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
Brent Graves, auctioneer and mentor, shares his journey supporting youth in agriculture, livestock competitions, and how he is turning junior livestock auctions into a classroom for youth in agriculture.
China’s beef policy risk stems from domestic volatility, making export demand inherently unstable. Jake Charleston with Specialty Risk Insurance offers his perspective on cattle markets, risk management, and producer sentiment.
USDA flash corn sales, Cattle on Feed and Inventory reports, and beef packer antitrust concerns dominate January agricultural market news.
Larger grain stocks increase supply pressure, but strong fall disappearance — especially for corn and sorghum — suggests demand remains an important offset.
Record corn and sorghum crops boost feed grain supplies, while reduced soybean and cotton production tighten outlooks for oilseeds and fiber markets.
Food prices increased in December, but not as much as expected, according to the latest Consumer Price Index from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics.
Lewis Williamson with HTS Commodities joined us to provide analysis on the January WASDE report and expectations for grain markets going forward.
Structural efficiency supports cattle prices and resilience — breaking it risks higher costs and greater volatility.
Strong pork demand and improving beef exports outside China support protein markets despite ongoing trade barriers.
