Harvest'25: Ag Markets Adjust as Harvest Wraps Up Without Access to Most USDA Data

Recent U.S.–China trade developments provided a small lift for soy markets, though most traders are waiting for concrete purchase data before making major moves.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RFD-TV) — The ag sector has now gone a whole month without harvest data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as the federal government shutdown continues. With combines finishing up in many regions, farmers are shifting their attention to transportation and storage decisions for the remainder of the season. Lewis Williamson with HTS Commodities joined us on Tuesday’s Market Day Report with the ag analyst perspective.

In his interview with RFD-TV News, Williamson said the post-harvest focus is shifting toward basis levels, grain movement, and storage costs as producers wait for updated federal reports to resume. He added that recent U.S.–China trade developments have provided a small lift for soy markets, though most traders are waiting for concrete purchase data before making major market moves.

Related Stories
Leslee Oden, president of the National Turkey Federation, and Jay Jandrain, CEO of Butterball, joined us in the studio on Monday to discuss the history, significance, and expectations surrounding this year’s presidential turkey pardon.
According to November’s Cattle on Feed Report, Nebraska now leads the nation in cattle feeding as tighter supplies continue to reshape regional market power and long-term price dynamics.
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) estimates that the move will save farmers and ranchers $2.5 billion each year. The group warns that new methods for calculating the adverse-effect wage rate would result in lower pay for foreign workers.
Higher rail tariffs and tighter Canadian supplies will keep oat transportation costs firm into 2026.
Lower U.S. and Mexican production means tighter sugar supplies and greater reliance on imports headed into 2026.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

National FFA Organization Chief Program Officer Christine White previews the programs and activities planned for this year’s FFA Convention.
Dave Kestel, a farmer from Will County and member of the Illinois Farm Bureau, joins us to share a boots-on-the-ground update on the 2025 corn harvest.
Wed, 10/15/25 – 7:30 PM ET | 6:30 PM CT | 5:30 PM MT | 4:30 PM PT
American Coalition for Ethanol’s Ron Lamberty shares the significance of California’s approval, opening up the country’s largest gasoline market to a cleaner-burning, often lower-cost fuel option.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated this week that the government will intervene to help, following China’s withdrawal from the U.S. soybean market. One trader says the industry will remain in a holding pattern until Tuesday.
University of Illinois Ag Economist Gary Schnitker says early projections indicate soybeans will be more profitable than corn in 2026.