DTN’s sixth annual Digital Yield Tour wrapped up just days ago on August 11th, 2023, and the tour’s conclusion coincided with a USDA report that largely agreed with the event's findings. Which is to say — 2023 started out rough, but the corn crop in particular is making a stunning comeback. Today, DTN Farm Business Editor Katie Dehlinger joins us to reveal both the national and the state level yield estimates for corn and soybeans that Gro Intelligence revealed during the tour, including county ...
Aug 14, 2023•50 min•Season 1Ep. 160
The August WASDE dropped Friday, August 11th, coming on the heels of DTN’s Annual Digital Yield tour and of USDA’s most recent farmer surveys. Overall, perspectives on the August report were positive, as USDA seemed to adjust crop estimates to be more in line with perspectives from farmers and analysts– reflecting a crop that’s improving, but that had a very difficult start. DTN’s Lead Analyst Todd Hultman joins us today to talk through the USDA’s updates to estimated yield figures for the three...
Aug 12, 2023•35 min•Season 1Ep. 159
On July 27th, the 2023 Spring Wheat and Durum Tour hosted by the Wheat Quality Council wrapped up its survey of the Northern Plains crop, tallying three days and hundreds of fields of data into a final overall yield prediction of about 47 bushels per acre — despite summer drought conditions and an uncertain start to the season. DTN Crops Editor Jason Jenkins made his way from Fargo across the state with a host of participants, and brings us the latest on a highly variable crop straight from the ...
Aug 02, 2023•31 min•Season 1Ep. 158
A shifting drought picture and more favorable weather in key cow-calf states are colliding with dry weather in the corn belt and extreme heat in the Southern US to make for an uncertain cost picture in today’s cattle market. But nevertheless, inventory remains tight and prices are strong as the market slides towards Labor Day. DTN Livestock Analyst ShayLe Stewart joins us today to discuss recent updates from the USDA’s mid-year Cattle Inventory Report as well as the July Cattle on Feed Report, w...
Jul 28, 2023•28 min•Season 1Ep. 157
Since 2005, DTN Progressive Farmer has been selecting two farmers every year from across the country to participate in their annual View from the Cab Project. These farmers spend a full year getting to know DTN’s Pamela Smith as they work through weekly calls and check ins, sharing their stories and their seasons with the broader farm community. The first 2023 farmer we’re checking in with is Zach Grossman, a row crop grower from Tina, Missouri. This young farmer already has more than a decade o...
Jul 18, 2023•33 min•Season 1Ep. 156
DTN’s 6th annual digital yield tour is just a few weeks away — getting started August 7th and running through August 11th. DTN’s tour partner Gro Intelligence will be back with industry-leading, real time predictions of national yield for corn and soybeans, as well as much more granular breakdowns to the state level. Today, DTN Farm Business Editor Katie Dehlinger joins us for a preview of the tour, including her expectations for what might be revealed during this unpredictable season, a discuss...
Jul 14, 2023•29 min•Season 1Ep. 155
The July WASDE dropped Wednesday, July 12th, and as it came on the heels of an unprecedented June 30th planted acreage report, updates were expected for USDA’s outlook. What analysts actually saw in the July WASDE however, left many scratching their heads– trying to understand how USDA could translate a drought stricken crop throughout the corn belt into an all-time record yield prediction. DTN’s Lead Analyst Todd Hultman joins us to dig into the shifts in planted acres and the June Grain Stocks...
Jul 13, 2023•42 min•Season 1Ep. 154
An unexpected Derecho was whipping across key parts of the corn belt today as we recorded this podcast, representing just the latest in a long line of storms and unpredictable weather events that have crowded the forecast at the last minute so far this season. One thing’s for certain– as the La Nina ebbs and the El Nino comes into full effect, the wilder the possibilities get on the weather front. To help us navigate that uncertainty, DTN’s Team Lead for Ag Weather John Baranick joins us to dig ...
Jun 29, 2023•34 min•Season 1Ep. 153
Before the flashy demo at the farm show and the test drive at the local retailer, a lot of farm tech gets its start in university labs. Today, we’re zooming in on what’s happening in one small corner of the basic research space, to get an idea what might be in the future of soil moisture and nutrient management. Today, we’re joined by Senior Editor for The Progressive Farmer Joel Richenberger (Rich-en-berger) who’s been following developments out of a Colorado soil sensor lab for a couple of yea...
Jun 20, 2023•26 min•Season 1Ep. 152
The recent DTN Ag Summit Series brought color to USDA’s reports of planting season and to what might be ahead during an uncertain summer with discussion among farmers, market analysts, and other experts about what they’re seeing in the field. Today, we’re dropping in on a session hosted by Farm Business Editor Katie Dehlinger, who’s joined by farmers from two very different regions with a lot of interesting insights. Marc Arnusch, a Keenesburg, Colorado grower and previous View from the Cab part...
