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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
The January USDA reports have been historically a huge market mover and a great deal of the focus will be on final yields and production.
South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden announced the $900,000 Future Fund grant for the non-profit bioprocessing facility at South Dakota State University.
Tommy Grisafi with Nesvick Trading says the soybean market faded after hitting chart resistance but also seemed disappointed with the lack of confirmed China export business. The grain complex also saw report positioning.

Garrett Toay with AgTraderTalk attributes the rally mostly to corrective buying after a $1.40 break from the highs in soybeans. Traders are also short in the wheat market, which just came off of contract lows in SRW futures.
Darin Newsom, senior market analyst with Barchart, says the grain complex may be some rebalancing by hedge and index fund traders to start a new year and with grains under valued.
Chip Nellinger with Blue Reef Agri-Marketing says soybeans sold off in a classic “buy the rumor, sell the fact,” reaction to USDA confirming China export sales.
Brad Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek says the recent strength in cattle has been a combination of fund buying and higher cash trade. He predicts that will continue into first quarter of 2026.
Chuck Shelby of Risk Management Commodities says soybeans, corn and wheat were oversold and saw some corrective buying but there was also some risk on buying across the ag complex.
Grain markets are all higher to start the week. Mark Knight with Farmer’s Keeper Financial says some of the strength is tied to short covering after lower weekly closes in corn, soybeans and wheat last week.
Scott Varilek with Kooima Kooima Varilek says cattle futures saw a chart breakout, pushed by fundamental factors. Meanwhile, the soybean market saw technical selling and pressure from mostly favorable weather in South America.