Tuesday May 19 Ag News - Weekly Crop Progress Report - NeFB Foundation Student Grants - May 29 Mental Health in Ag Day - IA Cash Rents Show Little Change for '26 - USDA Updates LRP, LGM, and DMC - and more!

Nebraska Crop Progress & Condition Statistics - May 17

                             Very Short      Short    Adequate     Surplus
Topsoil Moisture .......:    41          32            25              2     
Subsoil Moisture .......:    40          37            23              -     

                            .....  Last year   Last week   This week   5YrAve
Corn Planted ...............:     84            67             82               79     
Corn Emerged ............:     55            25             42                39  
Soybeans planted .......:     77            64             81                65     
Soybeans emerged .....:      40            18             33                24    
Sorghum planted ........:     20            7               12                 15    
Winter Wheat headed .:     25            36              50                15    

                                              VP       Poor       Fair        Good       Excellent    
Winter Wheat Condition .:    42          42          12          04               -     
Pasture Conditions ..........:    46          37          13           4                -    



Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report

There were 6.1 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending May 17, 2026. Topsoil moisture condition rated 5 percent very short, 26 percent short, 64 percent adequate, and 5 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 4 percent very short, 23 percent short, 69 percent adequate, and 4 percent surplus. 

Corn planting reached 88 percent complete, which is one percentage point behind last year and six percentage points ahead of the five-year average. Forty-six percent of corn had emerged, which is eight percentage points behind last year’s pace and three percentage points ahead of the five-year average. 

Eighty percent of the expected soybeans have been planted, which is one percentage point behind last year and 12 percentage points ahead of the five-year average. Soybean emergence reached 28 percent, which is 10 percentage points behind last year and three percentage points ahead of the five-year average. 

Oats planting in Iowa reached 97 percent complete and 87 percent of oats have emerged. 

Pasture condition rated 73 percent good to excellent.



USDA Weekly Crop Progress Report

U.S. corn planting continues to run ahead of its five-year average while holding steady with last year's pace, according to USDA NASS's weekly Crop Progress report released on Monday.

CORN
-- Planting progress: 76% of corn was planted nationwide as of Sunday, steady with last year's pace and 6 points ahead of the five-year average of 70%. 
-- Crop development: 39% of corn had emerged as of Sunday, 8 points behind last year's 39% and 2 points ahead of the five-year average of 37%.

SOYBEANS
-- Planting progress: An estimated 67% of intended soybean acreage was planted as of Sunday, 4 points ahead of last year at this time and 14 points ahead of the five-year average of 53%. 
-- Crop development: 32% of soybeans had emerged as of Sunday, equal to last year's pace and 9 points ahead of the five-year average of 23%.

WINTER WHEAT
-- Crop condition: An estimated 43% of winter wheat was rated poor to very poor as of May 17, up 25 percentage points from 18% a year ago, according to NASS.
-- Crop development: 71% of winter wheat was headed nationwide as of Sunday. That's 9 percentage points ahead of last year's 62% and 13 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 58%. 

SPRING WHEAT
-- Planting progress: 73% of the crop was planted nationwide as of May 17, 7 percentage points behind last year's pace of 80% and 7 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 66%. 
-- Crop development: 39% of spring wheat was emerged as of Sunday, 3 percentage points behind last year's pace of 42% and 5 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 34%.

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Nebraska Farm Bureau Awards Record $8,000 in Student Project Grants

From livestock operations and crop production to agricultural technology and entrepreneurship, Nebraska students are continuing to find innovative ways to grow their skills through agriculture. To support those efforts, Nebraska Farm Bureau awarded a record $8,000 in Student Project Grants to 16 student members across the state for 2026. 

Supported by the Charles Marshall Fund at the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation, the grants help students begin, expand, and improve projects connected to 4-H and FFA Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) programs. This year’s funding doubled the amount awarded in previous years after Nebraska Farm Bureau received a record number of applications. 

The annual grant program supports a wide variety of student-led projects, including beef cattle, poultry, goats, horticulture, photography, agricultural technology, and small business ventures. Grants are awarded in varying amounts until available funds are exhausted. 

“This year’s applications showcased incredible creativity, determination, and passion for agriculture,” said Audrey Schipporeit, director of leadership development. “Because of the overwhelming interest and the quality of the projects submitted, Nebraska Farm Bureau was proud to double the amount of funding awarded this year. These students are already making meaningful contributions to their communities and building skills that will serve agriculture for years to come.” 

