having now with only coming possibly from the …
USDA Price Projections
USDA makes price projections each February and what they think prices will be at harvest time for corn and soybeans. This year could be going against a longer-term trend. Corn and soybean harvest prices have exceeded those February projections just three of the last ten years, but this year different. Currently, 2026 corn harvest prices are 7 to 8 percent …
Export Peanut Struggles
The European Union has long been a major buyer of peanuts from the United States, but we’ve got a problem right now with the testing. Despite our efforts, the data shows that the percentage of loads that have been rejected by the EU ports that fail to meet the aflatoxin requirements has decreased. That means the peanuts are cleaner from …
Wheat Demand Transformed Mid-Atlantic Agriculture
International Demand Helps Shape Colonial Farming Before 1720, agriculture in the mid-Atlantic colonies was largely based on small-scale farming operations. Many colonists relied on farming not only to feed their families and communities but also to generate products that could be exchanged for manufactured goods from overseas. Corn and flour became important commodities in the region’s trade with the West …
Commodity Review
With nine months of trade now in the books, we review our list of 48 commodities and how their performance rates since New Year’s. Conflicts in Iraq and Ukraine, of course, have had energy way out in front all year long. As of today, heating oil, gasoline, and crude oil remain numbers one, two, and three on the list. Heating …
Peanut Market Updates
Checking on the market for peanuts. The international market right now is faced with a dwindling supply from all origins with the only help coming possibly from the U.S. and a few from China. Nonetheless, China continues to face struggle with its exchange rate and its high freight rates. The U.S. should be able to help some with that, at …
Planning Started for Next Years Crop
This is the time of the year producers begin to finalize plans for next growing season, even though the crop is not even in the bin yet, but begin to make plans and place seed orders for 2027. Changes continue in the seed business, keeping track of who owns what brands can be a full-time job. In 2019, for example, …










