Latest News From Wheat

From 40 degrees above zero earlier this week in parts of the Great Plains to now forecasts for temps to fall 40 degrees below zero, ag meteorologist Drew Lerner says the frigid conditions will be dangerous for livestock.

After years of letting negativity and discouragement hold him back from full-time farming, the first-generation Kentucky farmer decided to take a leap of faith.

Major winter storms are on the way early next week. With the possibility of blizzard conditions to flooding in the southeast, the impact on agriculture could be two-fold: good news for drought but stress to livestock.

The Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor is a new survey of nearly 50 economists. Most ag economists agree the next 12 months could produce more financial pressure for agriculture, but their views vary depending on commodity.

China's exports to Russia reached a record high in April, amounting to $9.6 billion.

Farmers in the Southern Plains are finally starting to see much-needed moisture hit their fields. It may be too late for winter wheat, but it’s a hopeful sign for those needing the rain to even plant summer crops.

A late April blast could bring sub-freezing temperatures as far south as northern Texas, sparking growing concerns about the potential damage to winter wheat.

Kansas typically accounts for 25% of the nation's winter wheat production, but ongoing drought is weighing on overall crop conditions. Farmers are now facing the possibility of increased abandonment this year.

Scenes across Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas resemble the Dust Bowl after winds topping 100 mph ravaged the area. Growers are dealing with a dryland wheat crop that could already see abandonment as high as 80%.

What will the next decade hold for your farm? What factors should you use to weigh investments or crop planning?  Here are five trends and data sets to ponder from USDA's latest Agricultural Baseline Projections.

Although China imported more than $205 billion worth of agricultural products in 2021, including more than $37 billion from the U.S., trade barriers deterred China’s imports from reaching even higher levels.

Crude oil hit a 13-year high and wheat topped $13. With front-month soybeans soaring past $17, and corn nearing the $8 mark, the crisis in Ukraine means food and fuel inflation fears are also heating up. 

Just as wheat prices hit a new all-time high, the March contract was spooked, as profit taking caused the front-month contract to drop more than 80 cents in minutes. Despite that, the fundamental story hasn't changed.

Soft Red Winter (SRW) futures hit an all-time high Friday, as consecutive limit up trading days meant wheat prices topped a previous high set in 2008.

Wheat futures were fueled by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis on Wednesday. As a result, front-month wheat contracts hit daily trading limits and soared to a 14-year high.

The Russia-Ukraine crisis sent wheat prices skyrocketing 50 cents higher, with corn up 30 cents at one point Thursday. Crude oil also soared above $100 per barrel, hitting the highest level since 2014. 

No rest for the U.S. trade team. The negotiators meeting with Japanese officials about a possible trade deal between the two countries with an emphasis on agriculture. AgDay National Reporter Betsy Jibben has more.

Much of the trade focus has been on China. However, the United States agricultural industry could be at a significant tariff disadvantage starting April 1 and it has nothing to do with China.

New computer model from Texas A&M uses decades of data to help producers predict wheat forage success.

USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey says a pattern of snow and cold could bring more wintry weather soon.

Sunshine also helped kick-start feeder markets, at least for stocker calves.

Sunshine finally appeared late last week raising hopes that Oklahoma will dry out and get summer crop harvest and wheat pasture grazing back on track.

Winter wheat pasture availability is helping to keep demand high for select stocker cattle weights.

There appears to be considerable interest and excitement about winter wheat grazing this year.

The amount of moisture received across the US southern high plains since October has been ridiculously low. Forecasters warn of intensifying drought and wheat crop losses.

On his west-central Missouri farm, Kyle Grumke and his father Ross employ cover crops on every one of their 550 owned acres

Beans were down for the week, off new highs but closing lower than a week ago which gave us some technical signals. That’s important says Jerry Gulke, president of the Gulke Group, here's why. 

Temperatures seen 15 to 25 degrees below normal, NWS says.

What should have been good news for the grain and oilseed markets ended up having the opposite effect as we ended the week down, sharply down some cases says Jerry Gulke, president of the Gulke Group. 

What can a farmer drop in the planter when prices are poor? Aaron Base’s planter has room for wine, wheat, weddings, Airbnb, grass fed beef and a 1928 schoolhouse. Revenue beyond the rows can be crucial to an operation, particularly in lean commodity years, and Base is bucking convention by tapping the vein of side-stream income.

Loss and risk are an assumption in farming; devastation is not. Crops in the Dakotas and Montana are baking on an anvil of severe drought and extreme heat, as growers and ranchers make difficult decisions regarding cattle, corn and wheat.

Get your day started with a brief rundown of key news.

Farmers from the mid-South to the Great Plains are counting their losses and making plans to replant after a tumultuous storm brought deadly flooding to double-digit snowfall.

Emergency crews on Tuesday struggled to contain deadly wildfires that have scorched hundreds of square miles of land in four states and forced thousands of people to flee their homes ahead of the wind-whipped flames.

Bullish fund holdings signal ‘change in sentiment’ for prices.

The farm economy has been struggling for a while now, especially with weak cattle prices and disease issues in wheat. 

The wheat still calls a Kansas cattleman to harvest.

Agriculture prices are heading for the longest rally in four years, as adverse weather and rising demand finally help to reduce the outlook for global gluts of food supplies.

Hungry cattle help researchers discover drought-resistant wheat variety

Argentine President Mauricio Macri carried through on a campaign pledge by eliminating export taxes on agricultural goods including beef, wheat and corn while cutting a tariff on soybeans by 5 percentage points.

“I have never seen livestock and grains in my lifetime as negative as they are right now,” said Jerry Gulke, president of the Gulke Group in Chicago and a farmer in Illinois, speaking with Farm Journal Radio after the report.

When drought ravages the countryside, farmers struggle to bring yields. In an effort to help farmers overcome these obstacles, a team at Oklahoma State University uses cattle to discover drought and freeze tolerant wheat variety.

Commodities turned in their worst monthly performance since September 2011.

Corn and soybean futures sharply extended their price pullback amid improved weather conditions and active fund selling.

By week's end, soybean futures were tuned into ongoing strong export demand and cattle traders were looking for higher cash trade.

The flip of the calendar to February brought much-needed short-covering to begin a seasonal uptick in prices.

The grain markets were given a lot of news to digest this week and livestock markets were highly volatile.

Forecast calls for above-normal temps west of the Rockies, with cooler-than-normal temps from the Gulf region to the southern edge of the Midwest.

One would hardly know from Republican Sen. Pat Roberts' campaign speech that he is revered as a champion of Kansas' all-important farm economy.

Rain and cold temps are expected to keep many farmers out of the field this week.