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Closing Market Report

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

Sep 02 | Closing Market Report

The September 2, 2026 edition of Illinois Public Media's Closing Market Report, hosted by Todd Gleason, examines commodity market trends, local environmental policy, and global agricultural weather patterns. Following the opening commodity market settlements, Greg Johnson of Total Grain Marketing analyzes multi-year highs in corn and soybean futures, the psychological dynamics of farmer selling, early harvest expectations driven by late-summer heat, and updated crop budget estimates from the University of Illinois farmdoc team. The broadcast then highlights civic discourse in Champaign County, featuring University of Illinois environmental science student Bruce Beem, who details public testimony regarding proposed hyperscale data centers—specifically emphasizing concerns over long-term site remediation, and inadequate human-centric noise metrics and artificial light disruption along avian migratory corridors. Finally, meteorologist Drew Lerner of World Weather Incorporated delivers a regional and global forecast, evaluating persistent drought conditions across the U.S. hard red winter wheat belt, planting moisture outlooks in central Brazil, and international El Niño impacts spanning Indonesian wildfires and drenching rainfall in the Philippines.

01:21 Ag Markets with Greg Johnson, TGM
08:28 Data Centers, Civic Engagement, and University Educations
14:38 Ag Weather with Drew Lerner, World Weather Inc

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Sep 01 | Closing Market Report

The September 1, 2026, edition of the Closing Market Report, hosted by Illinois Extension’s Todd Gleason on Illinois Public Media, provides an in-depth review of key regulatory, market, agronomic, and weather developments impacting agriculture. Agricultural economist Scott Irwin discusses the EPA's decision to grant 1.8 billion gallons in small refinery exemptions (SREs) for 2025, explaining how the agency’s supplemental rulemaking to reallocate 100% of those volumes into 2026 and 2027 mandates effectively neutralizes potential demand losses and supports the biodiesel and soy complex. Market analyst Naomi Blohm of Total Farm Marketing reviews the rally in soybean futures above $13 resistance, highlighting strong domestic demand, Chinese export sales, and the market impacts of geopolitical friction in the Black Sea and Middle East. Agricultural economist Nick Paulson explains how surging global sulfur prices—driven by Middle Eastern conflict and petroleum byproduct supply disruptions—are increasing the cost of MAP and DAP phosphate fertilizers ahead of fall applications. Finally, meteorologist Don Day of Day Weather breaks down the persistent, above-average heat across the Corn Belt and evaluates upcoming rainfall chances for early soybean planting in Brazil.

01:05 Trump Admin's EPA SRE Announcement a Reallocation
05:29 Ag Markets with Naomi Blohm, Total Farm Marketing
10:27 Sulfur and Increasing Phosphate Fertilizer Prices
20:20 Ag Weather with Don Day, Day Weather

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Aug 31 | Closing Market Report

The August 31, 2026, edition of the Closing Market Report, hosted by Todd Gleason, covers daily market settlements, global trade dynamics, regional basis movements, and historic severe weather. Agricultural economist Joe Janzen discusses Colombia’s growing role as a top destination for U.S. corn and soybean meal, advising growers to carefully weigh storage and interest costs against harvest time cash flow needs rather than leaving grain unpriced. Purdue University’s Josh Strine outlines late-summer basis trends, noting widespread corn basis weakness across the Eastern Corn Belt alongside sharp soybean basis gains concentrated in Western Iowa. Finally, Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford reviews the state's record-shattering 2026 tornado count, which surpassed 200 following major outbreaks in April and June.

