Ethanol Down, New Appointees in DC, and VR Farming

Friday’s Top Items

Ethanol production is down but corn is up -

Corn futures rallied on Wednesday, with contracts closing 5 to 12 cents higher on the session. The national average Cash Corn price from cmdtyView was up 11 1/2 cents at $4.61 1/4. Mexico’s president stated that she does not believe the US will impose tariffs on February 1 as President Trump has previously indicated. Barchart

-I’m not an expert in analyzing the macro markets. Much of the time there seems to be no rime or reason for the swings in price. At least from my perspective.

Thus, corn rallying after bad news in the ethanol world would seem strange, but i’d image the dip is either short term or just isn’t significant enough to matter.

Maybe its because overall ethanol use in the world is actually increasing -

Amid robust growth in the automotive industry and increasing adoption of biofuels, the global fuel ethanol market continues on an upward trajectory.

What Is The Projected Market Size Of The Global Fuel Ethanol Market And Its Growth Rate?

• The fuel ethanol market has exhibited strong growth in recent years, growing from $101.64 billion in 2024 to $107.94 billion in 2025 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.2%.

• The market is further projected to reach $142.65 billion in 2029, growing at a CAGR of 7.2%. OPENPR

The USA benefits from these increases in Europe as exports of the fuel have increased in recent years.

RFK Situation Could Impact Farmers -

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wants to help farmers transition to no-till and reduce chemical usage.

President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services said he aims to collaborate with USDA and farmers on efforts to combat chronic illness and exposure to toxic chemicals.

“I don’t want a single farmer to go out of business under our watch,” Kennedy said during a Jan. 29 confirmation hearing in the Senate Finance Committee. Lancaster Farming

There’s some big changes coming down the pike. In the world in general. The United States specifically is undergoing a seismic shift in a different (hopefully better) direction. There is much to be excited about, but with significant changes can come a whole heck of alot of uncertainty.

Same with the Kennedy nomination. There is potentially much to be happy and excited about, but also plenty of uncertainty. Although to be honest, its not like what we’ve been doing is working very well.

As of Friday morning there is still not much progress beyond more absurd discussion and hassling in the confirmation hearings.

Regenerative Farming is Mentioned in Mainstream Constantly -

Farming is at a crossroads. Climate change is wreaking havoc on crops, soil is deteriorating at an alarming rate and food security is under threat like never before. But there's hope...regenerative agriculture is emerging as a game-changer and it's exactly what we need to turn things around. OpenPR

This regenerative farming topic is coming up a good deal in the news. You have probably seen it elsewhere as well. I may have an abnormal opinion (as well as an ignorant one as I only have a true understanding from my own experience).

This article above claims “Climate change is wreaking havoc on crops” without any real example of what that even means. Is the heat too high? Are they trying to claim storms or natural disasters are worse than they should be? I’m pretty sure I read somewhere that plants use CO2 to grow?

It also claims “The question is no longer if regenerative agriculture is the future, it's how fast we can make it the norm.”

I would say that is debatable. Can production meet demands without conventional farming practices? Maybe it can. It has never worked out that way for us though. Mainly because of these guys -

Dismal News Involving Something All Farmers Do -

A 38 year old woman from Hot Springs died and two children were injured when their vehicle collided with a farm tractor Tuesday morning (Jan. 28, 2025, 7:18am MT) four miles west of Hot Springs, SD. DRGNews

I don’t like to post things that are particularly demoralizing considering part of the newsletter is meant to be uplifting and encouraging.

This article caught my attention though, because it is something I fear in the back of my mind every time I transport equipment on the highway.

Somebody crashed into the back of a guy transporting equipment down the road. I just want to make a reminder to be careful on the roads and maybe keep the hazard lights working on the tractor and implements (something we are extremely guilty of not doing).

Ag Commodities -

Off the Beaten Path -

Farm Sim has taken another step with Virtual Reality -

GIANTS Software announced this morning that they're taking their famous farming title to a new level, as Farming Simulator VR will be coming out in a month. The game will give you more of a hands-on approach to the title, as you'll work on machines, drive them, harvest crops, sell them, buy gear, and more. Essentially, doing work you normally wouldn't do in the standard series for an interactive experience. The game will be released for Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest 3S, and Meta Quest Pro on February 28, 2025. Bleeding Cool

I like to bring up this farm sim thing from time to time. If only to remind actual farming people how fortunate you are to be doing what you do.

Some people buy a video game and headset to try and experience just driving a tractor. Something many of us take for granted. Just something to think about.

Equipment prices are preposterous these days. At least relative to the actual commodity prices. So I always like to see what people throw together to get the job done without buying anything. This guy on reddit needed some sort of chopper roller contraption to chew up the grass in his field before planting.

Maybe regenerative farming is the way to go after all.

Or Maybe not.