Farmers Feeling the Fertilizer Price Squeeze

Farm groups are warning the White House that the tariff war is making already high fertilizer prices worse. That’s making it harder for farmers to afford to plant their typical amounts of corn, soybeans, and wheat. Politico said ag industry representatives have hesitated to publicly criticize President Trump’s tariff policies, but some have spent recent months quietly lobbying lawmakers and administration officials to ease the impact on fertilizer prices, which can make up over 30 percent of the input costs for row crop farmers. A recent letter from the National Corn Growers Association to administration officials like U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said fertilizer prices are approaching disastrous levels. When the president took office in January, the average tariff rate on all the key farmer inputs jumped from 0.9 percent to 12.2 percent in August. Some inputs, like pesticides, have risen by 20 percent or more since January. 

More Groups React to U.S.-EU Trade Framework

The Corn Refiners Association’s President and CEO, John Bode (BOH-dee), says his group is pleased to see American and European leaders continue prioritizing improved trade relations. “We appreciate the commitment to work together to address non-tariff barriers affecting trade in food and agricultural products and consult on the digitization of trade procedures, both opportunities to make it easier for America’s agricultural exporters, including U.S. corn refiners, to trade with their EU partners,” Bode said. Elsewhere, Gregg Doud, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation, said America’s farmers win when competition is fair, but also pointed out that there’s been nothing fair about the EU system. “To unlock the potential billions in new opportunities, U.S. dairy exporters need to see any new market access opportunities into the EU mirror those the EU enjoys when it ships butter, cheese, and other dairy products into the U.S. market,” Doud said. 

NCGA Staying Ahead of Mycotoxins

Corn growers are boosting efforts to stay ahead of rising mycotoxin risks by expanding a proven research model that’s delivered results for over a decade. The Aflatoxin Mitigation Center of Excellence (AMCOE) is now becoming the Mycotoxin Mitigation Center of Excellence, broadening its focus to address a full spectrum of mycotoxins, including aflatoxin, vomitoxin, and several others, before they can create bigger problems for U.S. corn. Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by mold that can lead to rejected loads, reduced prices, and lost market access. They are a significant threat to U.S. corn crops, serving up an estimated $1 billion in losses every year. This move will benefit corn growers through research focused on real-world, field-level risks, better testing, resistance traits, and management tools. The center will coordinate industry-wide efforts to protect the value of U.S. corn. It will also engage with and invest in the whole value chain solutions.

Farm Progress Show Celebrates a Milestone

It's a milestone for a show that many consider the “Super Bowl of Agriculture.” Matt Jungmann (YOUNG-man) of Farm Progress says the 2025 Farm Progress Show celebrates the 20th anniversary of Decatur, Iowa, becoming the show’s permanent home and alternating with Decatur (dee-KAY-tuhr), Iowa, as the show’s permanent locations. “We’re incredibly proud to celebrate two decades of agricultural innovation at our permanent sites,” said Jungmann. “What began with the excitement of paved streets has evolved into the premier showcase for cutting-edge agricultural technology and solutions.” The 2025 show, August 26-28 in Decatur, features several show highlights, including a new interactive drone program with demonstrations and educational opportunities for precision aerial applications. There will also be cover crop demonstration plots, a comprehensive ride-and-drive program, and many other highlights. The 2025 Farm Progress Show will continue to showcase comprehensive field demonstrations at the Decatur site. Corn was planted by mid-April to ensure optimal conditions. 

Prioritizing American Energy on National Forest Lands

Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins announced a new directive prioritizing land use efficiency when evaluating proposals for power generation projects on National Forest System Lands. The policy strengthens American energy production and reduces reliance on foreign energy sources, like foreign adversary-manufactured solar panels, while protecting our lands for future generations. The Forest Service will develop new screening criteria that measure and prioritize the amount of energy produced per acre of land while ensuring projects are consistent with environmental stewardship, multiple-use principles, and economic benefits for rural communities. Projects demonstrating higher land use efficiency, producing more power with less land disturbance, will be prioritized. “America has the resources and ingenuity to power our future without depending on foreign adversaries,” Rollins said. “For too long, misguided federal policies have pushed unreliable energy projects that waste taxpayer dollars, and those days are over.” She also said every acre of federal land will now be managed “wisely.” 

California Almond Orchards Have a Rat Problem

The Central Valley of California produces a large number of almonds, and that area is being invaded by rats. A newsletter from the Almond Board of California says that a major rat infestation has caused potentially hundreds of millions of dollars in damage over the past year. In the San Joaquin (Wah-KEEN) Valley alone, more than 100,000 acres have been impacted so far. This adds up to a loss of between $109 million and $311 million. The issue began emerging unexpectedly last fall and may get worse without some form of intervention. Experts say the increased rat populations are due to drought-related farmland inactivity in the early 2020s, which halted pest control. Though farmland has recovered, stricter pesticide regulations have hindered effective rodent management by limiting several options that growers previously had. The Golden State grows all the nation’s commercially-produced almonds, as well as 75 percent of the world’s almond supply. 

Monday Watch List

Markets

Export Inspections at 10 a.m. CDT

Crop Progress at 3 p.m. CDT

Weather

A big batch of cold air has settled into much of the U.S. behind a strong cold front that moved through this weekend. Temperatures fell into the 30s for small parts of the Northern Plains. The front got hung up in the Southern Plains, though, and areas of rain will continue there on Monday, some of which may be heavy.