Field Posts

DTN’s Lead Markets Analyst Todd Hultman is coming to the end of a long career in the agricultural markets. His voice will be dearly missed here on the podcast, around the newsroom, and across the country by the farmers and ag industry leaders who’ve depended on his even-handed insights for the better part of four decades. But before he rides off into the sunset, we sat down with Todd for one last episode to hear about the career he’s had, what he’s learned, and what he sees for the future of ag markets and the sector more broadly.  

Today we’ll talk about his early days as a broker and the people who helped shape his common sense view of the market. We’ll hear about his journey to DTN, and how world and market events– from commodity crashes to Chernobyl to a global pandemic – changed the way he thinks about finance, economics, and people in general. He’ll dig into the most surreal and unexpected moments of his career, the times when his crystal ball proved right, and talks about the funniest trade he made as a young broker with a mini soybean meal contract. Then we’ll talk about his outlook for the future– why watching prices is often more important than watching the news, and his advice for young analysts and for farmers aiming to navigate the hectic trading world.

Then, we’ll touch on Todd’s retirement, his favorite TED talk, and why AI isn’t a good substitute for good analysis.

The 2024 election cycle is in the home stretch, and though a lot of attention is being taken up by the Presidential race — when it comes to agricultural policy, the results of senate and house races are likely to be even more impactful. 

The farm community has been waiting for years for the passage of the next Farm Bill, but that legislation is currently on the sidelines as Congress aims to avert a government shutdown after September 30th.

As November approaches, we’re joined by DTN Ag Policy Editor Chris Clayton, who brings us the latest insights from every level of this campaign season. Today we’ll discuss key elements of the major party platforms from immigration priorities to tax and tariff plans to the future of fuels and energy. Then we’ll dig into the potential changes further down the ticket and how the departure of long-time ag ally Senator Debbie Stabenow might impact future Farm Bills. 

Then we’ll dig into the likely effects of transitioning political regimes on existing and ongoing policy at the USDA, EPA, and even the Department of the Treasury, where the biofuels community is awaiting news on how a tax credit for sustainable aviation fuel will be reshaped, potentially opening big market opportunities for corn demand. 

Lastly, we’ll check in on a potential round of farm aid in the works, how Clayton plans to follow political news in the coming weeks, and so much more.

The September WASDE dropped Thursday September 12th, and though it didn’t too much to stir markets, it provided another data point as potentially record crops are in the final stretch before harvest. USDA’s latest report was informed by in-field data which added a new on-the-ground perspective, but there’s still plenty of time for weather-related disruptions, especially with storms like Francine reminding the industry that hurricane season is not over. 

DTN’s Lead Markets Analyst Todd Hultman joins us today to dig into the latest market conditions, offer his expectations going into and coming out of this report, and to discuss shifting demand and basis numbers as we move towards seasonal lows across major sectors. We’ll talk about the updated export picture for both corn and soybeans, and discuss how the global wheat crop is looking after a tough year in Europe. 

Then we’ll take a look at the livestock market with updates on current prices and USDA forecasts about herd growth in the next twelve months. And finally, we’ll talk interest rate declines and inflation, continuing weather wild cards, and the confidence we can have in this report’s numbers.

The trend towards fewer, bigger seed companies is nothing new in US agriculture, and is not even unique to the seed industry. But as a handful of major players have bought up more and more independent seed companies, especially since the 1990s, it’s left farmers and industry analysts alike wondering what the impact is, and will be, on grower selection, price, and innovation overall.

Today, DTN Crops Editor Jason Jenkins takes a closer look at the consolidation trend in the seed industry, especially after the announcement that several brands, including Fontanelle, Gold Country, Kruger, Lewis Hybrids, and Stone Seed will be eliminated from Bayer’s portfolio as of 2025. We’ll talk about the motivations behind these retirements for the big companies, what it might mean for producers when they’re making their selections for next year, and how independent seed companies are continuing to fit into a global seed market that seems to have less and less space for specialized players.

Then we’ll talk about longer term consolidation trends and the seed news Jason expects to see in the weeks and months ahead.

Read Jason's full story here.

The 2024 crop season got off to a wet start that changed up planting decisions and led to a significantly larger soybean planting than analysts were expecting. Since the Spring however, moisture and temperatures across the midwest have proven to be generally ideal, though a severe storm here and there did intermittently disrupt some growing seasons.

Now as we’re on the precipice of Harvest 2024, DTN’s Ag Meteorologist John Baranick joins us to breakdown both how his in-season predictions have fared since we talked pre-planting, and to offer his outlook on what might be ahead this fall. We’ll talk through likely upcoming shifts in the La Nina cycle, take a closer look at this summer’s severe weather and where we might expect to see more damage coming up, and tackle the global weather picture as focus shifts towards the new crop in the Southern hemisphere. 

