As with corn, the 2012 soybean crop is also ahead of pace in the latest crop progress report. With harvest possibly starting early later this summer, some attention is being paid to the August futures contract.
This piece looks at the initial U.S. crop rating for corn and compares that to the ratings as of July 31st and the percent that final corn yields deviated from the 25 year trend.
groundwater depletion in California, Texas and Kansas paints a gloomy picture of agricultural sustainability in areas of those states that rely too heavily on groundwater irrigation.
Conventional political wisdom tells us that big farmers extract more benefit from government farm programs than their small- or medium-sized peers. But a financial analysis of more than 300 Midwest corn and soybean farmers by farm size shows that's not the case.
Even the long holiday weekend was not enough to draw traders back into the corn complex Tuesday. The weakness in the corn market led to additional sharp losses in ethanol futures.
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff on Friday ratified the country's new Forestry Code with vetoes. But legal clarity on forestry issues remains some way off.
The fact that you've already seen their bylines, on several high-profile stories, before we even had the chance to introduce them tells you something about the caliber and work ethic of the interns DTN has on board this summer.
5/30 6:00AM Corn futures are lower on the electronic session at 6 a.m. CDT; soybeans futures lower; wheat lower.
Weather
Rain, Cool for Northern Plains Wed.5/30 6:12AM Rain and cool conditions expected in the Northern and western Plains. The rest of U.S. crop areas will be dry.
Crops
Field scouts are seeing probable black cutworm activity in cornfields in Dickinson and Mohall counties in North Dakota. (Photo courtesy of Purdue University)
Fri May 11, 2012 03:12 PM CDT A national summit discussed a coordinated strategy for managing herbicide resistant weeds in the United States. Best management practices are suggested before mandatory measures.
Thu May 10, 2012 06:19 AM CDT The early spring weather has entomologists on the watch for soybean insects. Here are some potential pests to scout for during the 2012 season.
Livestock
Biosolids are a golden opportunity to boost pasture and range fertility at little or no cost. (DTN/Progressive Farmer image by Boyd Kidwell)
Pasture FertilityBiosolids Pump Up Pasture Fertility at a Fraction of the Cost5/28 1:37PM These are interesting days in the beef business. Cattle prices are at record levels, but expenses are sky-high and rising. What if there was a way to cut those costs, especially fertilizer?
Mon May 28, 2012 01:48 PM CDT Many of the extremists in HSUS and PETA no doubt fancy themselves as the modern-day heirs of author Upton Sinclair, charged with reforming corrupt practices of meat production by whatever means necessary.
Mon May 28, 2012 01:53 PM CDT We have a herd of cows that for some reason all have huge bags and udders. Any ideas what causes this and what we can do?
Land Management
Tom Hill and Sons Farm has reduced its catfish production in light of changing economic times, Wayne Hill says. The farm produces half the cats it once did and now produces more soybeans, wheat and corn. (Progressive Farmer image by Jim Phillips)
Beans Vs. CatsHigh Feed Prices, Foreign Competition Drain Many Catfish Ponds4/4 10:35AM A decade ago, a drive north out of Belzoni, Miss., on U.S. Highway 49 had the feel of cruising on a causeway across a massive lake. On both sides of the highway were dozens of man-made ponds -- the view was of a virtual sea of catfish.
Thu Apr 12, 2012 10:34 AM CDT Charles and Lawrence Davenport, of Pitt County, N.C., farm along a major river near the Atlantic Ocean. With water all around the row-crop operation, you'd think soil moisture wouldn't be a problem. But irrigation is a key to producing high yields here, and the Davenport brothers are developing strategies to conserve a precious resource.
Mon May 7, 2012 05:35 PM CDT Cattleman uses rotational grazing on his farm to decrease the effects of raging rivers.
Farm Business
Argentina's practice of custom hiring all field work allows Lee Trimmer and his wife Monica to farm on a scale they couldn't afford in the U.S. (Aerial photo courtesy of Lee Trimmer; DTN photo of Lee and Monica Trimmer by Marcia Zarley Taylor)
Double Crop the Americas - 1Don't Cry for Argentina's Agriculture 5/29 1:50PM Farming has been more profitable and predictable in the U.S. than Argentina recently, but that hasn't stopped a Missouri grower from expanding the family farm in South America.
Boeing workers prepare communications satellite SkyTerra 1 for launch. Boeing was listed as LightSquared largest creditor when it filed for bankruptcy. (Photo courtesy LightSquared)
LightSquared Files BankruptcyCompany Plans to Continue Pursuit of Network5/15 1:35PM LightSquared lists between $100 million and $500 million in debt spread out between 50 and 99 unsecured creditors. It was feared the company's planned wireless network would interfere with GPS signals and precision ag.
Mon May 21, 2012 12:09 PM CDT Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., said she expects the farm bill will come to the Senate floor in early June.
Thu May 17, 2012 05:27 PM CDT A House Ag Subcommittee repeatedly examined how the Senate safety net, the Agriculture Risk Coverage program, or ARC, would work with insurance, or not work at all depending on the commodity or region. The best option going forward is an alternative program that offers farmers a target price for crops.
Fri May 25, 2012 03:53 PM CDT With a total 10-year cost projected at $969 billion, the 2012 Senate farm bill would spend $23.6 billion less over 10 years than if current farm-bill programs remained in place, a CBO report released Friday shows. Over the actual five-year life of the farm bill from 2013-17, the Senate bill would save about $9.3 billion.
Farm Life
A lack of communication in a family business can lead to blow-ups between family members. (Photo courtesy of the official CTBTO Photostream)
Woodbury: Farm Family BusinessWar and Peace in the Family Business5/29 11:10AM In the family business, peace begins with the presence of good communication. If you don't have it, then sooner or later, war is what you will get.
Tue May 29, 2012 02:01 PM CDT Although farm accidents involving kids are on the decline, five deaths of children and teenagers in farm accidents during the past two weeks emphasizes that farm safety should still be a priority in the summer months. Kristi Ruth, a victim of a PTO accident, shares how a split second changed her life.
Tue May 29, 2012 10:20 AM CDT Hot, dry weather in Kentucky halted soybean planting on Katie Sanger Hancock's farm, while golf ball-sized hail damaged some of Ryan Brodersen's crops in northeastern Nebraska.
Featured Column
This view out a central Illinois farm window from May 2011 would look very different a year later: brown grass and dry fields. (Photo by Steven W. Craddock)
Kub's DenBackyarditis5/29 12:31PM A back yard full of nice green grass may tempt you to be bearish on your crops, but leaving out consideration of the wider weather picture may lead you astray in you market assessment.
= Subcriber Content:
Farming in US Offers Advantages Over Argentina 
