Closing Market Report logo

Closing Market Report

Today's wrap-up on the agricultural markets: news, analysis, and weather

Oct 09 | Closing Market Report

The October 9, 2026, broadcast of the Closing Market Report features host Todd Gleason analyzing daily commodity markets and the latest USDA crop production estimates. Guest Mike Zuzolo of Global Commodity Analytics and Consulting reviews the unexpected upward revisions to domestic and global corn yields, noting that the data runs counter to recent market trends and creates new headwinds for prices. Additionally, Joshua Nagelberg of CropProphet outlines the agricultural weather forecast, highlighting an incoming wet pattern for the western Corn Belt and evaluating how the current El Nino weather event is impacting early planting conditions for South American crops.

01:32 Ag Markets with Mike Zuzolo, Global Commodity Analytics and Consulting
12:27 Ag Weather with Joshua Nagelberg, CropProphet

★ Support this podcast ★

Oct 08 | Closing Market Report

The October 8, 2026, edition of the Closing Market Report covers late-season harvest conditions and an exploration of global food systems. Host Todd Gleason first speaks with Matt Bennett of AgMarket.net, who notes that favorable dry-down weather has accelerated the harvest, with soybeans generally outperforming corn yields ahead of the upcoming USDA Crop Production report. The broadcast then shifts to an interview with Michelle Michael and Brandon Whitworth, co-directors of the documentary *World Without Cows*. The filmmakers discuss their travel to 22 countries to document the complex cultural, economic, and environmental roles cattle play worldwide, emphasizing the need for nuanced, non-polarizing conversations about agricultural sustainability and the diverse goals of global producers.

01:42 Ag Markets with Matt Bennett, AgMarket.net
06:46 Alltech's World without Cows Film

★ Support this podcast ★

Oct 07 | Closing Market Report

Hosted by Todd Gleason from the Land Grant University in Urbana-Champaign, this edition of the Closing Market Report broadcasts from the Independent Grocer Summit in Carterville, Illinois, providing updates on agricultural commodities, rural grocery operations, and global weather. Greg Johnson of TGM reports that the Illinois soybean harvest is progressing swiftly with strong yields, whereas corn yields are proving disappointing due to prior weather damage. Johnson also notes a midday market sell-off as traders await the upcoming USDA crop production report. Shifting to rural food systems, Sean Park from the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs highlights the challenging operational landscape for independent grocery stores, which average an exceptionally slim 1% net profit margin. Park emphasizes that these rural grocers can remain competitive against large retailers by strictly monitoring unsold inventory, embedding themselves in the community, and developing destination-worthy meat departments. Finally, World Weather Inc. meteorologist Drew Lerner forecasts that Tropical Storm Delta will rapidly intensify into a hurricane before making landfall on the Gulf Coast, bringing severe flooding to southern regions and eventual beneficial rains to the Midwest. Lerner also anticipates a cold front bringing the season's first snow to the northern plains and notes that excessive rain is currently delaying agricultural fieldwork in southern Brazil.

00:30 Ag Markets with Greg Johnson, TGM
08:41 Extension's Independent Grocer Summit
16:46 Ag Weather with Drew Lerner, World Weather Inc

★ Support this podcast ★

Oct 06 | Closing Market Report

The October 6, 2026, edition of the Closing Market Report covers commodity market movements, federal policy developments, harvest progress, and agricultural weather. Naomi Blohm of Total Farm Marketing analyzes a "Turnaround Tuesday" rally across corn, soybeans, wheat, and feeder cattle, driven by technical buying and positioning ahead of the USDA WASDE report. USDA crop progress data reveals corn and soybean harvest pacing behind five-year averages nationwide, led by significant weather-related delays in Iowa. Energy analyst Dave Chatterton reviews President Trump’s executive order deferring taxes and waiving penalties on highway use of red-dyed diesel, noting that while it offers short-term cash flow relief, it does not resolve broader diesel refining and supply constraints. The broadcast concludes with a global weather outlook predicting a much-needed dry window across the U.S. Corn Belt and mixed conditions in South America, followed by a demonstration of an AI-generated hyper-local ag weather forecast for Sangamon County, Illinois, tracking field conditions and bare soil temperatures for fall fertilizer applications.

01:24 Ag Markets with Naomi Blohm, Total Farm Marketing
07:10 USDA Harvest Progress Update
09:03 President Trump's Diesel Fuel E.O.
19:06 Global Growing Regions Update
20:47 A.I. Delivers Hyper Local Forecast for Todd 

★ Support this podcast ★

Oct 05 | Closing Market Report

The October 5, 2026 edition of the Closing Market Report opens with commodity market settlements before agricultural economist Ed Usset discusses harvest rain delays, localized spikes in soybean basis bids, and grain marketing strategies ahead of the upcoming USDA WASDE report. The broadcast then examines the rapid expansion of data centers into rural America with American Farm Bureau Federation economist Bernt Nelson, addressing the balance between high financial offers for landowners, the permanent loss of productive farmland, and agriculture's increasing dependence on data storage for precision farming. Concluding the program, EverStream Analytics meteorologist Mark Russo delivers the weather outlook, forecasting a shift to warmer and drier conditions across the Midwest to aid harvest progress through late October, alongside favorable early planting conditions across South America despite planting delays in wet southern Brazil.

