Tuesday April 21 Ag News - Weekly Crop Progress Report - Wildfires and tax issues - UNL Appoints Ag Research Div Interim Dean - Dairy Markets Update - Pioneer Celebrates 100 Years - and more!

Nebraska: Planting Begins, Moisture Remains Tight

Planting activity across Nebraska continues to build, but the latest USDA Crop Progress report shows that persistent dryness across the Great Plains remains the dominant storyline, even as spring fieldwork accelerates.

Corn planting in Nebraska reached 8 percent complete by April 19, slightly ahead of the five‑year average. Soybean planting remains very early at 2 percent, consistent with normal seasonal timing. Producers logged 6.1 days suitable for fieldwork, allowing for early planting and field preparation.

Despite favorable field access, moisture remains a critical concern. Nebraska topsoil moisture is rated 82 percent short to very short, with subsoil moisture just as limited. Those conditions heighten concerns for crop emergence and pasture development if dry weather continues.



Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report

There were 2.7 days suitable for fieldwork during the week, 2.8 days less than last year. Topsoil moisture condition rated 2 percent very short, 8 percent short, 72 percent adequate and 18 percent surplus. Corn planting in Iowa reached 2 percent complete, which is 14 percentage points behind last year when 16 percent had been planted. Soybean planting reached 1 percent, which is 9 percentage points behind 2025 when 10 percent of the crop had been planted. Oats seeding reached 51 percent complete, 14 percentage points behind last year.



USDA Weekly Crop Progress Report

The winter wheat crop's good-to-excellent condition rating continued to decline last week, falling 4 percentage points nationwide amid building drought, limited rainfall, frosts and freezes, according to USDA NASS's weekly Crop Progress report released on Monday.

CORN
-- Planting progress: 11% of corn was planted nationwide as of Sunday, equal to last year and ahead of the five-year average of 9%. 
-- Crop development: 4% of corn had emerged as of Sunday, 2 points ahead of last year and the five-year average of 2%.

SOYBEANS
-- Planting progress: An estimated 12% of intended soybean acreage was planted as of Sunday, 5 points ahead of last year at this time and 7 points ahead of the five-year average of 7%. 

WINTER WHEAT
-- Crop condition: An estimated 33% of winter wheat was rated poor to very poor as of April 19, up 12 percentage points from 21% a year ago, according to NASS.
-- Crop development: 20% of winter wheat was headed nationwide as of Sunday. That's 6 percentage points ahead of last year's 14% and 8 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 12%. 

SPRING WHEAT
-- Planting progress: 12% of the crop was planted nationwide as of April 19, 4 percentage points behind last year's pace of 16% but equal to the five-year average. 
-- Crop development: 2% of spring wheat was emerged as of Sunday, equal to last year and the five-year average.




Webinar to help producers navigate tax issues after wildfire livestock sales

Wildfires and other disasters can force agricultural producers to sell livestock earlier or in greater numbers than planned. These decisions can create unexpected tax consequences, which will be explained in an upcoming webinar from the Center for Agricultural Profitability at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

“After the Fire: Tax Considerations and Planning for Livestock Sales” will be held at noon Central Time on April 29. It will be presented by Tina Barrett, executive director and farm financial consultant with Nebraska Farm Business, Inc., which provides financial and management assistance to agricultural producers across the state. 

Barrett will cover what qualifies as a weather-related sale and why that distinction matters for taxes, and walk through practical options that may help manage tax impact when herds are reduced. The webinar will also highlight key decisions to consider with advisors, including the timing of sales, maintaining good records and planning for recovery. 

The webinar is free, and registration is available on the Center for Agricultural Profitability’s website https://cap.unl.edu/webinars. 



Awada to serve as interim dean and director of the Agricultural Research Division

Tala Awada has been named interim dean and director of the Agricultural Research Division at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Her appointment will begin July 1.

Since 2015, Awada has served as associate ARD dean and director. In this role, she has helped guide the research enterprise across UNL’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, overseeing areas such as research administration, faculty development, and strategic initiatives that support sustainable and resilient food systems. She co-leads major research efforts, including Nebraska’s Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) Network site and Partnership on Data Innovation (PDI) with U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (ARS), and the Food, Agriculture and Environment Security with the National Strategic Research Institute (NSRI), while advancing global collaborations and initiatives in areas like regenerative bioeconomy, grasslands ecology and plant phenomics.