Nebraska Farm Bureau Student Project Grants are available annually to student Farm Bureau members across the state. Applicants under the age of 15 qualify through their parent or guardian’s membership, while applicants age 16 and older must hold an active student membership. Recipients are selected by a Nebraska Farm Bureau committee. 

Grant recipients include: 

Maizy Popken, Dodge County Farm Bureau, was awarded $500 to begin an agricultural photography project focused on capturing Nebraska agriculture and community life through 4-H photography exhibits. 

Graham Mueller, Dodge County Farm Bureau, received $500 to strengthen his Boer goat SAE project. Mueller plans to purchase a billy goat to improve herd genetics and continue expanding his breeding program. 

Rachael Bousquet, Dakota County Farm Bureau, received $500 to support HoBo Show Goats, a family breeding operation she helped establish with her siblings and cousin. Funds will assist with barn improvements and herd expansion. 

Ty Schmidt, Platte County Farm Bureau, received $250 for an agricultural detailing business he operates with a friend. The grant will help purchase detailing supplies and equipment used to service farm machinery and vehicles. 

Hannah Martensen, Platte County Farm Bureau, earned $250 to expand her vegetable and flower production SAE. Martensen uses regenerative agriculture practices while growing produce and cut flowers for her local community. 

Jason Bongers, Butler County Farm Bureau, was awarded $1,000 for his agricultural drone technology project. Bongers operates Next Level Ag LLC and plans to use the grant to purchase chemical mixing and transfer equipment for his Talos T60X spray drone business. 

Tenley Kocian, Butler County Farm Bureau, received $750 to improve fencing for her growing livestock operation, which includes poultry, rabbits, goats, and involvement in her family’s cow-calf enterprise. 

Clara Wuebben, Knox County Farm Bureau, received $250 for her STEAM and technology-based entrepreneurship project focused on laser engraving and custom-designed products for local farmers and ranchers. 

Jesus Marquez, Perkins County Farm Bureau, received $1,000 to expand his laying hen SAE project. Marquez plans to use the funds to build additional fencing and housing as he grows his flock and begins selling eggs to customers in his community. 

Johannes Bumsted, Garfield County Farm Bureau, earned $500 to support his beef cattle project featuring two heifers, Sugar and Spice. Funding will assist with feed, breeding expenses, and continued development of his cattle management and showmanship skills. 

Clara Adam, Grant County Farm Bureau, received $500 to expand her silkie bantam chicken project. Adam plans to add a dedicated coop space to improve breeding quality and continue providing show birds to younger 4-H exhibitors. 

Micah Bley, Chase County Farm Bureau, earned $500 for his food science entrepreneurship SAE. Bley transformed a horse trailer into a snow cone vendor trailer and continues developing additional business and agricultural projects. 

Jayden Dickman, Dawson County Farm Bureau, received $500 to support his meat goat project. Funding will help offset livestock, feed, grooming equipment, and other project expenses as he continues growing his 4-H operation. 

Brian Staley, Merrick County Farm Bureau, was awarded $500 for Staley’s Lawn Care & Landscaping LLC. Staley plans to purchase mower equipment upgrades that will improve efficiency and help expand his customer services. 

Barron Rosentreader, Custer County Farm Bureau, earned $250 to support his market goat project. Rosentreader plans to purchase additional goats and construct a shelter to improve care for his animals. 

Colton Carman, Buffalo County Farm Bureau, was awarded $250 to expand his poultry SAE project focused on silkie breeding, genetics, and exhibition poultry production. 

The Nebraska Farm Bureau is a grassroots, state-wide organization dedicated to supporting farm and ranch families and working for the benefit of all Nebraskans through a wide variety of educational, service, and advocacy efforts. Nearly 55,000 families across Nebraska are Farm Bureau members, working together to achieve rural and urban prosperity as agriculture is a key fuel to Nebraska’s economy. For more information about Nebraska Farm Bureau and agriculture, visit www.nefb.org. 

    

May 29 Designated ‘Mental Health Awareness in Agriculture Day’
 
As they did in 2025, Sens. Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Michael Bennett (D-CO) have introduced a resolution designating May 29 as “Mental Health Awareness in Agriculture Day.” The occasion is meant to raise awareness about mental health in the agricultural industry and reduce the stigma associated with mental illness. The U.S. Senate unanimously approved the measure in 2025. 
 
Fischer and Bennett want to highlight the challenges agricultural producers and workers face, including weather unpredictability, labor shortages, farm succession, and fluctuating commodity and market prices. Many agricultural states are experiencing a mental health crisis, with producers dealing with those stresses.

