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Pro Farmer crop tour: S. Dakota faces drought pressure
Pro Farmer crop tour: S. Dakota faces drought pressure
Grand Island, 18 August (Argus) — Soybean conditions are mostly favourable in South Dakota, while drought and pollination issues could pressure corn yields, farmers told Argus on the first day of the Pro Farmer crop tour. The average corn yield in South Dakota was pegged at 149.09 bushels (bu) per acre (9.35 t/hectare) by participants on the Pro Farmer crop tour — down by 25.09 bu/acre (1.57 t/ha) on the year, and 13.61 bu/acre (0.85 t/ha) below the previous five-year average. This is also well below the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) projection for the state, which forecast yields above the previous five-year average in August ( see table ). While corn crop health was generally favourable — with no significant disease issues reported including corn rust, which was prevalent in 2025 — little-to-no rainfall in June-July has caused pollination problems including tip-back and lodging in parts of the state. South Dakota's soybean crop has fared better in the dry weather, although yield indications remain below historical levels. Pod count — measured as the number of pods in a 3ft by 3ft plot — was seen at 945.98 by Pro Farmer participants. This is 242.47 below the 2025 pod count and 129.8 below the trailing five-year average. Soybeans in the state have faced less disease pressure this year, farmers said. Insect pressure has also been limited, although some stemborer pests were noted by crop tour participants. But August conditions are key for soybean yield development, meaning forecast rain in the coming weeks could support yields further. Meanwhile, corn fields in northeast Nebraska showed some tip-back and a little browning, although conditions appeared largely favourable. Ohio At the same time, crop tour participants in Ohio noted standing water in fields, with unfavourably high moisture levels likely to weigh on corn conditions and curb grain filling. Average corn yields in Ohio were pegged at 180.18 bu/acre (11.3 t/ha) on the Pro Farmer crop tour, around 5.51 bu/acre (0.35 t/ha) below 2025 and 4.13 bu/acre (0.26 t/ha) below the previous three-year average. Pro Farmer participants observed a soybean pod count of 1,197.25, down from 1,287.28 in 2025 and an average of 1,256.71 in 2023-25. Some soybean plants are still in the blooming stage of development, participants said. By Alexander Schultz and Megan Evans US crop tour results — corn bu/acre Yields USDA South Dakota 2026 149.1 151.0 2025 174.2 171.0 2022-24 average 162.7 149.3 Ohio 2026 180.2 195.0 2025 185.7 185.0 2022-24 average 184.3 187.3 USDA reported yields and 2026 forecats — USDA, US Pro Farmer crop tour US crop tour results — soybeans Yields (num. pods) USDA (bu/acre) South Dakota 2026 946.0 41.0 2025 1,188.5 47.0 2022-24 average 1,075.8 41.7 Ohio 2026 1,197.3 58.0 2025 1,287.3 53.0 2022-24 average 1,256.7 54.5 USDA reported yields and 2026 forecasts — USDA, US Pro Farmer crop tour Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
US crop conditions hold steady into August
US crop conditions hold steady into August
St Louis, 17 August (Argus) — US corn, soybean and spring wheat crop conditions were all within 1 percentage point of their previous week's good-to-excellent rating as of 16 August, as the last phases of US crop development have begun in most areas. The US average corn and soybean condition ratings both crops fell by 1 point during the week to 60pc and 61pc in good-to-excellent conditions, respectively, as of 16 August, according to US Department of Agriculture (USDA) data. With this week's drop, both crops are now below their five-year average ratings, but by only 2 points and 1 point, respectively. Since the middle of July, the outlook for both corn and soybeans has trended lower following weeks of above ideal temperatures for crop development, resulting in the USDA revising its yield expectations lower in the agency's outlook update last week. But the week ahead is expected to bring cooler temperatures, and additional precipitation that could be beneficial for corn and soybeans as they enter their grain filling and pod development phases. The US spring wheat crop saw a small improvement in its outlook, with the share of the crop rated as good-to-excellent increasing 1 percentage point from the prior week to 52pc. The increase was driven by improvements in Idaho and Minnesota, where the share of the crop rated in good-to-excellent condition increased by 7 points and 3 points, respectively, from the prior week. Also during the week, the outlook for the crops in North Dakota and South Dakota stabilized after several weeks of decline, holding even with the week prior at 44pc and 42pc in good-to-excellent condition, respectively. All three crops continued progressing at an above average pace, with the spring wheat harvest progressing 17 points during the week to reach 41pc complete, 7 points ahead of the five-year average pace for the week. The US corn crop development advanced by 15 points to reach 76pc in the dough stage, 6 points ahead of the five-year average rate of development. Soybeans advanced by 11 points to reach 85pc in the pod setting phase, 5 points ahead of the five-year average pace of development. By Ryan Koory Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Mato Grosso ups its 2026-27 crops cost estimates