We’ll hear about regional harvest conditions, the long tail of heat in the far West, and what a La Nina might mean for winter cold temperatures.

DTN’s Digital Yield Tour is back again this year, and after years of building industry-leading tools, it’s powered exclusively by DTN proprietary models and data. 

Today, we’re joined by DTN Farm Business Editor Katie Dehlinger who takes us beat by beat through yield estimates and on the ground condition reports for nine states, from the Eastern Corn belt to Nebraska, Missouri to Minnesota. She guides us through the regions where DTN’s data diverges from the latest USDA reports, shares the stories she’s heard from growers along the way, and discusses what could be ahead in the coming weeks as harvest approaches. 

She’ll tackle water logged soils, wind and other severe weather impacts, and how big the 2024 soybean crop may actually turn out. 

To learn more and register for the August 20th DTN Ag Summit Series event, "Weather Drives Price Prospects for Remainder of 2024", visit https://dtn.link/AgSummitSeries-Fall.

The August WASDE dropped Monday August 12th, bringing with it the surprising news of an expected record soybean crop on the horizon for US growers. This update was fueled by fresh yield forecast numbers, but even more so by USDAs contention that one million acres of additional soybean acres were planted than previously thought, driven in part by wet weather during the planting season forcing a shift from corn to beans. 

DTN’s Lead Market Analyst Todd Hultman joins us today to help us understand the latest figures, and how they fit into a complicated seasonal weather picture that, today, is looking impressively balmy. We’ll talk about potential bright spots in the soybean demand picture, how corn might benefit from the shifts on the soybean front, and where the wheat picture might be providing some respite. Then we’ll plug these updates into the global picture to discuss the US crop export pace, global ending stocks outlooks, and whether or not USDA might update its Latin American numbers to match local estimates.

Then we’ll talk interest rates, pre-harvest weather, and what might lie ahead in terms of geopolitical unrest and the grain markets.

Advocating for agriculture wherever you are is something that farmers and those in agribusiness have been encouraged to do for years now. But being a voice for the industry, for a sector, even for just one farm can be a huge undertaking. The work can be purposeful and fun, but it can also be emotionally difficult and time-consuming. Through the ups and downs, however, many, many voices continue to tell agriculture’s stories, and today, DTN is celebrating those individuals and organizations who do this important work. 

DTN Progressive Farmer Associate Content Manager Elaine Shein spearheaded the Voices of Agriculture special issue, joining with fellow DTN and Progressive Farmer staff to help select the 2024 class of voices. She joins us today to discuss the why behind this project, and to dive into why farmers, policymakers, and ag industry participants from across the country were chosen, and how their work is continuing to shape and reshape the farm world. She’ll also share insight on what’s next for this project, and how you can participate in highlighting voices that mean the most to you.

2024 marks the 20 year anniversary of the View from the Cab column at DTN, which follows two farmers from different parts of the country over the course of an annual growing season. 

Today, the tradition is carried on by DTN Crops Technology Editor Pamela Smith, who for the last seven years has been talking to growers week in and week out on everything from production decisions and technology adoption to family dynamics and their vision for the future. 

Pamela joins us for a behind the scenes look at how the View from the Cab stories came to be, and how the experience looks for the producers in the hot seat. We’ll talk about the long history of the program, how it’s evolved, and what the future might hold for it. We’ll dig into the archives to hear about some of Pam’s most memorable experiences working with these farmers, and learn why you might be interested in raising your hand to participate in the future. 

Then we’ll hear updates on other crops stories Pamela is following at the moment.

Delays on EPA announcement of Renewable Fuel Standard volumes have become old hat for ag industry watchers, but adding in the looming election and a recent Supreme Court decision, the hurdles for regulators to get 2026 volumes published are mounting. But even as anxious corn and soybean growers watch, and some advocates prepare to sue, hope springs from ongoing conversations about the potential for US growers to participate in the Sustainable Aviation Fuel, or SAF, market in the future. 

To help us digest all the news, DTN Environmental Editor Todd Neeley joins us today with the latest updates from EPA and beyond. We’ll talk about the RFS delays, the announced levels that have led to a few biodiesel plant closures, and updates out of California on E-15 that might provide some relief in an uncertain market. Then we’ll take a deep dive on the current state of play for SAF, digging into the potential opportunity, the timeline, and what technologies and policies are still needed to make the market a reality. 

Finally, we’ll dig into how the recent Supreme Court decision on Chevron deference might impact the biofuels space, and other issues Todd will be watching between now and November.