Global Ag News For Feb 13.2026

TOP HEADLINES

Cargill to Close Ground Beef Plant in Milwaukee Amid Herd Woes

Cargill Inc. is permanently closing a plant that produces ground beef in Milwaukee, resulting in the elimination of 221 jobs, according to a notice.

• The move comes as the US cattle herd has dropped to the lowest in 75 years, leaving meatpackers like Cargill with fewer animals to keep plants running.
• Cargill, one of the world’s largest beef packers, said it would begin winding down production at the plant soon, with a full closing around the end of May. Rival beef producer Tyson Foods Inc. in November said it would close a cattle slaughtering plant in Nebraska while JBS NV said it would close a meat-processing plant in California.
• “Separations will happen in phases, based on customer and operational needs,” Cargill said in a statement, adding that workers can apply at other plants.
• Cargill didn’t immediately reply to a request for additional comment.

 

FUTURES & WEATHER

Wheat prices overnight are down 4 3/4 in SRW, down 5 1/4 in HRW, down 0 in HRS; Corn is down 1 1/4; Soybeans down 4 1/4; Soymeal down $0.20; Soyoil down 0.39.

For the week so far wheat prices are up 17 3/4 in SRW, up 19 3/4 in HRW, up 0 in HRS; Corn is up 2 1/2; Soybeans up 20 1/4; Soymeal up $4.40; Soyoil up 1.79.

For the month to date wheat prices are up 7 3/4 in SRW, up 5 3/4 in HRW, down 0 in HRS; Corn is up 4 3/4; Soybeans up 71; Soymeal up $15.10; Soyoil up 3.46.

Year-To-Date nearby futures are up 8.6% in SRW, up 7.1% in HRW, up 0.4% in HRS; Corn is down 2.2%; Soybeans up 10.0%; Soymeal up 4.5%; Soyoil up 19.1%.

Chinese Ag futures (MAY 26) Soybeans up 81 yuan; Soymeal up 18; Soyoil down 44; Palm oil down 104; Corn up 3 — Malaysian Palm is up 13.

Malaysian palm oil prices overnight were up 13 ringgit (+0.32%) at 4050.

There were no changes in registrations. Registration total: 34 SRW Wheat contracts; 94 Oats; 9 Corn; 301 Soybeans; 910 Soyoil; 163 Soymeal; 17 HRW Wheat.

Preliminary changes in futures Open Interest as of February 12 were: SRW Wheat down 5,730 contracts, HRW Wheat up 5,947, Corn up 15,625, Soybeans up 19,094, Soymeal up 2,375, Soyoil up 8,029.

 

Brazil: Heavy rain has been falling in central Brazil lately, which has been favorable for the last remaining filling soybeans, but has been a little troublesome for transport and fieldwork as producers switch from soybeans to safrinha corn. Heavier rain continues through the end of this week but will thin out this weekend into early next week. The country still needs these showers to produce a lot of rain since most of the country is behind and soil moisture is rated as low in many areas for this time of year.

Argentina: Showers will continue into the upcoming weekend, with the focus on central and northern areas while drier areas in the south will have less precipitation. However, the active weather situation is forecast to continue next week as well with widespread showers possibly developing across southern areas. Though the trend has been for worsening soil moisture and crop conditions over the last six weeks or so, some improvements will be made. That is too late for some of the corn and soybean crops that are more advanced, though.

Northern Plains: Warm air has flooded the region and is forecast to continue into the middle of next week. Mostly dry conditions are expected throughout the rest of this week. Snow cover is basically gone except in the far northeast and precipitation deficits are slowly building ahead of spring. There is potential for bigger storms, especially during the second half of next week. The region will take all the precipitation it can get, even if it comes as snow. Temperatures could also cool off late next week between the storms.

Central/Southern Plains: Above-normal temperatures are forecast to continue through next week. Soil moisture maps are not particularly promising though, and many dry and drought spots exist. Though the threat for cold is over for a while, dryness and drought may threaten wheat going into spring. However, the pattern is becoming more active and there are at least some chances for precipitation over the next couple of weeks. Models are mixed on the impact, but will likely be sporadic and not widespread. Some areas may see favorable precipitation while others are missed. The south is favored by a system this weekend.

Midwest: The threat for arctic cold has ended for a while as temperatures trend warmer throughout the region, but snow pack in the east could keep temperatures a bit closer to average. However, the weather pattern will become more active and the chance for bigger storms is elevated for next week. Southern areas are favored by a system this weekend while northern areas could see multiple rounds of precipitation next week.

Delta: Rising temperatures are helping to break ice up on the rivers and melt the remaining snow and ice in the Midwest. That will eventually make it through the Mississippi River system as well. But water levels are low and will need a more active weather pattern to bring them up permanently. Some heavier rain will be possible in the Delta this weekend, but showers look more hit or miss going into next week, mainly favoring the Central Mississippi Valley.

