Wednesday October 01 Ag New - USDA Stocks Report and Small Grain Summary - Hunting Rights and Land Leases - N Rate Risk Protection Program - and more!

 US corn ending stocks down 13% from last year, soybean ending stocks down 8%

Old crop corn stocks on hand as of Sept. 1, 2025, totaled 1.53 billion bushels, down 13% from Sept. 1, 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Grain Stocks report released Tuesday. Old crop soybeans stored in all positions were down 8% from Sept. 1, 2024, and all wheat stocks were up 6% from a year earlier.

Of the total corn stocks, 643 million bushels were stored on farms, down 18% from last year. Off-farm stocks, at 888 million bushels, were down 10% from a year ago. The June-August 2025 indicated disappearance was 3.11 billion bushels, compared with 3.23 billion bushels during the same period a year earlier.

Old crop soybeans stored in all positions on Sept. 1, 2025, totaled 316 million bushels, down 8% from Sept. 1, 2024. Soybean stocks stored on farms totaled 91.5 million bushels, down 18% from a year ago. Off-farm stocks, at 225 million bushels, were down 3% from last September. Indicated disappearance for June-August 2025 totaled 691 million bushels, up 10% from the same period a year earlier.

This report also contains revisions to the previous season’s production for corn and soybeans, which is normal for this time of year since the marketing year is complete. Production for 2024 corn and soybeans were each revised up slightly from the previous estimate.

All wheat stored in all positions on Sept. 1, 2025, totaled 2.12 billion bushels, up 6% from a year ago. On-farm stocks were estimated at 692 million bushels, up 4% from last September. Off-farm stocks, at 1.43 billion bushels, were up 7% from a year ago. The June-August 2025 indicated disappearance was 715 million bushels, up 5% from the same period last year.

Durum wheat stocks in all positions on Sept. 1, 2025, totaled 71.1 million bushels, up 6% from a year ago. On-farm stocks, at 51.5 million bushels, were up 9% from Sept. 1, 2024. Off-farm stocks totaled 19.6 million bushels, down 3% from a year ago. The June-August 2025 indicated disappearance of 43.0 million bushels was up 27% from the same period last year.

In preparation for the Grain Stocks report, NASS conducted separate surveys for on-farm and off-farms stocks during the first two weeks of September. NASS also released the Small Grains Annual Summary report today. Key findings from that report include:
    All wheat production totaled 1.98 billion bushels in 2025, up less than 1 percent from the revised 2024 total.
    Area harvested for grain totaled 37.2 million acres, down 4% from 2024.
    The U.S. yield was estimated at 53.3 bushels per acre, up 4% from 2024.

The levels of production and changes from 2024 to 2025 by type were:
    Winter wheat, 1.40 billion bushels, up 3%.
    Other spring wheat, 497 million bushels, down 9%.
    Durum wheat, 86.2 million bushels, up 8%.

The Grain Stocks and Small Grains Annual Summary reports and all other NASS reports are available online at nass.usda.gov/Publications.



HUNTING RIGHTS AND LAND LEASES 
- Shannon Sand, NE Extension Educator

Amid market volatility, some producers may be exploring additional income opportunities, such as hunting. This often raises the question: who holds the hunting rights when land is leased?

In a written cropland or pasture lease, hunting rights can be specified. If the lease does not explicitly reserve those rights for the landlord, they generally belong to the tenant for the duration of the lease.

For unwritten cropland leases, hunting rights also typically default to the tenant unless both parties agree otherwise. This is because, without specific restrictions, tenants have full rights to use the land excluding others, including the landlord—during the lease term. This can come as a surprise to some landowners who assume they automatically retain those rights.

Verbal grazing and pasture leases are different. Since most end before hunting season, hunting rights usually revert to the landowner once the lease concludes.

To avoid misunderstandings, it’s important to review your written lease and consult Nebraska law regarding verbal cropland and pasture leases.

 

‘DROUGHT DOWNLOAD’ VIDEO SERIES VISUALIZES U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR

A new video series by the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln provides an audio-visual recap of weekly U.S. Drought Monitor updates.

The “Drought Download” is released on Thursday afternoons through a collaborative effort among the center’s climatologists and communicators. The project leads are Lindsay Johnson, climatologist, and Emily Case-Buskirk, communications specialist.

“It’s more important than ever to provide timely, accurate and easily accessible information,” Johnson said. “The ‘Drought Download’ is especially valuable because it provides additional visuals to support the Drought Monitor.”

The monitor is produced each Thursday through a partnership between the drought center, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It shows the location and severity of drought across the U.S. and its territories, ranging from normal conditions to exceptional drought.

About 115.5 million Americans currently live in areas affected by drought. As of the Sept. 18 Drought Monitor, 34.21% of the U.S. and Puerto Rico are in moderate drought or worse, an increase from 30.11% the week before.

