NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RFD-TV) — This week, producers across the country balanced winter weather disruptions, shifting export demand, and tightening margins as year-end decisions come into focus. Ice, flooding, and low water reshaped grain movement, while livestock and dairy markets sent mixed signals heading into the final weeks of 2025.
Great Plains
- Texas — Cotton harvest winds down across the High Plains; gins are managing throughput amid cold snaps. Wheat stands mixed under dry La Niña patterns; feeder demand firm as hay and diesel remain watch points.
- Oklahoma — Wheat pasture limited by moisture; fall calves moving steadily. Input pricing and freight costs guide winter planning.
- Kansas — Wheat seeded; emergence uneven where moisture was missed. Interior corn basis supported by export pace; feedyards are active.
- Nebraska — Corn and soybean movement steady; ethanol demand supportive. Propane and rail availability monitored amid cold.
- North & South Dakota — Harvest complete; basis stronger away from the river. Calf runs seasonally strong with feed availability shaping bids.
Midwest
- Iowa — River ice slows barge options; rail picks up slack. Ethanol production at record levels supports corn demand despite tight margins.
- Illinois — Illinois River ice requires couplings; interior basis firmer than the Gulf. Fertilizer pricing is sticky.
- Minnesota & Wisconsin — Corn movement steady; dairy margins tightening as milk prices slide. Feed costs are rising.
- Michigan — Processing demand supports grain; fuel costs ease slightly.
Delta & South
- Arkansas — Soybeans and rice largely wrapped up; barge flow uneven but functional.
- Louisiana — Export loadings are active despite fewer vessels; freight costs remain elevated.
- Mississippi — Grain movement steady; logistics monitored amid river levels.
- Georgia & Alabama — Cotton harvest finishing; peanuts mostly complete. Input inflation persists.
- Florida — Trucking costs remain a concern for specialty crops and feed.
West & Southwest
- Arizona & New Mexico — Forage and water planning dominate winter outlooks.
- Colorado & Utah — Wheat stands variable; diesel and fertilizer costs pressure budgets.
- California — Specialty crop growers face labor and trade headwinds; logistics costs remain top concern.
- Nevada — Hay movement slows seasonally; water planning extends into 2026.
Northwest & Northern Rockies
- Washington & Oregon — Flooding briefly disrupted rail access to export terminals; service restored. Grain inspections remain above average.
- Idaho — Rail movement steady; feedlots managing corn costs.
- Montana — Hay supplies adequate; wheat acres monitored under dry conditions.
- Wyoming — Winter logistics and feed access in focus.
Northeast
- New York & Pennsylvania — Dairy producers reassessing risk management as milk prices fall. Feed and energy costs guide winter budgets.
- Maryland & Delaware — Soybean movement steady; freight costs remain elevated.
- New England — Specialty crop sales support cash flow; winter energy planning underway.
Upper Midwest & Great Lakes
- Michigan — Sugar beets, dry beans, and soybeans share transport lanes; dairy margins are strained.
- Wisconsin — Basis steady near feed mills; fuel relief modest.
- Ohio — Corn and soy mostly complete; inland basis stronger than river.
Far North & Territories
- Alaska — Feed and fuel shipments critical ahead of deep winter; freight costs elevated.
- U.S. Territories — Logistics delays persist; small-scale ag continues under high transport premiums.
Related Stories
Despite rising costs and growing food insecurity, meat demand remained strong in 2025 as higher-income consumers offset cutbacks elsewhere. Economists break down the K-shaped economy, upcoming USDA cattle reports, livestock production outlooks, and renewed debate over beef imports and country-of-origin labeling heading into 2026.
The Surface Transportation Board rejects the proposed Norfolk Southern–Union Pacific merger, prompting concerns from agricultural shippers about rail consolidation, service reliability, and higher transportation costs.
Congressional leaders signal momentum toward expanded, targeted farm aid to help producers manage losses and cash-flow stress in 2026.
Livestock strength is carrying the farm economy, while crop margins remain tight and increasingly dependent on risk management and financial discipline.
Strong balance sheets still matter, but liquidity, planning, and lender relationships are critical as ag credit tightens, according to analysis from AgAmerica Lending.
Protein-driven dairy growth is boosting beef supply potential, creating an opening to support rural jobs and ground beef availability.
New Resource Makes It Easier for People to Access Data on Rural Development funded Projects in Rural Communities
U.S. agriculture entered the week with mixed signals as weather, logistics, and markets shaped early-year decisions. Here is a regional breakdown of domestic crop and livestock production for the week of Monday, Jan. 19, 2026.
In a landmark ruling delivered in late 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court significantly narrowed the scope of the National Environmental Policy Act.
