Weather may pump the brakes on farm country’s #Plant25 plans

With winter mostly behind us, farmers are preparing to take to the field for planting season.

One meteorologist says that farmers in Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio will likely face a very active pattern this month leading into April.

BAM Weather consultant Bret Walts says that many Midwest farmers may be hard-pressed to find consistent dry periods to get into the fields.
The Climate Prediction Center backs that, showing above-average changes for precipitation for the eastern Corn Belt on both the one and three-month outlooks.

However, moving farther west, things look drier. States like Nebraska, South Dakota, western Iowa, and Oklahoma anticipate worsening drought conditions.

Related Stories
The EPA has approved over-the-top dicamba applications for the 2026 and 2027 growing seasons, outlining new rules that impact herbicide use for U.S. crop producers.
Strong supplies and rising stocks point to continued price pressure unless demand accelerates.
Seasonal price patterns can inform soybean marketing timing, particularly when harvest prices appear unusually strong or weak.
The USDA’s February WASDE report looms as the CME Ag Economy Barometer shows declining farmer confidence, and more ag industry groups calling for swift policy action.
Dr. Peter Beetham, interim CEO of Cibus, joined us to discuss the status of EU gene-editing deregulation and its potential implications for agriculture.
The House Agriculture Committee is set to debate a new, “skinny” Farm Bill at the end of February, according to a release from Committee Chairman Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson.

Agriculture Shows
Special 3-part series tells the story of the Claas family’s legacy, which changed agriculture forever.
From soil to harvest. Top Crop is an all-new series about four of the best farmers in the world—Dan Luepkes, of Oregan, Illinois; Cory Atley, of Cedarville, Ohio; Shelby Fite, of Jackson Center, Ohio; Russell Hedrick, of Hickory, North Carolina—reveals what it takes for them to make a profitable crop. It all starts with good soil, patience, and a strong planter setup.
Champions of Rural America is a half-hour dive into the legislative priorities for Rural America. Join us as we interview members of the Congressional Western Caucus to learn about efforts in Washington to preserve agriculture and tackles the most important topics in the ag industry on Champions of Rural America!
Featuring members of Congress, federal and state officials, ag and food leaders, farmers, and roundtable panelists for debates and discussions.