For Mark Matuska, Milford, Iowa (Dickinson County) Friday, October 2, 2026. Filed by The MI Farm AI Desk.
Weather, Dickinson County, IA
What this means for today: Sunny, with a high near 67. Wind 3 to 13 mph through the day (see the hour by hour table below). Source: NOAA National Weather Service via the MI Farm AI weather layer for Dickinson County, IA, 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 2 mph. Rain WindowWe could not get a reading right on your field this morning. The nearest weather station (Estherville IA, about 16 miles northwest) recorded no rain 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: 0.09 inches expected Next 72 hours: 0.15 inches expected Source: NOAA National Weather Service forecast and NOAA radar rainfall estimates, pulled this morning. Futures board reference (not your cash)
Friday close, board reopens Sunday 7pm CT. 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 2026-10-02.
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 2026-10-02.
Grain and Livestock, corn, soybeans, wheat, cattleCal's Grain Call: Price a portion of 69,700 bu corn at $4.87/bu via NEW Cooperative, Milford (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 5 cents; and beans slipped about 7 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 AgWeek: American Crystal Sugar's stockpile beet harvest begins as drought eases. Honest truth, the tape does not hand us one clean reason today, so take this as our best read, not gospel. Stocks point higher into the open, S&P futures up about 0.4 percent. A firmer tape eases the borrowing and input-cost mood your lender watches, though it does not move your cash bid by itself. 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 5 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. Lean Hogs
AUSTIN SCHROEDER at BARCHART.COM REVEALS that lean hog futures have closed lower in the latest update from agupdate.com, with contracts trading 17 to 97 cents lower. This trend began on Wednesday when contracts were 7 to 65 cents lower across the board. Open interest has fluctuated over time, but it fell over 7,400 contracts in October and rose nearly 13,500 in the December contract. Cash hogs have also been affected by these market changes. This news matters because it indicates a decline in demand for lean hog products, which can impact farmers who rely on this market for their livelihoods.
Read the full article. Tri-State Neighbor, Fri Oct 2, 2026 4:13 PM CT 2. American Crystal Sugar's stockpile beet harvest begins as drought eases
Summary: American Crystal Sugar's stockpile beet harvest began this week, with the Wentzel family and their friend Nate Henry starting on October 2nd near Crookston, Minnesota. The crop has been challenging due to drought conditions, which have impacted yields. Despite these challenges, the Wentzels are optimistic that they will finish the harvest in the next 10 days. The company plans to restart the harvest at night if temperatures allow.
Read the full article. AgWeek, Fri Oct 2, 2026 5:37 PM CT 3. Heavier carcasses unlock value for group of ranchers
A group of ranchers in the Country Natural Beef cooperative discovered that their cattle became less feed efficient as they were kept on feed for longer periods, but this was offset by the fact that they produced more beef and returned nearly $400 more per head to member ranches. The Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) is an organization dedicated to improving the efficiency, profitability, and sustainability of beef production through standardized programs and methodologies for recording performance data. Their logo symbolizes the link between industry, extension, and research. In other news, South Dakota pork producers are less hopeful that a fix for Proposition 12 will come with the next farm bill after a trip to Washington, D.C.
Read the full article. Tri-State Neighbor, Fri Oct 2, 2026 4:45 PM CT 4. 16 states sue Corteva, Vylor over alleged PFAS liability transfer
Sixteen states have sued Corteva's seed and genetics spinoff company, Vylor, for allegedly transferring billions of dollars in assets while leaving behind potential PFAS-related liabilities tied to DuPont. The lawsuit was filed on the same day as Vylor's official launch. The Indiana Attorney General's Office believes that this move could make it harder for states to receive damages linked to PFAS contamination. Corteva says the lawsuit is entirely without merit and looks forward to defending themselves in court.
Read the full article. Brownfield Ag News, Fri Oct 2, 2026 4:13 PM CT 5. Ozark Fall Farmfest brings Missouri FFA members together
Missouri FFA members gather at the Ozark Fall Farmfest for networking opportunities, booths, and competitions. The second annual FFA auctioneering contest took place on Friday afternoon, and six students were recognized for their leadership and involvement in the FFA. The 2026 Ag Youth Awards were given to students from various high schools across Missouri.
Read the full article. Brownfield Ag News, Fri Oct 2, 2026 4:07 PM CT Around the WorldThe world news moving your markets this morning, the same read from Cal's desk that runs on your dashboard. Exports, production and energy policy could move corn, soybean prices1. Dr. Megan Roberts of Compeer Financial predicts several factors affecting corn and soybean prices in the next few months. 2. Recent price fluctuations make it difficult to predict market movements, but yield, production, exports, South American production, energy policy, and oil input costs are all being considered. 3. The USDA reports that corn and soybean harvest is on track nationally, but the Upper Midwest feels slightly behind. 4. Exports will be an important factor to watch following the recent U.S. China trade meeting. 5. Energy policy and oil input costs also have a relationship with corn and soybean markets. 6. With many variables at play, it is difficult to predict how corn and soybean prices will move in the coming months. Brownfield Ag News (United States). 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. Brad O'MaraDickinson County News obituaries. Read the full obituary.Donald 'Doc' RonsiekDickinson County News obituaries. Read the full obituary.Hank KowalikDickinson County News obituaries. Read the full obituary.Joe GieslerDickinson County News obituaries. Read the full obituary.Carol Leone (Adams) RiessenDickinson County News obituaries. Read the full obituary.Rose-Marie 'Ro' Doty JacksonDickinson County News 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 SafetyStay out of a cow's blind spot directly behind her, and never turn your back on a bull. Most livestock-handling injuries are crushing and kicks in tight spaces. Move calmly, give yourself an exit, and respect a protective mother around newborns. Source: National Ag Safety Database; University of Minnesota Extension. 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]
In what city did Joseph Dart open the first steam-powered grain elevator in 1842?
(a) Chicago
(b) Buffalo
(c) Milwaukee
(d) St. Louis
Answer at the bottom of the Brief. [CAL'S JOKE]
A farmer drove past his neighbor's pasture and saw a cow standing under an umbrella. He called his neighbor. "I think your cow knows something." The neighbor said, "She's been right four out of five times this spring. I'm thinking of putting her on the local TV."
The MI Farm AI Desk
Cal "Corn-Bread" Halvorsen, your AI Agronomist and Editor in Chief Quiz Answer(b) Buffalo. By 1856 elevators with mechanical scales had spread to Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Louis, turning grain from a sacked, hand-shoveled commodity into a flowing river that filled rail cars. Source: Smithsonian National Museum of American History; Chicago Historical Society.
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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.