02:03 Ag Markets with Ed Usset, University of Minnesota
13:57 Data Centers, a new farm country neighbor
17:57 Ag Weather with Mark Russo, EverStream Analytics

★ Support this podcast ★

Oct 02 | Closing Market Report

cmr261002

The October 2, 2026, broadcast of the Closing Market Report, hosted by Todd Gleason from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, provides updates on agricultural commodity markets, pricing trends, and weather forecasts. Market analyst Mike Zuzolo discusses the impact of macroeconomic factors—such as diesel export policies and rising bond yields—on corn and soybean prices following the recent grain stocks report. Additionally, University of Illinois agricultural economist Joe Janzen explains the typical drop in corn basis during the peak fall harvest window, noting regional differences across the Corn Belt. Finally, meteorologist Eric Snodgrass offers a weather outlook, detailing how recent heavy rains have stalled harvest progress and discussing the potential long-term disruptions caused by a historically strong El Niño pattern.

01:28 Ag Markets with Mike Zuzolo, Global Commodity Analytics and Consulting
06:50 Managing the Fall Harvest Basis Dip
09:42 Ag Weather with Eric Snodgrass, Nutrien Ag Solutions

★ Support this podcast ★

Oct 01 | Closing Market Report

This edition of the Closing Market Report reviews daily agricultural market settlements before examining commodity trends, input costs, nutrient management, and regional weather patterns. Matt Bennett of AgMarket.net discusses harvest progress, noting that recent rains slowed soybean cutting in parts of the Corn Belt while outlining how Chinese export demand, tariff developments, and basis volatility are shaping the corn and soybean outlook. The broadcast highlights the impact of record-high diesel prices exceeding $6 per gallon on field operations and transportation costs during harvest. University of Illinois agricultural economist Gary Schnitkey shares findings from Precision Conservation Management data across half a million acres, explaining that adhering to Maximum Return to Nitrogen (MRTN) guidelines—typically 150 to 200 pounds of actual nitrogen per acre—delivers significantly higher operator returns than prevailing over-application rates. Finally, atmospheric scientist Mike Tannura of Tstorm.net details how recent heavy rains across the central Plains and western Corn Belt will give way to a 10-to-15-day dry, mild window favorable for fieldwork, while analyzing how an emerging strong El Niño is driving wetter conditions across both the Plains and South American growing regions.

02:44 Ag Markets with Matt Bennett, AgMarket.net
08:16 The High Cost of Diesel and Fall Harvest
09:15 Implications for 2027 Nitrogen Decisions
17:04 Ag Weather with Mike Tannura, Tstorm.net

★ Support this podcast ★

Sep 30 | Closing Market Report

The September 30, 2026, broadcast of the Closing Market Report hosted by Todd Gleason covers daily commodity futures and features detailed analysis of agricultural markets and global weather. Analyst Greg Johnson of Total Grain Marketing unpacks the USDA's quarterly grain stocks report, explaining that unexpectedly high corn ending stocks caused prices to drop, while soybean stocks aligned more closely with trade expectations. Johnson also shares early local harvest observations, noting that soybean yields are generally above average but corn yields are trending lower than the previous year. Following the market update, meteorologist Drew Lerner of World Weather Inc. provides a global weather forecast. Lerner highlights how heavy rainfall is delaying harvest progress in the western Corn Belt, particularly in Iowa, but notes favorable weather patterns for crop development and harvest across Argentina and China respectively.

02:51 Ag Markets with Greg Johnson, TGM
14:01 Ag Weather with Drew Lerner, World Weather Inc.

★ Support this podcast ★

Sep 29 | Closing Market Report

The September 29, 2026, broadcast of the Closing Market Report, hosted by Todd Gleason, provides a comprehensive update on commodity markets, agricultural policy, and weather. Market analyst Naomi Blohm discusses recent grain trading trends, upcoming USDA reports, and the market impact of lagging crop maturity and harvest delays. The program highlights several updates from Washington, D.C., including the rollout of a new digital acreage reporting system by the Farm Service Agency, the ongoing partisan stall of the new farm bill in the Senate, and legislative efforts to secure permanent year-round access to E15 fuel. Additionally, the broadcast features analysis on why increased foreign beef imports have failed to lower consumer prices amid a record-low domestic cattle herd. The episode concludes with meteorologist Don Day forecasting heavy, harvest-delaying rains across the western Corn Belt, followed by a transition to a cooler, drier weather pattern.

00:58 Ag Markets with Naomi Blohm, Total Farm Marketing
07:05 WILLAg News Update
16:00 Lower-Cost Fuel at Stake in E15 Debate
19:01 Ag Weather with Don Day, Day Weather

★ Support this podcast ★

Sep 28 | Closing Market Report

The September 28, 2026, broadcast of the Closing Market Report, hosted by Todd Gleason, covers commodity futures and features analysis from three agricultural experts. University of Illinois agricultural economist Joe Janzen discusses the commodity market's negative reaction to the recent Trump-Xi summit, specifically noting the exclusion of soybeans from reciprocal tariff reductions. Janzen also analyzes a typical 15-cent drop in corn basis during the five-week peak harvest window due to supply pressure. University of Missouri agricultural economist Jason Franken reviews the USDA Hogs and Pigs and cold storage reports, concluding that lowered domestic pork consumption and reduced export projections will likely squeeze hog producers' profitability. Finally, Mark Russo of EverStream Analytics provides a weather update, contrasting harvest-delaying rains in the western Corn Belt with dry conditions in the eastern states, while also noting favorable planting moisture in center-west Brazil.

01:59 Ag Markets with Joe Janzen, University of Illinois
15:48 USDA Hogs and Pigs Report
17:49 Ag Weather with Mark Russo, EverStream Analytics

★ Support this podcast ★