02:00 Sabbatical Insights from Columbia and the Grain Trade
15:38 Corn and Soybean Basis thru July and August
19:18 Not Quite Tornado Alley but Getting There

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Aug 28 | Closing Market Report

The August 28, 2026, edition of the *Closing Market Report*, hosted by Todd Gleason, provides an overview of commodity market movements, agronomic crop conditions, and regional weather forecasts. Mike Zuzolo of Global Commodity Analytics analyzes the late-summer market rally, attributing price strength to supply constraints from Black Sea export disruptions, geopolitical tensions, and demand rationing, while recommending a sell-and-defend marketing approach for producers. University of Illinois Extension soil fertility specialist John Jones addresses the impact of early-summer precipitation on nitrogen availability, noting that while localized losses and field variability may slightly soften average yields, remobilization of nitrogen already stored within the plant canopy will sustain grain fill for the majority of the corn crop. Concluding the broadcast, Nutrien Ag Solutions meteorologist Eric Snodgrass discusses the upcoming shift from a cool, wet August to warmer, drier conditions in September across the Corn Belt, while highlighting the broader implications of an intensifying El Niño on potential U.S. harvest delays and South American planting schedules.

01:22 Ag Markets with Mike Zuzolo, Global Commodity Analytics and Consulting
09:30 Corn Uses N Stored in the Plant for Grain Fill
16:43 Ag Weather with Eric Snodgrass, Nutrien Ag Solutions

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Aug 27 | Closing Market Report

Hosted by Todd Gleason, the August 27, 2026, edition of the *Closing Market Report* examines agricultural commodity trends, biofuels policy, and late-summer weather. Matt Bennett of AgMarket.net reviews recent market rallies and advises producers to utilize incremental risk management strategies, while noting that global wheat markets are reacting strongly to escalating Russia-Ukraine tensions. Agricultural economist Scott Irwin discusses the Renewable Fuel Standard and the potential economic fallout if the Trump administration grants more Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs) for 2025. Irwin warns that reversing biomass-based diesel mandates would severely cut soybean oil usage, potentially costing soybean producers billions of dollars. Finally, meteorologist Mike Tannura of Tstorm Weather forecasts a historic, late-season heat wave across the Corn Belt, warning that an impending string of days with temperatures in the 90s will challenge late-stage grain fill and complicate analysts' final yield expectations. The broadcast concludes by highlighting upcoming *farmdoc* webinars and the *Commodity Week* program.

02:08 Ag Markets with Matt Bennett, AgMarket.net
09:47 SREs and the Price of Soybeans
17:09 Ag Weather with Mike Tannura, Tstorm.net

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Aug 26 | Closing Market Report

The August 26, 2026, broadcast of the Closing Market Report features three primary segments covering agricultural markets, community programs, and weather forecasts. Greg Johnson of TGM analyzes a significant recent rally in commodity prices, attributing the gains to global supply-side pressures and the Pro Farmer crop tour, while advising producers to capitalize on current profitable margins. The program then shifts to farmer and broker Garrett Toay, who highlights the localized benefits of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library on early childhood literacy. Finally, Drew Lerner of World Weather Inc. examines global and domestic weather patterns, utilizing historical El Niño data to project a warmer, drier trend for the western Corn Belt and stabilizing conditions in the eastern regions.

01:17 Ag Markets with Greg Johnson, TGM
10:49 Dolly Parton's Imagination Library and a Farmer's Family
13:59 Ag Weather with Drew Lerner, World Weather Inc

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Aug 25 | Closing Market Report

This is a summary of the August 25, 2026, edition of the Closing Market Report. In today's program, Naomi Blohm of Total Farm Marketing analyzed current agricultural markets, highlighting an inside trading day for corn and beans while cautioning that a lack of fresh bullish news could lead to a near-term price pullback. She also emphasized the ongoing impacts of Canadian trade tensions and global conflicts on market stability. The broadcast then detailed practical cover crop and no-till management strategies from Illinois farmers Adam Dahmer, Brent Fowler, and Greg Thoren. They stressed the necessity of proper equipment calibration, adjusting planting angles to avoid old corn rows, and utilizing cover crops for targeted erosion control. Finally, Don Day of Day Weather outlined the agricultural forecast, noting a favorable shift toward warmer, drier conditions in the Corn Belt for late August, while advising producers to monitor potential tropical development heading into September.

