Compeer's AgEdge

Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts and Perry Aasness, Vice President of Legislative Affairs, look back at September in Washington and ahead to a lame duck session as Congress breaks for the midterm elections. Perry explains where Farm Bill 2.0 stands after clearing the Senate Agriculture Committee, what the expiration of the current extension means for farmers, and the long list of must-pass legislation waiting for lawmakers after the election. Megan breaks down the Federal Reserve's latest rate decision and what recent inflation and jobs data could mean for the path ahead. She also covers a surprising quarterly grain stocks report and previews the upcoming WASDE. The episode wraps with a reminder about Compeer's post-election policy webinar and a fun fact about harvesting with true horsepower.

Recorded on September 16th, Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts opens with an agricultural economic update, covering the latest USDA crop report, shifting corn and soybean prices, and the Federal Reserve's newest interest rate decision. She's joined by Nick Tsiolis, Founder and CEO of Farmer's Keeper, a grain marketing and risk management firm, for a harvest-ready look at basis and cash marketing. Nick breaks down what's driving basis trends nationally and regionally, from crush and export demand to new processing capacity coming online in the Upper Midwest. The conversation also touches on how ongoing trade dynamics with China could shape soybean markets in the weeks ahead. Nick wraps with practical strategies for negotiating basis with local elevators and building stronger relationships with grain buyers.

Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts and Perry Aasness from Legislative Affairs open with the Farm Bill's stalled path in the Senate Agriculture Committee, where an unresolved dispute over SNAP cost-share provisions and Senator Mitch McConnell's extended absence forced Chair Bozeman to recess the markup until mid-September. Perry also covers the continuing resolution that funds the federal government through December 11, avoiding a shutdown at the September 30 Farm Bill extension deadline, and the growing momentum for year-round E15. Megan turns to monetary policy, breaking down new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh's hawkish Jackson Hole keynote and what it signals for the path of interest rates. The conversation also covers the recent rally in corn and soybean prices, rising input costs heading into harvest, and this year's yield variability, along with tariff uncertainty affecting Canada — a top export market for Wisconsin dairy. The episode wraps with a visit from House Agriculture Committee Chair GT Thompson and a few fun facts from this year's Midwest state fairs.

Cole Patrick, Director of Crop Insurance Products and Strategy at Compeer Financial, delivers Compeer's Fall Outlook on weather, markets, and crop insurance decisions heading into next year. Cole breaks down a growing season marked by variability — from severe spring storms to shifting global weather patterns — and examines the gap between competing yield estimates for this year's corn and soybean crops. The conversation covers the recent rally in grain prices, rising input costs, and what these trends mean for farm profitability. Cole also walks through the upcoming coverage decisions producers face this fall, including how premium support is shaping area-based insurance products and the coverage changes coming next year. He closes with a look at recent policy updates affecting billing timelines and pasture, rangeland, and forage coverage.

Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts opens with an update on crop prices, interest rate trends, and how global events are shaping farm margins and income. She's joined by Jade Kruschke, Appraisal Regional Manager at Compeer Financial, for Compeer's annual look at cropland values across Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois. Jade walks through how farmland values are holding steady across the region, with dairy activity fueling notable gains in parts of Wisconsin even as some high-quality Illinois cropland softens. The conversation also covers cash rental rate trends, the balance between private sales and public auctions, and what shifting transaction volumes suggest about the health of the land market. Jade rounds things out with insights on the recreational land market and where to find Compeer's benchmark and appraisal resources.

Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts and Ben Duncanson from Legislative Affairs open with the Federal Reserve's latest rate decision and what it signals about the path ahead for inflation and interest rates under new Fed leadership. Ben breaks down the House's final moves before August recess, including budget reconciliation efforts, disaster assistance for agriculture, and the Farm Bill's next steps as it heads toward a Senate markup. The conversation also covers new tariff developments affecting trade with Canada and the uncertain path forward for E-15. Megan recaps the latest USDA crop report, shifting crop conditions across the Corn Belt, and why the upcoming August report tends to be one of the most closely watched of the year. The episode wraps with a lighthearted look at long-term trends in U.S. corn and soybean acreage.

Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts is joined by Erin Cumings, senior consultant on the sponsor relations team at Nationwide®, to examine what it means to build a truly resilient farm operation. Erin introduces Nationwide®'s Farm Risk Ready℠ program, a free tool designed to help producers identify vulnerabilities, create contingency plans, and prepare their operations for a wide range of disruptions. The conversation explores risk categories that extend well beyond markets and weather — including digital, regulatory, and legacy risks — and why proactive planning has become essential in today's complex agricultural environment. Erin also walks through the program's step-by-step framework for building a customized resiliency plan and explains how producers can get started with a free interactive risk assessment at nationwide.com/farmriskready.

Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts and Ben Duncanson from Legislative Affairs break down a busy week in agricultural policy as Congress returns from recess with a packed calendar before its August break. Ben covers the Senate's newly released Farm Bill draft and how it compares to the House version, along with the many priorities competing for floor time this summer. The conversation turns to trade, as the USMCA shifts from a full renewal to an annual review process with Mexico and Canada. Megan also shares updates from the latest crop acreage and stocks reports, the Federal Reserve's decision to hold interest rates steady, and a newly introduced House bill aimed at modernizing agricultural labor policy.

Compeer Director of Dairy Lori Fetzer hosts Corey Geiger, Lead Dairy Economist at CoBank and 2026 World Dairy Expo Industry Person of the Year, and Megan Roberts, Ag Economist at Compeer Financial, for a forward-looking conversation on what progressive dairy operations should be focused on over the next six to 18 months. Corey examines why protein has overtaken butterfat in milk check value, why beef-on-dairy revenue has become a major driver of farm profitability, and what the tightest heifer supply in years means for herd management and expansion planning. Megan breaks down the current interest rate environment and flags the upcoming USMCA review as an underappreciated risk to dairy export markets. The conversation also covers capital deployment strategy, aligning milk production with processor needs, and the role of technology and genomics in building long-term competitiveness.

Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts and Perry Aasness, Vice President of Legislative Affairs, examine the June agricultural policy landscape as the Farm Bill moves to the Senate with a narrow legislative window before August recess. Perry breaks down the Senate's path forward on the Farm Bill and year-round E-15, the competing priorities crowding the congressional calendar, and where USMCA trade review consultations stand with America's top two ag export markets. Megan covers a newly signed executive order reducing agricultural equipment tariffs, the latest specialty crop assistance funding, and why the May WASDE's surprising new crop soybean projection and persistent inflation make a June Fed rate cut unlikely.