Mato Grosso ups its 2026-27 crops cost estimates
Sao Paulo, 17 August (Argus) — Brazil's central-western Mato Grosso state revised its production cost forecasts for the 2026-27 corn, soybean and cotton crops slightly upwards in its July report, driven by higher fertilizers expenses. The 2026-27 corn crops that use advanced technologies in Mato Grosso could cost about R3,779/hectare ($729/ha) to be produced, a 0.3pc increase from June's forecast, according to the state's institute of agricultural economics Imea. That is above the R3,320/ha spent in the 2025-26 season, considering higher fertilizer, pesticides and seeds costs. Estimated fertilizer costs rose by 1.1pc to R1,550/ha in Imea's monthly report. That is also above the R1,422/ha spent last crop. Expected pesticide and seeds costs dipped by 0.1pc and 0.5pc in the month, reaching R912/ha and R844/ha, respectively. The forecasts remain above R738/ha for pesticides and R778/ha for seeds spent in the 2025-26 season. Soybeans Estimated costs for the 2026-27 soybean crop ticked up by 0.04pc to R4,323/ha in July from R4,321/ha projected a month prior. That is above the R4,181/ha spent in the 2025-26 season, mostly because of higher expected fertilizer costs. Projected fertilizers expenses increased by 0.2pc to R1,993/ha in the month. The forecast is above the R1,881/ha for the 2025-26 season. Estimated seed costs fell by 0.2pc from the previous report, reaching R474/ha in July. The expense remains below the R607/ha from the last cycle. Imea slightly lowered its projections for pesticide costs by 0.1pc to nearly R1,347/ha in the month from the previous report. Pesticide costs reached R1,218/ha in the prior cycle. Cotton Production costs for Mato Grosso's 2026-27 cotton crop may reach R10,629/ha, a 0.1pc increase from the previous report, but still below the R10,776/ha in the previous cycle. Fertilizer and pesticides costs drove the monthly expected increase, up by 0.1pc and nearly 0.2pc to R3,977/ha and R4,569/ha, respectively, in the latest estimates. The forecast is still higher than the R3,891/ha fertilizers costs in the previous cycle. Pesticides estimates are below the R 4,670/ha spent in the 2025-26 season. Seed cost projections slightly fell by 0.03pc, reaching R1,069/ha in July, but still above the R1,045/ha in the 2025-26 season. Crop costs in July were calculated based on an average Brazilian real-US dollar exchange rate of R5.1223/$1 for corn, R5.1604/$1 for soybeans and R5.1559/$1 for cotton. By Sofia Zizza Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Corn, soymeal to dominate Argentina’s Sep exports
Corn, soymeal to dominate Argentina’s Sep exports
St Louis, 14 August (Argus) — Argentina's exporters reported 3.62mn metric tonnes (t) of agricultural sales to foreign buyers during the week ended on 14 August, the most for the week in seven years, with more than 1.3mn t registered for corn and soybean meal each, according to the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (SAGyP). September was the primary month for export sale registrations, with 3.15mn t reported for loading by the end of the month. Corn accounted for the largest share of this volume at 1.43mn t, followed by soybean meal at 966,000t. With the most recent week, September corn export registrations eclipsed last year's volume nearly seven-fold at 4.6mn t. And with two weeks of August, remaining more volume is likely to be registered before the start of the next month, which could push September exports this year to a record level. Total soybean meal registrations also pushed above last year's level for the month, more than doubling September 2025 to reach 2.15mn t at the end of the week. And increased sales of soybean meal were reported for October and November loading as well, with 350,000t registered for loading across the two months compared with zero volume reported last year. Sunflower meal export registrations were also active during the week, with 54,000t registered for loading by the end of September, bringing total volumes for the month to 189,000t, up by 29pc from the volume registered for September 2025. Wheat exporters registered 322,000t of sales for loading by the end of September, and 90,000t for October. Barley and sorghum export sales reached 60,000t and 40,000t, respectively, with both falling below 10,000t last year. Registered foreign sales of soybeans were less active during the week, down by 34pc from the same week last year to 149,000t. Sunflower seed export registrations fell to their lowest point since the start of 2026 with only 8,000t registered during the week. By Ryan Koory Argentina soymeal export registrations through 14 Aug mn t Argentina corn export registrations through 14 Aug mn t Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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