Market Talk

Corn took a hard hit after USDA's October WASDE surprised the trade with a bigger corn yield, while cattle futures closed the week with strength and hogs stayed under pressure. Joe Kooima of Kooima Kooima Varilek Trading in Sioux Center, Iowa joins Market Talk to break down the report, what moved the grains, why the cattle market is a two-tiered story, and what is weighing on hogs. He also shares a reminder for producers as harvest rolls on: one October report is not the final word, and your marketing plan still matters. More at https://www.kkvtrading.com.

USDA's October WASDE report raised the national average corn yield from 178.5 to 181.2 bushels per acre, and the trade did not see it coming. Karen Braun, Chief Market Analyst at Zaner Ag Hedge, joins Market Talk to break down the surprise: what early harvest reports were saying, why the September to October jump is so unusual, where the extra bushels showed up by state, and why January can still change the story. She also covers soybeans and China, the South American crop outlook, wheat and Russian exports, and what farmers should keep in mind as they rethink their marketing plans. Find more at https://www.zaner.com.

USDA raised its yield estimates for both corn and soybeans in the October WASDE. The bigger corn crop lifted projected 2026/27 ending stocks by more than a quarter of a billion bushels. Arlan Suderman, Chief Commodities Economist at StoneX, joined us for a recap in our Market Talk Midday Commentary.

Is corn at a critical pivot point? Bryan Doherty, Senior Market Advisor with Total Farm Marketing, joins Jesse Allen on Market Talk, powered by Brevant Seeds, to break down Thursday's grain, livestock and dairy markets ahead of USDA's October WASDE report.

Also, is the cattle market setting up for a period of sideways trade? On this week’s Cattle Chatter, Brad Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek takes a closer look at the fundamentals and explains why he’s not particularly friendly toward the market right now.

We see some pressure across commodities on Thursday with soybeans the downside leader at midday. Arlan Suderman with StoneX joins us to discuss in our Market Talk Midday Commentary for Thursday, October 8th, 2026.

Treasury yields hit new highs, the dollar is firm and the soybean harvest is badly behind. Mike Zuzolo of Global Commodity Analytics joins Jesse Allen on Market Talk to break down how interest rates, harvest progress and fund positioning could shape grains and livestock heading into Friday's WASDE report. Follow Mike and get a two-week free trial of his independent research online at https://www.globalcommresearch.com.

Also in Segment Four, we share a conversation that Susan Littlefield had during World Dairy Expo last week in Madison, Wisconsin as she talks with Lee Ericson from Zinpro, who shares his thoughts on hoof health and how it can give you a glimpse into the cows longevity in your dairy operation.

A mostly lower trade at midday Wednesday across grains, livestock and outside markets. We discuss the midweek action with Arlan Suderman, Chief Commodities Economist at StoneX, in our Midday Commentary.

On today's show, we begin in Segment One with Casey Schleusner, retail sales agronomist with Brevant seeds, who shares some early soybean yields from Brevant brand Enlist E3 soybeans and how they are exceeding grower expectations as harvest gets underway in North Central Iowa. And we also talk about why October, soybean cyst nematode month, is the time to think about SCN and soil sampling. Learn more at Brevant.com or contact your local ag retailer.

Cory Bratland of AgMarket.Net joins us in Segment Two after a strong Tuesday in the grain and cattle markets. Bratland covers harvest progress and the dry weather window, what he expects from Friday's October WASDE, why a stronger Brazilian real is helping soybeans, how to think about a plan for your harvest bushels, escalating Russia and Ukraine tensions in wheat, a cattle market that finally made a move, and the outside markets he is watching, including the dollar index and crude oil.

Then, we talk with Shawn Hackett of Hackett Financial Advisors as he breaks down what is moving grain and livestock markets as October begins. Hackett digs into a record El Niño and what it could mean for Brazil's soybean and second crop corn seasons, why the Brazilian real may be the most important currency for grain markets, how Russia, Ukraine and Middle East tensions could squeeze supply, and what he is watching in cattle, dairy and protein demand.

We saw a solid grain market rally through midday on Tuesday while the cattle complex was also showing some signs of life. Arlan Suderman, Chief Commodities Economist at StoneX, joins us for a conversation about the markets as we worked through Tuesday trade.

John Heinberg of Total Farm Marketing joins Market Talk on Monday, October 5, to break down a choppy start to the first full week of October. Grains finished off their highs as harvest pressure showed up, wheat led the way, and cattle gave back some ground while hogs held up better. John covers what he is hearing ahead of Friday’s October WASDE report, where corn and soybean yield could land, why soybean basis is jumping in the western Corn Belt, how corn export shipments compare with lagging export sales, what a stronger Brazilian real could mean for soybean competition, and where cattle and hog futures could go from here.

Mike Minor of Professional Ag Marketing joins Market Talk on Monday, October 5, as grains and oilseeds started the week with solid money flow while cattle and hogs were quieter. Mike covers what drove soybeans higher, including a stronger Brazilian real and hot demand for soybean oil. He talks harvest progress and early yield reports in the Northwest Corn Belt, what he expects from Friday’s USDA WASDE report, and why large fund positions could add risk to the corn market. He also explains why he sees pork’s problem as demand rather than supply, and why expensive feeder cattle are pinching feedlot margins even as beef demand holds up.

Harvest season is rolling, but the western Corn Belt is still drying out after record September rain. Nutrien Ag Solutions' Eric Snodgrass joins Market Talk for the weekly weather update to break down the harvest window through Oct. 12, a possible snow event in the northern Rockies, a quiet Atlantic with a Gulf disturbance to watch, Lake Powell water levels, how a strong El Nino could reshape the drought map, and Brazil planting conditions. More weather from Eric: agweather.com

USDA's September 30 Grain Stocks report delivered an ugly surprise for corn, diesel is flirting with record highs, and rate hike expectations are swinging week to week. StoneX Senior Commodities Economist Mike Castle joins Jesse Allen on Market Talk to sort through what it all means for farmers and ranchers. Mike breaks down why USDA's feed and residual number has been such a puzzle, how old-crop corn stocks climbed back above 2 billion bushels, and what still supports demand in the year ahead. He also walks through charts on corn feed demand per animal unit and the corn to diesel ratio, explains how tight distillate stocks and Middle East disruptions are squeezing margins, and shares his view on inflation, the Fed and how all of it reaches the rural economy. He closes with risk management advice, including where fertilizer affordability stands heading toward spring 2027.

Cattle are stuck in neutral, hogs are digesting a surprising report, and corn funds are heading for the exits as harvest rolls in. Scott Varilek of Kooima Kooima Varilek in Sioux Center, Iowa, also joins Jesse Allen on today's Market Talk to break down the livestock and grain markets heading into the fourth quarter. Scott covers the split between southern and northern cash cattle trade, what plant closures mean for family feeders who want to negotiate cash, why the Choice/Select spread is widening at an unusual time, and how consolidation and beef on dairy are reshaping the way cattle get sold. He also weighs in on the Hogs and Pigs report, sluggish pork demand, harvest delays from wet weather, and what record fund length and a bigger corn stocks number could mean for the short term.

Also to close the show, we get an update from Susan Littlefield at World Dairy Expo this week in Segment Four as she gets analysis of the dairy markets with Robin Schmahl from AgMarket.net.