For Nate Meixell, Lake Crystal, Minnesota (Blue Earth County) Tuesday, September 29, 2026. Filed by The MI Farm AI Desk.
Weather, Blue Earth County, MN
What this means for today: Showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a high near 66. Wind 5 to 15 mph through the day (see the hour by hour table below). Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Source: NOAA National Weather Service via the MI Farm AI weather layer for Blue Earth 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 (Mankato MN, about 11 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 2026-09-29.
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 2026-09-29.
Grain and Livestock, corn, soybeans, wheat, cattleCal's Grain Call: Price a portion of 140,000 bu corn at $5.10/bu via POET Lake Crystal (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: Grain in the bin is 2025 old crop soybean; in September it prices on the old crop September board. Your whole farm money: about $1,001,403 net across your farm at today's board price. (32% of costs still estimated) Likely range $374,006 to $1,315,102: revenue is real, some costs are still estimated. This is your complete-budget whole-farm net from the one farm-total writer, not the field boxes added up.
Source: CME livestock futures. Cal's Market ReadOvernight, corn slipped about 2 cents; and beans added about 10 cents. Recent trend, over the last 5 sessions, corn has firmed 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 Morning Ag Clips: Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) Announces Winners of PHS Citywide Gardening Challenge. 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 0.1 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, yesterday'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 7 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. Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) Announces Winners of PHS Citywide Gardening Challenge
The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) has announced the winners of its PHS Citywide Gardening Challenge. The competition celebrates Philadelphia home gardeners who are making their neighborhoods healthier and more beautiful through dedication to gardening practices, plant variety, maintenance, use of space, imaginative ideas, and overall design. Winners were recognized in five categories: Decorative Container Garden, Flower Garden, Pollinator or Wildlife Garden, Vegetable or Herb Garden, and Combination Garden. The challenge builds on PHS's 200-year history of using horticulture to improve the health and well-being of the Greater Philadelphia region and celebrates the role gardening plays in this. The winning gardens reflect the ingenuity and thoughtfulness of Philadelphia gardeners.
Read the full article. Morning Ag Clips, Tue Sep 29, 2026 8:55 AM CT 2. Lean hogs
Open interest in the October contract for lean hogs was down, but up in deferred months, according to the Hightower Report. The record high managed money net short is likely to help mitigate any sharp downturn if prices continue to fall, but funds may not exit their short positions until a technical bottom is formed. The trend remains lower, said Austin Schroeder at Barchart.com. Lean hog futures closed 17 to 97 cents lower on Friday.
Read the full article. Tri-State Neighbor, Tue Sep 29, 2026 8:52 AM CT 3. WATCH LIVE: Jack Smith testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee
TUESDAY MORNING: Watch live as former special counsel Jack Smith testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee at 9 a.m. Smith, who served under President Trump, will discuss his investigations into Trump and the Arctic Frost investigation, as well as his principal deputy prosecutor J.P. Cooney. This is Smith's first live testimony before upper chamber Republicans as they review previous investigations into Trump.
Read the full article. Washington Examiner, Tue Sep 29, 2026 8:51 AM CT 4. Forget the ban. Trump White House should just ignore briefing questions from CNN, Politico, and MS Now
President Donald Trump faced legal challenges over his decision to ban certain political publications and cable outlets from the White House, including CNN and MS Now. While the ban was later reversed by a federal court, Trump can still achieve his goals by not calling on these networks during press briefings. The public should be aware of the biased news coverage of these outlets and applaud Trump's efforts to fight back.
Read the full article. Washington Examiner, Tue Sep 29, 2026 8:42 AM CT 5. Cattle market watching screwworm news, positive technical chart action
MI Farm AI: The cattle market ended slightly lower yesterday, but finished within Friday's range. Despite this, the technical chart outlook remains positive with a gap higher a week ago still holding. A new screwworm case was detected in a horse in southern Texas, which is the second active case in the U.S. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service are working together to monitor and control the spread of screwworms. This news is important for farmers as it can impact their operations, including cattle production and market prices.
Read the full article. Tri-State Neighbor, Tue Sep 29, 2026 8:52 AM CT 6. Next Gen Conference in Kansas City Welcomes FFA Members From Across the Country
1. The National FFA Organization recently hosted its third Next Gen Conference in Kansas City from September 15 to 19, bringing together 72 high school sophomores, juniors and seniors from 23 states. 2. The Next Gen Conferences provide FFA student members with a look into career opportunities within the agriculture industry through career exploration sessions, industry roundtables, hands-on activities and tours. 3. Cargill, Merck Animal Health, Smithfield Foods, and the Zoetis Foundation are sponsors of the Next Gen Conference. 4. The 2027 Next Gen Conferences will take place in St. Louis, Detroit, and Denver.
