For Matthew Harfmann, Granger, Indiana (St. Joseph County) Thursday, October 1, 2026. Filed by The MI Farm AI Desk.
Weather, Dodge County, MN
What this means for today: Partly sunny, with a high near 64. Wind 0 to 11 mph through the day (see the hour by hour table below). 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 Dodge 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 (Rochester MN, about 18 miles north) recorded 0.13 inches in the past 24 hours. Your own ground may differ, so check your gauge. Rain expected at your field: Next 24 hours: 0.00 inches expected Next 48 hours: 0.23 inches expected Next 72 hours: 0.30 inches expected Source: NOAA National Weather Service forecast and NOAA radar rainfall estimates, pulled this morning. 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 2026-10-01.
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 2026-10-01.
Grain and Livestock, corn, soybeans, wheat, cattleCal's Grain Call: Price a portion of 40,500 bu corn at $4.78/bu via Crystal Valley, Mantorville Branch (a recommendation, see the factors).Corn: Your 2025 bin corn has rolled to the December board, now its nearby contract, in October. 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 3 cents; and beans slipped about 19 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 corn and beans slipped overnight, and honestly the headlines today do not point to one clean cause. None of these stories, from the Corteva Vylor PFAS lawsuit at Agri-Pulse to record diesel prices hitting north Iowa farmers per Brownfield, are real price drivers for grain. If we had to name the two likeliest pulls, it would be those rising diesel input costs and general demand jitters, but neither is confirmed here. Treat this slip as noise, not a signal. Stocks point lower into the open, S&P futures off about 0.3 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 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. States sue over Corteva's Vylor spinoff, citing PFAS liabilities
Sixteen states and territories just took Corteva and its brand new spinoff, Vylor, to court in Indiana, accusing them of shuffling billions in valuable DuPont assets into Vylor while leaving behind the costly PFAS pollution liabilities. Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita calls it a fraudulent transfer that moved three quarters of old DuPont's asset value, the so called crown jewels, out of reach of states and other plaintiffs. The timing is dramatic, the suit landed the same day Corteva officially created Vylor and just one day after a federal judge in South Carolina, Richard Mark Gergel, refused to block the spinoff and scolded the states for waiting until 17 days before closing to file their 1200 page motion. A hearing on an emergency restraining order is set for Friday, and the outcome could decide who ultimately pays for PFAS contamination, so it is worth watching how this plays out.
Read the full article. Agri-Pulse, Thu Oct 1, 2026 5:51 PM CT 2. Winners of 'Fight the Hunger, Stock the Trailer' Food Drive Challenge Announced by Farm Credit Mid-America, Rural 1st
Indiana 4-H youth turned a county fair contest into a hunger fighting machine this summer, gathering 181,152 pounds of food across 40 county fairs to supply 52 local food banks through the Fight the Hunger, Stock the Trailer challenge. LaPorte County took the statewide crown with 23,246 pounds, and Farm Credit Mid-America, with sponsor Rural 1st, handed out $52,750 to fair boards, including $5,000 to each regional first place winner. Since launching in 2021, the program has brought in more than 1.6 million pounds across Indiana and Ohio, though this year fell short of last year's record 233,500 pounds. With more than 1 million Hoosiers facing hunger, this story shows young people learning real leadership while feeding their own neighbors, a reminder of what rural communities do best.
Read the full article. Hoosier Ag Today, Thu Oct 1, 2026 2:43 PM CT 3. Screen-Free Farm and 4-H Activities for Rural Kids
Rural families face the same battle over smartphones as everyone else, and new CDC survey data shows that 43.3 percent of nonmetro teens still spend four or more hours a day on screens, with heavy users reporting far higher anxiety and depression rates. The fix sits right outside the back door, since 4-H projects turn ordinary chores into goal driven work complete with record books, deadlines, and a ribbon at the county fair. A Tufts University study of more than 7,000 kids across 42 states found that lasting adult relationships, real life skills, and meaningful community work all drive healthy development, and a market lamb or garden plot delivers every one. Safety matters too, because Penn State specialists note that 97 percent of farm parents worry about injuries and roughly 33 children are hurt in farm accidents daily, so tasks should be matched carefully to each child's age and readiness.
