Agriculture News
The farm economy is at a crossroads. High costs and negative margins are driving record government payments, but economists say innovation, lower costs and new demand are key to restoring profitability.
USDA pegged new crop corn ending stocks at 1.790 billion bu., well below the average pre-report estimate of 1.873 billion bu. World ending stocks for corn, soybeans and wheat also landed below expectations.
Analysis of 2023–2025 prices found U.S. growers paid more for nearly every seed and crop protection category examined.
An unusual combination of severe hail, 88 mph winds and excessive rainfall has devastated some corn acres, while saturated fields, delayed herbicide applications and rising weed pressure threaten remaining yield potential.
Farm Journal’s June Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor shows a weaker ag economy versus a year ago, but more than 80% expect consistent or better conditions over the next 12 months despite ongoing margin pressure.
U.S. areas suffering from dryness or drought are down 10.6% over the last month
Corn acres landed above the average pre-report estimate, though lighter-than-expected June 1 stocks are supportive. Wheat acreage and stocks were mostly short of average pre-report estimates.
USDA says Trump’s executive order suspending phosphate duties could cut fertilizer prices by about 22%, saving U.S. farmers an estimated $1.82 billion annually across 97 million planted acres.
The Executive Order signed by President Trump Monday comes after years of farmer lobbying against phosphate duties, with Texas A&M estimating $6.9B in added costs since 2021 tied to sharply higher DAP fertilizer prices.
Spotty thunderstorms in the Midwest and heavy rains in the Gulf Coast were the main precipitation events
Monthly RMI survey notes rise in outlook for farmland values.
A majority of commodities saw a reduction in acres impacted
Annual SDSU survey says cropland values stabilize after years of gains.
NOAA officially declared El Niño on Thursday and says the climate pattern has a 63% chance of reaching “very strong” status by fall, potentially shaping U.S. weather through harvest and winter.
The U.S. is now below 75% or more abnormally dry for the first time since February