Jun 20, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 151
Uninteresting as the trade expected, a few unexpected changes were still enough to catch analyst attention. And beyond updated figures, the concerns of cold and wet soils delaying planting last month have morphed into worries that hot and dry soil in the Eastern corn belt might already be threatening USDA’s outlook for a record crop this year. DTN’s Lead Analyst Todd Hultman joins us to dig into a few surprises out of Brazil and Ukraine when it comes to corn and wheat stocks looking ahead, as we...
Jun 11, 2023•40 min•Season 1Ep. 150
Over the last two decades, the US livestock industry has had some painful encounters with foreign animal diseases– from High Path Avian Influenza and its impact on the poultry industry to “mad cow” to the current looming fear of African Swine Fever. One of the most challenging things about these kinds of highly transmissible and dangerous diseases is how difficult they are to study, and how vulnerable that absence of information can leave the industry. But in the last few weeks, USDA has opened ...
Jun 02, 2023•30 min•Season 1Ep. 149
On May 17th, the annual Winter Wheat Tour wrapped up its survey of the Southern Plains wheat crop with its report on predicted yield averages, which indicated that the persistent impact of droughts have indeed driven wheat production to near-record lows. Progressive Farmer Senior Editor Joel Reichenberger made his way to Colby, Wichita, and finally Manhattan, Kansas this week with more than a hundred fellow surveyors to see fields across the state first hand, and bring us the latest reactions fr...
May 21, 2023•27 min•Season 1Ep. 148
The May WASDE dropped Friday, May 12th, as market watchers waited with high expectations for USDA’s latest insights as plant2023 continues. A number of unexpected adjustments made this a May report to remember, especially as the outlook for a possibly bin busting crop collided with continuing tight stocks. DTN’s Lead Analyst Todd Hultman joins us to dig into not only the latest on old and new crop demand and how the market is interpreting the most timely information on shifting weather, feed dem...
May 13, 2023•35 min•Season 1Ep. 147
Despite optimistic news coming out of recent USDA reports for livestock producers, factors like drought continue to weigh down cattle markets, and the discouraging signs have left some analysts scratching their heads. DTN Livestock Analyst ShayLe Stewart joins us today to untangle the many issues that are driving today’s markets, and offers advice on how producers should be thinking about prices as they wade into the summer months. ShayLe will dive into the latest USDA reports, discussing slaugh...
May 09, 2023•30 min•Season 1Ep. 146
Plant 2023 is off to a relatively good start, despite cold and wet conditions lingering in the Northern Plains. For much of the central corn belt, from Nebraska to Indiana and Ohio, farmers are having luck, getting into fields weeks before they were able to in recent years– which could prove promising for key crop plantings this season. To bring us the latest on where planting stands now and how we expect it to advance in the next few weeks, we’re joined by Joel Karlin, a DTN Grains contributor ...
May 09, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 145
Getting approval to sell E15 year round has been a priority for the ag sector for years – and the industry has gotten close – especially 2022, to reaching that goal. However, with the summer driving season just weeks away, the ethanol sector continues to wait on a decision from EPA about whether a waiver will be granted this year to allow continued selling of high-ethanol blend fuel during the busiest fuel use season. And this is just one of many key issues EPA is currently juggling that could h...
Apr 28, 2023•29 min•Season 1Ep. 144
ChatGPT, and a slew of advanced artificial intelligence tools, have created quite a stir since first becoming available to the public in late 2021. News stories about these programs creating art, writing college essays, and carrying on long and complex conversations have captured global audiences, and the attention of companies who see a world of new possibilities. Now, artificial intelligence is coming to agriculture. DTN Farm Business Editor Katie Dehlinger joins us today to discuss her recent...
Apr 19, 2023•41 min•Season 1Ep. 143
Farmers are chomping at the bit to get into the field as planting season approaches, and as cool and wet weather lingers, staying in touch with the latest agronomics becomes increasingly important. Whether it’s news on the latest wheat crop, updates from this year’s Commodity Classic, or the current breaking stories around seed saving and improper chemical applications, DTN’s Crops Editor Jason Jenkins has all the details you need to know to stay up to date. Today, Jason offers highlights from t...
Mar 31, 2023•29 min•Season 1Ep. 142
As a busy winter season of planning and farm shows come to end, we’re taking stock of the many and varying farm tech and machinery announcements that landed in the last few months, and there has been no shortage of news. From new farm data applications to advances in autonomous equipment, years of investment and talk about the future of farm equipment seems to be approaching commercialization, and Progressive Farmer Senior Editor Dan Miller has been keeping up with all the winter releases. Today...
