Tuesday November 18 Ag News - USDA Crop Progress Report - Hansen-Mueller Files for Bankruptcy - NE Farmers Union Convention in Norfolk - EPA WOTUS Rule - Stage 2 Crop Disaster Assistance - and more!

USDA Weekly Crop Progress Report - Nov 17

Corn Harvest
Nationwide - 91% complete - 94% 5YA
Nebraska - 74% complete - 95% 5YA
Iowa - 97% complete - 96% 5YA

Soybean Harvest - 
Nationwide - 95% complete - 96% 5YA
Nebraska - 84% complete - 100% 5YA
Iowa - 99% complete - 99% 5YA

Winter Wheat 
Nationwide - 92% planted (95% 5YA) - 79% emerged (84% 5YA) - 45% good to excellent 
Nebraska - 78% planted (100% 5YA) -  75% emerged (97% 5YA) - 54% good to excellent 

Topsoil Moisture
Nebraska - 3% Surplus - 49% adequate
Iowa - 4% surplus - 62% adequate

Subsoil Moisutre 
Nebraska - 3% Surplus - 49% adequate
Iowa - 4% surplus - 63% adequate


Hansen-Mueller Co. Announces Strategic Restructuring Plan to Facilitate Sale of Assets and Maximize Value for Stakeholders

Hansen-Mueller Co. Monday announced it is pursuing a strategic financial restructuring to address its current financial challenges, facilitate the sale of its assets, and maximize recoveries for its creditors and stakeholders. To implement this restructuring in an orderly and efficient manner, the Company has voluntarily filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Nebraska.

The Company is pursuing a Court-supervised sale process for substantially all of its assets under Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code. This process is designed to attract one or more buyers who can continue the business operations, while providing the highest possible return to its creditors.

“After careful consideration of all available strategic alternatives, the Board of Directors determined that a Court-supervised process is the most effective and efficient way to achieve an orderly sale of our assets,” said Josh Hansen, Chief Executive Officer of Hansen-Mueller Co. “We believe this path will maximize the value of the Company’s assets for the benefit of our creditors, employees, and all stakeholders.”

Hansen-Mueller is working closely with its legal and financial advisors to navigate this process efficiently. The Company intends to continue managing its operations in the ordinary course and hopes to move through the sale and Chapter 11 process as quickly as possible.

Key Information About the Restructuring:
  - Operations: The Company expects to continue its operations as a “debtor-in-possession” under the jurisdiction of the Bankruptcy Court and in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Bankruptcy Code.
  - Employees and Suppliers: The Company intends to meet its obligations to employees and key suppliers for goods and services provided after the filing date.
  - Court Details: Case information, including Court filings and claims information, can be found at the Company’s restructuring website, managed by its claims agent, Epiq, at https://dm.epiq11.com/HansenMueller or by calling toll free (US & Canada): 877-717- 1702.

Koley Jessen P.C., L.L.O. is serving as legal counsel, Silverman Consulting, Inc. is serving as financial advisor, and Ascendant Consulting Partners, LLC is serving as investment banker to the Company.

About Hansen-Mueller Co.
Hansen-Mueller Co. is a is a nationwide merchandiser and processor of grain with a diversified agribusiness platform with locations throughout the central United States. More specifically, the Company operates nine elevators, five across the Midwest along Interstate 29. Hansen-Mueller Co. also operates four port terminals: Duluth, Minnesota; Houston, Texas; Superior, Wisconsin; and Toledo, Ohio. Hansen-Mueller Co. further owns an oats processing facility in Toledo, Ohio. Additionally, Hansen-Mueller Co. leases and operates grain trading offices located in Toledo, Ohio; Omaha, Nebraska; Salina, Kansas; Kansas City, Missouri; Tallulah, Louisiana; Grand Island, Nebraska; and Alabaster, Alabama. The Company is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.



Nebraska Farmers Union 112th Annual State Convention Agenda Announced

"In Good Times & Bad, You Can Count on Nebraska Farmers Union” is the theme for the 112th annual Nebraska Farmers Union (NeFU) state convention, set for Dec 5-6 at Divots Conference Center in Norfolk, NE.  NeFU President John Hansen said “For 112 years, our organization has harnessed the power of cooperation based on education to serve family farmers, ranchers, and rural communities. We build today for a better tomorrow, especially during these challenging times. 