Read the full article. Morning Ag Clips, Thu Oct 1, 2026 5:52 PM CT 4. Personal and Commercial Banking Services: What to Look for in a Full-Service Bank
A full service bank like Farmers Bank can tie together checking, savings, agricultural and mortgage lending, digital banking, commercial loans, treasury management, merchant services, and trust services so that farms and businesses avoid the handoff problem where no single provider sees the whole picture. The piece argues that ag lending has to respect seasons, weather, lumpy cash flow, and input timing rather than monthly retail rhythms, so access to capital is really about staying operational and investing when windows open. It also flags two pieces of news for producers, the USDA Risk Management Agency is rolling out improvements to the Livestock Risk Protection, Livestock Gross Margin, and Dairy Revenue Protection insurance programs starting with the 2027 crop year, as approved by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board. On top of that, the American Angus Association and the Angus Foundation have teamed up with INTRUST Bank on an exclusive credit card program, so there are new financing and risk tools worth a closer look.
Read the full article. Morning Ag Clips, Thu Oct 1, 2026 5:44 PM CT 5. Renee Good's family sues U.S. government, ICE officer and Trump officials
The family of Renee Good has filed two federal civil lawsuits claiming wrongful death and excessive force, coming nine months after an immigration officer shot and killed her in Minneapolis. The suits name the U.S. government, the ICE officer involved, and Trump administration officials as defendants. NBC News correspondent Shaquille Brewster laid out the details of both legal filings, which center on the fatal shooting. This case matters because it tests how far families can push back when federal immigration enforcement turns deadly.
Read the full article. NBC News, Thu Oct 1, 2026 11:55 AM CT 6. Fischer legislation meant to address trucking lawsuits
Nebraska Senator Deb Fischer has rolled out a new bill called the Uniform Vehicle Safety Standards Act, aimed at reining in the flood of trucking lawsuits that have been driving up costs across the industry. The measure would make the federal vehicle safety standards set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration the single nationwide rulebook, instead of letting a patchwork of state and local standards create legal openings. For anyone hauling grain or relying on truckers to move corn and soybeans, that kind of consistency could mean steadier shipping rates and fewer surprise costs passed down the line. It is worth watching how this plays out, since the price of getting your crop to market often rides on what happens to the trucks that carry it.
Read the full article. Tri-State Neighbor, Thu Oct 1, 2026 5:03 PM CT 7. Longtime employees purchase York tarp company
Brothers Nick Lutt and Dillon Drake, who spent years working at Pyramid Tarp and Repair on South Lincoln Avenue in York, Nebraska, stepped up and bought the whole operation from its original owners earlier this year. Because they already knew the trade inside and out, the two faced almost no learning curve in taking over the tarp making and repair business. On a recent day they were hard at work building a custom tarp for a trailer, showing the kind of hands on skill that keeps the shop running. It is a reminder that when the right local folks take the reins, a trusted small business can carry on without missing a beat.
Read the full article. Tri-State Neighbor, Thu Oct 1, 2026 5:01 PM CT 8. Walz joins other states in upping weight limits to lower fuel costs for farmers, truckers
Governor Tim Walz signed Executive Order 26 to 11 on Thursday, letting trucks hauling corn, soybeans, wheat, potatoes, carrots, sugarbeets, and forest products run up to 10 percent over normal weight limits on state and local roads, though not on interstates, so producers can move more per trip and burn less fuel during harvest. The order also eases hours of service rules for haulers carrying diesel, gasoline, ethanol, and biodiesel, but it keeps all driver licensing, drug testing, and safety requirements in place, and it stays active until rescinded or Oct. 30, 2026. Walz blamed President Trump for diesel climbing above $6.50 a gallon nationally and $6.25 in Minnesota, framing the move as help for farmers, loggers, and truckers. Minnesota joins at least ten other states taking similar action, including North Dakota, where Governor Kelly Armstrong is letting cheaper red dyed diesel be used for ag hauling, while the White House weighs broader red dyed diesel sales that could let some buyers skip the federal fuel tax.
Read the full article. AgWeek, Thu Oct 1, 2026 4:29 PM CT 9. Record diesel prices deal fresh blow to north Iowa farmer going into harvest
Diesel costs have doubled since this past spring, and north Iowa farmer Yegge says that spike is landing hard just as combines roll into the fields. He had not locked in his fall diesel ahead of time, so this variable expense is set to take a real bite out of his bottom line while his other fixed costs are already nailed down. He points to the war in Iran as part of what sent prices climbing to record highs this season. With some growers already contracting fuel for next year to get ahead of even steeper prices, this story shows how fast a single input can reshape your harvest math.