Awada joined the UNL faculty in 1999 as plant ecophysiologist and has since held roles as associate director of the School of Natural Resources and interim director of the School of Natural Resources, where she also is a professor.

“I’m thrilled that Tala Awada will serve as interim dean and director of the Agricultural Research Division at UNL,” said the Tiffany Heng-Moss, NU Vice President and Harlan Vice Chancellor for UNL’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. 

“Dr. Awada has been instrumental in shaping the strength and direction of our research enterprise, and her leadership as interim dean and director will ensure continued momentum across the Agricultural Research Division.”

Her selection followed a process that sought feedback from leaders, faculty, and staff across IANR and ARD, as well as UNL partners.

“I am honored to continue to work with the talented scientists from across the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources as interim dean and director of the Agricultural Research Division,” said Awada. “Our faculty, students and staff are making an important difference in areas such as digital and precision agriculture, AI, the bioeconomy, food for health, livestock and cropping systems, plant science innovation, nutrition, early childhood development, and stewardship of our natural resources. I also look forward to fostering innovation and empowering our teams to pursue bold, collaborative solutions, while advancing partnerships and strengthening connections across the state and beyond.”

Dr. Awada earned her doctoral degree in plant sciences from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada; a master’s degree in environmental and renewable resources from the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania, Greece; and a bachelor’s degree in agricultural engineering from the Lebanese University.

Awada will succeed Derek McLean, who last month was announced as the dean of the Quinney College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Utah State University. He has served as ARD dean and director since 2023.



Coalition Comments on Revised Conservation Practice Standards
 
The National Pork Producers Council-founded Agricultural Nutrient Policy Council, a coalition of more than 50 state and national agribusinesses and agricultural associations, submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service on redlined revisions to 60 of the agencies conservation practice standards. The standards are technical guidelines used to plan, implement, and evaluate conservation practices that protect soil, water, air, plants, animals, and energy resources. NRCS intends to update and revise each of its conservation practice standards over the next two years. 
 
NPPC has previously pressed NRCS to allow more—and earlier—stakeholder engagement after former NRCS staff led draft proposals to impose hundreds of thousands of dollars of capital costs on individual pig farming families. Those proposed revisions have now been withdrawn, and with the agencies, other practice standards are being released for stakeholder review and public comment. The recent revisions seek to ensure USDA conservation standards remain practical and achievable for farms and agribusinesses.
 
The coalition commented on 35 specific practices – there are 169 – including ones related to composting, irrigation water management, energy efficiency, pest management, and lagoons. On waste treatment lagoons, for example, the coalition wants the definition and explanatory language revised to clearly distinguish treatment lagoons from waste storage facilities. The previously proposed standard, to require impermeable covers over all lagoons and waste storage faciliites has been removed after U.S. pig farmers raised objections last year.
 
The comments also urged NRCS to evaluate ways to increase flexibility of the standards while ensuring natural resource benefits. More flexibility, the coalition said, “will allow for site-specific conservation planning, additional farmer and rancher innovation, and economic feasibility at the farm gate.”
 
Although it welcomed improvements clarifying the intent and function of conservation practices and preserving professional engineering and technical judgment in design criteria for conservation projects, ANPC cautioned NRCS to “avoid expanding unnecessarily prescriptive design requirements.” It also encouraged the agency to differentiate between mandatory practice criteria and programmatic, regulatory, or guidance-level provisions.
 
The NRCS conservation practice standards provide science-based guidance for managing natural resources on agricultural, forest, and other lands. The agency makes periodic revisions to the standards to reflect new research, technology, and environmental priorities.



Global Dairy Trade Signals Market Softening in April 14th Auction
Fred Hall, ISU Extension Dairy Field Specialist

The latest Global Dairy Trade (GDT) results, reflecting market conditions leading into April 14, show a notable shift in global dairy markets, with prices moving lower after earlier strength this year.

The GDT Price Index declined approximately 3.4 percent in the most recent trading session, marking the first significant downturn after several months of gains. The weighted average price fell to USD $4,228 per metric ton, with total volumes traded reaching 16,497 tons, continuing a multi‑month trend of reduced supply offerings.