According to the National Rural Health Association, the rate of suicide among farmers is 3.5 times higher than the general population. The rate among farmworkers is 1.4 times higher than rates in all other occupations, according to the Mortality-Linked National Health Interview Survey. 
 
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network connects agricultural producers and workers to stress assistance programs.



Iowa Cropland Cash Rents Show Little Change for 2026 as Agriculture Faces Wide Swings in Prices and Policy

In a year with low crop prices and high production costs, Iowa cropland cash rental rate trends stayed relatively flat across the state. The 2026 state average was $1 lower, or -0.4%, at $270 per crop acre as compared to 2025. The statewide survey has been conducted by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach annually since 1994, gathering typical rents for acres devoted to corn and soybeans, as well as for oats, hay, pasture, cornstalk grazing and hunting rights. The survey does not ask for specific rents on individual farms.

For each county in Iowa, the report shows the average rental rate, along with the range and average for high, medium and low quality cropland. Rental rates for irrigated and organic cropland, as well as hay, oat, pasture, cornstalk grazing and hunting rights, are reported at the crop reporting district level only.

Responses were consistent across farmland quality levels, with the high-quality third down $3, medium-quality down $2 and low-quality third up $1. The small adjustments align with similar results from recent land value surveys, such as the ISU Center for Agricultural and Rural Development Land Value Survey, showing a 0.7% increase in December, and the most recent REALTORS Land Institute reporting a net gain of 0.3% in land values from March 2025 to March 2026.

Results by Crop Reporting Districts ranged from a decline of $5 in East Central and Southwest to an increase of $2 in Northwest. There was variability across counties in year-to-year changes, as is typical of survey data, but 47 counties reported an increase, whereas 49 counties reported a decline in rents from 2025. Three counties showed no change. The highest county average rents were reported in Sioux, Lyon and Delaware at $332, $331 and $325 per acre, respectively. The lowest average rents were observed in Wayne, Lucas and Davis at $173, $187, and $200 per acre, respectively.

District 1 NW - $290/acre +0.7%
District 4 WC - $292/acre -1%
District 7 SW - $250/acre -2% 

Recent market outlook analysis from Chad Hart indicates optimism looking ahead that likely held cash rents steady. Season-average price projections from USDA (May 2026 WASDE) were recently adjusted, where corn gained 20 cents to reach $4.40 per bushel and soybeans gained $1.10 to reach $11.40 per bushel. Futures for the 2026 crops have been displaying some of the best prices corn and soybean producers have seen in over a year. Corn futures indicate a 2026 season-average price in the $4.95 range. Soybean futures outline a 2026 season-average price near $11.65 per bushel.

Federal government programs, including the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program, Bridge Assistance and Emergency Commodity Assistance Program were issued to mitigate impacts of rising input costs and lower commodity prices from 2023–2025, but the timing of these programs resulted in more available funds in the current year and was a factor in the movement of 2026 cash rents.

This survey is not possible without the cooperation and assistance of the landowners, farmers and agribusiness professionals who respond. The distribution of the 1,450 usable responses was 44% from farm operators, 39% from landowners, 9% from professional farm managers and realtors, 7% from agricultural lenders and 1% from other professions and respondents who chose not to report their status. Respondents indicated being familiar with over 1.8 million cash-rented acres across the state. Response rates are a constant concern in all agriculture surveys.

As with any survey, it takes good information coming in from respondents to release good information in the final report. Every response matters, and landowners, producers and agribusiness professionals who have knowledge of rents across their county and neighboring counties are encouraged to participate in the 2027 survey.

Survey information can serve as a starting reference point for negotiating an appropriate rental rate for next year. However, rents for individual farms should be based on land productivity, ease of farming, fertility, drainage, local price patterns, longevity of the lease and possible services performed by the tenant.

A factor often considered by landowners when negotiating cash rents is the return on their farmland investment. Figure 3 shows the evolution of the ratio of average cash rents to average land values in Iowa. It suggests that the average return on investment for landowners who cash-rent their land to operators has followed a declining trend since the early 1990s, stabilizing around 3% between 2010–2020 and 2.5% since. Note that this ratio does not measure net returns, as ownership costs, including real estate taxes, are not considered in the calculation. 
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The annual survey, reporting typical rental rates, is just one aspect of what landowners and tenants should discuss when it comes to rented acres. Additional resources on the Ag Decision Maker Leasing page for estimating a fair cash rent include the Information Files Improving Your Farm Lease Contract  (C2-01), Computing a Cropland Cash Rental Rate (C2-20), Computing a Pasture Rental Rate (C2-23) and Flexible Farm Lease Agreements (C2-21). Many of these fact sheets include decision tools (electronic spreadsheets) to help analyze individual leasing situations. An online tool to visualize the cash rents by land quality in each county by year, and compare trends in cash rents for a county versus its CRD and the state is available from the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development.



