Tuesday August 18 Ag News - Weekly Crop Progress Reports - NE & IA Crop Production Estimates - NE Corn Board Welcomes Two New Directors - IDALS at Iowa State Fair - Beef Packing Business Changes - and more!

Nebraska Crop Progress & Condition

Corn and soybean crops continued advancing through late-season development last week, with 27% of corn dented and 87% of soybeans setting pods. Meanwhile, dry conditions continued to take a toll on Nebraska’s pasture and range, with 73% rated poor or very poor, according to Monday's USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service report.

For the week ending Aug. 16, there were 4.9 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 22% very short, 27% short, 49% adequate and 2% surplus, while subsoil moisture rated 28% very short, 34% short, 37% adequate and 1% surplus.

Field Crops Report:

Corn
    Silking: 96% — equal to 96% last year and behind 98% for the five-year average.
    Dough: 71% — ahead of 69% last year but behind 73% for the five-year average.
    Dented: 27% — ahead of 26% last year and equal to 27% for the five-year average.
    Mature: 2% — ahead of 0% last year and 1% for the five-year average.
    Condition: 5% very poor, 11% poor, 25% fair, 43% good, 16% excellent.

Soybean
    Blooming: 95% — ahead of 93% last year but behind 97% for the five-year average.
    Setting Pods: 87% — ahead of 79% last year and 85% for the five-year average.
    Condition: 2% very poor, 8% poor, 27% fair, 50% good, 13% excellent.

Sorghum
    Headed: 74% — behind 76% last year and 81% for the five-year average.
    Coloring: 20% — behind 25% last year but slightly ahead of 19% for the five-year average.
    Condition: 7% very poor, 17% poor, 32% fair, 39% good, 5% excellent.

Winter Wheat
    Harvest: 99% — ahead of 98% last year and equal to 99% for the five-year average.

Oats
    Harvested: 92% — equal to 92% last year but behind 94% for the five-year average.
    Condition: 14% very poor, 41% poor, 33% fair, 11% good, 1% excellent.

Pasture and Range
    Condition: 43% very poor, 30% poor, 19% fair, 8% good, 0% excellent.



Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report

There were 3.3 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending Aug. 16, 2026. This is 1.8 days less than last year, when there were 5.1 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture condition rated 4 percent very short, 15 percent short, 64 percent adequate, and 17 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 5 percent very short, 21 percent short, 63 percent adequate, and 11 percent surplus. 

Corn silking reached 99 percent, which is 1 percentage point ahead of last year. Eighty-three percent of Iowa’s corn crop has reached the dough stage, which is 6 percentage points ahead of last year. Twenty-six percent of corn reached the dent stage, which is 1 percentage point ahead of last year. Corn condition rated 78 percent good to excellent. 

Soybeans blooming reached 96 percent, which is on par with last year. Eighty-two percent of soybeans are setting pods, which is the same as last year. Soybean condition rated 78 percent good to excellent. 

Ninety-six percent of oats have been harvested, which is 6 percentage points ahead of last year. 

Pasture condition rated 67 percent good to excellent.



USDA Weekly Crop Progress Report

Corn and soybean good-to-excellent ratings both declined last week, according to USDA NASS's weekly Crop Progress report released Monday.

NASS also reported that just 4% of winter wheat was left to harvest, while the spring wheat harvest was running 8 percentage points ahead of last year's pace.

CORN
-- Crop development: Corn silking was pegged at 97%, steady with last year and the five-year average. Corn in the dough stage was estimated at 76%, 6 percentage points ahead of both last year and the five-year average of 70%. Corn dented was estimated at 29%, 4 percentage points ahead of last year's 25% and 5 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 24%. Corn mature was pegged at 4%, 1 percentage point ahead of both last year and the five-year average of 3%.
-- Crop condition: NASS estimated that 60% of the crop was in good-to-excellent condition, down 1 percentage point from the previous week of 61% and 11 percentage points below last year's 71%. Fifteen percent of the crop was rated very poor to poor, 1 percentage point above the previous week's 14% and 7 percentage points above the previous year's 8%. 

SOYBEANS
-- Crop development: Soybeans blooming was pegged at 96%, 2 percentage points ahead of last year and the five-year average of 94%. Soybeans setting pods were estimated at 85%, 5 percentage points ahead of both last year and the five-year average of 80%.
-- Crop condition: NASS estimated that 61% of soybeans that had emerged were in good-to-excellent condition, 1 percentage point below the previous week's 62% and 7 percentage points below the previous year's 68%. 

