The USDA said because soybean and corn are quite often interchangeable in parts of the Midwest and South, farmers have dropped beans to go with corn because corn prices have all but doubled over the last year. The USDA estimates US demand for corn for ethanol production will rise 50 per cent to 3.2 billion bushels of the possible record total figure of over 13. Why has this happened? The doubling in the corn prices over the past year and increasing yields means farmers get more from the...

Farmers indicated in the USDA report that they intend to plant almost 2.5 million more acres of corn than the trade was expecting. If those acres hold up in the June 29 acreage report and growing conditions are favorable, then the high in the corn market probably has been established. It is more likely, given current strong soybean prices and high fertilizer costs, that corn acres will be less than the 90. These lower prices could be an opportunity to buy call options on new crop already...

soybean ending stocks at a record 615 million bushels, up 20 million from the March estimate of 595 million and above the average analyst estimate of 586 million bushels. Department of Agriculture's report, bearish technical signals and acreage discussions. and world ending stocks will be a bearish influence on prices, with the recent negative technical picture, and concerns Midwest weather conditions could lead to further U. However, after recent setbacks, some traders see the market as...

What many don't realize, is the potential for other crops, besides corn, to provide an alternate energy source to fossil fuels. Scientists studied the greenhouse gas emissions and bioenergy of corn, hybrid poplar, switchgrass, and other crops to determine the efficiency of various biocrops in terms of energy consumption and energy output. Farmers have begun planting corn in the hopes that its potential new use for corn will be a new income source. The study, "Net greenhouse gas flux of...

AMES Recent market reports have grain prices stepping down from their highs, which could be favorable for livestock farmers. John Lawrence, a livestock economist at Iowa State University, said current hog prices are still profitable and are forecast to be breakeven or profitable for the coming year. Livestock producers do need to prepare for higher grain prices and look for opportunities to lock in or purchase their feed needs. Cattle prices are near the records set in late 2003 and...