John Deere Commits to Diagnostic Tools for Farmers Under Agreement with FTC

John Deere is committing to giving farmers diagnostic tools to help them and independent service technicians repair equipment. The agreement ends the matter filed by the Federal Trade Commission and five states – Arizona, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin – in early 2025. "Producers and equipment operators demand flexible and world-class capabilities enabling the maintenance and repair of their machines,” says Denver Caldwell, vice president of aftermarket and customer support. “We are and will continue to deliver on that expectation." According to John Deere, the agreement formalizes the company’s commitment to expanding diagnostic and repair tools as recent settlements and related agreements in this space have similarly emphasized access and transparency for customers. John Deere says it will continue to invest in tools, technology, and services that give customers more ways to care for their equipment, whether they choose to do the work themselves or through a repair provider.

China Resumes Soybean Purchases as Trade Thaw Continues

China, the largest buyer of U.S. soybeans, is once again placing orders after a trade agreement ended the country’s purchasing freeze last fall, reports Mississippi Today. However, USDA data shows there’s a long way to go before China’s purchases reach pre-trade war levels. Roughly 40 percent of U.S. soybeans are exported, and in recent years, around half of exported beans went to China. China stopped purchasing U.S. soybeans in 2025 during tariff negotiations with the Trump administration. They leaned instead on soybeans from South America. Bloomberg reports that the White House said China has agreed to buy at least $17 billion of agricultural products, in addition to at least 25 million tons of soybeans each year through 2028, after the summit between President Donald Trump and his counterpart Xi Jinping. Beijing hasn’t confirmed any of those numbers. Soybean futures in Chicago have strengthened in recent days on expectations of stronger Chinese demand. Traders continue to watch for any additional policy signals before an expected meeting between Trump and Xi later this year.

USDA Delivers Final ‘Farmers First’ Program Improvements

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins says the USDA is making significant improvements to its disaster assistance and commodity loan programs. USDA’s Farm Service Agency is enhancing the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP), Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP), Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), and Tree Assistance Program (TAP). Key updates include expanded eligibility and higher payments for losses, lower drought thresholds for forage assistance, and increased predation compensation. "As we celebrate our nation's 250th birthday, we also celebrate our all-important farmers," says Rollins. “The Trump administration is committed to ensuring the economic success of farmers and ranchers who rely on a strong safety net when natural disasters impact their infrastructure or when market prices affect their profitability.” FSA is also increasing Marketing Assistance Loan rates to improve farmers’ cash flow and marketing flexibility. In addition, USDA is expanding Marketing Assistance Loans to better help cotton and sugar producers by increasing cotton storage credits, for example, and extending the sugar program through 2031. 

USCP Executive Director to Retire

United Sorghum Checkoff Program Executive Director Norma Ritz Johnson will retire at the end of the year. Johnson started the role in January 2021. Before joining the Sorghum Checkoff, she served as executive vice president of the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce and previously served as communications director for National Sorghum Producers. “After much thought and reflection, I’ve decided the end of this year is the right time for me to begin a new chapter,” Johnson says. “Serving sorghum farmers in this role has been one of the greatest privileges of my career.” Since joining the organization, Johnson has overseen initiatives that expanded market opportunities for U.S. sorghum, strengthened domestic and international partnerships, and increased consumer awareness. She also supported research investments across food, feed, and agricultural innovation. Tim Lust, CEO of the United Sorghum Checkoff Program and the National Sorghum Producers, says Johnson’s contributions have benefited both organizations and the broader sorghum industry. Lust is leading the search committee to find the next executive director.

Protein Demand Drives Land O’Lakes’ Facility Expansion

Minnesota-based Land O’Lakes, Inc. is investing in its Tulare, California, dairy processing facility to expand into high-value dairy protein by enabling production of ultra-filtered milk. The company says the move provides growth opportunities for farmer-owners and strengthens the ability to compete in a changing food landscape. “At a time when protein is reshaping how consumers eat and how the food system operates, this investment positions Land O’Lakes… to lead,” says Executive Vice President Heather Anfang. According to Land O’Lakes, protein has moved beyond a niche health category to become a defining force in how consumers evaluate food. The moment is driven by rising nutritional awareness and new health trends such as GLP-1 medications that are shifting how and what people eat. The demand for dairy protein is expected to outpace supply through the remainder of the decade. “This is about more than a single upgrade. It’s about building the future of dairy,” says Anfang.

NFU Urges USDA to Reverse Course on Packers and Stockyards Act Rollback

USDA proposed to rescind three regulations under the Packers and Stockyards Act, to which National Farmers Union President Rob Larew says he is “deeply concerned.” The three regs are related to transparency in poultry production contracts and payments, market integrity – certain unfair practices can violate the Packers and Stockyards Act even without proof, and requirements around detail and payment disclosure when requiring growers to make significant capital investments. “The Trump administration has rightly pointed to consolidation and monopoly power as a driver of higher consumer prices and tighter margins for farmers and ranchers,” Larew says. “But that acknowledgement must be reinforced by strong rules to protect farmers and increase fairness and competition in livestock and poultry markets. We hope the administration stands up for family farmers by strengthening these protections, not rolling them back.” Larew says NFU will keep fighting to ensure these protections stay in place and urges USDA to reverse course.

Friday Watch List

Markets

Friday's session will center around the 11 a.m. CDT release of the July WASDE and Crop Production reports from USDA. After the close, CFTC will release the weekly Commitments of Traders report at 2:30 p.m. CDT.

Weather

A front that has been slowly moving through the country this week continues to sit near the southern Corn Belt on Friday. After producing some areas of heavy rain on Thursday, another day of heavy rain is expected Friday. Some areas of severe thunderstorms with wind and hail will be possible here as well. Farther north, showers are clearing out and starting to make way for a significant heatwave for this weekend.