WINTER WHEAT
-- Harvest progress: Harvest moved ahead 5 percentage points last week to reach 96% complete nationwide as of Sunday. That was 3 percentage points ahead of last year's 93% and 2 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 94%. 

SPRING WHEAT
-- Harvest progress: Spring wheat harvest jumped ahead 17 percentage points last week to reach 41% complete as of Sunday. That was 8 percentage points ahead of last year's pace of 33% and 7 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 34%.
-- Crop condition: NASS estimated that 52% of the crop was in good-to-excellent condition nationwide, up 1 percentage point from the previous week's 51%. 



Nebraska Crop Production Report for August 2026

Based on Aug. 1 conditions, Nebraska's 2026 corn production is forecast at 1.77 billion bushels, down 13% from last year's production, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Acreage harvested for grain is estimated at 9.70 million acres, down 8% from a year ago. Average yield is forecast at 183 bushels per acre, down 11 bushels from last year.

Soybean production in Nebraska is forecast at 302 million bushels, down 3.9% from last year. Area for harvest, at 5.29 million acres, is up 10% from 2025. Yield is forecast at 57 bushels per acre, down 8 bushels from last year. 

Nebraska's 2026 winter wheat crop is forecast at 17.6 million bushels, down 54% from last year. Harvested area for grain, at 585,000 acres, is down 27% from last year. Average yield is forecast at 29 bushels per acre, down 18 bushels per acre from 2025.

Alfalfa hay production is forecast at 2.85 million tons, down 11% from last year. Expected yield, at 3.50 tons per acre, is down 0.20 ton from last year. All other hay production is forecast at 2.24 million tons, down 5% from last year. Forecasted yield, at 1.60 tons per acre, is down 0.05 tons from last year. 

Sorghum production of 14.4 million bushels, is down 20% from a year ago. Area for grain harvest, at 175,000 acres, is down 15% from last year. Yield is forecast at 82 bushels per acre, down 5 bushels from last year.

Oat production is forecast at 1.07 million bushels, up 7% from last year. Harvested area for grain, at 29,000 acres, is up 9,000 acres from last year — a 45% increase. Yield is forecast at 37 bushels per acre, down 13 bushels from 2025.

Dry edible bean production is forecast at 1.90 million cwt, down 24% from last year. Area for harvest, at 76,000 acres, is down 23,100 acres from last year. The average yield is forecast at 2,500 pounds per acre, down 20 pounds from last year. 

Sugarbeet production is forecast at 1.03 million tons, down 24% from 2025. Area for harvest, at 34,300 acres, is down 11,500 acres from last year. Yield is estimated at 30.2 tons per acre, up 0.5 tons from a year ago.



Iowa Crop Production Estimates

On Aug. 12, USDA published the 2026 Crop Production report, detailing its forecast Iowa's major commodity crops this season.

Corn
According to the report, Iowa farmers are expected to harvest 2.76 billion bushels of corn across 12.8 million acres of crop ground. In 2025, 2.77 billion bushels of the crop were produced across 13.2 million acres.

USDA is forecasting a 2026 average yield of 216 bushes per acre in Iowa. This is up from the 2025 season when the state’s average yield was 210 bushels per acre. 

Soybeans
According to last week's USDA report, farmers in Iowa are expected to harvest 603.26 million bushels of soybeans this year across 9.73 million acres of crop ground. This is up from 2025, when the department said Iowa farmers harvested 595.63 million bushels of the crop across 9.38 million acres.

USDA forecasts a 2026 average yield of 62 bushels per acre in Iowa, more than 9 bpa higher than the forecasted national average yield.  In 2025, Iowa’s average soybean yield was 63.5 bpa, according to USDA. 



Two New Directors Begin Terms on the Nebraska Corn Board, One Director Reappointed

Gov. Jim Pillen recently appointed Michael Bergen to serve as the District 3 director of the Nebraska Corn Board (NCB), which represents Hamilton, Merrick, Polk and York counties. Bergen, from Aurora, is replacing Brandon Hunnicutt, from Giltner, who has served on the board since 2014 and chose not to seek reappointment.

Austin Kniss, a farmer from Minatare was elected as the at-large director for the Nebraska Corn Board. Kniss will represent the entire state as he serves in the at-large position. Kniss is replacing Jay Reiners, from Juniata, who has served as the at-large director since 2017 and chose not to seek re-election.

