The Home Stretch: Do farmers sell now or wait for a big rally?

It is hard to believe that September is less than a month away, quickly bringing the crop year to a close. With harvest not that far out, ag economists say it is time to take action on old crop supplies.

“We have to start thinking about selling the carry at harvest. We’ve got big carries in the corn market, big carries in the wheat market, and even big carries showing up in the soybean market. You know, the carry from November to July, the November contract, good grief, where is it? About $9.9 somewhere there today. 9.9 a bushel from November. It’s $0.60-plus higher out to July. That’ll cover your interest costs easily and throw something else in there,” said Ed Usset, with the University of Minnesota.

Usset looks back to earlier this year, saying February was likely the last rally for America’s staple crops, saying the typical spring or summer rally just never arrived.

Related Stories
Ryan Dunsbergen, soybean product manager for Golden Harvest, shares an overview of their new soybean seed lineup and what growers can expect in 2026.
Bioethanol is becoming a global standard. For growers, that boom comes as drops in Mississippi River levels and in soybean demand occur in tandem, leaving barge space for corn and wheat.
The government shutdown has touched nearly every sector of the ag industry since it began, and now impacts are spilling over into dairy.
With China halting U.S. soybean purchases and talks tied to broader strategic issues, growers face renewed export uncertainty.
Global trade teams and summit discussions highlight expanding opportunities for U.S. corn and ethanol exports as nations explore renewable fuel options and reduced-carbon energy pathways.
Slightly higher output amid softer gasoline pull points to steady corn grind — watch regional stocks and export pace for basis clues.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

The FAO Food Price Index for November fell by more than 1 percent in November, marking the third straight month of declines.
Texas livestock producers face a heightened biosecurity threat as New World screwworm detections in northern Mexico coincide with FDA approval of the first topical treatment.
Rep. Michelle Fischbach shares her appreciation for rural communities and outlines how the Working Families Tax Cut is aimed to support farm families on RFD-TV’s Champions of Rural America.
Agriculture Shows
Hosted by Scott “The Cow Guy” Shellady and RFD News Markets Specialist Tony St. James, Commodity Talk delivers expert insight into the day’s ag commodity markets just before the CME opens. Only on RFD-TV and Rural Radio SiriusXM Channel 147.
A look at the news, weather and commodities headlines that drove agriculture markets in the past week.
Everything profits from prairie. Soil, air, water — and all kinds of life! Learn how you can improve your land with prairie restoration, cover crops and prairie strips, while growing your bottom line.
Special 3-part series tells the story of the Claas family’s legacy, which changed agriculture forever.