2026 Four-State Dairy Nutrition & Management Conference Webinar Series Continues On May 27 With A Focus On Evaluating and Feeding Roasted High Oleic Soybeans

The Four-State Dairy Nutrition & Management Conference webinar series continues on Wednesday, May 27, at 12 noon CDT with Assistant Clinical Professor of Precision Dairy Nutrition at The Pennsylvania State University Leoni Martins discussing recent research evaluating soybean processing characteristics, laboratory methods used to assess heat-treated soybeans, and the implications of processing on protein and fat nutrition in dairy cows.

Heat-treated soybeans represent a valuable feed ingredient for dairy producers, with the potential to improve on-farm feed economics. However, variation in processing conditions can substantially influence nutrient availability and feeding value.

Dr. Martin’s research and Extension programs focus on precision nutrition and its interactions with lactational performance and nutrient use efficiency in dairy cows. His goal is to advance feeding strategies that optimize nutrient delivery to cows, enhance animal performance and health, and reduce the environmental impact of dairy production.

Producers, dairy consultants and industry reps are encouraged to attend the free webinar live beginning at 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. CDT by registering on-line at least one hour before the webinar at: https://go.iastate.edu/LUS4YL. 

 For more information, please contact: Fred M. Hall in Iowa at 712.737.4230; Jim Salfer in Minnesota at 320-203-6093; Phil Cardoso in Illinois at 217.300.2303; or Paul Fricke in Wisconsin at 608.263.4596.



USTR to Host G20 Trade Ministerial in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Ambassador Jamieson Greer will host the G20 Trade Ministerial in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from Wednesday, September 30 to Thursday, October 1.

“President Trump’s tariff program is actively rebalancing global trade, reversing decades of non-market policies and practices to protect American workers and businesses,” said Ambassador Greer. “At the G20 Trade Ministerial this fall, USTR will lead discussions with the G20 Trade Ministers on a wide array of issues, including ending forced labor, updating the Most-Favored Nation (MFN) Principle, denouncing weaponization of trade in food, and addressing structural excess capacity and production. The Trump Administration looks forward to working with our G20 partners to establish a global trading order based on fair, reciprocal, and balanced trade.”

President Trump will host the culminating Leaders’ Summit on December 14-15 at Trump National Doral in Miami, Florida, as America celebrates its 250th anniversary.



USDA Risk Management Agency Announces Livestock Insurance Program Enhancements

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) announced a series of updates to improve insurance coverage through the Livestock Risk Protection (LRP), Livestock Gross Margin (LGM), and Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP) insurance programs beginning with the 2027 crop year. These updates were approved by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board of Directors.

Uniform changes across LRP, LGM and DRP include:
    Adding subsidy capture language to address off-exchange contracts.
    Updating the definition of beginning farmer or rancher and subsidy percentages to align with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
    Permitting concurrent coverage between similar livestock programs.
    Enabling policies that have not earned premium for three consecutive years to be subject to cancellation.
    Revising transfer of coverage language to clarify when coverage can be transferred.
    Updating general policy language for consistency with other RMA insurance policies. 

“These updates expand coverage options, update eligibility definitions and strengthen program consistency across RMA’s livestock portfolio,” said RMA Administrator Pat Swanson. “These enhancements are another way we are putting Farmers First. We want to ensure that livestock and dairy operations across the country have the best tools available to manage risk.”

Livestock Risk Protection 
LRP provides protection for livestock producers looking to insure against declining market prices. This program offers coverage levels ranging from 75% to 100% of the expected ending values (expected price at the end of the insurance period). 

The changes to LRP include: 
    Expanding guidelines for the forage disaster exemption to address extended drought and other natural disasters and include specific grazing dates during which the exemption may apply. 
    Increasing the maximum weight threshold for Fed Cattle types. 
    Extending Cull Cow coverage to a maximum of 52 weeks. 
    Adding three new feeder cattle types, Unborn Bulls and Heifers Weight 2, Unborn Brahman Weight 2, and Unborn Dairy Weight 2, with a weight range of 6.0 to 9.0 hundredweight (cwt), broadening coverage options for producers with unborn livestock.

