ThinkstockAt this time last summer, less than a quarter of the lower 48 states had managed to escape a nationwide drought. As of yesterday, less than half the lower 48 are experiencing…
Paul Ausick ThinkstockIf you have been paying attention to consumer prices and producer prices of late, the drop in the price of oil and other energy related items has been keeping a very tight…
ThinkstockDrought conditions in the U.S. have improved somewhat from last year, but much of the Midwest, from the Dakotas to Texas, continues to suffer from moderate to exceptional drought. Conditions improved a…
Paul Ausick ThinkstockIt’s that time of year again. Yup, U.S. farmers are getting started on planting corn, but cool weather and wet ground are slowing down an early start, at least in some states.…
Paul Ausick ThinkstockThe latest report on U.S. crop plantings for this year have sent corn prices tumbling more than 5% today and ended the day’s trading when prices fell the maximum allowable $0.40 a…
Paul Ausick ThinkstockByron Wien announced his predictions for 10 big surprises for 2013 this week to kick off the new year. Wien is now vice chairman at Blackstone Advisory Partners, and this was his…
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported this morning that its global food price index rose to 216 in September, up 1.4% (3 points) from August. The rise is attributed…
Paul Ausick From a mid-August peak of a record $8.49 a bushel, corn December futures have fallen to around $7.40 a bushel today. The spread between corn for December 2012 delivery and March 2013…
Paul Ausick The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) now estimates that the U.S. corn crop will fall by another 100 million bushels below the estimate provided just a month ago, to 10.7 billion bushels,…
Paul Ausick The US Climate Prediction Center continues to forecast the formation of an El Niño weather pattern in the eastern Pacific Ocean in August and September, and now Japanese forecasters have added their…
The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Food Price Index for July rose by 6% following three months of decline. Sharp rises in grain and sugar prices led to the jump.…
Paul Ausick Corn is going to wreck whatever gasoline savings we had going into summer. By driving up the cost of the ethanol gasoline additive and by driving up feed costs for animals, the…
The weather forecast for US corn growers is little cooler and wetter today, especially toward the end of the week. A forecast for up to one inch of rain in some parts…
Lack of rainfall in the US Midwest has pushed corn futures to a 10-month high, even though some rain is forecast for this week. Hot weather is expected to continue, and the…
The US Department of Agriculture released its weekly drought monitor today, noting that rainfall in some parts of the US last week did almost nothing to alleviate the hardest-hit areas: nly a…
