For Nate Meixell, Lake Crystal, Minnesota (Blue Earth County) Friday, October 9, 2026. Filed by The MI Farm AI Desk.
Weather, Blue Earth County, MN
What this means for today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 78. Wind 5 to 15 mph through the day (see the hour by hour table below). 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 5 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 2026-10-09.
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 2026-10-09.
Grain and Livestock, corn, soybeans, wheat, cattleCal's Grain Call: Price a portion of 140,000 bu corn at $4.88/bu via POET Lake Crystal (a recommendation, see the factors).Corn: Your 2025 bin corn has rolled to the December board, now its nearby contract, in October. Soybeans: Your 2025 bin soybean has rolled to the November board, now its nearby contract, in October. Your whole farm money: about $904,794 net across your farm at today's board price. (32% of costs still estimated) Likely range $295,297 to $1,209,542: 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 steady; and beans added about 6 cents. Recent trend, over the last 5 sessions, corn has chopped sideways and beans have firmed. That is the backdrop your cash bid is moving against. Here is our read on why beans picked up about six cents while corn sat flat. We do not see one clean cause on the board this morning, so we would point to the two likeliest. First, traders are watching Hurricane Isaias, though Tri-State Neighbor reports it should not hamper Gulf export operations, which may have eased some worry. Second, the USDA ARC and PLC payment news from Morning Ag Clips kept a steady, supportive tone under the market. Stocks point higher into the open, S&P futures up about 0.1 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 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. Hurricane Isaias shouldn't impact Gulf export operations
Forecasters say Isaias strengthened to a hurricane overnight and is tracking toward a landfall near the Florida and Alabama border Friday night or Saturday morning as a Category 2 storm. ADM Investor Services expects winds topping 100 mph and coastal flooding, but says your grain headed to Gulf export terminals should see minimal disruption. In separate news that hits closer to the shed, Bloomberg reports that shares of Deere and Company and other farm equipment makers dropped sharply. The slide came after the Federal Trade Commission and the US Department stepped in, a development worth watching if you buy or repair big machinery.
Read the full article. Tri-State Neighbor, Thu Oct 8, 2026 4:29 PM CT 2. Ethanol a 'promising' option for methanol-powered vessels, study says
A new report from the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping finds that ethanol could serve as a drop in fuel for methanol powered cargo ships, since the two fuels burn and behave almost the same way. The study notes that methanol dual fuel engines can run on ethanol with only minor adjustments, and ethanol even packs more energy per gallon so ships need less onboard storage. Renewable Fuels Association CEO Geoff Cooper welcomed the findings, pointing out that ethanol is cheap, widely available, and cuts greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent versus petroleum. The report only covers technical performance for now, with cost and sustainability to follow, but it opens a potentially huge new market for the corn that goes into ethanol.
Read the full article. Agri-Pulse, Thu Oct 8, 2026 3:49 PM CT 3. Nobel Peace Pize award goes to South African jurist 'Navi' Pillay, recognized for 'promoting peace and international law'
The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced early Friday from Oslo that South African jurist Navanethem "Navi" Pillay has won the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. She earned the honor for her long push to promote peace and uphold international law. The committee pointed to her work making sure that war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide actually get prosecuted. Pillay will formally accept the prize at a ceremony on Dec. 10, a reminder that holding the worst offenders accountable still matters on the world stage.
Read the full article. Washington Examiner, Fri Oct 9, 2026 4:14 AM CT 4. Hegseth says execution of Fort Hood shooter will be public: What to know
Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of Defense, announced Thursday that the firing squad execution of Nidal Hasan will be carried out in front of the public. Hasan, a former Army major and psychiatrist, was convicted in the deadly shooting rampage he carried out at Fort Hood in Texas. This would mark the first U.S. military execution in more than six decades, making it a rare and historic event. The decision to open it to the public is a notable new twist, and the full story digs into the details and what led to this moment.
Read the full article. The Hill, Thu Oct 8, 2026 5:36 PM CT 5. USDA Announces ARC/PLC Payments for 2025 Crop Year
Farmers are set to collect about $13.8 billion through the USDA's ARC and PLC safety net programs for the 2025 crop year, with corn growers alone receiving roughly $5 billion, though final checks will be trimmed by a 5.7 percent sequestration cut. Thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed in 2025, reference prices were raised and, for this year only, every producer automatically gets whichever payment is higher between ARC and PLC no matter which they picked. Starting with the 2026 crop year, the USDA will also add new base acres across the country to better match what farmers actually grow, a change long pushed for by groups like the Wisconsin Corn Growers Association and its president Paul Jarvis. Jarvis warns that a safety net is not a business plan, arguing that real stability comes from strong markets and demand drivers such as year round E15, so watch those enrollment deadlines running into late 2026 and early 2027.
Read the full article. Morning Ag Clips, Fri Oct 9, 2026 5:00 AM CT 6. Harvest Weather: Hurricane Isaias Threat Weakens, but Midweek Showers and Frost Loom
Hurricane Isaias has backed off from earlier forecasts, so Chief Meteorologist Ryan Martin says most Indiana fields will dodge the heavy tropical rain, with only areas south and east of a line from Decatur and Portland toward Terre Haute catching a quarter to an inch or more that briefly halts Sunday harvest before clearing by Monday. A slowing frontal boundary brings the bigger worry Thursday into Friday night, dropping a quarter to one inch across roughly 60 to 70 percent of the region in a place by place pattern that could nibble at field progress. Behind that system, frost turns likely across northern Indiana and a sharp temperature drop hits the upper Midwest and northern Plains around the 17th through the 19th, with another shot of cold air diving south the 22nd into the 23rd. For anyone racing to get the crop out, this forecast matters because it maps exactly when the combines can roll and when wet, chilly weather will force a pause.
