Each year, farmers produce more than a billion metric tons of corn. As technology advances, researchers are looking at how that could change with nuclear contamination.
Researchers at Penn State University have studied how a nuclear war scenario would play out at nearly 40,000 locations around the world. Using their agro-ecosystem, they found that if five tons of soot were to drop, it would lower corn production by seven percent. On a larger scale, with 165 tons of soot, that number jumps to an 80 percent drop in corn yields.
Researchers say they hope this scenario never happens, but they warn it is always best to prepare for catastrophic events.
Related Stories
Economists are also closely watching how policy decisions in Washington could influence markets moving forward. Analysts say deferred futures for corn, soybeans, and wheat suggest markets are operating near break-even levels, not at prices that would encourage expanded production.
Traders say that shift could eventually prompt the USDA to scale back soybean export projections, noting the outlook differs greatly for other grain commodities.
Strong blending demand continues to support ethanol use even as production and exports fluctuate.
Eliza Petry joins the RFD News team with a strong connection to agriculture and a commitment to covering the people and issues that matter most to rural America.
Strong White House backing supports ethanol demand, but timing now hinges on Congress resolving procedural — at the same time as they push toward a spending bill to avert another federal government shutdown.
Corn and soybean exports continue to anchor weekly inspection totals, with China maintaining a visible role, while wheat and sorghum remain more dependent on regional and seasonal demand shifts.
Lewis Williamson of HTS Commodities joined us with an update on the historic winter storm impacts and his outlook on today’s ag markets.
Year-round E15 remains on the table, but procedural caution and competing regional interests pushed action into a slower, negotiated path.
Strong production and rising stocks may pressure ethanol margins unless demand or exports continue to improve.
