Retail Business

Patrick Scates runs a service company, not a fertilizer company. His Shawneetown, Ill., terminal is targeted to go live Dec. 1 and is built to let wholesalers share the infrastructure bill.

CoBank projects the U.S. inland barge fleet shrinking about 17% by 2035 while USDA expects grain and oilseed exports to grow 9%. Operators who ship by river should plan for wider freight swings and a softer basis.

Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie offers insights and counsel on how to go about making adjustments to your 2027 cropping plan.

Oil, freight, tariffs and tightening supply point to higher 2027 prices, while generic pyroxasulfone gives growers a place to save, according to FBN.

A federal judge says the FTC and 12 states have enough evidence for a jury to decide whether Syngenta’s Key AI rebates illegally kept generics out and grower prices up. Corteva already settled with the FTC.

Farmers have to manage 2027 costs around a supply crunch driven by the Strait of Hormuz, European gas prices, and falling corn prices. The FIELDS awards committed $1.34 billion to eight domestic fertilizer projects on Oct. 22, and Josh Linville of StoneX says it is a real step in the right direction that still falls well short of what farmers need.

Bigger harvests mean more nutrients leave the field. Evaluating your crop nutrient removal rates can help as you start planning for next season, recommends one field agronomist.

Farmers who sold outright on the rally handed elevators the grain, the financing and the margin-call exposure. CoBank’s Tanner Ehmke says that could slow basis gains as the 2026 crop moves to market.