NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RFD-TV) — Combines are rolling harder this week as windows open across the Corn Belt and Plains. Basis continues to split between interior users and river terminals, where draft limits and tow timing pinch movement. Winter wheat seeding chases moisture; propane, labor, and freight shape the pace.
Great Plains
- Texas — Cotton picking broadens in the High Plains and Rolling Plains; gins ramp while regrowth complicates modules in pockets. Late sorghum and corn are winding down; wheat pasture improves where showers hit. Feeder runs grow; Panhandle yards watching hay and fuel.
- Oklahoma — Cotton progress uneven by district; beans/corn finish in the north. Winter wheat planting pushes ahead of hoped-for moisture; weaning/market-timing in focus.
- Kansas — Sorghum and late corn wrap; wheat seeding advances with subsoil dictating stands. Sale barns active; placements steady as fall runs build.
- Nebraska — Corn/soy harvest accelerates; ethanol and feeders support interior bids. Irrigation shutdowns and propane needs managed as temps dip.
- South Dakota & North Dakota — Soy and corn pace up; basis firmer away from the river. Calf runs increase; pasture quality is mixed after late-season dryness in spots.
Midwest
- Iowa — Soy leads, corn follows as dryers light up. Local crush and feeders compete; river movement cautious on draft limits.
- Illinois — Beans and corn roll between damp spells; interior basis firmer than river. Fall NH3 booking steady; wheat behind the combine.
- Indiana & Ohio — Combines hit soy first; corn moisture easing. Wheat seeding follows on fit soils; processor vs. river basis bifurcates.
- Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan — Soy/corn advance with cool nights; sugarbeets and dry beans (MI) are active. Early freeze risk monitored in northern tiers; dairy eyeing feed and energy.
- Missouri — Soy/corn accelerate; river basis softer where tow restrictions bite; cow-calf weaning shaped by variable hay quality.
Upper Midwest & Great Lakes (additional detail)
- Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin — Soy first, corn close behind; lake-effect showers the wild card. Basis steady-to-firm away from river constraints; sugarbeet campaigns active (MI/WI).
Delta & South
- Arkansas — Rice and soy move with selective drying; cotton picking picks up. River tightness nudges grain to rail/interior users.
- Louisiana & Mississippi — Cane steps up (LA); rice/beans move between showers. Poultry steady; trucks and labor tight.
- Alabama, Georgia, Florida — Peanuts and cotton advance; vegetables stage for holiday programs with tight logistics (FL). Poultry supports in-state feed use.
- Kentucky & Tennessee — Tobacco curing winds down; soy/cotton build. Divergent river vs. interior bids; cattle receipts rise with fall runs.
- North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia — Peanuts/cotton progress; sweet potatoes lift (NC). Poultry/hogs steady; small-grain seeding follows on fit ground.
West & Southwest
- Arizona & New Mexico — Desert veg ramps; dairies/feedlots monitor inputs as nights cool. Chile/pecan/hay work continues (NM).
- Colorado, Utah, Nevada — Corn silage wrapped; grain corn and beets advance (CO). Final alfalfa cuttings in UT/NV; water and feed plans firm up.
- California — Sacramento Valley rice harvest moves; almonds/walnuts/pistachios through hulling. Labor and freight remain the constraints; coastal veg in shoulder-season windows.
Northwest & Northern Rockies
- Washington & Oregon — Apples/pears in full swing; post-harvest wheat moves to export channels. Hay trade favors top dairy tests in eastern districts.
- Idaho, Montana, Wyoming — Potatoes lift, and storages fill (ID); beets steady. Winter wheat planting continues amid variable moisture; calves ship with freight —the swing factor.
Northeast
- New York & Pennsylvania — Corn silage largely wrapped; grain harvest building. Dairy adjusts rations and bedding as nights cool; propane and energy costs are in focus.
- New England (ME, VT, NH, MA, CT, RI) — Apples and fall direct-market veg drive cash flow; greenhouses prep for winter greens. Livestock owners are lining up hay and bedding.
- New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland — Soy harvest expanding; small-grain seeding follows. Poultry integrators steady; litter and propane plans set for fall.
Far North & Territories
- Alaska — Root crops and greenhouse produce wind down; storage quality and energy dominate winter prep.
- Puerto Rico — Coffee harvest care and storm readiness in parallel; dairy margins hinge on feed and power.
Related Stories
The WASDE/Crop Production combo will be the first full read on supply, demand, and yield that could move basis and hedging plans since the government shutdown more than a month ago.
A rescheduled WASDE, China’s soybean squeeze, barge bottlenecks, and premium beef demand all collide this week — with cash decisions, basis, and risk plans on the line.
China’s grain expansion model may be hitting its limit. Lower prices, high rents, and policy fatigue threaten future output — with ripple effects across global feed and oilseed markets.
High milk production and soft retail demand are squeezing prices and margins — making careful feed and risk management essential through year-end.
Pull out the popcorn! We’ve rounded up the 10 best cowboy movies of all time.
Market analyst and friend of the show, Shawn Hackett, says Brazil’s shifting use of crops for biofuel production is a significant factor.
Rabobank’s outlook signals a tightening margin environment, emphasizing the need for cost control, trade stability, and clearer policy signals heading into 2026.
Treat succession like any major crop — plan early, document clearly, and calibrate cash flow so the next generation can succeed.
U.S. Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS) shares his perspective on the U.S.-China trade developments and their potential impact on American producers, farmers, and ranchers.
