Montana producers have spent the last few seasons juggling high interest rates, volatile cattle markets, and weather that can turn on a dime. But for many grain and hay operations—especially those buying nitrogen and phosphate—one line item keeps landing near the top of the budget: fertilizer. Reports indicate federal officials are taking a closer look […]
This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast you host Downrigger Dale checks in with the two fellas that were on the Mack Days Podcast Last Time. Rigger thought you might find it interesting to see how they have done now that they have a few more Mack Days under their belts. He was shocked to […]
Montana producers have been living with high input costs for several seasons, and fertilizer remains one of the biggest line items for anyone pushing yield on small grains, corn silage, irrigated pasture, or hay. Now, reports indicate the U.S. Department of Justice is taking a harder look at the fertilizer industry amid ongoing complaints from […]
Grain markets started the week with a familiar tailwind: energy. Reports from national market analysts indicate crude oil moved higher overnight, and soybeans followed with a noticeable pop. Corn often tags along when traders believe stronger energy demand could support ethanol margins and broader commodity sentiment. For Montana farmers and ranchers, the bigger question isn’t […]
Grain markets don’t always feel local in Montana, but price moves in soybeans, corn and winter wheat often ripple into what ranchers pay for feed, what farmers pencil out for rotations, and how lenders view risk. Reports indicate soybeans posted strong, double-digit gains in a recent afternoon session, while corn and winter wheat traded firm. […]
Thursday’s midday-to-afternoon grain trade featured a notable push higher in soybeans, with corn and winter wheat also holding firm, according to market recaps and trader chatter from the broader commodity complex. Montana doesn’t grow many soybeans compared to the Midwest, but soybean moves still matter here because soymeal is a key protein ingredient in many […]
Weekly U.S. export sales numbers can feel like a distant coastal story, but they often reach all the way to Montana’s grain bins, feedyards, and hay stacks. Recent reports indicate wheat export sales came in above many market expectations, while corn sales continued a strong pace and soybean volumes didn’t generate the same enthusiasm. For […]
Grain markets have been sending a message lately: pricing opportunities may be opening back up. Reports indicate soybeans have been trading around the $12 level in some contracts and corn futures have been flirting with the $5 neighborhood. Those are round numbers that tend to get attention in coffee shops from the Hi-Line to the […]
Grain and livestock futures moved in opposite directions in mid-March trading, a reminder that Montana’s cow-calf country and feed buyers often get pulled two ways at once. Reports indicate corn and soybeans finished higher on March 11, while live cattle and feeder cattle futures ended lower. Those board moves don’t translate one-for-one to what you’ll […]
Reports from national market outlets indicate soybeans traded higher overnight alongside a sharp move up in crude oil. Montana producers don’t raise many soybeans compared to the Midwest, but the ripple effects can still show up here—through diesel, fertilizer, trucking, and feed ingredient costs. One overnight session doesn’t make a season. But when energy and […]