Read the full article. Hoosier Ag Today, Thu Oct 8, 2026 6:46 PM CT 7. Illinois Dairyman Wins Klussendorf-MacKenzie Award
Joe Price of Chebanse, Illinois took home the 35th Klussendorf-MacKenzie Award at World Dairy Expo 2026, honoring the kind of grit and character the dairy world prizes. His story started at age 13 when, after his family's farm sold, he took charge of show heifers at his uncle's place, later building an elite herd that posted a 112.1 breed age average on 41 cows, all Very Good or Excellent, with a rolling herd average topping 28,000 pounds of milk. For the past 16 years he has run Butlerview Farm as general manager, quietly steering it to hundreds of All-American and All-Canadian winners while working behind the scenes. What really sets Price apart is his knack for developing not just strong cattle but strong people, mentoring young folks and proving that lasting success in any barn is built on hard work and sharing what you know.
Read the full article. Morning Ag Clips, Fri Oct 9, 2026 4:51 AM CT 8. Tillage practices viewed from space
The USDA's Environmental Quality Incentives Program invested $133.7 million in no-till and reduce-till practices from 2014 to 2023, out of a total of $10 billion in conservation financial assistance. Tillage practices are crucial for natural resource challenges like soil erosion. However, tracking adoption of these practices across millions of acres is difficult. Researchers at the University of Illinois-Agroecosystem Sustainability Center and Jonathan Coppess have developed a method to analyze tillage practices using satellite imagery. Their work can help farmers better understand the impact of their practices on the environment and make informed decisions about future use.
Read the full article. Tri-State Neighbor, Fri Oct 9, 2026 1:00 AM CT 9. Soybean discoloration reported in southwest Iowa as harvest delays continue
Harvest is finally rolling in southwest Iowa, and farmer Pat Sheldon reports that some soybeans are showing a light brown discoloration on the seed coats, though he has cut beans open and found them fine on the inside. So far the damage has not hurt seed quality or triggered any dockage at the local elevator or processor, with the real worry being the purple discoloration that could become a problem if it shows up. Sheldon says the fix is simple, it just needs to quit raining long enough to get the crop picked. On the bright side, soybean basis has stayed strong as the wet weather delays tighten supplies, with some processors bidding as much as a dollar above board price to lock in beans.
Read the full article. Brownfield Ag News, Thu Oct 8, 2026 3:33 PM CT 10. Your Roadmap to a More Profitable No-Till Operation
The 35th annual NNTC promises an exceptional experience for attendees with a diverse lineup of speakers, including veteran no-tillers, agronomists, and researchers. The conference will take place in downtown Indianapolis from January 13 to 15 and include workshops on topics such as diversifying your no-till system, rethinking crop rotations, and reducing inputs. Some of the key speakers at the event include Steve Groff, Jason Mauck, and Darcy Telenko. The conference is sponsored by several companies in the agriculture industry and offers a chance for growers to network and recharge for the coming year. The 2027 NNTC promises to be another exceptional experience for attendees with new practices and insights to improve their no-till operation.
Read the full article. No-Till Farmer, Thu Oct 8, 2026 11:00 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 Prices: Soybeans Top Cash Bids, Corn and Wheat Follow, News and StatisticsThe data, drawn from the official USDA AgTransport Socrata JSON rows, covers 45 latest slice rows spanning week 39 of 2026. Illinois followed with an elevator bid of 12.85 for soybeans, sourced from GeoGrain Subscription. Washington recorded an elevator bid of 5.16, Montana 4.34, and North Dakota 4.25 for hard red spring wheat. Soft white winter wheat was reported at Portland with a 30-Day to Arrive bid of 7.3. Great Lakes Toledo recorded a corn bid of 4.46 under the 30-Day to Arrive category. Our team will review your request and reply to your business email. IndexBox (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. Marion BrunzMankato Free Press obituaries. Read the full obituary.Jo-Ann LynchMankato Free Press obituaries. Read the full obituary.Ramy, MichaelMankato Free Press obituaries. Read the full obituary.Robert LudvikMankato Free Press obituaries. Read the full obituary.Stephen HerzMankato Free Press obituaries. Read the full obituary.Phyllis GarverMankato 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 SafetyKeep kids off and away from running equipment. A second rider on a tractor or in a loader bucket is a leading cause of farm child deaths. Set a clear off-limits zone around augers, PTO shafts, and the grain wagon, and never let a child ride unless there is a proper instructor seat. Source: National Children's Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety. Cal The Coffee ShopToday in Farm History, Rust on wheat report 1894In 1894, the USDA Division of Vegetable Physiology and Pathology published the first U.S. scientific bulletin on wheat rust epidemiology. Stem rust would later (1953-1955) destroy 40% of the U.S. spring wheat crop and trigger Borlaug's rust-resistant breeding program in Mexico. Source: USDA Agricultural Research Service history. [CAL'S QUIZ]
President Lincoln created the USDA in 1862 and gave it a nickname that stuck. What did he call it?
(a) The People's Department
(b) The Farm Office
(c) The Grain Bureau
(d) The Plow Department
Answer at the bottom of the Brief. [CAL'S JOKE]
The Allis-Chalmers belonged to the farmer's father. He starts it once a year on his father's birthday. His wife said, "That's sweet." He said, "That's maintenance with a side of memory."
The MI Farm AI Desk
Cal "Corn-Bread" Halvorsen, your AI Agronomist and Editor in Chief Quiz Answer(a) The People's Department. Lincoln signed the USDA into law in 1862 and called it the People's Department because most Americans were farmers then. Source: USDA.
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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.