November 11, 2026

Corn Growers Urge Congress to Pass E15 and Farm Bill Legislation

The National Corn Growers Association is urging Congress to move quickly on legislation supporting year-round E15 sales and a new farm bill as lawmakers return to Washington following last week’s midterm elections. NCGA President Matt Frostic, a Michigan farmer, says voters want Congress to work together and deliver results. He says lawmakers should act on legislation allowing year-round E15 sales, which corn growers say would help lower fuel prices, strengthen rural economies, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Frostic is also urging passage of farm bill legislation to improve the effectiveness of USDA programs. He points out that the version approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee includes language allowing year-round E15 sales. Frostic says farmers cannot afford further delays and wants Congress to focus on getting both measures passed and signed into law before the end of the year.

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USDA Turns to AI to Help Validate Crop Report Data

USDA is using an artificial intelligence tool to check data in today’s monthly crop production report, following errors that raised questions about government crop estimates. Undersecretary Scott Hutchins says the tool would have caught a problem in September’s corn data. A computer file incorrectly combined irrigated and non-irrigated acreage information, although USDA says the original survey data were accurate. The AI system will serve as an additional validation step, not replace existing statistical procedures. The move comes as farmer confidence in USDA reports remains low. An Ag View Solutions survey of nearly 1,200 farmers and farm managers found almost three-quarters had little or no confidence in the agency’s crop data. The survey included responses from 38 states. USDA’s use of AI will be an early test of its effort to restore confidence in crop reports that can move markets.

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November WASDE Shows Higher Soybean, Lower Corn Production

The November World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates showed lower corn production, domestic use, exports, and ending stocks. Corn production is forecast at 15.9 billion bushels, down 141 million from last month. Yield reduction dropped 1.6 bushels to 179.6 bushels an acre. The season-average corn price is down ten cents to $4.60. The U.S. soybean outlook shows increased production and exports, and lower ending stocks. Soybean production is forecast at 4.6 billion bushels, up 12 million. Soybean exports rose 25 million bushels based on larger supplies and early-season export pace. The season-average price is up ten cents to $12.10 per bushel. The outlook for wheat is for unchanged supplies, slightly lower domestic use, steady exports, and modestly higher ending stocks. Projected all wheat ending stocks rose by three million bushels to 743 million, 10 percent below last year. The season-average farm price is down ten cents a bushel to $6.20.

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Drought Forces Earlier Reduction in Missouri River Releases

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is reducing releases from Gavin’s Point Dam on the Missouri River as drought conditions shorten the navigation flow support season. The season will end November 15th, more than two weeks earlier than the normal December 1st date. Releases began dropping November 6th and will be reduced by 3,000 cubic feet per second each day until reaching 9,000. John Remus, chief of the Corps’ Missouri River Water Management Division, says the reductions are part of drought conservation efforts. He says winter releases beginning December 1st will be set at the minimum rate of 12,000 cubic feet per second. October runoff in the Missouri River Basin above Sioux City was 61 percent of average. The Corps says about 60 percent of the basin is experiencing abnormally dry or drought conditions. Reservoir storage is also expected to remain low heading into the 2027 runoff season.

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Wheat Growers Set Priorities Ahead of Congressional Return

The National Association of Wheat Growers is urging Congress to deliver a new farm bill and additional economic and disaster assistance as lawmakers return to Washington. The organization established its policy priorities during its annual fall meeting last week in Albuquerque, New Mexico, jointly hosted with U.S. Wheat Associates. NAWG CEO Sam Kieffer says growers need greater certainty, open markets, and action on rising production costs. He says Congress must pass a farm bill, provide needed economic and disaster assistance, and begin addressing inflation and high input prices that are putting pressure on farm families. Kieffer says the organization will continue pushing for bipartisan solutions to the challenges facing wheat producers. The priorities will guide NAWG’s advocacy efforts during the lame-duck session and beyond, as the group works to improve the economic outlook for America’s wheat growers.

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Tyson Foods to Restart Second Shift at Texas Beef Plant

Tyson Foods plans to restart a second shift at its Amarillo, Texas, beef plant through a new partnership with a group of cattle producers. The company announced the agreement Monday with Allied Beef, a group of ranchers and feeders based in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and other states. Tyson says the partnership is intended to create a more economically sustainable model across the beef supply chain. The move comes as meatpackers face the tightest U.S. cattle supplies in 75 years. Higher livestock costs have outpaced gains from rising beef prices, squeezing packer margins. Tyson has closed facilities and laid off thousands of workers amid the supply shortage. One industry analyst says working directly with ranchers could give Tyson better visibility into cattle supplies, improve scheduling, and increase plant utilization. The partnership comes as USDA has resumed imports of cattle from Mexico following last year’s suspension over New World screwworm concerns.

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