As the season rolls on, agronomists are keeping a close eye on conditions.
While corn has been holding steady for most of the season, soybeans are telling a different story.
So the soybeans, they’re truly a mixed bag, because you may be one guy who planted early May and has a beautiful crop. Being the guy who planted a week later had a hard time getting a stand. It was beat down. Just very, very variable right now,” said Bayer Technical Agronomist Zach Webb.
On the cotton side, the outlook remains tough. Webb says growers have struggled from start to finish.
“The guys who planted late April have got a phenomenal crop right now. It looks beautiful. But May, as you may remember, was very wet, and wet and cotton planting do not go together. So we got off to a rough start with cotton. But we’ve had a lot of heat, which cotton loves. We’ve had ample moisture, and I’m telling folks now cotton is starting to look like cotton again.”
Despite current conditions, Webb says the cotton crop is starting to make a turnaround. USDA’s latest acreage estimates show U.S. growers planted around 10.1 million acres of cotton this year, which is down 10 percent from 2024.
USDA Farmer Bridge Assistance payments could begin this weekend as producers face tight margins, shifting acreage expectations, cattle herd contraction, and growing pressure for a stronger farm safety net.
February 26, 2026 12:11 PM
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A stalled World Trade Organization appeals body increases long-term trade policy risk for U.S. agriculture.
February 26, 2026 06:00 AM
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Corn export pace remains the bright spot, but stable ethanol export demand remains a critical support for corn markets.
February 25, 2026 07:00 AM
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For communities that depend on agriculture as their primary economic engine, the recession is not defined by headlines on Wall Street. It is defined by the quiet disappearance of the businesses that once processed, serviced, and supported the crop.
February 25, 2026 05:00 AM
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Ag leaders say President Donald Trump’s State of the Union is unlikely to spark major agriculture headlines, but ongoing tariff uncertainty and trade policy remain key concerns, as does the debate around glyphosate and the status of the next Farm Bill.
February 24, 2026 11:57 AM
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Cotton jassid, a invasive pest, is raising concerns for Southeast cotton growers as experts work to understand its impact this season.
February 24, 2026 09:00 AM
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