In the heart of California’s Central Valley, generations of farm families are facing a new kind of crisis: what farmers argue is a man-made drought. It’s mounting water regulations that could determine whether the most fertile farmland in the nation survives.

At the Reints farm in northeast Iowa, corn yields have been running higher than last year, but a lot of yield potential was left in the field due to disease, specifically a rare strain of southern rust.

Dan Basse, Ag Resource Company, says corn stocks were 207 million bu. above USDA’s projected ending stocks which was bearish for the market. Soybeans also made new lows for the move despite a slightly friendly report.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is issuing a second Emergency Commodity Assistance Program Payment (ECAP) payment to eligible producers for the 2024 crop year.

Recent rains may have been too little, too late for the U.S. corn and soybean crops. Drought continues to deepen, and the forecast over the next two weeks points to favorable harvest weather, but it won’t help the drought situation.

At just 10 years old, Jackson Laux has gone from riding with his grandpa to farming his own acres — while also becoming John Deere’s first-ever Chief Tractor Kid. And now he’s teaming up with NFL quarterback Brock Purdy and John Deere to make a difference.