peace, love, markets, weather, technology for the farming world online at https://xitter.cf/t.co/K35w3WMf3R & https://xitter.cf/t.co/XnTkGHjVuC | journalist | tweets are my own
University of Illinois
Joined June 2012
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Oct 19 | Closing Market Report | Closing Market Report share.transistor.fm/s/5a39ab…
This edition of the Closing Market Report covers commodity market movements, supply and demand estimates, and agricultural weather forecasts. Agricultural economist Ben Brown of the University of Missouri reviews disappointing September soybean crush numbers from NOPA, muted Chinese export demand following recent bilateral talks, and the impact of heavy managed money fund liquidation across corn, soybeans, and wheat. Former USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer analyzes whether last year's record corn crop was overstated, examining how statistical discrepancies in the feed and residual category obscure actual domestic disappearance, alongside emerging shifts in consumer meat demand driven by GLP-1 medications. Finally, Mark Russo of Everstream Analytics details a warm, dry forecast across the Corn Belt that will accelerate harvest progress while keeping soil temperatures above the 50-degree threshold required for fall anhydrous ammonia applications, alongside favorable planting conditions in South America.
00:45 Commodity Markets Discussion with Ben Brown, University of Missouri
12:49 Crop Size and Feed Usage, a Question or Two
20:44 Ag Weather with Mark Russo
Oct 16 | Closing Market Report | Closing Market Report share.transistor.fm/s/8b3932…
The October 16th edition of the Closing Market Report, hosted by Todd Gleason, provides an overview of agricultural markets, shifting consumer demands, and weather forecasts. Market analyst Mike Zuzolo discusses recent trends in the commodity markets, highlighting the influence of inflation, the value of the dollar, and new European export routes on crop prices. The program also features insights from CoBank's Brian Earnest, who explains how the increasing use of GLP1 medications is altering meat consumption, driving demand for protein-dense, leaner beef cuts and poultry. Finally, Eric Snodgrass offers an agricultural weather update, detailing a recent cold front across the Corn Belt, the upcoming harvest window, and the anticipated effects of a strong El Niño winter on both North and South American agriculture.
01:15 Ag Markets with Mike Zuzolo, Global Commodity Analytics and Consulting
07:53 GLP1s and Demand for Animal Proteins
10:59 Ag Weather with Eric Snodgrass, Nutrien Ag Solutions
Oct 15 | Commodity Week | Commodity Week share.transistor.fm/s/164c38…
The October 15 edition of Commodity Week, hosted by Todd Gleason, features agricultural market analysts Naomi Blohm, Chip Nellinger, and Mike Zuzolo discussing current supply and demand fundamentals. The panel explores the potential breakout of crude oil prices amid Middle East tensions and its subsequent impact on inflation, fertilizer costs, and local grain basis. Furthermore, the experts analyze market reactions to recent USDA crop yield reports, the shifting of commodity fund positions away from massive longs, and the importance of monitoring South American weather and the Brazilian Real. The program concludes with updates on delayed domestic winter wheat planting and a recent surge in Class III milk futures driven by holiday cheese demand.
Panelists
- Naomi Blohm, Total Farm Marketing
- Chip Nellinger, Blue Reef Agri-Marketing
- Mike Zuzolo, GlobalCommResearch .com
Oct 15 | Closing Market Report | Closing Market Report share.transistor.fm/s/0e7498…
The October 15, 2026, edition of the Closing Market Report opens with commodity market updates, noting lower closes for corn, soybeans, and wheat. Matt Bennett of AgMarket discusses completing harvest in central Illinois, rapid crop dry-down, local yield results, and current technical price pressures facing both corn and soybean futures. Jim McCormick highlights AgMarket's growth, including its rebrand and transition to becoming a guaranteed introducing broker clearing through StoneX, alongside its brokerage, consulting, and crop and livestock insurance services. A report from Stephanie Hoff and CoBank analyst Billy Roberts details how soaring cocoa prices, reduced sugar beet acreage, and pest pressures are pushing candy makers toward ingredient reformulation and smaller packages to combat consumer sticker shock. Finally, Mike Tannura of Tstorm Weather delivers an agricultural weather outlook, analyzing rain-delayed winter wheat planting in the Southern Plains, favorable harvest windows across the Corn Belt, and the broader impacts of a strong El Niño pattern on soil moisture and crops across Brazil and Argentina.
Conab Brazil 1st Grain Survey of the new crop year was just released. Here is a Google translated excerpt of the Conab website information.
According to the company's research, soybean production could reach 181.6 million tons, exceeding the result obtained in the last harvest by 0.7%. This volume is influenced by a 1.4% growth in the area to be sown, projected at 49.3 million hectares. With 15.6% of sowing completed at the beginning of October, the oilseed crop shows 57% of that percentage in vegetative development. In Mato Grosso and Paraná, the largest grain producers in the country, the percentages recorded for the sown area are 25.2% and 36%, respectively.
