Ag News Update Podcast: Farm Bill Deadline Tightens As Markets Send Signals
Today’s Ag News Update looks at a narrowing congressional calendar, with roughly 15 legislative days […]
Articles by Tony St. James
Agriculture Today Podcast: Farm Bill, Corn Supply And Herd Rebuilding
Today’s Agriculture Today looks at several issues shaping the farm economy, starting with the Farm […]
Agricultural Futures Slide Sharply Across Major October Markets
CHICAGO, IL – Agricultural futures fell sharply across several major markets in October, with corn, […]
Cattle Herd Rebuilding May Not Accelerate Until 2028
LUBBOCK, TX – U.S. cattle supplies could remain historically tight through 2027 as meaningful herd […]
Ethanol Production Remains Strong As Gasoline Demand Weakens
NASHVILLE, TN – U.S. ethanol production remained historically strong in early November even as gasoline […]
Stronger Demand Offsets Record Soybean Production In November
LUBBOCK, TX – Soybean prices rallied after USDA’s November reports even as the agency raised […]
Midwest Farmland Values Rise As Farm Credit Softens
CHICAGO, IL – Midwest farmland values continued rising in the third quarter even as agricultural […]
Farm Bill Faces Fifteen Legislative Days Before Reset
AMARILLO, TX – Congress may have only a narrow window to finish remaining Farm Bill […]
Ag News Update Podcast: Farm Credit Demand Rises As Costs Pressure Producers
Today’s Ag News Update looks at increasing demand for agricultural credit as higher operating costs […]
Agribusiness Report Podcast: Abbi Groves Tracks Protein Demand And Supply
Today’s guest is Abbi Groves, livestock economist with CoBank. Groves discusses tight beef supplies, stronger […]
Four-Wheel-Drive Tractor Sales Rise Despite Broader Equipment Weakness
MILWAUKEE, WI – U.S. four-wheel-drive tractor sales increased in October, providing one positive signal in […]
Weak Pork Demand Extends Pressure Across Hog Markets
LUBBOCK, TX – Strong pork production is running into weak domestic and international demand, creating […]
Lower Corn Carryout Could Reopen Path Toward $5
LUBBOCK, TX – Corn may have regained a path toward $5 after USDA cut production […]
CattleCon Policy Process Gives Producers Direct Washington Voice
LUBBOCK, TX – Cattle producers attending CattleCon can directly influence the policies NCBA carries to […]
Texas Cotton Yield Falls Again In November Forecast
LUBBOCK, TX – Texas cotton yield estimates fell again in November as USDA reduced the […]
USDA Proposes Grazing Rule To Expand Rancher Access
WASHINGTON, DC – USDA is proposing changes to federal grazing rules that could make it […]
Ag Credit Demand Rises As Lenders Watch Deterioration
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Agricultural credit demand is increasing as higher operating costs squeeze working capital, […]
Trade Policy Leads Wednesday Ag News Update
Agricultural trade policy leads today’s Ag News Update as the Senate Agriculture Committee considers Gregory […]
Agribusiness Report Podcast: Cole Raisbeck Sees Path Back Toward $5 Corn
Today’s guest is Cole Raisbeck, Commodity Advisor with Kluis Commodity Advisors in Platteville, Wisconsin. Raisbeck […]
Agriculture Today Podcast: USDA Crop Reports Face New Accuracy Scrutiny
Today’s Agriculture Today focuses on the latest agricultural news, including USDA’s November Crop Production and […]
Panama Canal Expands Daily Transits As Water Improves
PANAMA CITY, PANAMA – Grain and other agricultural shippers will have more capacity through the […]
Beef-On-Dairy Cattle Now Represent Quarter Of Feedlot Inventory
LUBBOCK, TX – Beef-on-dairy cattle may now represent roughly one-quarter of cattle on feed, helping […]
Modern Agriculture Must Move Beyond Raw Commodity Production
LUBBOCK, TX – Agriculture could surrender valuable markets if producers remain focused only on growing […]
Land Grant Economists Review USDA Crop Forecast Methods
WASHINGTON, DC – USDA crop forecasting methods are undergoing an independent review by land-grant university […]
Sorghum Production Falls Thirty-Seven Percent From Last Year
LUBBOCK, TX – U.S. sorghum production is forecast to fall 37 percent from last year […]