The market weakness was most pronounced in butterfat markets. Butter prices dropped about 8.1 percent to roughly $6,181 per metric ton, while anhydrous milk fat fell 7.1 percent. Cheese markets also softened, with cheddar prices declining 3.1 percent and mozzarella down more than 6 percent.

Milk powder markets showed more resilience but still posted modest declines. Skim milk powder prices slipped 1.6 percent to around $3,381 per metric ton, while whole milk powder—typically a key global benchmark—declined just 0.7 percent to approximately $3,687 per metric ton.

Despite the downward movement in most categories, broader dairy market fundamentals remain mixed. USDA's April dairy outlook projects higher U.S. milk production for 2026, supported by a larger national herd. However, domestic use is expected to soften due to higher wholesale prices for key commodities such as Cheddar and nonfat dry milk.

Industry analysts point to shifting supply-demand dynamics, including improved milk production in key exporting regions and evolving international trade conditions, as contributors to the softer tone. The decline also highlights ongoing volatility in global dairy markets, where price direction can change quickly in response to supply flows and buyer activity.

While this latest result introduces caution into the market outlook, prices remain above levels seen in parts of 2025, suggesting the broader dairy sector continues to operate on a relatively solid footing.

The next GDT trading event is scheduled for April 21, where global buyers and sellers will look for signs of stabilization or further price adjustments as the dairy sector navigates shifting economic conditions.

For U.S. dairy producers, this mid-April Global Dairy Trade downturn is less of a crisis signal and more of a "momentum check"—but it still carries some real implications for milk checks and market strategy.

First, it likely puts near-term pressure on prices.

Global markets help set the tone for U.S. exports, especially for products like butterfat, cheese, and powders. The sharp drop in butter and anhydrous milk fat is the biggest red flag. The U.S. has been competitive in butterfat exports at times, so weaker global prices can translate into softer domestic butter values—and that can drag down the butterfat component of milk pricing.

Second, export competitiveness may improve—but with a catch.

Lower global prices can make U.S. products look relatively more expensive in the short run. That could slow export momentum, particularly for cheese and powders. However, if U.S. prices also decline, it could eventually restore competitiveness and support exports later this spring or summer.

Third, milk powder's resilience acts as a stabilizer.

Skim milk powder (SMP) and whole milk powder (WMP) only posted modest declines. That's important because powders are a major outlet for U.S. milk solids. This suggests global demand hasn't disappeared; it's just cooling. That should help prevent a more severe drop in Class IV milk prices.

Fourth, this reinforces volatility—not a trend reversal (yet).

Prices are still stronger than parts of 2025, so margins aren't collapsing. This signals that the market may be entering a choppier phase. Producers should expect more swings rather than a steady upward climb.

Bottom line:
    Short-term: Mild downside pressure on milk prices, especially butterfat.
    Medium-term: Watch exports—key to price recovery.
    Strategy: Risk management tools (such as DRP or forward contracting) become increasingly important in this environment. 

If the next GDT event shows another decline, that's when this shifts from a "pause" to a more meaningful bearish trend.



USDA Seeks Nominees for the National Sheep Industry Improvement Center
 
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is seeking nominees for two producer positions and one expert in marketing to serve three-year terms on the National Sheep Industry Improvement Center Board of Directors. Nominations are due June 29, 2026.

USDA selects appointees from candidates nominated by Certified Nominating Organizations (CNO). A CNO is any certified national organization with a principal interest in the production of sheep in the United States and whose membership consists primarily of active domestic sheep producers.

The center’s board of directors is comprised of seven voting members and two non-voting members. Voting members include four active U.S. sheep producers, two members with expertise in finance and management and one member with expertise in lamb or wool product marketing. Non-voting members include USDA’s Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs and Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics.

The Sheep Industry Improvement Center was established as part of the 2008 Farm Bill and administers a grant program designed to improve the competitiveness of the U.S. sheep industry by strengthening and enhancing the production and marketing of sheep and sheep products.

Throughout the full nomination process, the industry must conduct extensive outreach, to attract nominees that reflect the uniqueness of the industry in terms of experience, methods of production and distribution, marketing strategies, and other distinguishing factors, that will bring different perspectives and ideas to the center.