Mar 15, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 141
The March WASDE dropped Wednesday, March 8th, largely meeting expectations as USDA refined numbers, specifically around corn exports and ending stocks. However, adjustments on the soybean and wheat front also shifted markets, while many watchers remain focused on the South American crop picture as today’s main driver. DTN’s Lead Analyst Todd Hultman joins us to dig into the latest world supply and demand numbers for major crops and livestock, plus offers insights into how these figures align wit...
Mar 09, 2023•30 min•Season 1Ep. 140
The 99th annual Ag Outlook Forum ran this year from February 23rd and 24th, two days jam-packed with new information from USDA experts and lessons learned from across the industry. DTN AG Policy Editor Chris Clayton is here to surface the highlights for us, from a market-moving look at the 2023 crop year to USDA’s analysis on the livestock industry as cattle inventory continues to draw down. Chris will dig into the words of US Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack on the department’s priorities for the year,...
Mar 03, 2023•25 min•Season 1Ep. 139
The annual Farm Bureau meeting was in Puerto Rico, and served as a kick off for 2023 discussions about key ag-related policy. Everything from immigration reform to disaster aid to Waters of the US is on the table, and in the background looms the expiration of the 2018 Farm Bill and the need to get another major piece of ag legislation across the finish line sooner rather than later. Here to help to share what he learned at the Farm Bureau meeting and what he’s been tracking on the policy front s...
Feb 16, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 138
The February WASDE dropped Wednesday, February 8th, offering relatively few significant updates to the January figures. In the notoriously quiet Northern winter months, attention was trained on updates to Latin American crops, especially in drought-effect Argentina– where the corn crop in particular is suffering due to ongoing La Nina conditions. DTN’s Todd Hultman joins us to dig into the tweaks that USDA is and isn’t making to key figures around global supplies and demand, to add some context ...
Feb 09, 2023•31 min•Season 1Ep. 137
Mental health is a topic that’s growing more prominent in the agricultural space as more and more farmers and ag professionals come to terms with how important it is not only to be physically well, but to be mentally and emotionally healthy too. In recent years, conversations have flourished at national ag meetings and in local communities and peer groups as growers and those around them flex their skills at reaching out and helping one another, especially during stressful seasons. Today, Rural ...
Feb 02, 2023•27 min•Season 1Ep. 136
DTN’s latest ag confidence index captured the perspectives of farmers as harvest concluded, the midterm elections wrapped up, and winter planning was getting underway. Now, the numbers have been crunched, and we have a clearer picture of grower expectations as the 2023 crop year looms. This week, we’re joined by DTN Progressive Farmer Editor-in-Chief Greg Horstmeier, who will take us beat by beat through the latest ag confidence numbers, shedding light on where the ag sector’s collective head is...
Jan 25, 2023•26 min•Season 1Ep. 135
When it comes to understanding a farms financial position, conversations with accountants and advisors can often be overwhelming. There are many different strategies and ratios that can be calculated to gain context on different aspects of your operation, from how efficient farm assets are to how risky a debt load could become. Today, DTN Farm Business Editor Katie Dehlinger joins us to discuss her recent reporting on the financial metrics that are helping farmers make more profitable decisions....
Jan 20, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 134
The January WASDE dropped Thursday, January 12th, surprising traders and market watchers alike with stock adjustments that exceeded expectations in a bullish direction. But the WASDE wasn’t the only report on USDA’s docket today, with Quarterly Stocks and Winter Wheat Seeding adding additional context to an interesting first report of 2023. DTN’s Todd Hultman joins us to dig into the department's adjustments to corn and soybean demand figures, and to update us on the shifting global picture as L...
Jan 13, 2023•27 min•Season 1Ep. 133
Senior Editor for The Progressive Farmer Joel Richenberger was excited to find some time recently to get out to visit Joe Knobbe and Devon Birchem at Flyover Whiskey , a distillery and farm in West Point, Nebraska. These two recently purchased a nearby distillery and have decided to do something novel with it– take your corn and make custom whiskey. Today, Joel will tell us all about the operation he saw, the motivation behind some of the businesses moved, and discuss how Flyover’s model fits in...
Jan 09, 2023•20 min•Season 1Ep. 132
With just a few days left in 2022, cattlemen across the country have been rocked by back to back weeks of harsh weather. DTN Livestock Analyst ShayLe Stewart has been tracking not only the weather this month, but also the markets, and joins us today with an update on where we are and her latest outlook on what might be ahead in the new year. The weeks between Thanksgiving and the end of the year can be a weird time for markets, but ShayLe guides us through what to look for as far as recent and n...
Dec 27, 2022•20 min•Season 1Ep. 131
