With contributing factors ranging from insect pressure to disease and environmental stressors this season, agronomists say farmers face hard decisions on when to combine their crop in affected fields.

Sam Swanson with The Money Farm says soybeans are seeing short covering as U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent said the possibility of extending a pause of import duties on Chinese goods for longer than three months exists if China halts its plan for strict new export controls on rare-earth elements.

Chip Nellinger, Blue Reef Agri-Marketing, says corn futures closed higher on technical buying and short covering after holding chart support and the spreads even tightened.

National Farmers Union (NFU) today sent letters to President Trump and Congressional leaders urging immediate action to provide economic relief for family farmers and ranchers facing worsening financial conditions.

Brady Huck with Advance Trading says corn and soybeans have been holding support and holding up well amid harvest pressure and the China trade woes.

Corn grower advocates say it is their goal to get E15 legislation across the finish line by year’s end.

Vince Boddicker with Farmers Trading Company says corn saw some short covering and spillover buying from the rally in the wheat market. However, soybeans ended off lows with the rally in feed grains but still saw pressure on lingering China trade woes.

In its preliminary estimate, Conab forecast Brazil’s soybean acreage would increase 3.6% to 49.08 million hectares (121.2 million acres).

Mike Zuzolo with Global Commodity Analytics says soybean futures closed slightly higher on Monday as trade tensions with China seemed to ease over the weekend. However, he says the soybean market doesn’t totally trust that a deal is going to take place.

With the loss of Chinese demand, U.S. ag is searching for its next “shining star.” Researchers at Iowa State may have found it for soybeans: the road beneath your feet and the refineries needed to fuel your truck or car.