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There's enough evidence that Syngenta Crop Protection's loyalty program was designed to limit generic competition and to maintain higher prices for herbicide and fungicide products, a federal court in North Carolina ruled. "Whether a jury would agree must remain for trial," the judge said. Environmental Editor @DTNeeley reports 🔗 dtn.link/tdq5d7qm

USDA's national estimated lamb carcass cutout was $761.19/cwt in Tuesday's report, up $0.88 from Monday. On the same date a year ago it was $573.56, so the gross carcass value is $187.63, or 33%, higher than last year.

Kansas hard red winter wheat averaged $5.79/bu at country elevators in USDA's Tuesday cash bids, down $0.09 from Monday and the ninth straight daily decline. That is $0.62 below the Oct 13 average of $6.41. A year ago it was $4.26. hedgerowreport.com

USDA's 5-Area negotiated live steer price averaged $227.06/cwt on 7,135 head in Monday's report, up $2.58 from Oct 19, the previous report with live steer prices. Dressed steers averaged $360.79. A year ago the live price was $237.48.

USDA's afternoon pork cutout was $73.80/cwt Monday, down $0.29 from Friday and $9.17 below the Oct 12 value of $82.97. On Oct 27, 2025 it was $101.08. Bellies fell $2.57 to $79.61, while butts rose $1.72 to $100.84 and ribs $5.78 to $139.49.

USDA Crop Progress, week ending Oct 25: corn was 60% harvested (44% a week earlier, 66% five-year average), soybeans 79% (64%, 77% avg) and cotton 52% (41%, 45% avg). Winter wheat was 76% planted vs. a 77% average. Corn stayed 56% good/excellent.

USDA's National Weekly Rice Summary for the week of Oct 19 quoted milled long-grain white rice at $34.50/cwt in Arkansas, $36.50 in Louisiana and $34.00 in Texas, unchanged from Oct 5. On Sept 21 the quotes were $28.75 to $31.50, $31.50 and $30.00. hedgerowreport.com

Week in review: Iowa country elevator corn bids averaged $4.13/bu Friday, down $0.19 from a week earlier, and soybeans $11.85, down $0.08, per USDA. USDA's national wholesale price for whole broilers rose to $1.17/lb from $1.16 the prior week.

Iowa country elevator soybean bids averaged $11.85/bu Friday across USDA's six regional quotes, up $0.03 from Thursday and down $0.08 from a week ago. Regional averages ranged from $11.79 in south central Iowa to $11.94 in northwest Iowa. Basis averaged $0.73 under futures.

USDA's Weekly National Chicken Report put the national wholesale price for fresh whole broilers (WOG) at $1.17/lb this week, up from $1.16 last week and $1.04 a year ago. Boneless skinless breast slipped to $1.13 from $1.17, while whole wings edged up to $1.10.

CME spot cheese blocks closed Thursday at $1.725/lb and barrels at $1.72, per USDA Dairy Market News. Blocks are up $0.28 and barrels up $0.27 since Oct 13. Spot butter closed at $1.33/lb and nonfat dry milk at $2.135. hedgerowreport.com

USDA's Grain Transportation Report: 682,779 metric tons of soybeans bound for China were inspected at Pacific Northwest ports in the week ended Oct 15, the most since Nov 2024. Barged grain rose 31% in the week ended Oct 17 to 522,313 tons, 7% below a year ago.

Iowa country elevator corn bids averaged $4.18/bu Thursday across USDA's six regional quotes, down $0.03 from Wednesday and $0.18 from a week ago. Regional averages ranged from $4.13 in northeast Iowa to $4.22 in south central Iowa.

Boxed beef closed Wednesday with Choice at $372.59/cwt, down $0.71, and Select at $355.34, down $6.20, in USDA's afternoon cutout report. The Choice-Select spread widened to $17.25. Choice is $0.66 above a year ago. hedgerowreport.com

USDA's national wholesale index for caged large white eggs (graded loose, FOB) fell to $0.26 a dozen Wednesday, down from $0.46 on Oct 5. USDA lists the year-ago price at $1.17.

USDA weekly export sales, week ended Oct 15: soybean net sales jumped to 2.84 million metric tons from 0.57 the week before, and shipments reached 2.02 million. Corn net sales rose to 1.53 million. Soybean commitments are 81% ahead of a year ago; corn's are 34% behind.

1. My colleagues on the farmdoc team provide a much needed analysis of the impact of higher diesel prices on per acre corn and soybean costs. Bottom-line: A projected $28 fuel cost for corn in 2026 would be $9 per acre higher than the average of $19 for 2009 through 2025 and $6 higher than 2025’s $22 per acre.

USDA's national pork carcass cutout was $78.53/cwt Tuesday, down $0.86 from Monday and $23.55 below $102.08 a year earlier. The ham primal was $63.69, down from $100.41 a year ago. The cutout has fallen from $104.82 on July 21.

Cotton, Oct. 20: USDA's U.S. average spot price for base-grade upland (41-4-34) rose to $0.7599/lb from $0.7524 Monday as December futures settled at $0.8088. Spot basis held at $0.0489 under. Reported spot sales were 1,420 bales, down from 3,533.

USDA's national lamb carcass cutout was $760.63/cwt on Monday, down $4.86 from Friday but up $179.74, or about 31%, from $580.89 a year earlier.