Bergen is a first-generation farmer who farms in Hamilton County. He attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, earning a degree in diversified agricultural studies. He purchased his farm in 2007, and now, he raises corn and soybeans on irrigated acres. Bergen is married to Kelsey, and they have twin sons, Jax and Jase.

Bergen has served as president of Hamilton County Corn Growers and on the Nebraska Corn Growers Association Board of Directors and the National Corn Growers Association Biofuels Action Team. He also serves on the Henderson Rural Fire Board and previously spent seven years on the Central Valley Ag Cooperative board. Bergen has a passion for agriculture and the corn industry, with the desire to ensure corn farmers’ investment is wisely spent on research, new uses and market development, keeping Nebraska corn farmers competitive in both domestic and international markets.

Kniss, representing the at-large seat from Minatare, has a deep agricultural heritage. His family’s farming roots date back four generations, beginning with their farming activities in Russia and Germany before they immigrated to the United States. Kniss has farmed for 10 years, raising corn, sugar beets, dry edible beans and irrigated wheat. He studied diesel mechanics and business management at WyoTech.

Kniss currently serves as treasurer of the Nebraska Corn Growers Association Panhandle local chapter. His additional leadership experience includes serving as a board member of the Nebraska Sugarbeet Growers Association. Locally, he serves as a deacon on his church council. Kniss is married to Sara, and they have three children: Easton, Eli and Emmitt. He is involved in NCB because he sees the many challenges facing farming today, from economic pressures to regulations and public misconceptions, and he wants to help solve those challenges and advocate for Nebraska farmers.

“On behalf of the Nebraska Corn Board, I'm excited to welcome Michael Bergen and Austin Kniss to our board," said Kelly Brunkhorst, executive director of NCB. "Both bring strong farming backgrounds and a genuine commitment to Nebraska agriculture, and I know their perspectives will strengthen the work we do on behalf of the state's corn growers. I'd also like to recognize Jay Reiners and Brandon Hunnicutt for their dedicated leadership on the board. Their contributions have helped shape NCB's direction, and we're grateful for the time and expertise they've invested in advancing Nebraska's corn industry.”

Bergen’s position is effective immediately following his appointment by Gov. Pillen. Kniss’s election was effective July 1. Additionally, Matt Sullivan of Superior was reappointed to serve as District 2 director.

The full board comprises nine corn farmers from across the state. Eight members represent specific Nebraska districts and are appointed by the Governor of Nebraska. The Board elects a ninth at-large member. Board members serve three-year terms with the possibility of being reappointed or reelected. 



ISU: New Resource to Navigate the Economics of Biorenewable Feedstocks

As global demand for bio-based products continues to rise, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach’s Ag Decision Maker has released a new resource to help Iowa producers evaluate their role in this emerging market. The publication, “The Cost of Producing Herbaceous Feedstocks for Biomass and Biorenewable Products,” along with its accompanying digital decision tool, provides a detailed economic framework for the production and delivery of biomass.

While materials such as corn stover have traditional uses in livestock bedding, new markets are focusing on advanced applications, including anaerobic digestion for renewable natural gas, pyrolysis for bio-oil and biochar and fermentation for sustainable aviation fuel. To help farmers navigate these opportunities, the new resource focuses on three primary feedstocks: corn stover, winter cereal rye (ryelage) and prairie plantings.

“Experts from agronomic, engineering and natural resources fields across the university collaborated to develop this tool. It provides a way for farmers, project developers and researchers to consider and compare the various elements of cost associated with herbaceous feedstocks,” said Jim Jordahl, regenerative agriculture project analyst with the Bioeconomy Institute at Iowa State. “We assessed corn stover for which cost information is well established, and the more novel herbaceous biomass sources of cereal rye and prairie plantings.”  
 
Decision support tool 
Also available is a customizable spreadsheet that allows users to estimate costs specific to their own operations. The tool divides expenses into two critical categories:
    Farm-Level Production Costs: including seed, fertilizer and the cost of nutrient removal from the soil.
    Harvest and Aggregation Costs: covering mowing, baling and the transport of material to a bioprocessing facility.

Producers can use “Suggested Values” or enter their own data to calculate a total cost per dry ton. The tool also provides estimated energy content for each feedstock if processed in an anaerobic digester, allowing for a direct comparison of their potential value in energy markets.

