Michelle Rook

National Reporter

Michelle Rook is a national agricultural reporter and market analyst for Farm Journal’s AgDay and U.S. Farm Report, and she is the host of Markets Now. With expertise in commodity markets, grain trading, and agricultural journalism, she delivers daily market updates and analysis to farmers nationwide. She earned the NAFB Farm Broadcaster of the Year award and the prestigious Doan Excellence in Reporting Award.

Latest Stories

Market Analysis

Soybeans End Limit Down on Fear of China Summit Delay: Will China Buy Corn Instead?

Randy Martinson with Martinson Ag says the limit down day in old crop soybeans was tied to the fear that the meeting between President Trump and President Xi scheduled for China at the end of the month will be delayed due to the war.

March 16, 2026 03:46 PM

Michelle Rook

Markets

Why Cattle Faded the JBS Strike: Soybeans Tank on Fear Over Trump/Xi Meeting

Brad Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek says there were a couple of reasons the market ignored the strike and the biggest was the higher equity markets and lower crude oil

March 16, 2026 10:32 AM

Michelle Rook

News

Will Soaring Fertilizer Prices Change Farmer’s Acreage Plans?

While USDA predicts a shift to soybeans, spiking input costs and Middle East supply gaps have Northern growers weighing corn’s yield potential against a volatile fertilizer market.

March 16, 2026 09:47 AM

Michelle Rook

Markets

Gulke: Corn Sees a Paradigm Shift...Just Like Soybeans

Jerry Gulke, president of the Gulke Group, says the recent strength in the corn market is not a result of the Iran war or higher corn prices, but a paradigm shift that happened 18 months ago.

March 14, 2026 11:29 AM

Michelle Rook

Market Analysis

Will Funds Keep Buying Grains if the Iran War and Higher Oil Prices Continue?

Wheat was the price leader on Friday mostly on technical buying according to DuWayne Bosse with Bolt Marketing.

March 13, 2026 04:03 PM

Michelle Rook

Market Analysis

Can Cattle Recover and is the Greeley Strike Priced In? Row Crops Follow Oil

Cattle futures are higher early Friday in tandem with the bounce in the equity markets and the pull back in crude oil and the energy markets according Scott Varilek of Kooima Kooima Varilek.

March 13, 2026 10:06 AM

Michelle Rook

Market Analysis

Grains Higher with Soybeans Make New Highs With Oil, Brazil Shipments Halted to China

Soybeans made new highs for the move during the session. Mark Schultz with Northstar Commodity says it was partly due to the rally in crude oil and soybean oil. However, there were also some other factors that boosted prices.

March 12, 2026 03:17 PM

Michelle Rook

Market Analysis

Grains Continue Higher with Crude Oil: Cargill Halts Brazil Soybeans Shipments to China

Grain markets are continuing to rally on Thursday morning. Greg McBride with Allendale says they following the energy markets and trading headlines.

March 12, 2026 10:48 AM

Michelle Rook

Market Analysis

Grains Rally, Soybeans Close Above $12 Adding Risk Premium

Grains ended higher on Wednesday with technical buying returning as traders attempted to add risk or war premium to the market says Don Roose of U.S. Commodities.

March 11, 2026 04:42 PM

Michelle Rook

Market Analysis

Grains Sharply Higher Adding War Premium and on RVO News

Grains were back sharply higher on Wednesday following crude oil and adding war premium according to Darin Newsom, senior market analyst with Barchart.

March 11, 2026 10:13 AM

Michelle Rook