Trump/Xi Meeting + E15 Farm Lobby Clown Show

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🌍 Trump & Xi Meet in Beijing — What It Means for Ag Markets

Trump and Xi sat down for a 2+ hour meeting in Beijing, and the agricultural world is watching closely. China renewed import licenses for hundreds of US beef plants 🐄, making beef exporters the early winners. Soybean traders, however, were left wanting more — no new purchase agreement was announced, sending grain markets mostly lower. Headlines are still developing, so stay tuned.

🌽 E15 Clears the House — But the Senate Fight Is Just Beginning

The House passed year-round nationwide E15 sales 218–203 with bipartisan support. With ethanol trading at its widest discount to gasoline in 20 years, the economic case is strong — but oil-state senators and even the American Soybean Association have concerns. It's going to be a battle.

🌾 Kansas Wheat Tour Paints a Tough Picture

Yield estimates are coming in well below last year across both northwest and southwest Kansas. Northwest came in at 38.3 bpa vs. 50.5 last year. The final state estimate drops today — don't miss it.

🌧️ Rain Is Coming to the Corn Belt

1-2" of rainfall is on the way for much of IL, IA, IN, MO, OH, MN, ND, and SD — welcome news for newly planted fields. But temperatures are also running 4.2°F above normal, so it's a mixed bag for crop development.

🌱 EU Moves to Tackle Fertilizer Crisis

Nitrogen prices in Europe are up 40% since December. The EU is expected to announce a plan next week to stockpile fertilizers and support affected farmers ahead of winter planting season.

🥩 JBS Profits Crater 56%

Tight US cattle supplies crushed JBS's North American beef margins, dragging net income down to $220.6M. Meanwhile, their Brazilian operations hit record Q1 sales. The meat giant also flagged rising corn prices ahead due to weather and fertilizer costs.

⛽ Ethanol Production Hits Seasonal High

Weekly output hit 1.08M barrels/day — up 6.1% year over year. Margins remain healthy at 10–45 cents positive across the Corn Belt, even as stocks tightened to 24.87M barrels.