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Corn conditions improve more than expected... USDA rated the corn crop as 71% “good” to “excellent” as of Sunday, up three percentage points from last week. Analysts expected a one-point increase. The “poor” to “very poor” rating held at 5%.
USDA reported corn planting reached 97% and emergence stood at 87%, both equal to the five-year averages.
Soybean conditions improve as expected... USDA rated the soybean crop as 68% “good” to “excellent,” up one point from last week and matching analysts’ expectations. The “poor” to “very poor” rating held at 5%.
Soybean planting reached 90%, two points ahead of average. Emergence stood at 75%, seven points ahead of average.
Spring wheat conditions improve more than expected... USDA rated the spring wheat crop as 53% “good” to “excellent,” up three points from last week. Analysts expected a one-point increase. The “poor” to “very poor” rating declined four points to 9% – all in the “poor” category.
USDA reported the spring wheat crop was 82% emerged, one point ahead of average.
Winter wheat harvest barely increases... Winter wheat harvest increased only one point to 4%, three points behind average. Harvest stood at 40% in Texas (41% average) and 5% in Oklahoma (23%). Kansas had not yet started harvest, whereas 1% of the crop is typically cut by this time.
Crop development continues to run ahead of normal, with 88% headed versus the five-year average of 86%. Wet conditions are slowing the harvest pace, despite the advanced development.
Cotton conditions unchanged... USDA rated the cotton crop as 49% “good” to “excellent,” unchanged from last week, though there was a one-point increase in the top category. The “poor” to “very poor” rating declined one point to 21%.
Cotton planting reached 76%, four points behind average. USDA reported 12% of the crop was squaring, equal to the five-year average.
U.S, China trade talks to continue Tuesday... Trade talks between the U.S. and China in London will continue into a second day, according to a U.S. official, as the two sides look to ease tensions over shipments of technology and rare earth elements. President Donald Trump said the talks were going well and that he was getting good reports from trade officials, though he noted China was “not easy” to negotiate with.
Asked about lifting export controls, Trump told reporters at the White House: “We’re going to see.”
Healing MAHA wounds... The White House is holding a series of stakeholder meetings this week to address mounting concerns from agricultural, food manufacturing, and pesticide groups over the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) Commission’s recent report, which raised alarm within rural America by spotlighting the use of controversial herbicides.
Administration officials will host hour-long sessions with small groups across the commodity chain, including farm lobbyists and chemical manufacturers, Politico reports, citing two sources familiar with the plans. The meetings come in response to weeks of quiet but aggressive lobbying by agricultural interests pushing the Trump administration to delay final recommendations until broader industry input can be gathered. The MAHA Commission, chaired by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is expected to release its recommendations on Aug. 12.
While farm groups have largely supported President Donald Trump’s trade and funding decisions — even amid sweeping tariff expansions — they have drawn the line at the MAHA Commission’s preliminary conclusions, which flagged glyphosate and atrazine for potential health risks. Though the May draft acknowledged that federal studies have not confirmed a direct link between the chemicals and adverse health effects, industry groups worry the report could cast doubt on the safety of U.S. agricultural production.
Farmers and agribusiness allies fear the commission’s language could lay the groundwork for future restrictions, particularly if environmental groups use it to pressure EPA reviews or push for local bans.
The White House has so far declined to publicly elaborate on the scheduled meetings. However, spokesperson Kush Desai released a statement noting the MAHA Commission “will continue to engage with stakeholders” and emphasized the broader coalition behind the initiative. “President Trump’s initiative to Make America Healthy Again is a bottom-up movement, with stakeholders across the board — including farmers, everyday parents, local governments and family physicians — having a role to play,” Desai said.
SCOTUS holds off on Prop 12 cert decision for now... The U.S. Supreme Court considered whether to hear a new challenge to California’s Proposition 12 during its June 5 private conference, but as of this morning, no decision has been made public. The case, Iowa Pork Producers Association v. Bonta, raises fresh constitutional concerns about whether California’s rules on animal confinement unlawfully discriminate against out-of-state pork producers.
The high court has now relisted the petition multiple times — on May 15, May 22, and again for discussion at the June 5 conference. This suggests continued interest among the justices, but not yet consensus on how — or whether — to proceed. Supreme Court watchers note that repeated relistings often indicate serious internal deliberations. The Court may be considering how far states can go in regulating the production methods of goods sold across state lines, a question with growing relevance as more states pursue state-specific climate, food or animal welfare mandates.
The justices may still grant review, issue a summary judgment or decline the petition. With broad implications for interstate commerce and agriculture, the outcome could reshape the regulatory powers of states — and the future of U.S. pork production.