This year’s convention brings 20 state and national speakers and leaders that will discuss a wide range of national, state, and local issues facing family farmers and ranchers.  Farmers are being financially squeezed by ever higher ag input costs, high property taxes, uncertain export markets, low ag commodity prices, and a Congress that is either unwilling or unable to pass a badly needed Farm Bill. “Our ‘can do’ organization will focus on what we ‘can do’ to bring remedy and solutions” said NeFU President Hansen  

In addition to adopting next year’s policy, NeFU will elect their president to a two-year term, two NeFU Board of Directors to 3-year terms, select a member from the membership to the NeFU Foundation Board, and elect 3 delegates and 3 alternates to the NFU Convention next March 7-9 in New Orleans, LA.  The President’s Award will be presented to retiring Farmers Union Midwest Agency General Manager Jeff Downing for his outstanding service to family farm agriculture and Nebraska Farmers Union. 



Ricketts Praises Trump Administration’s WOTUS Update: “This is What Reining in Overregulation Looks Like”

U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE), a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, Monday praised the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed rule to modify the definition of Waters of the United States (WOTUS) under the Clean Water Act.  The proposed rule aligns with the Supreme Court’s 2023 Sackett v. EPA decision, which struck down the Biden administration’s WOTUS definition.  Ricketts said the following:

“This is what reining in overregulation looks like.  The Obama and Biden administrations tried to illegally increase the EPA’s authority.  The Trump administration is following the law.  This action will deliver clarity and predictability for Nebraska farmers, ranchers, and small business owners.  I applaud President Trump and Administrator Zeldin for delivering on the promise they made to end regulatory overreach.”

Ricketts repeatedly called out the Biden EPA for overstepping its authority in issuing the WOTUS rule.  As Governor, he condemned the rule as “blatant federal overreach.”  He joined a bipartisan majority of Senators in voting to block it.  He condemned the Biden EPA’s revised WOTUS rule following the Supreme Court’s ruling in Sackett.  He also discussed WOTUS with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin at his confirmation hearing in January.



Smith Statement on WOTUS

Monday, Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE), Vice Chair of the Congressional Western Caucus, released the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers (USACE) announced their proposed rule to define waters of the United States (WOTUS) under the Clean Water Act. The proposed rule will provide needed clarity and reduce permitting barriers while ensuring EPA fulfills its mandate to protect navigable American waters.

"Today’s announcement is a win for farmers, ranchers, and landowners across the United States. For years, overreaching and inconsistent WOTUS definitions have created burdensome red tape and threatened property rights in rural America. I applaud Administrator Zeldin for taking the necessary action to restore certainty and common sense.” 



ASA Welcomes Proposed WOTUS Rule

Monday, the American Soybean Association applauded the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for proposing a more workable “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule for agriculture. The proposal aims to bring clarity to how the Clean Water Act applies on working farmland and to better reflect the realities farmers face on the ground.

For decades, defining WOTUS has been one of the most complex and contentious issues in federal water policy. Since the Clean Water Act’s passage in 1972, multiple administrations and courts, including several Supreme Court decisions, have wrestled with how far federal jurisdiction should reach over wetlands and water features. The Court’s 2023 Sackett ruling found the previous WOTUS rule inconsistent with the law, and ASA strongly opposed that 2023 version, urging EPA and USACE to develop a definition that protects water quality while remaining workable for farmers.

“Soybean farmers have been asking for a WOTUS definition we can actually put to work on the ground,” said Caleb Ragland, ASA President and Kentucky farmer. “For too long, shifting interpretations have created real uncertainty about whether everyday decisions might trigger federal oversight. We appreciate that the administration, along with Administrator Lee Zeldin and Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam Telle, is moving toward a definition that reflects how water interacts with working farmland and respects the conservation practices growers already use. Aligning the rule with the Supreme Court’s Sackett decision and preserving long-standing exemptions for normal farm work gives producers clearer expectations and reduces the risk of costly delays or compliance surprises.”

ASA will review the proposal in detail, but this is an important step toward providing farmers the predictability they need to manage their land responsibly and keep delivering food, feed, and fuel for America and the world.



NCBA Secures New WOTUS Proposed Rule that Protects Family Farmers and Ranchers

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) announced support for the new proposed Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The revised WOTUS rule comes after decades of advocacy by NCBA and our state affiliate partners to remove confusing and burdensome regulations on cattle farmers and ranchers.

“Waters of the U.S. has been a longstanding and frustrating issue for family farmers and ranchers. Every few years, the definition of a ‘water of the U.S.’ has changed. Often, this meant that small water features like prairie potholes or dry ditches suddenly fell under federal regulation,” said NCBA President and Nebraska cattleman Buck Wehrbein. “NCBA has spent years fighting to protect cattle producers from excessive red tape. We went to the EPA, advocated on Capitol Hill, and even took this issue all the way up to the Supreme Court to protect our members from federal overreach. We appreciate the EPA finally fixing previous WOTUS rules and supporting America’s family farmers and ranchers.”
 
