High Crop Prices Seen
05/13/09

CHICAGO -- The government's first forecast of U.S. farm prospects suggests food makers will struggle with relatively high crop prices at least into next year.

USDA FY2010 Budget Would Cut Land Stewardship Work
05/12/09

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration would cut nearly $700 million from land stewardship programs at the Agriculture Department, a small-farm and an environmental group said on Tuesday after examining budget proposals.

USDA Supply and Demand Revisions Show Smaller Ending Stocks
05/12/09

The USDA's monthly supply and demand update showed continued tightening of grain and oilseed supplies. According to ADM analyst Dan Zwicker the numbers were all very friendly. However, market reaction was mixed with corn up on the revisions, soybeans mostly lower on expectations for increased production in the 2009/10 marketing year and the wheat complex led higher by Minneapolis on spring wheat planting concerns.

Ag Secretary to Ask Bank Regulators for Time
05/12/09

BRUSH, Colo. -- U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and Mark Udall and Congresswoman Betsy Markey vowed Monday to call federal regulators to seek more time for farmers and ranchers to find loans.

Grain Prices: Back to the Futures
05/11/09

We noted in our May 1st Monthly Outlook summary points that the fundamentals promise bullish support for corn and soybeans prices in the near term, while less so for wheat prices. We often look to the CFTC's weekly Commitment of Traders (COT) report to give us a better sense how the underlying futures speculation supports or casts doubt on the near term price outlook.

Senators Rebuffed by EPA Still Want Answers
05/07/09

In March, Senate Agriculture Committee chairman Tom Harkin and a bipartisaon group of 11 other senators, wrote Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson asking that the EPA not use indirect land use when it calculates greenhouse gas emissions from corn-based ethanol and soy biodiesel.

Administration Again Seeks Ag Payment Cuts
05/07/09

President Obama's fiscal-year 2010 budget proposal is out. And according to DTN, it takes another swing at commodity-program payments by proposing a 250-thousand dollar cap on payments.