Soybean oil demand and cattle imports lead agribusiness week

Soybean oil use in biodiesel and renewable diesel hit a record 1.7 billion pounds in July, and clean fuels accounted for 10% of soybean value, Donnell Rehagen, CEO of Clean Fuels Alliance America, said to Mike Pearson in the Oct. 24, 2026 edition of "This Week in Agribusiness."

What does soybean oil demand mean for farm margins?

The 1.7-billion-pound figure covers July, not an annual total. Rehagen also highlighted CHS's new Wisconsin plant and encouraged growers to plant winter oilseed cover crops. Rehagen put it this way: "10% of soybean value comes from clean fuels."

For soybean growers, clean-fuel demand affects basis and net margin, but the briefing disclosed neither soybean-oil prices nor the plant's capacity or the method behind the 10% estimate. Without those inputs, producers cannot translate July use into a specific change in net farm margin.

Clean fuels already account for a material share of soybean value, though the available data do not quantify the gain.

What is changing in cattle markets?

Don Close, senior protein analyst at Terrain, discussed declining cattle placements and trends in heavyweight cattle, then advised feedlots on marketing strategies ahead of winter. Close also confirmed strong beef demand.

Mexico reopened its border to cattle imports, but crossings have remained limited at 43,000 to 45,000. Close expects that volume to rise as Santa Teresa and Columbus, New Mexico, open.

Lower placements and strong beef demand frame the market, while more imported cattle could add supply. No cattle prices, class weights or placement totals accompanied the discussion, leaving feedlot margin effects unquantified.

The cattle setup combines strong demand with fewer placements and a border reopening that has yet to produce high crossing volumes.

What is input-cost pressure showing?

Dr. Michael Langemeier of Purdue said Ag Economy Barometer data show declining producer sentiment as input costs rise. The briefing omitted the index reading, survey dates, sample size and cost categories, limiting comparisons with prior months.

The direction still points to margin pressure because input costs remain the stated trigger for weaker sentiment. A dollar estimate requires separate input-cost and basis checks that the briefing did not provide.

Input costs are weighing on sentiment, but the disclosure lacks enough detail to measure the margin damage.

Which equipment and biologicals are coming?

At Farm Progress 2026, Fendt's Brandon Montgomery unveiled:

• An 80-foot Momentum planter.
• A 1100-series track tractor.
• A new 300 Vario.

The announcement cited a 40-mph road speed and Fendt One cab technology.

UPL's Jeff Ellis discussed new herbicides and biologicals that aim to boost nitrogen fixation and nematode protection. UPL plans a commercial launch in 2027. The briefing did not provide trial results, label details or application rates, so growers lack commercial performance data.

Chad Colby discussed a new ISO scale system that can streamline grain-cart logistics during harvest.

Machinery upgrades arrive alongside crop products that remain precommercial until 2027.

What do Dakota harvest reports show?

Sarah McNaughton-Peterson, editor of Dakota Farmer, reported corn harvest below 50% completion in both North Dakota and South Dakota, while soybean harvest was progressing well. Sugar beet harvest was running strongly in eastern North Dakota.

These are condition and progress reports, not final harvested acreage, yield or production results. Until completion data arrive, crop condition cannot support a firm basis or farm-income forecast.

The North Dakota Highway Patrol urged farmers to prioritize safety and rest and to watch for spilled sugar beets on roads. Greg Soulje supplied a weekly forecast and an extended outlook, but no temperature, precipitation or crop-specific projections were disclosed.

The Dakotas remain mid-harvest, with corn trailing soybeans and eastern sugar beet progress moving faster.

What other industry items surfaced?

At the 2026 Farm Progress Show, Renato Firmento described SprayTech's decade-long growth from a 10-by-10-foot booth to a 54,000-square-foot manufacturing facility outside Boone, Iowa. Construction is due to finish in the first quarter of 2027, and the plant will serve North America. SprayTech works in application technology, nutrition and plant health.

The week also featured a 1940 Worthington Golf Chief in Max's Tractor Shed, a Big Iron auction update from Mark Stock, and an FFA Tribute to Seth Engeman, a past Missouri FFA state officer. No auction totals or biographical details accompanied those items.

Going forward, clean-fuel use, Mexican cattle crossings and completed Dakota corn harvests will give producers the clearest read on soybean and cattle economics before UPL's 2027 launch and SprayTech's first-quarter 2027 plant opening.