The revised WOTUS rule ensures that only large bodies of water and their main tributaries fall under federal jurisdiction. Past WOTUS rules issued under the Obama and Biden administrations placed small, isolated water features under federal regulation. Prairie potholes, playa lakes, and even ditches that only carried water after large storms became regulated as if they were a large lake, river or ocean.
 
In addition to congressional advocacy and technical comments to the EPA, NCBA also stood up for cattle producers’ rights in court. We filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court case Sackett v. EPA and received a major victory in 2023 that rolled back previous overreaching WOTUS rules. NCBA also initiated numerous lawsuits under the Obama and Biden administrations to prevent harmful rules from impacting cattle producers. Since the Trump administration entered office at the start of 2025, NCBA has been working with newly appointed EPA officials to craft a new WOTUS rule that ends the uncertainty caused by previous regulations.

“Today's WOTUS announcement finally acknowledges that the federal government should work to protect lakes, rivers and oceans, rather than regulating ditches and ponds on family farms and ranches,” said NCBA Chief Counsel Mary-Thomas Hart. “NCBA is pleased to see the EPA stand up for cattle producers, and we look forward to providing input on this proposed rule.”
 
NCBA and its state affiliate partners will submit comments to the agency on the rule, which will be considered before the rule is finalized. 



Proposed WOTUS Rule Protects Environment, Respects Farmers

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers’ proposed Waters of the United States rule.

“Clean water is a top priority for farmers and ranchers – we depend on it. We are pleased that the new rule protects critical water sources while respecting the efforts of farmers to protect the natural resources they’ve been entrusted with.

“The Supreme Court clearly ruled several years ago that the government overreached in its interpretation of what fell under federal guidelines. We are still reviewing the entire rule, but we are pleased that it finally addresses those concerns and takes steps to provide much-needed clarity. We look forward to providing comments to EPA to ensure farmers can continue to safeguard the environment while growing the food America’s families rely on.”



Trump Administration Delivers Second Stage of Crop Disaster Assistance for Farmers

Three days after the government reopened and despite the radical left Democrat caused shutdown, President Donald J. Trump and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins continue to put Farmers First, including the unprecedented move to reopen over 2,000 county FSA offices in the middle of the government shutdown so farmers could continue to access U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) services during harvest. Today, the USDA will continue to support farmers and will release billions in disaster assistance for those recovering from natural disasters across the country.

“President Trump continues to put Farmers First and provide relief to American farmers reeling from the devastating natural disasters that struck across the United States in 2023 and 2024. The continued financial success of our farming and ranching operations is a national security priority,” said Secretary Brooke Rollins. “USDA is doing whatever it takes to make good on President Trump’s promise to expedite disaster recovery assistance to U.S. farmers and ranchers, ensuring viability, prosperity, and longevity for these men and women who dedicate their entire lives to our nation’s food, fiber and fuel production. The majority of payments from the first stage are already in the hands of producers helping them prepare for and invest in the next crop year.”

USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is delivering more than $16 billion in total Congressionally approved SDRP assistance. This is on top of over $9.3 billion in Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) assistance to over 560,000 row crop farmers and over $705 million in Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) assistance to over 220,000 ranchers. Stage Two of SDRP covers eligible crop, tree, bush and vine losses that were not covered under Stage One program provisions, including non-indemnified (shallow loss), uncovered and quality losses. For Stage Two program details, including fact sheets, please visit fsa.usda.gov/sdrp.

The first stage, announced in July, remains available to producers who received an indemnity under crop insurance or the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) for eligible crop losses due to qualifying 2023 and 2024 natural disaster events. FSA county offices will begin accepting SDRP Stage Two applications on November 24, 2025. Producers have until April 30, 2026, to apply for both Stage One and Stage Two assistance. FSA is establishing block grants with Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, and Massachusetts that cover crop losses; therefore, producers with losses on land physically located in these states are not eligible for SDRP program payments.

Since March 2025, USDA has supported U.S. farmers and ranchers with more than $16 billion in supplemental disaster assistance mandated by Congress in the American Relief Act, 2025 including $9.3 billion through the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program, over $1 billion through the Emergency Livestock Relief Program and, to date, more than $5.7 billion in SDRP Stage One payments.

Milk and On-Farm Stored Crop Loss Assistance
The Milk Loss Program provides up to $1.65 million in payments to eligible dairy operations for milk that was dumped or removed without compensation from the commercial milk market because of a qualifying natural disaster event in 2023 and/or 2024.

Producers who suffered losses of eligible harvested commodities while stored in on-farm structures in 2023 and/or 2024 due to a qualifying natural disaster event may be eligible for assistance through the On-Farm Stored Commodity Loss Program, which provides for up to $5 million to impacted producers.

