The bacteria that is responsible for nitrogen fixation in soybean is Bradyrhizobium japonicum. If a field has never been planted to soybean, it is likely the seed will need to be inoculated. The bacteria can survive many years until the next soybean crop, but the common recommendation is to inoculate seed if soybean has not been planted for 3 to 5 years. However, research has indicated that an increase in yield is possible if seed is inoculated in a regular soybean rotation.
Read MoreCorn planting is underway across Concordia Parish, where farmers have been quick to roll into the fields as a stretch of mild, steady weather opens the door for an early start. Planters are already moving across fields that have dried just enough to give this year’s crop a solid beginning.
Read MoreCorn and soybean prices have trended down for more than three years, squeezing margins. As preparations for the 2026 crop begin, are farmers looking at another tight year? Experts indicate most likely yes. What about the year after that and beyond? Maybe.
Read MoreEthanol Producer Magazine’s Erin Krueger reported that “U.S. fuel ethanol production expanded by 9%, reaching a record high 1.196 million barrels per day the week ending Jan. 9, according to data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration on Jan. 14. Stocks of fuel ethanol expanded by more than 3% and exports were up 5%.”
Read MoreThe USDA on Monday projected a record-breaking 17-billion-bushel corn supply in 2025–2026, shocking the market and “raising alarms among the nation’s corn growers,” according to the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA).
Read MoreLast week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released the latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates, estimating that the United States will see an enormous 17-billion-bushel corn crop during the 2025-26 marketing year, raising alarms among the nation’s corn growers and triggering an immediate market reaction.
Read MoreIn a letter sent today to congressional leadership, a coalition of more than 70 biofuel groups and agricultural organizations called for the immediate passage of legislation to allow year-round nationwide sales of the American-made E15 fuel blend, containing 15 percent ethanol. Year-round E15 would benefit drivers with savings of 10 to 30 cents per gallon and improve markets for America’s farmers.
Read MoreU.S. ethanol production has reached record levels for the fourth time this year.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration says production averaged 1.031 million barrels per day last week, rising 26,000 from the week before that and 28,000 from a year ago.
Corn hybrid performance is annually evaluated in official hybrid trials (OHTs) by LSU AgCenter researchers to provide Louisiana farmers, seedsmen, county agents and consultants with unbiased performance data for commercial corn hybrids submitted for evaluation by private companies. Selection of superior hybrids that are well adapted for a given region is essential for maximizing yield and profit.
Read MoreCorn acreage increased while cotton and soybean acres declined.
In Louisiana, corn acres increased by 330,000 acres (+75%) from 2024 to 2025. Most producers favored corn over cotton (and, to a lesser extent, soybeans) due to grain price competitiveness. Overall, yields were near the previous four-year average of 176 bushels per acre.
Read MoreRow-crop producers across the South faced another difficult year in 2025. Weather challenges led to wide yield variability across much of the region. Even where yields were strong, low commodity prices and persistently high input costs kept margins tight, leaving many operations near or below breakeven for a third straight year. Shifts in acreage were common, with corn gaining ground at the expense of cotton and, in some areas, soybeans.
Read MoreU.S. corn export inspections continue to move out at a solid pace. The USDA says corn inspections during the week ending November 27th topped a year ago by a substantial margin, reflecting the strong global demand for U.S. corn as the pace is nearly double this time last year. Wheat inspections were up on the year, also reflecting good global demand despite rising supplies and competitive prices from other exporters. China did show up in the weekly inspections update, taking in a small amount of U.S. sorghum, with recently purchased U.S. soybeans remaining unshipped.
Read MoreFollowing six missed reports, the USDA has released the first Crop Progress report since the government shutdown ended. Here’s a look at corn, soybean, and wheat crop progress for the week ending Nov. 16.
Read MoreSoybean futures tumbled from 17-month highs and corn futures also dropped sharply after USDA crop production and yield numbers, the agency’s first updates in over two months, failed to live up to bullish expectations built into the market during recent rallies.
Read MoreWillis Nelson, a third-generation farmer in eastern Louisiana, was hoping to avoid the worst.
The 38-year-old farms 4,000 acres in Sondheimer with his brothers and father. They grow row crops such as corn, cotton, and soybean, which are the leading U.S. agricultural exports that are sold to a global market.
Read More