Read the full article. Brownfield Ag News, Thu Oct 1, 2026 3:52 PM CT 10. Pivot Bio encourages field-by-field reviews to find input savings
Pivot Bio's Chris Turner is urging farmers to ditch blanket fertilizer plans and instead run a soil test on each field to build custom nitrogen recommendations for the 2027 crop. He points to fall anhydrous as a prime spot to save money, since cutting the number of tanks you haul means fewer trips to town and lower delivery costs. Turner says the company has reshaped itself over the past two to three years, changing how it handles product placement, production, and quality while rolling out new innovation, and it is now offering multi-year contracts to lock in prices and supplies through 2029. The firm makes biological nitrogen products in St. Louis, Missouri, that can go on in-furrow at planting, as a seed treatment, or straight in the planter box.
Read the full article. Brownfield Ag News, Thu Oct 1, 2026 3:47 PM CT Around the WorldThe world news moving your markets this morning, the same read from Cal's desk that runs on your dashboard. USDA Grain Stocks Report September 2026: Corn, Wheat, Soybean Inventories, News and StatisticsSummary: USDA releases Grain Stocks report for September 2026, covering inventories held as of September 1, 2026. Corn stocks increased by 35%, soybean stocks decreased by 3%, wheat stocks decreased by 14%, and barley stocks decreased by 13%. Oats stocks increased by 5% and grain sorghum stocks decreased by 13%, while sunflower stocks increased by 45%. Revisions to acreage, yield, and production for the 2025 crop were made as part of a thorough review of the balance sheets. The report was approved on September 30, 2026 and signed by Secretary of Agriculture Designate Brooke Appleton and Agricultural Statistics Board Chairperson Lance Honig. An interactive table based on the Store Companies dataset for this report is available. IndexBox (via world wire). Read the full story.USDA AgTransport Data: Soybeans, Corn, Wheat Export Sales for Week Ending Sept 24, 2026, News and StatisticsFresh USDA AgTransport figures for the week ending September 24, 2026, show soybeans out front with net sales near 1.03 million metric tons, well ahead of corn at about 536,000 tons and wheat at roughly 284,000 tons. China remains the big soybean buyer, booking about 589,000 tons with weekly shipments of 735,000 tons and total commitments of 10.76 million tons. On the corn side, Mexico led the pack at about 252,000 tons in new sales, with Korea, Colombia, Japan, and a string of smaller buyers from Panama to Spain rounding things out. Wheat sales spread across many classes and countries, including the Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia, and Mexico, which alone bought five different wheat types. Outstanding sales, the orders still waiting to ship, tell the real story for prices, with soybeans sitting at a hefty 19.7 million tons versus 13.3 million for corn and 3.1 million for wheat. For an Iowa grower, these numbers signal steady overseas demand heading into harvest, and the full report breaks down every buyer and bushel so you can see where your crop is headed. IndexBox (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 SafetyBlock the wheels and use a safety chain when you hitch or unhitch a loaded wagon or implement. A heavy implement that rolls or drops off the hitch can pin a person fast. Stand clear of the path while backing, and let one person give the signals. Source: National Ag Safety Database; ASABE implement towing guidance. Cal The Coffee ShopToday in Farm History, Federal Farm Loan Act 1916On July 17, 1916, the Federal Farm Loan Act created the Federal Land Bank system, the original federal-credit pipeline to farmers. The 12 land banks lent against farmland at lower rates than the local town bank could match. The modern Farm Credit System (Compeer Financial, Farm Credit Mid-America) is its direct descendant. Source: USDA Economic Research Service farm credit history. [CAL'S QUIZ]
Eli Whitney's 1798 U.S. government contract that pioneered interchangeable parts was for how many muskets?
(a) 1,000
(b) 5,000
(c) 10,000
(d) 50,000
Answer at the bottom of the Brief. [CAL'S JOKE]
The FFA kid was elected sentinel. His grandmother said, "What does a sentinel do?" He said, "I open the door at meetings." She said, "That's important." He said, "It is in a barn full of FFA jackets."
The MI Farm AI Desk
Cal "Corn-Bread" Halvorsen, your AI Agronomist and Editor in Chief Quiz Answer(c) 10,000 muskets. The principle, identical machine-made parts 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.
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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.