Latest News From First Thing Today

First Thing Today | July 27, 2021
First Thing Today | July 27, 2021

Markets bounce as crop condition ratings slide. Sultry weather grips Northern Plains and western Corn Belt. Latest WHIP+/ag disaster bill authorizes up to $8.5 billion for eligible 2020 and 2021 disasters.

First Thing Today | July 26, 2021

Hot, dry week likely for much of the Midwest & Plains. Low Parana River water levels likely to get worse before they get better. Vilsack predicts moderation in food inflation. Friendly cattle reports may boost futures.

First Thing Today | July 23, 2021
First Thing Today | July 23, 2021

Evening weather update calls for less Midwest rain. French wheat crop ratings dip again, with heavy rains eroding crop prospects. Chinese soybean imports could slow 2H of 2021. Taper talk at the Fed.

First Thing Today | July 22, 2021
First Thing Today | July 22, 2021

Profit-taking overnight. Industry still trying to get a handle on Canada’s wheat and canola crops. Central China is dealing with floods. FTC adopts policy statement to take on ‘right to repair.'

First Thing Today | July 21, 2021
First Thing Today | July 21, 2021

A high pressure ridge could lead to more drying in western Corn Belt, Northern Plains. USDA isn’t the only one missing the mark on Canada’s wheat crop. Odds are low for a proposed bill to end corn-ethanol mandate.

First Thing Today | July 20, 2021
First Thing Today | July 20, 2021

Grain and soy futures rallied overnight amid a concerning forecast for some areas and lower-than-expected corn and spring wheat condition ratings.

First Thing Today | July 19, 2021
First Thing Today | July 19, 2021

Spring wheat still soaring amid weather woes, with the warm dry forecast for the western Corn Belt concerning. China’s grain imports are still soaring. Its Sichuan province reported ASF in illegally transported piglets

First Thing Today | July 16, 2021
First Thing Today | July 16, 2021

Extreme heat coming for spring wheat country. Brazil’s corn contract washouts could be the highest since 2016. Xi raises food security to national security concern. Germany confirms its first cases of ASF in farm pigs.

First Thing Today | July 15, 2021
First Thing Today | July 15, 2021

Another slowdown in crush expected for June, with export sales also out today. Low water levels on Argentina’s Parana River still causing headaches. Chinese pork production hits seven-year high in Q2

First Thing Today | July 14, 2021
First Thing Today | July 14, 2021

Storms expected to roll across the Midwest from today forward. China’s summer wheat crop up from 2020, but quality is a concern. Biden to meet with Senate Democrats about their $3.5-tril. budget reconciliation plan.

First Thing Today | July 13, 2021
First Thing Today | July 13, 2021

Spring wheat CCI rating plunges again. Chinese purchases of soybeans, corn, wheat and meat all up from year-ago through June. Transportation spending bill has a spending offset issue. Cash hog bids dive.

First Thing Today | July 12, 2021
First Thing Today | July 12, 2021

Markets favoring the upside as trade readies for USDA reports. Timely rain for much of the Corn Belt, but Upper Midwest remains dry. China to boost boost storage capacity and ease restrictions for small hog producers.

First Thing Today | July 9, 2021
First Thing Today | July 9, 2021

Price action was relatively quiet overnight on a lack of fresh news.

First Thing Today | July 8, 2021
First Thing Today | July 8, 2021

More rain for the southern, eastern areas of the Midwest heading into the weekend. Wildfire disrupting shipping at Canada’s largest port. Global food prices slide for the first time in a year.

First Thing Today | July 7, 2021
First Thing Today | July 7, 2021

Corrective buying after yesterday’s dive. Fed to release FOMC minutes today. Chinese corn production likely to climb at least 6% in 2021-22. Vilsack heading to Nebraska for a ‘major announcement’ on Friday.

First Thing Today | July 6, 2021
First Thing Today | July 6, 2021

Rain ahead for U.S. Northern Plains and Midwest as well as the Canadian Prairies. Cordonnier lowered his U.S. corn and soybean yield estimates, as well as his corn crop projections for Brazil and Paraguay.

First Thing Today | July 2, 2021
First Thing Today | July 2, 2021

Grain and soy futures are rising ahead of long holiday weekend. The focal point today is the June jobs report. Meanwhile, a USDA attaché expects Chinese imports of corn to slow notably in 2021-22.

First Thing Today | July 1, 2021
First Thing Today | July 1, 2021

Corn and beans rallying on bullish acreage data. Monthly soy and corn processing reports out today. TPA expires with little fanfare and the U.S. and Taiwan restarted trade talks.

First Thing Today | June 30, 2021
First Thing Today | June 30, 2021

June Acreage Report, Quarterly Grain Stocks out today. Rains limit frost damage in Brazil’s northern Parana, with another frost/freeze expected tonight. A bipartisan low-carbon biofuels bill will be unveiled today.

First Thing Today | June 29, 2021
First Thing Today | June 29, 2021

Frost/freeze the latest ding for Brazil’s battered safrinha corn crop. Solid heat wave for the western Corn Belt likely the latter half of July.

First Thing Today | June 28, 2021
First Thing Today | June 28, 2021

It was a wet weekend for the Midwest, but a dry, warm forecast for the Upper Midwest with heat moving into the Northern Plains keep weather concerns close at hand.