00:42 Ag Markets with Naomi Blohm, Total Farm Marketing
05:59 Cover Crop Conversations: practical management advice
20:09 Ag Weather with Don Day, Day Weather

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Aug 24 | Closing Market Report

This edition of the *Closing Market Report*, hosted by Todd Gleason, covers commodity market movements, Illinois crop prospects, and global agricultural weather. Sherman Newlin of Zaner Ag Hedge reviews the findings from the Pro Farmer Crop Tour, discussing observed crop stress, shorter ear lengths, and market reactions to reduced yield estimates in Illinois and Indiana. Following a brief announcement for an upcoming FarmDoc webinar on farmland values, cash rents, and energy leases, University of Illinois agronomist Giovani Preza Fontes examines corn development, explaining that despite widespread "tip back," adequate soil moisture and favorable grain-filling conditions keep USDA's 212-bushel-per-acre projection attainable. Finally, Mark Russo of EverStream Analytics provides an ag weather outlook, forecasting drier, seasonal conditions across the Corn Belt, subdued Atlantic hurricane activity due to a strong El Niño, and critical moisture trends across the U.S. Plains, Europe, and Brazil.

01:00 Ag Markets with Sherman Newlin, Zaner Ag Hedge
08:52 WEBINAR PROMO | Rents and Prices Outlook: Results from a Mid-Year Survey
10:27 Corn Prospects in Illinois on Track with USDA
18:34 Ag Weather with Mark Russo, EverStream Analytics

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Aug 21 | Closing Market Report

The Pro Farmer national yield predictions released today present a sharply mixed outlook for this year's harvest, diverging significantly from recent USDA estimates. Pro Farmer pegs the national corn yield at just 173.2 bushels to the acre—down sharply from the USDA’s 180.7 estimate—driven primarily by lower ear counts and persistent nutrient loss across the rain-soaked eastern corn belt. Conversely, they project a record-breaking soybean crop at 53.3 bushels to the acre, supported by impressive pod counts and sufficient moisture to finish the crop out strong. Market analysts anticipate this divergence will prompt a bullish reaction in corn and pressure soybean prices, particularly as the trade looks ahead to critical late-September trade negotiations between the US and China. In the livestock sector, a newly announced plan to import 300,000 metric tons of African beef is expected to heavily pressure domestic cattle prices heading into the fall. Fortunately for Midwest row crops, the weather pattern is finally shifting toward a drier, sunnier trend that will provide the essential growing degree days needed to finish the season.

00:40 Ag Markets with Mike Zuzolo, GlobalCommResearch.com
07:29 Pro Farmer 173.2 Corn / 53.3 Soybean
12:41 Ag Weather with Eric Snodgrass, Nutrien Ag Solutions

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Aug 20 | Closing Market Report

The August 20, 2026, Closing Market Report highlights critical observations from the Pro Farmer Crop Tour, revealing significant regional crop yield discrepancies across the Midwest. Market analysts Matt Bennett, Oliver Sloup, and Sherman Newlin confirm that while eastern Iowa and Minnesota project strong corn yields, excessive moisture in Illinois and drought conditions in western Iowa will likely necessitate downward revisions to current USDA estimates for those states. Despite localized nitrogen loss and lower ear counts in the eastern Corn Belt, Bennett anticipates upward adjustments to national soybean yields due to favorable late-season finishing conditions. Meteorologist Mike Tannura forecasts a generalized drying trend and normalized temperatures moving into September, indicating that late-season weather variables will have a diminishing impact on final production numbers.

02:07 Ag Markets with Matt Bennett, AgMarket.net
07:18 Pro Farmer Crop Tour with Oliver Sloup and Sherman Newlin
07:28 Crop Tour Update from Corn Belt Garden Spot
12:32 Crop Tour Update from Western Iowa and Minnesota
20:11 Ag Weather with Mike Tannura, Tstorm.net

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