For Sheridan Skala, Owatonna, Minnesota (Steele County, family farm heritage) Monday, September 28, 2026. Filed by The MI Farm AI Desk.
Weather, Steele County, MN
What this means for today: Rain showers likely between noon and 4pm, then showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 67. Wind 0 to 10 mph through the day (see the hour by hour table below). Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. Source: NOAA National Weather Service via the MI Farm AI weather layer for Steele County, MN, pulled this morning. Hour by Hour, the day ahead
Source: NOAA National Weather Service hourly forecast and station observations, pulled this morning. Wind this morning at your nearest weather station was about 6 mph. Rain WindowWe could not get a reading right on your field this morning. The nearest weather station (Owatonna MN, about 4 miles northeast) recorded no rain in the past 24 hours. Your own ground may differ, so check your gauge. Futures board reference (not your cash)
The board is a labeled futures reference, not your cash bid. Your cash and net after haul are below. Corn Today (Dec 2026 board)
Cash bid, your nearby buyers, ranked by net after haul, best first
Cash bid is each buyer's own posted local price (the local cash plus basis). Ranked by net after haul, best first (ties break to the shorter haul, then higher cash). Net is the cash bid minus the cost to truck it there. Patronage is money a co-op pays back on the bushels you deliver, often a few cents a bushel.
Local cash bids, as of 2026-09-28.
Soybeans Today (Nov 2026 board)
Cash bid, your nearby buyers, ranked by net after haul, best first
Cash bid is each buyer's own posted local price (the local cash plus basis). Ranked by net after haul, best first (ties break to the shorter haul, then higher cash). Net is the cash bid minus the cost to truck it there. Patronage is money a co-op pays back on the bushels you deliver, often a few cents a bushel.
Local cash bids, as of 2026-09-28.
Grain and Livestock, corn, soybeans, wheat, cattleCal's Grain Call: Price a portion of 208,000 bu corn at $5.04/bu via Crystal Valley, Owatonna (a recommendation, see the factors).Corn: Grain in the bin is 2025 old crop corn; in September it prices on the old crop September board. Soybeans: The growing 2026 crop is new crop soybean; it prices on the November board.
Source: CME livestock futures. Cal's Market ReadOvernight, corn slipped about 6 cents; and beans slipped about 32 cents. Recent trend, over the last 5 sessions, corn has eased and beans have eased. That is the backdrop your cash bid is moving against. Here is our read on why. Cutting the other way, demand still reads firm per Tri-State Neighbor: Pasture conditions in southern Plains to improve. Honest truth, the tape does not hand us one clean reason today, so take this as our best read, not gospel. Stocks point lower into the open, S&P futures off about 0.5 percent. A softer tape can tighten the credit and input-cost mood your lender watches, worth a glance, but it does not set your cash bid. Cal Wall Street, Friday's close
WHY IT MATTERS FOR YOUR FIELDS Decision DeliveredYour decisions for today and the week ahead:
What to Watch Today
From Cal's News DeskThe 10 stories that moved across the wires since yesterday's Brief, sourced, dated, and verifiable. Each one carries Cal's review, the same one the news page shows, with a link to read it straight from the source. 1. Pasture conditions in southern Plains to improve
Paraguay says the US is seeking additional imports of Paraguayan beef due to poor pasture conditions in the southern Plains. The White House has not yet decided whether to reverse its foreign beef import plan, which was intended to improve pasture conditions but has been met with resistance from domestic producers.
Read the full article. Tri-State Neighbor, Mon Sep 28, 2026 5:23 PM CT 2. Corteva agrees to end pesticide loyalty programs in proposed settlement with FTC, states; company also settles case with Inari
Corteva has agreed to end pesticide loyalty programs in a proposed settlement with the FTC and 12 states. The company also settled a lawsuit with Inari over seed trait theft on the same day. The proposed settlement seeks to resolve claims that Corteva violated antitrust law through programs that limited generic versions of certain active ingredients. Under the agreement, Corteva will stop using programs that limit generic versions, make rewards in one category depend on hitting targets in others, or require customers to hit targets in a later year to receive full rewards for an earlier year's purchases. The settlement prohibits Corteva from conditioning payments or other benefits on a distributor's purchases of a high share of a given pesticide active ingredient from Corteva or similarly limiting its purchases of generic equivalents.
Read the full article. Agri-Pulse, Mon Sep 28, 2026 5:21 PM CT 3. How Better Ventilation Can Improve Conditions in Agricultural Buildings
Are you tired of losing milk yield due to heat stress or seeing increased poultry mortality during humid weather? Better ventilation in agricultural buildings can significantly improve conditions, leading to better livestock performance, longer-lasting feed stores, safer workers, and lower operating costs. The payback is quick, often within a single season of use. Producers should consider both natural and mechanical ventilation approaches to balance cost, efficiency, and performance. Fixed louvres by Airocle are a reliable choice for durable, high-performing ventilation in agricultural buildings. Different buildings have different ventilation priorities, producers should evaluate their current setup and consider using tools like the Dairy Ventilation App to assess temperature-humidity index.
