Returning from a recent trip to the Panama Canal, an Indiana farmer says drought in Central America continues to impact global trade. Carey McKibben told Brownfield Ag News that the lower water levels are slowing business with some of the United States’ largest trade partners.
The slowdown is impacting both imports and exports since domestic producers export a lot of corn and soybeans to Peru and Chile. And, in return, those countries send fruits, vegetables, and aquaculture back to the U.S.
This year is the second-driest year on record in the Canal’s history and ultimately became the first year to require trade restrictions due to extremely low water levels.
Currently, only 22 ships are allowed to pass through the waterway each day. The Panama Canal Authority is set to increase that number to 24 on January 16 if weather conditions are favorable.
ASFMRA’s Luke Worrell joined us to discuss farmland market trends, insights from the Illinois Land Values Conference, changing buyer and seller demographics, and the latest outlook on planting progress.
April 29, 2026 02:34 PM
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Louisiana soybean farmers are moving quickly to get this year’s crop planted during a key window for yield potential.
April 29, 2026 02:08 PM
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Higher input costs are making flexible marketing plans and updated break-even targets more important.
April 29, 2026 12:33 PM
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Growers say flavor remains strong despite smaller size of onions.
April 29, 2026 12:11 PM
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Rail rulings, export terminal access, and equipment rules are becoming bigger factors in grain shipping costs and reliability.
April 29, 2026 09:00 AM
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Higher ocean freight rates can add export cost pressure even when grain demand remains active.
April 29, 2026 08:00 AM
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