Good morning,

Markets are higher this morning with corn up 22 and soybeans up 18.

Corn ratings fell 2% this week to 55% good/excellent, down from 60% last year and the 62% five-year average; corn silking, doughing, and denting remain behind their respective metrics with maturity initially coming in even with LY and the 5YA at 4%.

The Pro Farmer crop tour found average SD corn yields at 118.5 bpa, down from 151.5 bpa last year and the 161.6 bpa three-year average, and the worst since 2012. Average soybean pod counts came in at 871, down from 997 last year and 1,027 on average. The Eastern leg of the tour saw OH corn yields at 174.2 bpa, down from 185.1 bpa LY but above the 169.0 bpa 3YA; soybean pod counts hit 1,132 pods, down from 1,195 LY but above the 1,038 3YA.

FSA acreage data showed total acres in the US at 248,861.305 vs 254,182,188 last year.  Corn acres were 86,767,676 million acres down from 91,360,490 last year.  Beans were 86,487,293 vs 86,258,283 last year.  Wheat acres were 47,445,407 vs 49,439,068.  Cotton acres were 13,348,355 vs 10,904,536.  Total prevent plant was 6,386,494.  There were 3 million acres of prevent plant corn, a million beans and a million wheat.

With the CBOT moving higher, basis levels are going to continue to crumble. I would suggest producers lock in basis on any unsold old crop corn!

Have a Safe Day!

Garry Gard

920-348-6844

ggard@didioninc.com

Good morning,

Weaker markets to open the day with corn down 22 and soybeans down 64.

The USDA did end up adding to old crop stocks in corn and beans Friday. The cut came from ethanol grind and exports.  The US has sold very little corn in export and soybeans have seen net cancelations.  This was not a surprise and we guessed as much.  The USDA did end up lowering corn yields from 177 down to 175.4 due to hot dry weather.  Corn carryout was slightly lower at 1.388 vs 1.470 in July.
The USDA raised the bean yield from 51.5 to 51.9.  This would be a new record sized crop for soybeans.  The USDA also set bean carryout higher at .245 vs .230 in July.  How corn trended lower in yield and beans higher, we do not know.  I was guessing they would just leave it the same as July as August weather makes the bean crop and final yield is far from known.  The USDA made almost no changes in wheat, raising the yield by .2 bushels per acre.

The 7-day forecast has rain moving into Nebraska, Western Iowa, Eastern Kansas and Missouri.  Totals will be from .5-2.5 inches.  The driest areas of the drought look to have a shot at significant rain this week.  Temps are cooling down and the ridge has moved the far Northwest allowing the cool front to bring thunderstorms.  Temps look to be cool for the next 15 days.

I think we stay rangebound for the balance of the month.  Corn has an open chart gap at 5.85.

Have a Safe Day!

Garry Gard

920-348-6844

ggard@didioninc.com

Good morning,

USDA WASDE report will be released at 11:00 am today. Estimates for todays report are listed below.

21/22 US ending stocks (million bu)

22/23 US ending stocks (million bu)

22/23 Production (million bu/million acres)

Have a Safe Day!

Garry Gard

920-348-6844

ggard@didioninc.com

Good morning,

Markets are slightly higher this morning with corn up 5 and soybeans up 20.

Yesterdays early gains faded as we closed the day due to changes in the weather pattern and positioning heading into Friday’s report.

The largest change in the weather is the ridge has moved out of the West and sets up Northwest into Canada. As this ridge leaves the chances of rain increase around the Midwest.  Where it’s been dry out West showers are forecast into next week.  Rain is also forecast from Iowa North into Minnesota and Canada.  This is a completely different pattern that would have been pretty bearish two weeks ago.  Some areas are still going to miss like Illinois and Missouri.

Tomorrows WASDE report will keep things in check today as traders position ahead of the unknown the USDA will give us. Expectations are for lower yields in corn and soybeans due to drought in the west, but could be limited by a favorable eastern crop.  What will the USDA do, we have not idea as its almost never what anyone expects. Any carryout below 1.3 million bushel is going to run the corn market higher as that could put the stocks/use ratio close to 9%.

Producers hanging on to old crop should be exiting that position quickly as basis levels continue to deteriorate. The CBOT appears to be range bound but any upside in the board is going to result in basis levels widening even further.

Have a safe Day!

Garry Gard

920-348-6844

ggard@didioninc.com

Good morning,

Markets are higher this morning with corn up 8 and soybeans up 25.

Monday’s crop conditions and buildup to Friday’s report are moving the markets higher again this morning. Friday the WASDE will release their Supply and Demand estimates for the month. Part of this release will be an update on yield and potentially an acreage update (in 3 states).

Crop conditions have impacted the yield estimates submitted by private analysts with the average yield of the analysts 1.1 bu/acre below the USDA’s modeled 177 number in July. The published range is 173.2 to 177.6 bu/acre showing the general pessimism that goes beyond the average. The trade is regularly pessimistic the August USDA’s yield number. This is probably because the improvement in US corn yield potential at a trend level is placing it at new records annually. The hardest thing to do is to forecast a record yield with less-than-optimal weather. Not only is the yield in question but also acreage is up for revision, in three states only.

Next week we will see little rain fall around the Central US.  The ridge is moving up into the Northwest.  The heat is leaving Texas and will allow for rain to move into the Western Plains.  It’s been bone dry for months and crop conditions are not good.  Looking at the 15-day forecast there are several little pop-up showers in the Central US, but no organized rain events. Those that missed rain are in for a tough August.

Have a Safe Day!

Garry Gard

920-348-6844

ggard@didioninc.com