Strategic land use and sustainability 
The publication also highlights the environmental benefits of these crops. For example, strategically placing prairie plantings on consistently low-yielding areas of a field can significantly reduce erosion and nutrient transport while providing wildlife habitat. The tool helps farmers see the financial side of converting marginal land into a productive source of biomass.

The full resource and decision tool are available through Iowa State’s Ag Decision Maker website.  Here's the direct link to the publication... https://www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/crops/html/a1-88.html.   



IDALS Iowa State Fair Ceremonies

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will host three award ceremonies this week celebrating Iowa agriculture as part of the 2026 Iowa State Fair and Iowa’s America250 commemoration. The ceremonies will recognize Iowa students, conservation leaders and multi-generational farm families while highlighting agriculture’s enduring role in our state and nation’s history, strength and prosperity.

Each of the three ceremonies is open to the public.

Choose Iowa Coloring Calendar Recognition Ceremony
When: Tuesday, Aug. 18 at 10:00 a.m.
Where: Agriculture Building, Iowa State Fair
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig will recognize 17 K-12 students from around the state whose artwork was selected for the special-edition 2026-2027 Choose Iowa Coloring Calendar. Choose Iowa is the state’s signature brand for Iowa grown, Iowa made and Iowa raised food, beverages and agricultural products. As part of Iowa’s America250 celebration, this year’s contest invited students to combine Iowa agriculture with patriotic themes and symbols reflecting American pride. A full press release listing the featured artists will be sent. Free special-edition Choose Iowa Coloring Calendars will be available for fairgoers at the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s booth in the Agriculture Building while supplies last. Photos of the students in attendance with Secretary Naig will be available within one month of the conclusion of the fair on the Department’s Flickr page.

Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Awards Ceremony
When: Wednesday, Aug. 19 at 10:30 a.m.
Where: Oman Family Youth Inn, Iowa State Fair
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Iowa Lt. Gov. Chris Cournoyer, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig and Iowa Department of Natural Resources Director Kayla Lyon will recognize 33 Iowa farm families with the Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award (IFELA). The award recognizes the efforts of Iowa farmers committed to healthy soil and improved water quality while also serving as leaders within their agricultural communities. As part of Iowa’s America250 celebration, honorees will receive a special America250 seal on their certificates and will be recognized in front of an America250 backdrop. A full press release listing the families will be sent. Photos of the families in attendance with the dignitaries will be available within one month of the conclusion of the fair on the Department’s Flickr page.

Iowa Century and Heritage Farm Recognition Ceremony
When: Thursday, Aug. 20 at 9:00 a.m.
Where: Historic Livestock Pavilion, Iowa State Fair
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig and Iowa Farm Bureau Federation President Brent Johnson will recognize 514 Century Farm and Heritage Farm owners whose families have owned their farms for at least 100 or 150 years, respectively. This year carries special significance as America celebrates its 250th birthday and the Century Farm Program marks its 50th anniversary. The program was established in 1976 as part of the nation’s Bicentennial Celebration, while the Heritage Farm Program was created in 2006. This year’s honorees will receive a special America250 seal on their certificates and metal signs and will be recognized in front of a special America250 backdrop. The Century Farm recognition will begin at 9:00 a.m. and proceed in alphabetical order by county. The Heritage Farm recognition will begin after the Century Farm recognition ceremony concludes and proceed in alphabetical order by county. A press release will be sent. Families receiving Century and Heritage Farm recognition will be added to the searchable database on the Department’s website. Photos of the families in attendance with Secretary Naig and Iowa Farm Bureau Federation President Johnson will be available within one month of the conclusion of the fair on the Department’s Flickr page.



USDA Announces $7.5 Million in Grant Funding to Expand Cold Chain Capacity and Increase Access to Real Food

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced $7.5 million in grant funding available through the Cold Chain Grants for Emergency Food Assistance Program (CCG). The Program will fund projects to support cold chain equipment investments that help food assistance entities temporarily store, effectively package, and distribute fresh, frozen, and minimally processed foods.

“The Trump Administration continues to prioritize providing Real Food for Americans. Over the past year and a half, we have worked hard to incentivize healthier options for Americans and today’s announcement is another step in the right direction,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins. “With this funding opportunity we will see more cold storage and infrastructure to store homegrown proteins for all Americans to enjoy as we continue to Make America Healthy Again.”