Trade Policy Takes Center Stage At USDA Hearing
WASHINGTON, DC – Expanding agricultural exports and protecting existing markets dominated discussion as the Senate […]
USDA Cuts Corn, Raises Soybeans In November Forecast
WASHINGTON, DC – USDA sharply lowered its 2026 corn production estimate while slightly increasing the […]
Agribusiness Report Podcast: Sigrid Johannes Outlines Cattle Priorities For New Congress
Today’s guest is Sigrid Johannes, Executive Director of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association in Washington, […]
USDA Crop Safeguard Leads Tuesday Ag News Update
USDA is adding a new anomaly-detection check to the November crop report process, while Tyson […]
Vietnam Demand Supports South Africa Corn Export Outlook
PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA – South Africa is expected to remain an important corn exporter despite […]
NCBA Sets Early Cattle Priorities For Incoming Congress
LUBBOCK, TX – Expanding grazing access, improving livestock processing and addressing labeling issues will be […]
Farm Borrowers Need More Dollars For Similar Loan Volume
WASHINGTON, DC – Small-farm borrowers took out nearly the same number of loans in 2025 […]
Soybean Economics Point Toward 2027 Corn Acre Decline
LUBBOCK, TX – Current crop budgets are pointing toward fewer U.S. corn acres and increased […]
Tyson Amarillo Expansion Could Tighten Fed Cattle Competition
AMARILLO, TX – Tyson Foods plans to restore a full second production shift at its […]
USDA Adds AI Check After September Crop Error
WASHINGTON, DC – USDA will use a new in-house anomaly-detection tool during the November crop […]
Farm Profitability Leads Monday Ag News Update
Farm lenders report continued pressure on producer profitability and liquidity, while crop insurance guarantees improve […]
Agribusiness Report Podcast: Darren Hudson On Agriculture’s Changing Value Chain
Today’s guest is Dr. Darren Hudson with Texas Tech University. Hudson discusses Texas Tech’s new […]
Agriculture Today Podcast: ARC PLC Decisions Meet November WASDE Preview
This edition of Agriculture Today looks at ARC and PLC decisions facing producers, along with […]
Texas Tech Investment Targets Higher-Value Agricultural Food Markets
LUBBOCK, TX – Texas Tech University is developing new food research facilities designed to help […]
Record Rail Fuel Surcharges Raise Grain Shipping Costs
WASHINGTON, DC – Rail fuel surcharges charged to grain shippers reached an all-time high in […]
Corn Demand Holds Firm Despite Larger Supply Outlook
LUBBOCK, TX – Corn demand remains relatively strong despite a larger U.S. supply outlook that […]
Higher Farm Prices Strengthen Rural Wages And Employment
KANSAS CITY, MO – Higher farm commodity prices do more than improve producer revenue – […]
Higher Crop Insurance Prices Still Miss Farm Breakevens
WASHINGTON, DC – Crop insurance guarantees improved for corn, soybeans, wheat and cotton in 2026, […]
Farm Lenders See Growing Financial Divide Across Agriculture
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Four in ten agricultural borrowers may finish 2026 without a profit as […]
Farm Bill Uncertainty Leads Friday Ag News Update
The election makes a lame-duck Farm Bill more difficult, while corn moves above a key […]
Agribusiness Report Podcast: Mark Welch Explains Corn’s Critical Forty-Day Threshold
Today’s guest is Dr. Mark Welch, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension grain marketing economist. Welch explains […]
Diesel And El Niño Reshape South Africa Corn
PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA – South African farmers are expected to reduce corn acreage sharply as […]
Agriculture Engagement Can Turn Regulation Into Market Opportunity
LUBBOCK, TX – Farmers risk having production standards and food-system rules shaped without them if […]
Energy Costs Push Fertilizer And Farm Expenses Higher
NASHVILLE, TN – U.S. farmers are expected to spend $5.3 billion more on fertilizer, lime […]
Mexican Feeder Cattle Imports Begin Rebuilding After Reopening
MANHATTAN, KS – Mexican feeder cattle imports are beginning to recover as U.S. border crossings […]