Read the full article. Morning Ag Clips, Tue Sep 29, 2026 8:52 AM CT 7. Holding onto memories of the once integral corn binder
The article discusses a corn binder that was once an essential tool for Iowa farmers, but has since been replaced by modern equipment. The corn binder was invented by Baxter Withington of Janesville, Wis., in 1872 and was widely used until the development of hybrid varieties in the early 20th century. Despite its importance, the corn binder was eventually replaced by more efficient machinery, leading to its eventual disappearance from use. However, it remains a symbol of the past for some farmers who remember using them fondly. The article concludes with a reflection on the impactful figures in agricultural history and how their contributions have shaped the industry over time.
Read the full article. AgWeek, Tue Sep 29, 2026 5:30 AM CT Around the WorldThe world news moving your markets this morning, the same read from Cal's desk that runs on your dashboard. Russia Rejects Black Sea Grain Truce as Ukraine Warns Exports Could Stay Critical for MonthsRussia has rejected all proposals for a new Black Sea grain deal with Ukraine, which accounts for roughly a quarter of global grain exports. The disruption in Black Sea trade is a major concern for global food markets. Ukraine's agricultural exports have already fallen sharply, while Russia's grain exports have also been impacted by attacks on its Black Sea ports. The latest export data shows that Russian and Ukrainian wheat exports are at roughly 2.7 million tons, which is 60% below last year and the lowest level since the 2010/11 season. The disruption could be difficult for other grain-producing regions to compensate for quickly. Agriculture generates more than half of Ukraine's export revenue, and around 30 million tons of agricultural products are expected to remain unexported from Ukraine this season due to the disruptions. Russia is also struggling with disruptions to its grain exports after Ukrainian forces began targeting Russian ports in July. Kyiv Post (via world wire). Read the full story.GRAINS-Wheat continues to fall as traders watch prospects for Black Sea ExportsThe price of wheat futures fell for the third consecutive session on Wednesday as traders monitored prospects for diplomatic initiatives that could ease Black Sea export disruptions. While corn and soybeans rose, the outlook for Black Sea agricultural exports remained in the spotlight due to renewed diplomatic efforts to end Ukraine's war. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that both Ukraine and Russia have expressed an interest in a limited ceasefire involving energy and grain-related targets. The continued attacks against ports and vessels dampened expectations for a recovery of grain shipments, with data from the Russian Grain Union showing only eight countries purchased wheat in September, down from 26 a year ago. In August, the number of buyers fell from 43 to 16. The Ukrainian Agriculture Ministry announced on Wednesday that the country is looking at using Baltic Sea ports to export grain, as both sides are seeking alternatives to Black Sea Routes disrupted by war. marinelink.com (via world wire). Read the full story.Local ObituariesWe note the passing of neighbors across your area, gathered from the local papers this morning. Our thoughts are with their families. Leonhardt, KathleenMankato Free Press obituaries. Read the full obituary.Varuska, MichaelMankato Free Press obituaries. Read the full obituary.HANSON, Elaine Jul 20, 1935, Sep 19, 2026Mankato Free Press obituaries. Read the full obituary.LATZKE, Gerald Jul 27, 1931, Sep 22, 2026Mankato Free Press obituaries. Read the full obituary.Geistfeld, IoneMankato Free Press obituaries. Read the full obituary.Gjerdahl, SandraMankato Free Press obituaries. Read the full obituary.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 SafetyWear a helmet on the ATV and side-by-side, and do not carry a passenger on a single-rider machine. ATV rollovers and ejections are a leading cause of farm head injuries. Match the machine size to the rider, and slow down on hills and turns. Source: Consumer Product Safety Commission; National Ag Safety Database. Cal The Coffee ShopToday in Farm History, Victory Gardens 1943By 1943, U.S. Victory Gardens were producing about 40% of all fresh vegetables consumed in the United States, roughly 8 million tons from 20 million home and community gardens. Farmers grew the field crops; townspeople grew the salad. Source: USDA history office; National WWII Museum archives. [CAL'S QUIZ]
U.S. wheat prices were $0.93/bu in 1914. What had they reached by 1917 thanks to WWI European demand?
(a) $1.15/bu
(b) $1.55/bu
(c) $2.18/bu
(d) $3.40/bu
Answer at the bottom of the Brief. [CAL'S JOKE]
An old farmer was asked the secret to his long life. He said, "I never argue with my wife, and I never argue with the weather. One I can't win, and the other don't care."
The MI Farm AI Desk
Cal "Corn-Bread" Halvorsen, your AI Agronomist and Editor in Chief Quiz Answer(c) $2.18/bu. Midwest land prices doubled by 1920, then crashed by 60% in the 1921 depression, the original 'farm bubble.' Source: USDA Economic Research Service historical price series.
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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.
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Signed by Cal "Corn-Bread" Halvorsen, Editor in Chief, The MI Farm AI Desk.