Livestock Gross Margin 
LGM provides protection to cattle, dairy, and swine producers against unexpected decreases in gross margin (market value of livestock or milk minus input costs). The program calculates the expected gross margin for a period using futures market prices and pays an indemnity to the extent that the actual gross margin is less than the expected gross margin. 

The changes to LGM include: 
    Increasing the maximum insurable weight for the LGM Cattle to 1,800 lbs. 
    Revising the definition of “target feeder cattle weight” to increase the maximum allowed target weight from 9 to 12 cwt for yearling finishing operations and stipulated that the difference between target live cattle weight and target feeder cattle weight must not exceed 6 cwt for yearling finishing operations and 10 cwt for calf finishing operations. 
    Modified the definition of “share” for LGM Cattle to require that the producer own the calves for a minimum of five months for yearling finishing or eight months for calf finishing. 
    Revising the definition of “target live cattle weight” to increase maximum allowed target weight from 15 to 18 cwt for yearling finishing operations and 13 to 16 cwt for calf finishing operations. 

Dairy Revenue Protection 
For dairy producers, DRP provides protection against a decline in revenue (yield and/or price) on the milk produced from dairy cows on a quarterly basis. The expected revenue is based on futures prices for milk and dairy commodities, and the amount of covered milk production elected by the dairy producer. 

The change to DRP: 
    Moving the sales period end date to the following calendar day, making DRP consistent with the sales period structure used in other livestock insurance programs. 

More Information
LRP, LGM and DRP are available to livestock producers in all states and counties. 

RMA secures the future of agriculture by providing world class risk management tools to rural America through Federal crop insurance and risk management education programs. RMA provides policies for more than 130 crops and is constantly working to adjust and create new policies based on producer needs and feedback. 



NCGA: Africa Holds Opportunity for American Agriculture

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), along with 12 national agricultural associations, is encouraging the Trump administration to remove barriers to biotech products, including corn, so that American exporters can access markets in Africa.  

The move comes as the U.S. Trade Representative sought public comments on modernizing and extending the African Growth and Opportunity Act. AGOA is authorized through December 31, 2026, and Congress will have to act before then to prevent the program from lapsing.  
 
NCGA filed comments regarding barriers to corn and ethanol trade with nations in Africa and filed a letter to the deputy U.S. trade representative, Jeffrey Goettman, outlining ways the act could better facilitate the trade of biotech products.  
 
“This effort to modernize AGOA provides an important moment in time to establish criteria that foster market access opportunities for American farmers and can set the stage for future trading relationships that are mutually beneficial,” the letter said. “A continuation of the status quo will not only limit development in Africa, but it will relegate American farmers to residual market share when, in actuality, the quality and standards upheld by American farmers and exporters are second to none.”
 
The letter is part of a broader effort by NCGA to open markets for corn growers and eliminate barriers with existing markets. Issues around biotech corn are important to  U.S. growers as 94% of the nation’s planted corn is derived from biotechnology. 



AGOA Countries Must Give U.S. Market Access, Says NPPC
 
The National Pork Producers Council is encouraging the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to work with Congress to ensure renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act, or AGOA, includes “tangible gains” for U.S. agriculture, including pork producers. AGOA gives sub-Saharan African nations duty-free access for their goods exported to the United States in exchange for “reasonable and equitable” treatment of U.S. imports. The trade law is up for renewal early next year.
 
In comments to USTR on modernizing AGOA, NPPC pointed out there are “clear and persistent market access barriers for U.S. exports across AGOA-eligible markets.” It urged the agency to incentivize beneficiary countries to only adopt sanitary and phytosanitary measures that are science- and risk-based and to eliminate other non-tariff barriers such as import licensing and facilities registration schemes.
 
Several AGOA beneficiary countries maintain restrictions to their markets for U.S. goods and services, including Angola, Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa, with the latter two having de facto bans on U.S. pork imports.
 
While NPPC strongly supports AGOA, it historically has urged USTR to withhold or limit benefits to nations that maintain barriers to U.S. goods, including pork, and/or that fail to provide “reasonable and equitable” access to their markets for U.S. agriculture. It supports withholding AGOA benefits from Nigeria and South Africa until they allow full market access for U.S. pork.
 
The objectives of AGOA are to expand U.S. trade and investment with sub-Saharan Africa, stimulate economic growth in the region, and facilitate African nations’ integration into the global economy. Pork is an important source of protein in many AGOA countries, making them potentially significant markets for U.S. pork.