Market Matters Blog
Pat Hill DTN Markets Editor

Tuesday Feb 9, 2010
Reports Out as Scheduled
It's one of those bromides that's been in the industry forever -- that the ratio between new crop beans and corn futures is a good indicator of upcoming shifts in acreage. [Read Full Blog Post]
Posted at 07:43AM CST Feb 9, 2010 by Pat Hill | 0 Comments | Post a Comment
 

Monday Feb 8, 2010
Merchants Hike Bids Monday
Higher cash grain bids showed up at elevators and terminals Monday, as merchandisers tried to meet demand. [Read Full Blog Post]
Posted at 07:26PM CST Feb 8, 2010 by Pat Hill | 0 Comments | Post a Comment
 
The Show Must Go On
-- Reports as Scheduled Tuesday Morning [Read Full Blog Post]
Posted at 12:13PM CST Feb 8, 2010 | 0 Comments | Post a Comment
 
Basis Gains Evident Last Week
Not much net movement in cash grain bids last week, as some big advances on one day were offset by equally dramatic losses the next. But through it all, the basis continued to strengthen. [Read Full Blog Post]
Posted at 11:44AM CST Feb 8, 2010 by Pat Hill | Post a Comment
Comments (2)
the more interesting question is what is firming basis? i.e. for spring wheat is the firmer basis because of good end user demand or simply very slow moving freight?? also for corn basis i think it would be interesting to see a chart or graph of basis into the PNW for #2 corn......versus #3........as I am not so sure that #2 corn isn't worth more today then it was a year ago into that market
Posted by Jeremey Frost at 05:28PM CST Feb 8, 2010
Good questions, Jeremey! I'll see what we can dig up. Interesting point about what quality is going to do to basis as we get down the road and into spring. Will it be hard to find enough good corn to meet export specs?
Posted by Pat Hill at 06:47PM CST Feb 8, 2010
 
Basis Gains Evident Last Week
Not much net movement in cash grain bids last week, as some big advances on one day were offset by equally dramatic losses the next. But through it all, the basis continued to strengthen. [Read Full Blog Post]
Posted at 11:44AM CST Feb 8, 2010 by Pat Hill | 0 Comments | Post a Comment
 

Friday Feb 5, 2010
Testing A Truism: Bean:Corn Ratio and Planting
It's one of those bromides that's been in the industry forever -- that the ratio between new crop beans and corn futures is a good indicator of upcoming shifts in acreage. [Read Full Blog Post]
Posted at 09:35AM CST Feb 5, 2010 by Pat Hill | 0 Comments | Post a Comment
 
Canadian Wheat, Canola, Barley Stocks Tighter
The Dec 31 Canadian Grain Stocks report released early Friday seems to confirm earlier government estimates of last year's crop size. [Read Full Blog Post]
Posted at 08:34AM CST Feb 5, 2010 by Pat Hill | 0 Comments | Post a Comment
 
Cash Bids Bounce
Despite a big sell-off in outside commodities, corn, soybeans and wheat futures found new life on Thursday, and merchandisers raised cash bids accordingly. [Read Full Blog Post]
Posted at 06:07AM CST Feb 5, 2010 by Pat Hill | 0 Comments | Post a Comment
 

Thursday Feb 4, 2010
Still Seeing Corn in the Field
A long-time DTN subscriber called Wednesday to remind me that there's still a lot of corn out in those fields, and he thinks any of it that has ears covered with snow won't be fit to harvest. [Read Full Blog Post]
Posted at 01:26PM CST Feb 4, 2010 | Post a Comment
Comments (3)
Here in ND, our experience with leaving corn in the field has been good. Because the corn will pick up probably 4 to 5 lbs of test weight. Typically only 10% of the cobs will be lost. I don't think there is any reason to believe snow covering the cob will cause the quality to deteriorate. The biggest concern in spring harvest is cob loss. I speak confidently because of the issues with the 2008 crop.
Posted by Emeric Erickson at 02:45PM CST Feb 4, 2010
Wondering if O'Brien ment snow up to and covering the ear or if he ment a little snow sitting on the ear?
Posted by M K Harstad Farm at 10:00AM CST Feb 7, 2010
is it possible that sunshine is warming that mold enough on sunny days to get the mold out of dormancy?? seems to be some talk going around about it
Posted by matt Ruckheim at 02:05PM CST Feb 7, 2010
 
Corn Quality Issues
The quality of the 2009 corn harvest may turn out to be as big or bigger an issue than how many bushels farmers actually harvested. [Read Full Blog Post]
Posted at 11:38AM CST Feb 4, 2010 by Pat Hill | Post a Comment
Comments (1)
It will be interesting if the corn feed and residual use number is substantially higher than normal in the next supply and demand report. A lot of corn may end up missing because of the factors you outlined, to the point that number will look very odd given the number of livestock out there.
Posted by MATT ELLIOTT at 01:28PM CST Feb 4, 2010
 
Big Step Back for Cash Bids
Merchandisers quickly reversed course Wednesday, taking back earlier week advances in corn, soybean and wheat bids. [Read Full Blog Post]
Posted at 06:18AM CST Feb 4, 2010 by Pat Hill | 0 Comments | Post a Comment
 

Wednesday Feb 3, 2010
Bigger World Soy Crops -- What Does It Mean?
If private estimates are right, world soybean supplies could top 300 million metric tons this year. There's still plenty of demand, but it still implies a record-large stocks-to-use ratio. [Read Full Blog Post]
Posted at 12:45PM CST Feb 3, 2010 by Pat Hill | 0 Comments | Post a Comment
 
Informa: Big Crops Bigger
South American soybean and corn production will be bigger than indicated in earlier estimates, private analytical firm Informa told clients this morning. [Read Full Blog Post]
Posted at 10:47AM CST Feb 3, 2010 | 0 Comments | Post a Comment
 
Cash Bids Show Some Life
Merchandisers were able to raise bids for corn, beans and wheat Tuesday, following gains on the board and continuing basis strength. [Read Full Blog Post]
Posted at 06:07AM CST Feb 3, 2010 by Pat Hill | 0 Comments | Post a Comment
 

Tuesday Feb 2, 2010
Winter Wheat Ratings, Some Corn Harvest Progress
Monday afternoon, several states released crop conditions reports for January. While a lot can change in the coming months, there are a few tidbits worth a quick look. [Read Full Blog Post]
Posted at 02:39PM CST Feb 2, 2010 by Pat Hill | Post a Comment
Comments (3)
As weather has permitted and if snow isn't to deep. I have been plugging away slowly, the moisture in corn has not dropped much. Most of corn left standing is wet and light overall a very bad season for full season crops. Scott H.
Posted by SCOTT HENDRICKSON at 11:10AM CST Feb 2, 2010
Pat: I find the 9% wheat headed in Texas an unlikly figure in Feb.
Posted by Tom Stockard at 01:32PM CST Feb 2, 2010
Tom, Thanks for the heads-up. I spoke with Brent Holliman in the TX Field Office, and he said there had been an error in the collection process of the data -- there is no wheat headed yet in Texas.
Posted by Pat Hill at 02:41PM CST Feb 2, 2010