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Terrain analysts dissect news topics important to agriculture and weigh their significance for the sectors relevant to our Farm Credit customers. In this issue, our analysts
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Industry News & Outlooks
We know that information is essential when running a business. Stay up to date on the latest policy updates, commodity outlooks, regional trade forecasts and macroeconomic conditions that could impact your farm or ranch.
Three Hurdles to Heifer Retention and Rebuilding
By Don Close, Chief Research & Analytics Officer In my conversations with cow/calf producers over the past year, they have voiced three primary explanations or concerns
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Look Beyond the Headline Milk Production Number for Inspiration
Milk production has been essentially flat for the past three years, and 2024 is on track for another year at the same level, if not less.
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Look Beyond Headline Milk Production for Inspiration
“Milk production has been essentially flat for the past three years, and 2024 is on track for another year at the same level, if not less.
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Can Processing Tomatoes Stay Red-Hot?
Juiced-Up Prices After many years of low returns for processing tomato growers, the combination of higher at-home food spending during the pandemic and lower-than-typical inventory pushed
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Is a Correction Coming for Class III Milk Prices?
After a slow start to the year, milk prices got a welcome boost after bottoming out in April. These prices are a big improvement from earlier
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The Fast and Furious Corn Weather Market
Situation The 2024 new-crop corn market rode a strong run from early March through May that was partly fueled by two types of weather concerns: not
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Avocado Prices Stable for California Producers
Situation Avocado demand has seen an incredible boost in the last decade. Most of this increased demand, however, has been fulfilled by a surge in imports.
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Export Strength Could Be Too Good to Last
Persistently tight milk supply created an opportunity for strong exports to drive prices to new heights for the year. But the new price level could be
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Navigating the North Coast Transition
Following a period of steady expansion in the mid-2010s, vineyard values have flattened throughout much of the North Coast in recent years. Over the past year,
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Record Carcass Weights Won’t Stop Record Prices
Situation Carcass weights began to climb during the first quarter of 2024 as Midwest cattle feeders held cattle to replace the weight lost during severe weather
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Brazil Weaves Past U.S. as World’s Top Cotton Exporter
In September, I wrote a Quarterly Outlook titled “Brazil Is Cotton’s Heir Apparent” that described the merits of Brazil overtaking the U.S. as the world’s largest
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The Rising Cost of Inventory in 2024
Situation: The realities of “higher for longer” interest rates have significantly added to the cost to carry inventory (inputs and outputs like grains). At the same
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Positive Margins Likely to Stick Around, for Now
Situation Weekly barrow and gilt slaughter totals continue to trend lower from the peak set in late January. By late May, they were smaller by about
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Weathering Soybeans’ Geopolitical Storms
Election Won’t Erase Trade Volatility With China U.S. government policy has an important influence on grain and other agricultural markets. Take, for example, the ethanol boom
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The Dusty Winnemucca Road
The Rural Economist – Spring 2024 One of the benefits of working in the Farm Credit System is working closely with and for American farmers. Since
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From Terrain — Fall Market Outlook
Herd Rebuilding, Consumer Beef Spending, and Global Demand in the Grain Markets Chinese and global demand, grain price seasonality, and harvest marketing headwinds and opportunities are…
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From Terrain — Is the Agriculture Sector Charged for Transportation Change?
Is the Agriculture Sector Charged for Transportation Change? Report Snapshot Situation A wave of memorandums, state-level regulation, executive orders and statements have driven significant momentum behind…
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From Terrain — Beef and Grain Market Outlook
Beef and Grain Market Outlook With heifer retention likely too low to bolster the beef cow herd, can tight supplies continue to support prices amidst a…
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From Terrain — Population or Prosperity?
Population or Prosperity? Report Snapshot Situation Demand from China has been a primary driver for agricultural markets in the 21st century. In 2022, China’s population declined….
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