For more information, contact Barbara Josselyn at 202-713-6918 or Barbara.Josselyn@usda.gov.



Ongoing Monitoring and Pencil Sharpening are Warranted
Glynn T. Tonsor, Ph.D., Department of Agricultural Economics, Kansas State University

As 2026 continues to progress, it is useful to pause and assess margins in the beef-cattle industry. Recently, the KSU Cattle Feeding Returns estimates were updated https://agmanager.info/livestock-meat/cattle-finishing-historical-and-projected-returns, providing the latest insight into margin patterns in the feedlot sector.

One key point to highlight upfront is that the vertical axis on all eight regularly published figures has had to be re-specified (widened) multiple times over the past two years. That is, the underlying cattle prices, implied breakeven values, and margin estimates have increased notably and would be “off the charts” if the formatting of said charts were not adjusted.

As of April 16th, projected margins remain historically strong through September. That is, market-ready fed steers and heifers slated to leave KS feedlots by September are projected currently to sell at sufficiently high prices, relative to costs of gain and earlier purchase of feeder cattle, that per head margins may continue at $500 or higher levels. This, of course, is a projection, and readers here understand there are no dull days here in 2026. One is only a surprise announcement or development away from an adjustment that could notably alter how these projections align with realized outcomes.

While the above, on balance, is a favorable summary of feedlot margins, some reminders and caveats are warranted. First, this series presumes an all-cash, no price risk management approach, leading to both projected highs and projected lows exceeding what is realized by parties regularly implementing price-mitigation strategies. Second, any producer selling cattle using mechanisms that generate additional price premiums should keep both that higher revenue and any associated higher production costs in mind when translating this barometer of sector patterns to their situation. Finally, this series is built on a per-head, easy-to-follow framework that effectively ignores the realities of operating feedlots at partial or below full capacity. This point is particularly important as operations with empty pens would have net business margins that, once put on a per-head basis, are below what this series portrays.

Ultimately, as 2026 continues, a key suggestion for feedlot operations is to “continue sharpening the pencil.” While there are multiple sources of positive margin support for the sector in recent years and early in 2026, how this aligns with each specific operation varies, and hopefully, resources such as the KSU Cattle Feeding Returns barometer motivate ongoing assessment, reflection, and ultimately improved management.



Pioneer Celebrates a Century of Innovation, Delivering for Farmers

Pioneer®, the flagship seed brand of Corteva, commemorated 100 years of innovation and global agricultural leadership yesterday at an event at the Corteva Global Seed Business Center in Johnston, Iowa.

Founded a century ago by former U.S. Vice President Henry A. Wallace, Pioneer was the first to produce hybrid corn at scale – a groundbreaking innovation that contributed to average corn yields in the U.S. increasing by nearly 600%, revolutionizing American agriculture and the American farm economy. That tradition continues: today, Pioneer is the No. 1 corn and soybean brand in the U.S. by market share and has world-record-breaking yield performance in corn, soybeans and dryland sorghum.

“Farming is the beating heart of this country, and we could not be prouder to have worked alongside farmers for the past century to feed and fuel it,” said Executive Vice President, Seed Business, Judd O’Connor. “Innovation has always been part of the story of agriculture – from hybrid corn in 1926 to new hybrid wheat technology today – and Pioneer, as its name suggests, has always been at the leading edge of innovation. And with tools like gene editing on the horizon, we know that after the remarkable past century, Pioneer is only just getting started.”

Pioneer has led the industry for a century:
    First company to commercialize hybrid corn at scale. 
    Home to one of the largest and deepest corn germplasm collections in the world today. 
    Seed sold today in more than 70 countries, serving millions of farmers around the world.  
    World-record setting corn hybrid, producing 623.84 bu/A (2023).1
    World-record setting soybean variety, producing 218.2856 bu/A (2024).2 
    Top-yielding dryland sorghum variety, producing 245.86 bu/A (2020).3

As part of the 100-year celebration, David Wallace Douglas, grandson of Henry A. Wallace, donated $100,000 to fund more than 100,000 meals packed by Corteva employees to benefit the Food Bank of Iowa and food pantries across the state of Indiana. Over the last 30 years, Pioneer and Corteva have invested nearly $2,000,000 in local organizations.

To learn more about the Pioneer 100-year anniversary, visit pioneer.com/100.