Read the full article. Morning Ag Clips, Mon Sep 28, 2026 3:32 PM CT 4. Here Are the 50 Gold Medal Wines That Will Be at Colorado Uncorked This Year
Submissions from outside of Colorado included two Idaho producers and five New Mexico producers. From October 10 to 17, 2025, wine lovers and travel enthusiasts are invited to procure incredible adventures in Napa Valley through the Collective Napa Valley Fine Wines and Experiences Auction. Bidding is now open on lots in the 2026 Premiere Napa Valley wine auction. "We're grateful to every trade [...]
Read the full article. Morning Ag Clips, Mon Sep 28, 2026 3:19 PM CT 5. Lean Hogs
MI Farm AI: The latest update on the hog market is concerning for Iowa farmers. The hog market has been struggling over the past 2 years with no traction from recent reports. Adam Friedrichsen of Logic Ag Marketing expressed frustration at the lack of progress in the hog market. Majority shareholder David Hoffmann owns Lee Enterprises, Incorporated, which provides news and marketing services for farmers.
Read the full article. Tri-State Neighbor, Mon Sep 28, 2026 5:23 PM CT 6. Ohio Ag Weather and Forecast, September 29, 2026
MI Farm AI: The forecast for the Ohio agricultural region has not changed significantly in recent days. There will be scattered showers and drizzle on Wednesday, followed by sunny and dry weather for the first half of the week. This could lead to excellent evaporation and fast drying for crops.
Read the full article. Ohio Country Journal, Mon Sep 28, 2026 4:19 PM CT 7. Recent rains put southeast South Dakota harvest on hold
Recent rains put southeast South Dakota soybean and corn farmers on hold. Chet Edinger, a farmer in Davison, Aurora, and Sanborn Counties, says that the wet fall has slowed down harvesting but is worse for neighboring counties and states due to concerns about pod shatter in the soybeans. The USDA shows that both soybean and corn harvest are eight percent complete in South Dakota, which is behind the average.
Read the full article. Brownfield Ag News, Mon Sep 28, 2026 4:00 PM CT 8. 9/28 Ohio Crop Progress Report
In the week ending September 20th, Ohio experienced suitable fieldwork for just 2.8 days, compared to last week's average of 81%. Despite this, corn in the state is ahead of schedule, with 88% reaching the dent stage, above last week's average of 81%. However, mature corn is sitting at only 32%, below the five-year average. The Ohio soybean crop is also behind schedule, with only 40% dropping leaves, compared to the five-year average of 55%. Soil moisture has increased due to heavy rainfall, with topsoil rated as 60% adequate and subsoil at 74% adequate. Despite these challenges, Ohio's corn and soybean conditions are good to excellent, with ratings of 69% for corn and 65% for soybeans.
Read the full article. Ohio Country Journal, Mon Sep 28, 2026 4:00 PM CT 9. EPA PFAS research investments target farmland, crops, and livestock
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently awarded $15 million in research grants to study the movement of PFAS, or forever chemicals, through crops and livestock. Administrator Lee Zeldin notes that technological advancements have gone far in managing pollutants. Among the projects, Michigan State University received $1.6 million to study PFAS accumulation on a crop and livestock farm, and the University of Illinois-Urbana received nearly $1.6 million to monitor PFAS in subsurface tile-drained fields irrigated with rural sewage. EPA says results could lead to additional studies across more soil types, crop uptake experiments, and modeling to evaluate PFAS transfer pathways in the food system. Both farm bill versions list PFAS as a high-priority research area. The PFAS and Agriculture Policy Workgroup is calling on Congress to establish and fully fund a dedicated PFAS relief and support program for impacted farmers and ranchers.
Read the full article. Brownfield Ag News, Mon Sep 28, 2026 3:59 PM CT 10. Vulnerable Iowa Republicans rally around Trump's Iowa steel plant announcement
In a move to bolster his support ahead of the upcoming midterms, President Trump announced a $15 billion steel plant in Iowa on Monday. GOP Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Ashley Hinson, who are facing tough races in November, were present at the Oval Office for the announcement. The move is seen as an effort to secure votes among farmers and workers in the state, who have been hit hard by tariffs on steel imports. The new plant is expected to create thousands of jobs and boost economic growth in the region.
