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Closing Market Report

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

May 08 | Closing Market Report

- Ag Markets with Mike Zuzolo

- Power, Politics, and Pushback on Data Centers

- Ag Weather with Eric Snodgrass

The May 8, 2026, Closing Market Report covers agricultural markets, local infrastructure debates, and weather forecasts. Market analyst Mike Zuzolo notes a sharp rise in soybean prices, driven by energy market fluctuations and anticipation of soybean orders from an upcoming Trump-Xi summit in China. 

Lincoln resident Allison Isley voices community opposition to a proposed 500-megawatt hyperscale data center in Logan County, citing concerns over its massive power consumption, environmental impact, and disruption to the rural quality of life. 

Finally, meteorologist Eric Snodgrass outlines a weather forecast featuring a transition from a cool, wet early May to warmer, drier conditions suitable for planting, while warning of an unprecedented upcoming El Niño event that could significantly impact global summer weather and South American crop yields.

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May 07 | Closing Market Report

- Ag Markets with Matt Bennett
- WILLAg News Update | USDA, USB, Women, and SNAP
- Applied Research Results from the University of Illinois
- Ag Weather with Mike Tannura

The May 7, 2026, episode of the Closing Market Report features a variety of agricultural updates, beginning with analyst Matt Bennett discussing the sideways trade in corn futures, planting delays caused by wet Midwestern weather, and the impact of crude oil prices and international politics on oilseed markets. 

Additionally, the program covers agricultural news, noting the USDA's unexplained dismissal of several United Soybean Board members and the implementation of stricter nutritional stocking requirements for retailers in the SNAP program. 

University of Illinois entomologist Nick Seiter also joins the broadcast to highlight the newly published 2025 Applied Research Results guide, which offers farmers independent data on pest control and new findings concerning the northern corn rootworm. 

Finally, meteorologist Mike Tannura provides a global weather outlook, detailing severe drought concerns for the U.S. hard red winter wheat crop, favorable planting conditions in the Northwestern Corn Belt, the onset of the dry season for Brazil's safrinha corn, and beneficial rains expected across Europe and Russia.

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May 06 | Closing Market Report

- Ag Markets with Greg Johnson
- Asking County Boards to Site Data Centers is an Unfair Thing
- Pope Leo's Food Waste Petition and Prayer
- Ag Weather with Drew Lerner

The May 6, 2026, broadcast of the Closing Market Report, hosted by Todd Gleason from the Land-Grant university in Urbana-Champaign, covers commodity market trends, the agricultural impact of data centers, food waste, and regional weather forecasts. 

Analyst Greg Johnson reports that declining crude oil prices and anticipated average U.S. crop yields are pressuring corn and soybean markets. Agricultural policy specialist Jonathan Coppess criticizes the shifting of responsibility onto local county boards for siting large data centers, citing the facilities' immense and unsustainable consumption of farmland, water, and electricity. Additionally, Gleason highlights the ADM Institute for Post-Harvest Loss's efforts to reduce global grain waste, referencing a related public message by Pope Leo XIV. 

Concluding the report, meteorologist Drew Lerner predicts frost risks for winter wheat in Kansas and Colorado, ongoing drought conditions in Nebraska, and incoming rain that will benefit southern portions of Brazil's Safrinha corn crop.

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May 05 | Closing Market Report

- Ag Markets with Naomi Blohm
- Data Center Discussion with Google's Liz Scwhab
- Ag Weather with Don Day

The May 5, 2026, Closing Market Report covers agricultural commodities, tech infrastructure, and regional weather updates. Market analyst Naomi Blohm highlights recent multi-year highs in corn and soybean prices, advising farmers to capitalize on these prices ahead of upcoming USDA reports and potential market volatility. 

Next, Google infrastructure manager Liz Schwab addresses common community concerns regarding hyperscale data centers, detailing their operational noise levels, water usage, and the company's approach to funding local electrical grid and infrastructure upgrades. 

Finally, meteorologist Don Day provides a weather outlook for the Corn Belt and High Plains, noting a beneficial late-season snowstorm for western wheat areas, while highlighting persistent and concerning drought conditions across Nebraska and western Iowa.


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May 04 | Closing Market Report

- Ag Markets with Curt Kimmel
- Pesticide Resistant Alfalfa Weevils
- Search Google for cropCentral
- Commodity Markets with Ed Usset
- Ag Weather with Mark Russo

The May 4, 2026, Closing Market Report highlights a strong rally in agricultural commodities, with corn and soybeans experiencing significant gains driven by global events, high crude oil prices, and speculative fund buying. Market analysts Curt Kimmel and Ed Usset emphasize that farmers should immediately capitalize on these higher price levels—such as $5.00 for December corn and $12.00 for November soybeans—to lock in profitable new-crop sales. 

In agronomic updates, entomologist Nick Seiter reports increasing pyrethroid insecticide resistance in alfalfa weevils across the Midwest and encourages producers to participate in a regional management survey. Finally, agricultural meteorologist Mark Russo notes that while the U.S. Corn Belt has faced unseasonably cold and dry weather, planting continues at a steady pace, and Europe is forecasted to receive beneficial rainfall to relieve recent dry conditions.

