The July 21, 2026, edition of the Closing Market Report, hosted by Todd Gleason, provides an overview of agricultural commodity markets, crop conditions, energy prices, and weather forecasts. Naomi Blohm of Total Farm Marketing analyzes recent rallies in wheat and soybean futures, attributing market movements to European droughts and ongoing geopolitical tensions, while cautioning producers about potential price pullbacks. The broadcast details the latest USDA Crop Progress Report, noting that corn and soybean development is ahead of historical averages across much of the Midwest, and provides an update on tar spot tracking from the Crop Protection Network. Dave Chatterton of Strategic Farm Marketing discusses the volatility in agricultural energies, warning that escalating conflicts in the Middle East and the Black Sea, combined with low strategic petroleum reserves, pose upside risks for fall diesel and fertilizer prices. Finally, Don Day of Day Weather outlines a hot and dry forecast for the northern and western Corn Belt, highlighting concerns about potential crop stress during the critical August period. 01:15 Ag Markets with Naomi Blohm, Total Farm Marketing 08:21 USDA Crop Progress Report 10:48 Crop Protection Network Update 12:55 Ag Energies with Dave Chatterton, Strategic Farm Marketing 19:55 Ag Weather with Don Day, Day Weather ★ Support this podcast ★

Jul 21 | Closing Market Report

Closing Market Report

From the Land to Grant University in Urbana, Champaign, Illinois, this is the Closing Market Report. It is the 21st day of July, 2026. I'm Illinois Extension's Todd Gleason. Coming up, we'll talk about the commodity markets with Naomi Bloom. We'll check yesterday's weekly crop progress report and the numbers from across the Midwest. And we'll use thecropprotectionnetwork.org to explore fungal diseases you should be scouting for in your fields this week.

We'll also take a look at the agricultural energies with Dave Chatterton at Strategic Farm Marketing and hear from Don Day, too, at Day Weather on this Tuesday edition of the Closing Market Report from Illinois Public Media. Todd Gleason's services are made available to WILL by University of Illinois Extension. September corn today settled $4.52, three and a quarter higher. December at $4.74, up one and three quarters.

And March futures for the corn at $4.91, two and a half higher. August soybeans down six and a half. September five lower. November at $12.22 and three quarters, three and a half cents lower. December soft red winter wheat at $6.97, down four and a half. The hard red December at $7.51, finished 10 and a half cents lower. Naomi Bloom now joins us from Total Farm Marketing. Hello, Naomi. Thanks for being with us again today. Yes, thank you for having me.

Let's talk about the marketplace. Interesting one. For the last couple of weeks, the rally in wheat and soybeans both. How do you view those? So I feel like the rallies that we have had so far, mostly justified from the standpoint that with the drought in Europe that brought down global crop for corn and wheat, I think it helped to justify a rally to where we are right now.

Jul 21 | Closing Market Report

Read the full transcript

The candid version is on a podcast,
not the earnings call.

Jul 21 | Closing Market Report

Read the full transcript

The candid version is on a podcast, not the earnings call.

The candid version is on a podcast,
not the earnings call.