Read the full article. The Hill, Mon Sep 28, 2026 3:10 PM CT Around the WorldThe world news moving your markets this morning, the same read from Cal's desk that runs on your dashboard. Russia and Ukraine halve wheat exports / Black Sea attacks worsen the global food crisisRussia and Ukraine are expected to cut wheat exports in half from last year due to attacks on Black Sea ports and commercial vessels. These countries together account for over a quarter of global wheat trade, and the blockade of major maritime routes has pushed prices up by 30%. Transport and war-risk insurance costs have also risen as importers seek alternative sources, including Romania, France, Argentina, and Australia. Ukrainian ports in the Odesa region have been repeatedly attacked, with only seven vessels entering these ports in the first 11 days of August compared to 169 in July. Ukraine faces the risk of exhausting its storage capacity by early November and agricultural-sector losses could reach $500 million per month. Overland routes, the Danube, and the port of Constanta cannot replace maritime transport. This crisis is affecting Egypt, one of the largest importers, with pressure on prices and bakeries increasing. Turkey is negotiating a new agreement on grain shipments, but there have been no concrete results so far. The blockade in the Black Sea is threatening global food security and potentially causing migration. Informat.ro (via world wire). Read the full story.Baltic and Caspian routes offset only 25% of Russia's grain export losses through Black Sea portsOleg Knyazkov, deputy head of Rosselkhozbank's Industry Expertise Center, has stated that alternative routes through the Baltic and Caspian regions have only offset about 25% of Russia's grain export losses through Black Sea ports. The share of Azov-Black Sea ports in Russian grain exports is expected to fall by 18 percentage points to 63% in 2026, with the Baltic absorbing the largest additional volumes and the Caspian route gaining about 3 percentage points. Despite these routes offsetting some shipments, they do not have enough capacity to fully offset lower shipments through southern ports, resulting in more grain remaining in producing regions. Rosselkhozbank forecasts Russia's 2026 grain harvest at 135 mln tons, down from 141 mln tons a year earlier, and exports falling from 49 mln to 40 mln tons, increasing the accumulation of grain on the domestic market. The bank estimates that grain stocks could rise from 95 mln to 107 mln tons by the end of 2026, resulting in a supply surplus which is considered unusual. Limited alternative logistics capacity remains a key pressure on the domestic market. ukragroconsult.com (via world wire). Read the full story.Local ObituariesNo local obituaries for your area in today's papers. Cal's ReceiptCal's Receipt is the running ledger of every call this desk made for your farm, what was at stake, whether you followed it, and what it actually saved (or cost). Append-only, and every dollar cites its source. You will find it on your farm Dashboard, on the Farm Services desk. Open the Dashboard from the button at the bottom of this Brief. Today in Farm SafetyMost tractor rollover deaths happen on slopes and near ditches. Keep the rollover protective structure (ROPS) up and the seat belt buckled, together they prevent about 99 percent of rollover fatalities. Slow down on hillsides and keep loaded buckets low. Source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Cal The Coffee ShopToday in Farm History, Eli Whitney interchangeable parts 1798In 1798, Eli Whitney won a U.S. government contract for 10,000 muskets built with interchangeable parts. The principle, identical parts made by machine, assembled by less-skilled labor, became the foundation of the McCormick reaper factory (1847), the Deere plow works (1855), and every farm-equipment factory since. Source: Smithsonian National Museum of American History; U.S. Patent Office. [CAL'S QUIZ]
How long was the John Deere Model D tractor in production (the longest run for any U.S. farm tractor model)?
(a) 10 years
(b) 20 years
(c) 30 years
(d) 50 years
Answer at the bottom of the Brief. [CAL'S JOKE]
How can you tell winter has been long in the Midwest? When the calendar says March and the farmer is still talking to the snowplow like it's family.
The MI Farm AI Desk
Cal "Corn-Bread" Halvorsen, your AI Agronomist and Editor in Chief Quiz Answer(c) 30 years, 1923 to 1953. About 160,000 Model Ds were built at Waterloo, Iowa, and you can still find them running at antique tractor shows today. Source: Deere & Company corporate archive; Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
Your data stays yours. We sell nothing you buy. Your farm data is never sold, shared, or used to train outside models. It lives on hardware we control, not the public cloud. Loyalty in writing.
The MI Farm Brief is the independent daily farm intelligence brief that earns zero when you buy inputs. Cal "Corn-Bread" Halvorsen is the editorial persona of the MI Farm AI desk, the AI-orchestrated production team that produces this Brief every working morning. The Monthly Receipt is signed by the Founder, MI Farm AI. Honest. Independent. Loyal. Transparent. The HILT Covenant.*
LINKS TO YOUR FARM INTELLIGENCE
|
Signed by Cal "Corn-Bread" Halvorsen, Editor in Chief, The MI Farm AI Desk.