Drought improved in Nebraska over the summer after the state was completely covered in abnormal dryness or drought in May. As of Sept. 18, Nebraska is 48.04% in abnormal dryness or drought, and 17.31% in moderate drought or worse.

The monitor triggers assistance through the Livestock Forage Disaster Program. Nebraska producers received $9.26 million in such payments from 2012 to 2024, exceeded only by Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas.

Each two-minute video includes an audio recording of the Drought Monitor summary, lightly edited for clarity. The narrative is written by the monitor’s author and describes how drought changed in the U.S. over the previous week. It shares context on how factors including precipitation, temperature and weather events affected drought. The videos also include the Drought Monitor map and a map showing how and where drought changed in the past week. It uses weather maps to illustrate information shared in the narrative.

“This video series is making the Drought Monitor accessible to a wider audience than ever before,” Case-Buskirk said. “We’re helping people connect the dots about where drought is occurring and what is contributing to it.”

Case-Buskirk, an award-winning podcaster, provides the voiceover each week.

For weekly updates, subscribe to https://youtube.com/@DroughtCenter. 



PFI program helps farmers find their optimal nitrogen rate

Midwestern farmers who want to reduce input costs and find their optimal nitrogen rate can now enroll in Practical Farmers of Iowa’s N Rate Risk Protection program.  

“Nitrogen fertilizer is a major cost for farmers, making it a key area for potential savings,” says Chelsea Ferrie, PFI’s senior field crops viability coordinator. “This program helps curious farmers test lower rates and find out what works best for their own farm.”

Farmers in the program get a phone call from a PFI agronomist to talk about their unique situation and what reductions are feasible while maintaining yields.

All acres with a nitrogen reduction will receive a $5/acre payment regardless of the yield outcome. If a yield drop occurs after lowering nitrogen, participants will receive a $30/acre payment.
“Nitrogen is a vital crop nutrient, but excess can leach into waterways when it’s overused – potentially harming wildlife, people and aquatic ecosystems,” says Chelsea.

By making it less financially risky for farmers, the program lets farmers experiment with lower nitrogen rates while helping them save money and increase their farm’s resilience.
To be eligible, farmers must:
    Raise corn in 2026
    Be willing to reduce nitrogen by approximately 20 pounds per acre
    Manage corn conventionally; certified organic acres are not eligible
    Farm in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska or southeastern South Dakota

Both farmers who are new to saving on inputs and farmers who’ve reduced nitrogen rates in recent years are eligible.

Enrollment is now open and will close April 30, 2026. Full details and the application form are available at practicalfarmers.org/n-rate-risk-protection-program.

For questions, to check eligibility or for help getting signed up, contact Chelsea Ferrie at (515) 232-5661 ext. 1040 or farmadmin@practicalfarmers.org.



Finalists for Iowa's Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin Contest Revealed
    
Iowa’s beloved Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich is back in the spotlight as the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) narrows its annual competition from 40 contenders to just five finalists. These restaurants now stand among the best of the best, vying for the coveted title of Iowa’s Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin.

2025 Finalists (alphabetical order)
    The 1854 – Gilbertville
    Dexfield Diner & Pub - Redfield
    Hometown Heroes – Grinnell
    Sugar’s Lounge & Diner – Council Bluffs
    Walker’s – Salix 

How the Contest Works
The public nominates eligible restaurants. To qualify, restaurants must serve hand-breaded or hand-battered pork tenderloins year-round. Seasonal stands, caterers, and food trucks are not eligible.

From the 40 top-nominated restaurants across IPPA’s eight districts, mystery diners evaluated sandwiches based on pork taste and quality, physical characteristics, presentation, and experience. IPPA’s Restaurant and Foodservice Committee then selected five finalists.

“Our judging process includes a point system with 100 points possible. The area of pork taste and quality is worth 50% of the total where judges are evaluating flavor, freshness, tenderness, moisture and a balance of seasoning,” says Kelsey Sutter of IPPA. “But the first rule I was taught when I took over this contest 14 years ago was there’s no such thing as a 100-point tenderloin!”

Now, a panel of three judges will visit each finalist to determine the first and second place winners. The panel is comprised of a retired chef, a longtime representative of Iowa’s pork industry, and a travel food blogger. 

What’s at Stake
    Winner: $500, a plaque, a banner, statewide publicity, and perhaps most importantly: bragging rights that often send tenderloin sales soaring.
    Runner-up: $250 and a plaque.
    Others in top five: Commemorative plaque.
    Nominators of winning restaurant: Entered into a random drawing for $100. 

The champions will be announced in mid-October, during Porktober—National Pork Month—celebrating all things pork in Iowa.

Past Winners
    2024 – Dairy Sweet, Dunlap
    2023 – Cliff’s Place, Manning
    2022 – Lid’s Bar & Grill, Waukon
    2021 – Victoria Station, Harlan (closed)
    2020 – PrairieMoon On Main, Prairieburg
    2019 – The Pub at the Pinicon, New Hampton

See the full list of past winners since the contest began in 2003 at iowapork.org.