The projected area for corn planting also shows an increase, estimated at 23.7 million hectares, a value 4.9% higher than the 2025/26 cycle, considering the three harvests of the cereal. The total volume of grain production could reach 148 million tons, 2.4% above that of the previous harvest. The first harvest is expected to register the largest growth in area, totaling 4.54 million hectares, with an increase of 10.7% compared to the previous period. In the Southern region, the area sown by October 9th had already approached 80% in the three states, reaching the greatest progress in Santa Catarina, corresponding to 79.9%.
Soybean exports are estimated at 117.97 million tons, representing an increase of approximately 1.51% compared to the previous harvest, equivalent to an increase of 1.76 million tons. For soybean meal shipments, Conab forecasts a 3.06% increase, resulting in an estimated 27.1 million tons sent abroad. In the domestic market, demand is expected to remain strong, driven by biodiesel and increased consumption of vegetable protein.
For corn, exports are expected to reach 43.9 million tons in the 2025/26 cycle, with stocks adjusted to 16 million tons in February 2027. The increased use of corn for ethanol production should lead to a 6.6% increase in domestic consumption of the grain in the 2026/27 cycle. The commercial situation also points to high export levels due to strong production performance. For carryover stocks, the cycle should end with a volume corresponding to 14.9 million tons.
Oct 14 | Closing Market Report | Closing Market Report share.transistor.fm/s/136340…
In this Wednesday edition of the Closing Market Report, Greg Johnson of Total Grain Marketing highlights that the East Central Illinois soybean harvest is nearing 90% completion with strong yields, though early corn yields are falling 20 to 25 bushels short of last year's marks. Nationally, the USDA Crop Progress Report shows the soybean harvest making rapid gains, particularly in Minnesota, while the U.S. corn harvest lags slightly behind the five-year average. In agricultural news, a global diesel shortage is projected to extend into 2027, compounded by regional violence in the Middle East, alongside updates on federal pardons related to diesel emissions sensors under the Clean Air Act. Finally, World Weather Inc.'s Drew Lerner forecasts incoming rain and a season-ending freeze for parts of the U.S. Midwest, alongside a much-needed dry period for waterlogged crop regions in southern Brazil.
01:33 Ag Markets with Greg Johnson, Total Grain Marketing
09:52 Oct 13 Weekly Crop Progress Report
11:18 WILL TV to Air Morrow Plots 150th 7:30 Thursday
12:06 DEF Sensors, NOx Sensors, EPA, & Pardons
13:10 Saudi Arabia, Diesel Supplies, and Aramco
14:29 Ag Weather with Drew Lerner, World Weather Inc.
Oct 13 | Closing Market Report | Closing Market Report share.transistor.fm/s/b37d1d…
The October 13, 2026, broadcast of the Closing Market Report, hosted by Todd Gleason, provides an update on agricultural markets, farming practices, and weather. Following a rundown of daily commodity prices, Naomi Blohm discusses recent grain export inspections, an EPA proposal regarding renewable fuel volumes, and supply trends in the cattle market. The program then shares a panel discussion featuring agricultural experts John Jones, Dan Schaefer, Nick Paulson, and Eric Miller, who examine the economic and logistical challenges of timing fall nitrogen fertilizer applications alongside soil temperature guidelines. To conclude, meteorologist Don Day shares a forecast predicting cooler, fall-like temperatures, upcoming rainfall across the Corn Belt, and freezing conditions in the Dakotas and western Nebraska.
02:23 Ag Markets with Naomi Blohm, Total Farm Marketing
09:37 Fall 2026 Fertilzer Management Considerations
20:36 Ag Weather with Don Day, Day Weather
Oct 12 | Closing Market Report share.transistor.fm/s/0bf8dc…
Host Todd Gleason discusses recent USDA grain stocks and crop production reports with North Dakota State University Extension agricultural economist Frayne Olson, examining how harvest progress, feed and residual calculations, yield adjustments in Plains states, export pace, and the increased carry-in are impacting corn marketing decisions. In agricultural news, beef industry consultant Nevil Speer analyzes why the administration’s tariff-free foreign beef import quota has failed to significantly move retail ground beef prices, while StoneX vice president Josh Linville reviews international fertilizer supply disruptions linked to conflict in the Middle East. The broadcast concludes with regional weather outlooks for key growing areas across the U.S. Corn Belt and Brazil.
02:11 Commodity Market Discussion with Frayne Olson, North Dakota State University
Oct 09 | Commodity Week | Commodity Week share.transistor.fm/s/2538db…
The October 9, 2026, broadcast of Commodity Week features host Todd Gleason leading a panel discussion with market analysts Logan Kimmel, Ellen Dearden, and Jim McCormick regarding the fallout from the day's USDA crop production and supply and demand estimates. The experts highlight the unexpectedly bearish data for the corn market, emphasizing a 2.7-bushel increase in the national yield estimate driven heavily by an 11-bushel jump in Nebraska. This revision pushed projected corn ending stocks to 1.849 billion bushels and triggered a sharp price sell-off. Conversely, the soybean outlook remained relatively neutral with a minor yield adjustment up to 53.1 bushels per acre. Despite the immediate market shock and harvest-time pressure, the panelists advise producers against panic selling. They note that underlying macroeconomic factors, including energy inflation, high diesel prices, and potential South American crop risks tied to a building El Niño, could provide longer-term price support into the winter.