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May 01 | Closing Market Report

- Ag Markets with Mike Zuzolo, GlobalCommResearch.com  
- Ag Weather with Eric Snodgrass, NutrienAgSolutions.com


The May 1, 2026, Closing Market Report features agricultural insights from market analyst Mike Zuzolo and meteorologist Eric Snodgrass. 

Zuzolo highlights that corn and wheat prices are currently finding support from energy markets, delayed U.S. planting due to poor weather, and a historic drought threatening Brazil's second-crop safrinha corn. He also warns of a deteriorating U.S. hard red winter wheat crop and potential energy market disruptions stemming from ongoing tensions in the Middle East. 

On the weather front, Snodgrass recaps the recent severe storms and tornadoes across Illinois, forecasting a shift toward cooler, drier conditions for the first half of May that will bring regional frost risks. Looking ahead to the summer, Snodgrass notes that a developing El Niño and current Pacific Ocean temperatures suggest the Midwest may experience a stormier, cooler-than-average season rather than extreme, yield-threatening heat.

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Apr 30 | Closing Market Report

- Ag Markets with Matt Bennett, @AgMarket_Net
- US House Passes Farm Bill Legislation
- Illinois Farm Financials Reviewed
- Ag Weather with Mike Tannura, @TstormWeather

This April 30, 2026, Closing Market Report covers updates on agricultural markets, farm legislation, farm financials, and global weather. Analyst Matt Bennett noted that heavy rains have paused Midwest farming activities, while severe, persistent drought in the western plains has likely caused irreversible damage to the hard red winter wheat crop. 

On the legislative front, Jonathan Coppess reported that the U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a modernized farm bill, though it faces an uncertain future and significant challenges in the Senate. 

Reviewing farm financials, Brad Zwilling explained that while average farm debt-to-asset ratios have remained stable at 18%, the debt per acre has climbed to nearly $900, which is driving up interest expenses for producers. 

Finally, meteorologist Mike Tannura confirmed the severe drought damage to southern winter wheat and observed that while the southeastern Corn Belt is experiencing cool, wet weather that may slow crop growth, the drier conditions in the northwest are currently providing an ideal environment for planting.

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Apr 29 | Closing Market Report

- Ag Markets with Greg Johnson, TGM
- Kansas Hard Red Winter Wheat Abandonment
- Ethanol, Carbon Markets, and Corn Prices
- Ag Weather with Drew Lerner, @worldwx

The April 29, 2026, Closing Market Report covers updates on agricultural markets, crop conditions, and weather forecasts. Greg Johnson of TGM notes that while Midwest farmers are making steady planting progress, recent price rallies—driven by poor western wheat conditions and global factors—have prompted some opportunistic new crop sales. Dan O'Brien from Kansas State University highlights that poor weather may lead to the abandonment of some hard red winter wheat in Kansas, though current high prices might persuade producers to harvest what they can rather than destroy the crop. Finally, meteorologist Drew Lerner reports on recent and upcoming freezing temperatures threatening the Great Lakes region, a brief drying window for Midwestern planting, and potential moisture stress for Brazil's safrinha corn crop.


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Apr 28 | Closing Market Report

- Naomi Blohm, TotalFarmMarketing.com
- RFS Rule's Impact on BioMass Based Diesel RINs
- Don Day, DayWeather.com

The April 28, 2026, Closing Market Report covers updates on agricultural markets, federal renewable fuel standards, and national weather forecasts. Naomi Blohm highlights a rapid planting pace for corn and soybeans across the Midwest, contrasted by stalled progress in Wisconsin due to heavy rains. She also notes that poor winter wheat conditions and ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Black Sea are driving up wheat futures. 

Following the market update, agricultural economist Todd Hubbs explains that new Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) mandates will push domestic biomass-based diesel production to its limits. He details that a structural shortfall in D6 (corn ethanol) RINs requires a backfill using D4 (biomass diesel) RINs, which is expected to sharply increase demand for feedstocks like soybeans or other oilseeds over the next two years. 

Finally, meteorologist Don Day forecasts a weather shift that will bring beneficial rain to the drought-stricken Delta and Southeast regions, though severe dryness is expected to persist across the hard red winter wheat areas of the central and western Plains.

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Apr 27 | Closing Market Report

- Curt Kimmel, AgMarket.net
- Middle East Ceasefire Fails to Ease Fertilizer Price Surge
- farmdoc Webinar on Controlling Costs 11am Thursday
- Chad Hart, Iowa State University
- Mark Russo, EverStream.ai

This April 27, 2026, agricultural market report highlights upward price movements across corn, soybeans, and wheat futures. Market analyst Curt Kimmel attributes the soybean rally to the European Union rejecting Argentine soybean meal cargoes due to the presence of the drought-resistant HB4 gene, while corn prices were supported by dry conditions in Brazil. 

Domestically, ongoing conflict in the Middle East has kept nitrogen fertilizer prices high, adding an estimated $30 to $55 per acre to 2026 corn crop costs. Iowa State economist 

Chad Hart noted that commodity prices are currently benefiting from both war and weather premiums, pointing out the contrast between widespread U.S. drought and overly wet planting conditions in parts of Iowa and Illinois. 

Finally, meteorologist Mark Russo forecasted a normal, albeit slightly cooler, spring weather pattern for the U.S. Corn Belt, while noting continued dryness in the western Plains, snow-delayed planting in the Canadian prairies, and generally favorable late-season conditions for Brazil's safrinha corn crop.

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