The agricultural economists at the University of Illinois have been championing a new era for grain prices since the rise of ethanol as a major player in the U.S. corn market. Scott Irwin is an agricultural economist from the University of Illinois. He and his colleagues believe grain prices have achieved a new higher plateau era. An era that started …
Corn Yield and Soybean Production Up in 2017
Winter Wheat Seedings and Grain Stocks also reported Across the Midwest, a lack of extreme heat helped boost the nation’s corn yield to its highest level on record – slightly above 2016. The nation’s soybean yield was down 6 percent from 2016, but production reached a record level due to record high acreage, according to the Crop Production 2017 Summary …
U.S. Crop Acreage Still Moving to Soybeans
Farmers in the United States have been slowly switching their cropland to just two field crops. Corn is king in the United States. Soybeans have been on a swift move upward. And wheat acreage has been on the decline for about 40 years. About half-way through those four decades two important things happened. Congress passed the 1996 farm bill – …
USGC Report Says U.S. Corn Harvest Quality was Excellent
The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) issued a report on this year’s corn harvest quality, saying a good growing season resulted in record yields that had very good quality. The report says the majority of crop conditions in 2017 were good-to-excellent. That led to strong plant size, good kernel health, and a projected record yield of 370.3 million metric tons, or …
Less Corn Acreage More Soybeans Predicted for 2018
2018 should see less corn acreage worldwide—that according to U.S. market analyst Mike Zuzolo of Global Commodity Analytics. Acreage Fewer corn plantings and more soybean plantings seem likely to pressure soybean market prices lower. That, as the U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts record soybean acres in 2018 in the United States. Meanwhile, Zuzolo says soybean demand, which has been increasing, …
Wood from Corn Stover
Corn Board Manufacturing Inc. is taking waste from the field and making wood for thousands of products. Lane Segerstrom, founder of the company, explains how the company turns corn stover to an added value product for farmers. Stover Based in Frisco, Texas, Corn Board Manufacturing is marketed as a sustainable company. The company is looking to expand to other areas, …
USDA Predicts Less Corn in Storage in Latest WASDE
The latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report released Tuesday by the Department of Agriculture predicts lower corn stocks. USDA predicts that about 2.43 billion bushels of corn will be in storage at the end of the 2018 marketing year, down from a previous estimate of 2.48 billion. USDA expects 50 more million bushels of corn will be …
Corn Market May Need Disruption
A banking official from Nebraska says the market may need “some disruption in production,” to reach higher prices for corn. Tom Jensen of First National Bank of Omaha told the Omaha-World Herald there is nothing on the horizon to increase corn prices, unless something disrupts the market. A disruption of the corn market means, generally, some form of natural disaster, …
Can Corn and Oil Live Together?
Oil-state Republican legislators met with President Trump on Thursday to discuss the Renewable Fuels Standard. They left with a directive from the president to figure out a compromise that would work out for both the oil and renewable fuels industries. Politico says Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe was one of the lawmakers who met with Trump. “The president wants us to …
Corn Industry Meet with Mexico Regarding Trade
Corn industry leaders visited Mexico last week to reinsure the importance of trade. The National Corn Growers and the U.S. Grains Council hosted the joint mission, which also included a group of leaders visiting South Korea. NCGA President Kevin Skunes was part of the group that traveled to Mexico. Trip The group met with agriculture officials, grain association representatives and …