The enrollment period to apply for milk and on-farm stored commodity losses is Nov. 24, 2025, through Jan. 23, 2026. Information and fact sheets for both programs are available online at fsa.usda.gov/mlp for milk loss and fsa.usda.gov/ofsclp for on-farm stored commodity losses.



Growth Energy Urges CARB to Ensure California Drivers Get Access to E15 Savings

Growth Energy, the nation’s largest biofuel trade association, submitted comments to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) today regarding the agency’s ongoing effort to finalize regulations that will ultimately govern the sale of E15, a more affordable fuel option made with 15% ethanol that was approved for sale in California earlier this year. 

In comments authored by Growth Energy Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Chris Bliley, the organization urged CARB to treat E15 the same way it treats reformulated gasoline (RFG), allow fuel retailers to use existing infrastructure to sell E15, and recognize E15's lower evaporative emissions compared to other fuel options, among other recommendations. 

"E15 will save Californians money at the pump," said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. "CARB must ensure that the regulations it applies to this more affordable fuel choice don't impede consumers from accessing those savings. We urge California to follow the example of other states that have widely adopted E15 in order to minimize unintended consequences, and we look forward to continuing our work with CARB to make sure California drivers start to see E15 at their nearest fuel retailer as soon as possible."  



The Fundamentals and [finally] a Little Data to Support Them
Hannah Baker, State Specialized Extension Agent - Beef and Forage Economics
University of Florida / IFAS Extension

The last several weeks have brought no shortage of headlines for the cattle industry, and the repercussions have certainly been seen in the cattle market. If there is one thing markets hate, it is uncertainty and talk about trying to “fix” it. However, as has been reiterated over the last few weeks, the fundamentals of where we are in the cattle cycle have not changed: tight supplies, strong demand, and slow expansion efforts.

The last two “In the Cattle Markets” articles have discussed the importance of remembering these fundamentals amidst the chaos of not having market data and reports to support them. The 43-day government shutdown hindered the release of several USDA market reports used by analysts and producers to make important management and marketing decisions. Before the final vote to end the shutdown on November 12th, it was announced that the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report and the Cattle on Feed report would both be released in November. The WASDE report was released this past Friday, the 14th.

According to the WASDE report, forecasts for beef production in 2025 and 2026 were both lowered due to declining fed cattle slaughter. Beef production in 2025 is projected to reach 25.7 billion pounds, down 70 million pounds from the September projection (0.3 percent) and down 1.2 billion pounds from 2024 beef production (4.5 percent). Compared to this November 2025 projection, 2026 beef production is projected to decline by 366 million pounds, or 1.4 percent, to 25.3 billion pounds.

The future decline in beef production is a result of herd liquidation that started in 2019. This resulted in a short-term increase in beef production as more cattle were being sold for beef production. However, the U.S. cattle herd today is now the smallest it has been since 1951, consisting of 86.7 million head with 27.9 million head of beef cattle. Feeder cattle supplies are estimated at 24.5 million head, the smallest in available data. As cattle supplies continued to decrease, beef production followed suit, bringing us to the point we are at today. With limited fed and non-fed supplies, future beef production will decline while the domestic cattle herd tries to rebuild over the next several years.

Average fed steer prices are projected to be $234/cwt for the last quarter of 2025, 24% higher ($45/cwt) than the last quarter of 2024. For 2026, the projected average annual price for fed steers is projected to reach $246/cwt. While there have been substantial declines and volatility in both the futures and cash markets lately, these projections point back to the fundamental reality of tighter supplies heading into the end of this year and into 2026.

Strong consumer demand coupled with low supply results in high cattle and beef prices. As we approach expansion, more heifers will be placed into the breeding herd rather than into feedlots, further limiting beef production. Over time, calves raised by those retained heifers will contribute to increasing beef production. There is heavy emphasis on time. Calves raised by retained heifers this fall will not enter beef production until 2028-2029. With few signs of heifer retention so far in 2025, this is the earliest we could see increases in beef production. As of July 2025, the percentage of heifers on feed is 38.1%. During the last expansion, this percentage was in the lower thirties. The November Cattle on Feed report is set to be released this Friday, the 21st, and could provide a steer-heifer breakdown that we missed in October. But there was no mention of the inclusion of the breakdown in the announcement.

Very simply put, high prices will eventually incentivize rebuilding, meaning fewer heifers entering the market, resulting in peak cattle prices. As cattle numbers increase, beef production will increase, and cattle and beef prices will decrease over time. Expansion efforts will be dependent upon higher cattle prices, future profitability, and forage availability. The reality of consumers balking at the meat counter is still a real concern that could influence beef and cattle prices, but so far, that has not been the case. These last few weeks have been an important reminder of two things: the importance of risk management in a highly volatile market and the dynamics of how cattle cycles and markets work.