RFA Elects FY 2026 Board and Leadership at Annual Meeting

The Renewable Fuels Association elected officers and its board of directors for the 2026 fiscal year today at its annual membership meeting in Omaha, Neb. Derek Peine, CEO of Western Plains Energy in Oakley, Kan., was elected chairman.

Peine has spent the last 25 years working in production, technical, and management roles within the agricultural processing and renewable fuels sectors. He also serves on the board of directors for the Renew Kansas biofuels association and the Collaborative Sorghum Marketing Transformation Program. 

"I'm honored to serve as chairman of the Renewable Fuels Association and grateful for the trust our members have placed in me," Peine said. "Over the years, we've weathered headwinds, but we've never lost sight of our mission. By staying focused on sound strategy, innovation, and partnerships, we're delivering real results: affordable fuel choices for drivers, stronger rural economies, and a more secure domestic energy supply. Our work, however, is far from done. Continued progress will require genuine collaboration—not only within our own ranks, but with partners in agriculture, petroleum, environmental organizations, and policymakers. I'm excited to work alongside our members and stakeholders to expand biofuels' role in driving economic growth, supporting rural communities, and strengthening America's energy independence. Together, we'll build on the progress we've made to capture the opportunities ahead."

RFA’s board also elected Thomas Harwood, CEO of Al-Corn Clean Fuel in Claremont, Minn., as vice chairman.

“Derek Peine has proven himself as a thoughtful, strategic leader at both the state and national level, and we’re excited to now have him at the helm of the Renewable Fuels Association as board chairman,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “We’re also pleased to welcome Thomas Harwood as our new vice chairman. There is much work to be done in the months ahead, as the industry continues to advocate for year-round E15, defend the RFS, and push to expand markets for ethanol and other bioproducts around the world. We know these two leaders are certainly up to the task and will help our members continue to succeed and prosper.”

Elected to continue in their RFA board leadership roles are Tim Winters, president and CEO of Western New York Energy, as board secretary, and David Zimmerman, CEO of Big River Resources, as board treasurer.

Elected to leadership of the Renewable Fuels Foundation for 2026 were Chairman Neal Kemmet, Ace Ethanol; Vice Chairman Eric Baukol, Redfield Energy; and Treasurer Wayne Garrett, Chief Ethanol Fuels. The foundation is dedicated to meeting the education, research and strategic planning needs of the U.S. fuel ethanol industry.



Zoetis Receives Conditional Approval for Dectomax®-CA1 Injectable for the Prevention and Treatment of New World Screwworm Myiasis in Cattle

Zoetis announced today that Dectomax®-CA1 Injectable is the first and only parasite control product to receive conditional approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the prevention and treatment of infestations caused by larvae of Cochliomyia hominivorax (myiasis), and prevention of reinfestation for 21 days. This conditional approval applies to beef cattle, female dairy cattle less than 20 months of age, pregnant beef cows, newborn calves and bulls.

In the first half of 2026, producers and veterinarians will begin to see the 250-milliliter and 500-milliliter bottles of Dectomax® Injectable with a new label for Dectomax®-CA1 (doramectin injection). Dectomax-CA1 is the same effective doramectin formulation as Dectomax Injectable.

Zoetis is committed to supporting livestock producers with scientific solutions for this economically devastating pest. New World screwworm poses a continuing threat to livestock health, and the financial impacts of the disease to the U.S. agricultural economy are estimated in the billions of dollars.

“New World screwworm has the potential to bring unprecedented economic and animal health harm to livestock producers,” said Mike Lormore, DVM, MS, MBA, Director of Cattle and Pork Technical Services at Zoetis. “Our top priority is to support keeping animals healthy and provide timely, efficacious solutions to our customers and partners. With this conditional approval, Dectomax-CA1 Injectable can now be used as part of safe, effective control measures against New World screwworm.”

Livestock producers are encouraged to work closely with their herd veterinarian to implement strategic prevention and control measures.

Early detection of New World screwworm and rapid response are critical to protecting the health of animals and the livestock industry. Producers are encouraged to immediately report any suspicious wounds, maggots, or infestations to their local accredited veterinarian, state animal health official or the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. USDA APHIS animal health contacts can be found at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/contact/animal-health.

For more information on the New World screwworm and the conditional approval for Dectomax-CA1 Injectable, visit zoetisus.com/NewWorldscrewworm

Dectomax-CA1 is conditionally approved by FDA pending a full demonstration of effectiveness under NADA 141-616.

Dectomax and Dectomax-CA1 Injectable for use in cattle have a 35-day pre-slaughter withdrawal period. Do not use in female dairy cattle 20 months of age or older. Do not use in calves to be processed for veal. Use of Dectomax or Dectomax-CA1 in dogs may result in fatalities. Consult your veterinarian for assistance in the diagnosis, treatment, and control of parasitism.