Riley Smith

Strong consumer demand continues to support the cattle market, even as producers manage historically small herd numbers and tighter supplies. Ethan Lane with the National Cattlemen's Beef Association said demand remains one of the brightest spots in agriculture today.

After a few very busy weeks of market news, this week has been much slower. As a result, the markets haven't had much to trade on so far. Bill Moore of PRICE Futures Group said both the corn and soybeans have been very oversold.

Vice President J.D. Vance and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins today announced eight fertilizer manufacturing projects that will receive funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Fertilizer Investment & Expansion for Long-Term Domestic Supply (FIELDS) Program. The eight selected projects represent over $1.34 billion in total proposed investment, which includes roughly $573 million in proposed funding from the USDA. This move comes as farmers navigate historically high fertilizer prices and shrinking price margins. Secretary Rollins said this investment will strengthen fertilizer production here in the U.S., which will reduce the country's dependence on foreign suppliers and increase the long-term availability of fertilizer.

A mixed export sales report continued the recent trends we have seen for corn and soybean demand. Allendale commodity broker Teddy Tarvis said the corn sales were disappointing again.

Farm income across the country is not keeping up with the rising costs of groceries. Many consumers also don't realize that higher prices don't lead to greater farm profits, especially since farmers are also paying for groceries themselves. Terri Moore, vice president of communications for the American Farm Bureau Federation, said farmers only receive a very small share of each dollar spent on food.

Dutch food scientist Huub Lelieveld of the Netherlands was celebrated as the 2026 World Food Prize Laureate at a high-level ceremony presided over by Iowa Lieutenant Governor Chris Cournoyer, who delivered the Laureate Proclamation, as the World Food Prize celebrated its 40th anniversary. Lelieveld received the $500,000 World Food Prize for his pioneering work establishing global food safety standards and harmonizing food regulations to ensure safe food for all.

Exporters of U.S. beef, pork and lamb met with buyers from around the globe this week at SIAL Paris, one of the world's largest food shows. The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) hosted a pavilion of red meat exporters made possible through support from USDA's Regional Agricultural Promotion Program. USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom said new market access gains helped drive interest from buyers from places like Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom.

While farmers do need and appreciate the help provided by the Harvest Fuel Relief program, a long-term solution is still needed to protect the nation's ag industry. National Farmers Union President Rob Larew said a comprehensive farm bill would go a long way in supporting farmers of every age across the country.

In 2024, foreign entities controlled an increasing number of agricultural acres, and that share continues to increase. But despite those growing numbers, overall foreign-owned farmland remains a small percentage of total acreage. Faith Parum, deputy chief economist for the American Farm Bureau Federation, talked through the numbers.

The weather is continuing to cooperate with planting season in South America, which is giving those crops a great start to the growing season. Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride gave an update on the latest conditions in Brazil and Argentina.