Grain and Farm Supply Reports

Spring Acreage Outlook: Corn to Gain Acres from Multiple Crops

February 2025

Corn remains king as prices and price competitiveness have increased over the last several months amid tight global stocks and an impressive export pace led particularly by Mexico, record ethanol production, and profitable feeding margins in the livestock and poultry sectors.

Ethanol Poised for Success if Exports Sustain

February 2025

With growing world ethanol demand and higher domestic blend rates, the ethanol industry is positioned for continued growth.

Corn and Soybean Elevator Outlook: Strong Dollar and Policy Uncertainty Cloud Outlook for Demand

December 2024

U.S. farmers harvested the second-biggest corn and soybean crops on record this fall

Charting the Path Forward for SAF

October 2024

U.S. Soybean Export Sales Down, but Not Out

August 2024

The U.S. is entering the 2024/25 soybean marketing year, which starts Sept. 1, with an abysmal export sales pace for new-crop bookings.

Russia’s Smaller Wheat Harvest Expected to Drive Market Volatility

June 2024

While Russia firmly maintains its hold as the world’s top wheat exporter, Russia’s slippage in production and export capacity is expected to awaken the world wheat market to the extreme global tightness that has been building in recent years.

5 Things to Know About the New Sustainable Aviation Fuel Credits

May 2024

The Inflation Reduction Act’s tax incentives were designed to expand production of sustainable aviation fuel and lower-carbon fuels, and the U.S. Department of Treasury is finally putting incentives into action by releasing guidance on April 30, 2024.

Rapid Expansion of Soybean Crush Capacity Risks Exceeding Growth of Renewable Diesel

March 2024

The push for renewable diesel is boosting demand for soybean oil as a feedstock.

Net Zero Transportation, Charting a Course for Low Carbon Fuels

March 2024

From farm to fuel, decarbonization demands requires radical partnerships.

Slow Farmer Selling Frustrates Elevators’ Acquisition of Corn and Soybeans

November 2023

In a world market awash in grains and oilseeds, the profit outlook for storing corn and soybeans in the U.S. is much improved for the 2023-24 marketing year with buy basis for elevators falling to more normal levels and with carries returning to futures markets. 

Ag Retailers’ Future Rides on Integrating Agronomy and Autonomy

September 2023

As ag retailers continue to contend with structural and operational challenges, including higher costs for labor and insurance, their customer is also evolving. Farm operators are demanding more data-enabled agronomic tools and new ways of doing business.

Russian Wheat Exports Remain Biggest Risk to U.S. Wheat Elevators

September 2023

Following an extended period of inverted futures markets, the outlook for elevators storing wheat has improved. Carry in the futures markets has returned and the buy basis has widened after a bigger U.S. wheat harvest.

Tour Reveals Risk to Soybean Crop, but Greater Potential for Soybean Oil

August 2023

Results of the Pro Farmer Crop Tour project smaller corn and soybean crops in the U.S. as drought and the record heat index lower yields, especially in the western Midwest.

India Rice Ban Will Benefit U.S. Rice Exports, Increase Market Volatility

August 2023

On July 20, the Indian government banned the export of non-basmati white rice to “to allay the rise in prices in the domestic market” stemming from threats posed by Black Sea geopolitics, El Nino and extreme climatic conditions in other rice-producing countries. The ban affects 7-8 million metric tons of Indian rice exports, or 15% of global rice trade.

It Is Time for Ag Co-ops to Pay the Insurance Piper

June 2023

The increasing frequency and severity of global catastrophic events over the past decade have inflicted major financial losses on society, the insurance industry and agribusiness. U.S. losses to catastrophes totaled $170 billion in 2022, which is about triple the long-term average dating to 1980.

Rising Cost of Carry Will Force Co-op Grain Elevators to Lower Bids, Widen Basis

May 2023

Grain merchandisers have endured rising costs of storing, or carrying, grain and oilseed inventories over the past year due to rising interest rates, high crop prices and rising operating costs like transportation, insurance, fuel, electricity and labor

Ag Retailers Prepare to Navigate 3 Emerging Risks

March 2023

Grain and farm supply cooperatives have delivered tremendous value to their customers over the past three years, a period that featured extreme volatility in prices for grain, fertilizer and energy as well as unpredictable economic activity stemming from COVID and the Russia/Ukraine conflict.

2 Reasons Why Lower Fertilizer Prices Won’t Shift Spring Planting Decisions

February 2023

To the surprise of most observers, wholesale fertilizer prices and natural gas prices have been declining since last fall, both globally and in the United States. 

Renewable Diesel Projected to Turbo Charge Biofuel Growth

September 2022

By producing fuel using sources with lower carbon intensity compared to traditional petroleum based products, the U.S. biofuels sector is well-positioned to play a major role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

How Co-ops Can Lead the Way for DIY On-Farm Broadband

May 2022

Although precision agriculture has been around for more than 25 years, the past decade has introduced advanced computing technologies such as data analytics, artificial intelligence, connected devices, robotics, and automation.

Ukraine Sunflower Oil Just the Latest Chapter in Vegetable Oil Price Rally

May 2022

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shaken up global agricultural markets, including vegetable oil. But some perspective is needed: Even before the war, global vegetable oil prices had appreciated sharply. Since 2020, vegetable oil prices are up 113% versus gains of 51% for soy meal and 71% for unprocessed oilseeds.

Ukraine Grain: Tight Stocks, Price Volatility Likely for Years

March 2022

Global grain markets have been managing through a period of extreme price volatility following Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine, a situation that has reignited the grain rally of 2020-21.

Fertilizer Inflation Likely to Persist into Spring Planting

December 2021

U.S. crop farmers and the farm supply cooperatives serving them are facing operational anxiety heading into 2022, driven by high fuel prices, shortages of agrochemicals (herbicides, fungicides, insecticides) due to COVID-related disruptions and, most importantly, the recent parabolic rise in fertilizer prices.

Precision Agronomy Services Will Factor Heavily in the Future of Ag Retailing

September 2021

Ag retailers, including farm supply cooperatives, are benefitting from crop farmers’ strong spending on inputs and agronomic services in a second year of above-average grain prices.

Feeding the Hungry Dragon: China Changes Buying Tactics in Volatile Phase of U.S. Grain Run

June 2021

China shook up the U.S. feed grain export market this past year when it nearly tripled its previous year’s purchase of soybeans, and made record purchases of sorghum and more recently, corn.

Agronomy Outlook: A Time to Plant, a Time to Prosper

March 2021

U.S. farmers are in a sound financial position heading into spring 2021 given the cyclical turn in grain prices and robust government support, both of which have driven a rise in net farm income.

Dollar Divergence: US Dollar Index Does Not Reflect True Dollar Impact on US Ag Exports

February 2021

The U.S. Dollar Index saw rapid deflation in 2020 and has coincided with a rally in commodity prices.