Panelists
- Ellen Dearden, AgReview
- Logan Kimmel, Roach Ag
- Jim McCormick, AgMarket .net
Oct 09 | Closing Market Report | Closing Market Report share.transistor.fm/s/ed3bb0…
The October 9, 2026, broadcast of the Closing Market Report features host Todd Gleason analyzing daily commodity markets and the latest USDA crop production estimates. Guest Mike Zuzolo of Global Commodity Analytics and Consulting reviews the unexpected upward revisions to domestic and global corn yields, noting that the data runs counter to recent market trends and creates new headwinds for prices. Additionally, Joshua Nagelberg of CropProphet outlines the agricultural weather forecast, highlighting an incoming wet pattern for the western Corn Belt and evaluating how the current El Nino weather event is impacting early planting conditions for South American crops.
01:32 Ag Markets with Mike Zuzolo, Global Commodity Analytics and Consulting
12:27 Ag Weather with Joshua Nagelberg, CropProphet
Nebraska Sep 177bpa, Oct 188bpa
Ohio went from 194 to 200
SD 145 to 151
IA unc, IL -1, MN unc, IN unc
Oct 08 | Closing Market Report | Closing Market Report share.transistor.fm/s/eff66d…
The October 8, 2026, edition of the Closing Market Report covers late-season harvest conditions and an exploration of global food systems. Host Todd Gleason first speaks with Matt Bennett of AgMarket .net, who notes that favorable dry-down weather has accelerated the harvest, with soybeans generally outperforming corn yields ahead of the upcoming USDA Crop Production report. The broadcast then shifts to an interview with Michelle Michael and Brandon Whitworth, co-directors of the documentary *World Without Cows*. The filmmakers discuss their travel to 22 countries to document the complex cultural, economic, and environmental roles cattle play worldwide, emphasizing the need for nuanced, non-polarizing conversations about agricultural sustainability and the diverse goals of global producers.
01:42 Ag Markets with Matt Bennett, AgMarket .net
06:46 Alltech's World without Cows Film
Oct 07 | Closing Market Report | Closing Market Report share.transistor.fm/s/647a4f…
Hosted by Todd Gleason from the Land Grant University in Urbana-Champaign, this edition of the Closing Market Report broadcasts from the Independent Grocer Summit in Carterville, Illinois, providing updates on agricultural commodities, rural grocery operations, and global weather. Greg Johnson of TGM reports that the Illinois soybean harvest is progressing swiftly with strong yields, whereas corn yields are proving disappointing due to prior weather damage. Johnson also notes a midday market sell-off as traders await the upcoming USDA crop production report. Shifting to rural food systems, Sean Park from the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs highlights the challenging operational landscape for independent grocery stores, which average an exceptionally slim 1% net profit margin. Park emphasizes that these rural grocers can remain competitive against large retailers by strictly monitoring unsold inventory, embedding themselves in the community, and developing destination-worthy meat departments. Finally, World Weather Inc. meteorologist Drew Lerner forecasts that Tropical Storm Delta will rapidly intensify into a hurricane before making landfall on the Gulf Coast, bringing severe flooding to southern regions and eventual beneficial rains to the Midwest. Lerner also anticipates a cold front bringing the season's first snow to the northern plains and notes that excessive rain is currently delaying agricultural fieldwork in southern Brazil.
00:30 Ag Markets with Greg Johnson, TGM
08:41 Extension's Independent Grocer Summit
16:46 Ag Weather with Drew Lerner, World Weather Inc
Oct 06 | Closing Market Report | Closing Market Report share.transistor.fm/s/f96b1e…
The October 6, 2026, edition of the Closing Market Report covers commodity market movements, federal policy developments, harvest progress, and agricultural weather. Naomi Blohm of Total Farm Marketing analyzes a "Turnaround Tuesday" rally across corn, soybeans, wheat, and feeder cattle, driven by technical buying and positioning ahead of the USDA WASDE report. USDA crop progress data reveals corn and soybean harvest pacing behind five-year averages nationwide, led by significant weather-related delays in Iowa. Energy analyst Dave Chatterton reviews President Trump’s executive order deferring taxes and waiving penalties on highway use of red-dyed diesel, noting that while it offers short-term cash flow relief, it does not resolve broader diesel refining and supply constraints. The broadcast concludes with a global weather outlook predicting a much-needed dry window across the U.S. Corn Belt and mixed conditions in South America, followed by a demonstration of an AI-generated hyper-local ag weather forecast for Sangamon County, Illinois, tracking field conditions and bare soil temperatures for fall fertilizer applications.
01:24 Ag Markets with Naomi Blohm, Total Farm Marketing
07:10 USDA Harvest Progress Update
09:03 President Trump's Diesel Fuel E.O.
19:06 Global Growing Regions Update
20:47 A.I. Delivers Hyper Local Forecast for Todd