“Every American deserves access to real, nutritious food,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “This funding will give food banks the infrastructure to deliver more meat, eggs, dairy, produce, and other whole foods from American farmers and ranchers to families in need. Under President Trump’s leadership, we are rebuilding a food system that nourishes American families and strengthens American agriculture.”

Funded non-profit organizations will administer a subaward program to support cold storage within the middle of the supply chain. The selected grant recipient(s) will be responsible for managing and overseeing a competitive subaward program, including providing consultation and subject matter expertise to sub-awardees in support of cold storage in consumer-facing food assistance operations.

CCG recipients will issue subawards to fund cold chain equipment purchases, with the amount awarded being equal to the cost of the equipment and documented delivery, installation and necessary ancillary equipment/supplies, up to $200,000. Sub-awardees will be required to provide a 10% cash cost share contribution.

Projects funded through CCG will result in more Real Foods produced by America’s farmers and ranchers being made available to support healthier families and healthier communities in alignment with the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This program is funded through the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021.

CCG applications must be submitted electronically through www.grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET on October 1st, 2026.



Beef Processing Structural Adjustments Continue
Stephen R. Koontz, Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, Colorado State University

The structural adjustments continue in the beef packing sector. Tyson Foods announced the closure of a slaughter and fabrication plant in Joslin, IL, a case-ready processing plant in Eagle Mountain, UT, and the willingness to sell the slaughter and fabrication plant in Pasco, WA. These are the latest adjustments following the closure of the Lexington, NE, plant and the transition of the Amarillo, TX, plant to single shift. Earlier in the summer, JBS announced the closure of a slaughter and fabrication plant in Souderton, PA, and a small, further-processing facility in Memphis, TN. There is too much packing capacity in the cattle and beef sector for the number of animals that have been available in the past few years – and will likely be available in the next few years. Beef packers have been routinely losing $200-$400 per head on every head slaughtered and fabricated since 2023 – and likely earlier. That’s a lot of money allocated to facilities that are not making any money. This cannot persist, and some facilities will close.

What’s the economics at play here? Why is so much money being lost for so long? Beef packing is a high-fixed-cost business without much flexibility. Labor, supplies, and energy for operations are a minor portion of a plant’s weekly total cost. Most of the cost is for the facility and inputs that cannot be much changed. Even labor is relatively inflexible. Contracts usually guarantee 36 hours per shift per week. If a shift operates, then it does so – and generates costs – through Thursday. Low-cost slaughter and fabrication plants have costs of about $300 per head when operating at 5 days per week capacity. High-cost plants are short of the $500 per head neighborhood. Running the plant at a reduced number of days per week – less than 4 – does not reduce the total costs. These costs are spread over fewer animals.

Why do plants operate at a loss at all? It is economically rational to operate any business – in the short-run – if variable costs are covered. Given that variable costs are such a thin slice of total costs, then plants will operate for long periods at losses. It is only in the long run that fixed costs matter. So how long is the short-run versus the long-run? Good question. Once a plant is built and in operation, then it should be run as long as the perceived total potential discounted future long-run returns are positive. Once a plant is closed, then the lost profits are permanent. So, it depends on what management thinks the outlook is – or investors' and lenders' willingness to fund losses. The money must come from somewhere.

Can flexibility be built into the industry? Yes, through operating smaller plants. But these plants operate nowhere near the efficiencies of large plants. Even plants modestly smaller than the typical large commercial plant have total costs in the $600-$800 per head range. And the small plants that are present in many rural towns with a cattle charge of $1.20 to $1.60 per pound to process animals. The math on a 1000-pound carcass is easy. These economies of size efficiencies are why we have the industry we have – the few very large plants – that is currently in overcapacity with respect to the number of animals.

Are these structural adjustments bearish? Some but not much. Cattle and beef supplies remain tight, and demand remains strong. The beef packing industry remains over – but less so – capacity. As does the cattle feeding industry. Future packer margins have the potential to be less terrible.

Two final comments. First, selling a plant to another firm that operates it as a beef packing plant isn’t a structural adjustment. Neither is closing a further processing plant. If the slaughter plant continues to operate with tight fed cattle supplies just different ownership, then nothing changes from a market economic perspective. Structural adjustment only comes if the plant stops slaughtering fed cattle. Second, running a plant as a single shift requires the total plant costs to be spread over effectively half the number of cattle. Arguably, not a long-term solution.