First Thing Today | June 25, 2021
First Thing Today | June 25, 2021

Heavy rain and storms are on tap for southern and eastern areas of the Midwest. The infrastructure agreement faces some high hurdles reaching the finish line. USDA's monthly Cattle on Feed Report is out this afternoon.

First Thing Today | June 24, 2021
First Thing Today | June 24, 2021

Corn is hitting new lows for the month, with soybeans also under pressure. Sellers continue to dominate lean hog market and limits expand ahead of USDA's weekly export sales update and its Quarterly Hogs & Pigs Report.

First Thing Today | June 23, 2021
First Thing Today | June 23, 2021

Welcome rains fell in Iowa, but western areas of the state again missed out. Levels of South America's Parana River remain problematic. Fed Chair Powell said high prices should wane. Higher cash cattle trade picks up.

First Thing Today | June 22, 2021
First Thing Today | June 22, 2021

Spring wheat soars amid a dive in condition ratings. Cordonnier sticks with his U.S. crop estimates, but he cut Brazil's corn crop. Farm-state lawmakers want biofuel provisions to be wrapped into infrastructure package.

First Thing Today | June 21, 2021
First Thing Today | June 21, 2021

Midwest rains are weighing on grain and soy futures. Chinese imports of Brazilian beans picked up in May. And Biden's opposition to a gas tax proposal and Democratic infighting could derail latest infrastructure effort.

First Thing Today | June 18, 2021
First Thing Today | June 18, 2021

Volatility is here. Money flow will be key to market action moving forward. China remained an aggressive importers of grains and pork during May, despite high prices. Refiners appear to be betting on a blending reprieve.

First Thing Today | June 17, 2021
First Thing Today | June 17, 2021

Hot, stormy weather is expected for the Midwest, pressuring grain and soy futures. A bipartisan infrastructure plan gains support. And Biden and Putin agree to disagree at their summit yesterday.

First Thing Today | June 16, 2021
First Thing Today | June 16, 2021

Some buying returned to grain futures overnight. Markets will zero in on the Fed today and whether it bumps up its timeline for higher interest rates. Meanwhile, China is reporting its sow herd is near pre-ASF levels.

First Thing Today | June 15, 2021
First Thing Today | June 15, 2021

The cooler forecast is pressuring grain and soy futures, despite some lower than expected crop condition ratings. NOPA will update the May crush today. And a truce has been reached on the U.S./EU aircraft dispute.

First Thing Today | June 14, 2021
First Thing Today | June 14, 2021

Rains for the dry Northern Plains and western Corn Belt are expected to be erratic the next two weeks, with warm temperatures likely to persist. Nevertheless, grain and soy futures are under heavy pressure.

First Thing Today | June 11, 2021
First Thing Today | June 11, 2021

Delaware lawmakers are pressing EPA to ease refiners’ blending obligations. A bipartisan group of Senators delivered a new infrastructure proposal. And NCBA wants USDA to scrap "Product of the USA labels."

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First Thing Today

More rain is coming for the Northern Plains. Weather will share the spotlight with USDA's June S&D and Crop Production Reports. JBS announces it did pay $11 million in ransom.

First Thing Today | June 9, 2021
First Thing Today | June 9, 2021

Rains for the Northern Plains weigh on HRS wheat. Biden ended infrastructure talks with Capito, but is starting talks with others. Meanwhile, Vilsack says no decision has been made on swine line speeds.

First Thing Today | June 8, 2021
First Thing Today | June 8, 2021

Grain markets were supported overnight by crop condition ratings and hot, dry forecasts for northern and western production areas.

First Thing Today | June 7, 2021
First Thing Today | June 7, 2021

Dry weather concerns fuel strong gains in the grain and soy markets to start the week.

First Thing Today | June 4, 2021
First Thing Today | June 4, 2021

The May jobs report will share the spotlight with weekly export sales today.

First Thing Today | June 3, 2021
First Thing Today | June 3, 2021

Grain and soy futures continue to climb. Meanwhile, Brazil's ag minister is warning efforts to ensure hydroelectric power will disrupt shipping along the Parana River.

First Thing Today | June 2, 2021
First Thing Today | June 2, 2021

Warm, dry forecast continues to lift grain and soy futures. Meanwhile, operations are resuming at JBS facilities.

First Thing Today | June 1, 2021
First Thing Today | June 1, 2021

Frosts/freezes over the holiday weekend have grain and soy futures soaring to start the week.

First Thing Today
First Thing Today

Grain and soy futures traded in a two-sided range overnight. Some expect the harvest of China's wheat crop to temper its voracious corn buying.

sunrise test plots weather
First Thing Today

Argentina's port strike came to an early end. USDA hiked its ag export forecast, reminding of China's aggressive buys and the Phase 1 trade deal. USTR Tai talked with her Chinese counterpart yesterday.

sunrise test plots weather
First Thing Today | May 26, 2021

Corn struggled to rebound overnight. Meanwhile, another strike is underway in Argentina and China took more steps to tighten its control on commodities.

sunrise test plots weather
First Thing Today

Start your day with this concise recap of key ag news.