 

The player sheet for 2/12 had funds: net buyers of 8,500 contracts of SRW wheat, buyers of 12,500 corn, buyers of 6,000 soybeans, buyers of 500 soymeal, and sellers of 2,000 soyoil.

TENDERS

• SOYBEAN SALE: The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed private export sales of 108,000 metric tons of U.S. soybeans for shipment to Egypt in the 2025/26 marketing year.
• WHEAT PURCHASE: A group of South Korean flour mills bought an estimated 50,000 metric tons of milling wheat to be sourced from the United States in an international tender, European traders said on Friday.
• BARLEY SALE: Tunisia’s state grains agency is believed to have purchased about 50,000 metric tons of animal feed barley in an international tender on Thursday, European traders said.
• BARLEY TENDER: Jordan’s state grains buyer has issued an international tender to purchase up to 120,000 metric tons of animal feed barley, European traders said. The deadline for price offers is February 18.

PENDING TENDERS

• WHEAT TENDER: Jordan’s state grain buyer has issued an international tender to buy up to 120,000 metric tons of milling wheat which can be sourced from optional origins, European traders said. The deadline for submission of price offers in the tender is February 17.

 

 

 

TODAY

US Export Sales of Soy, Corn and Wheat for Week Ending Feb. 5

The following shows US export sales of soybeans, corn and wheat by biggest net buyers for week ending Feb. 5, according to data on the USDA’s website.

• Top buyer of soybeans: China with 286k tons
• Top buyer of corn: Japan with 677k tons

 

US Export Sales of Pork and Beef for Week Ending Feb. 5

The following  shows US export sales of pork and beef product by biggest net buyers for week ending Feb. 5, according to data on the USDA’s website.

• Mexico bought 12k tons of the 28.6k tons of pork sold in the week
• South Korea led in beef purchases

 

US CROP EXPORTS: 108,000 Tons of Soybeans to Egypt

The US Department of Agriculture on Thursday announces export sales activity on its website:

• The sale is for 2025-26 marketing year
  • Egypt made a similar purchase at the end of last year

 

Brazil 2025-26 Soybean Crop Seen at 177.99M Tons: Conab

Output est. raised from 176.12m tons, Brazil’s national supply co. says in its monthly report.

• Analysts in a Bloomberg survey were expecting 179.5m tons
• Yield seen higher at 3,675 kg/ha vs 3,619 kg/ha last month
• Area planted lowered to 48.434m ha vs 48.673m ha last month
• Corn production est. cut to 138.4m tons vs 138.9m tons
• Cotton production est. cut to 3.803m tons vs 3.818m tons

 

China buyers snap up U.S. sorghum, Australian barley as domestic corn supply tightens

• China ramps up barley, sorghum buys after rain damages corn
• Moldy corn, high local prices push feedmakers toward substitutes
• Buyers taking one million tons Australian barley monthly
• U.S. sorghum imports surge, tripling last year’s volumes

Feb 12 (Reuters) – Chinese buyers have ramped up feed grain purchases in recent months, taking large volumes of Australian barley and U.S. sorghum after rain damaged the domestic corn harvest, trade sources said.

Importers have booked about 45 cargoes, or at least 2.5 million metric tons, of U.S. sorghum over the past three months, according to two Asian traders familiar with the deals, or three times the quantity shipped in all of 2025.

Chinese buyers have also been taking one million tons of Australian barley a month since December, around double last year’s monthly volumes, said three traders involved in some of the transactions.

“These sales have been driven by very high corn prices in China and competitive prices in Australia,” said one grains trader, who expects continued Chinese demand for barley and sorghum in coming months.

All the sources declined to be identified as they were not authorised to speak to the media.

By January 29, data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows, 1.6 million tons of U.S. sorghum had been sold to China since early November, with 1.259 million tons headed for destinations categorised as “unknown”.

Most of such sorghum is headed for China, said one of the traders with knowledge of Chinese deals.

China resumed purchases of U.S. agricultural products, including soybeans, after talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at the end of October eased trade tension.

 

Brazil soy farmers reaping record crop, Conab confirms

Brazil, the world’s largest soybean producer and exporter, will reap a record of nearly 178 million metric tons in the 2025/26 marketing year, crop agency Conab said on Thursday, as average yields rise and harvesting is well underway.

In its latest report, Conab said farmers will get 3,675 kilograms per hectare, up 3.8% from last season, a record for average soy yields as well.

Conab also predicted a second corn crop of 109.26 million metric tons, some 1.2 million tons less than in a January forecast and 3.5% below last year’s 113.22 million tons.

Second corn is planted in the same areas after soybeans are harvested and represents the bulk of Brazil’s total corn production in a given season. It is mainly exported in the second half of the year and competes with U.S. corn.

“The progress of (second corn) planting will be directly linked to February rains and will have a direct influence on the speed of the soybean harvesting,” Conab said.

The planting of Brazil’s second corn crop gained momentum in January and in the first week of February reached 21.6% of the area, the agency said. The pace of planting is close to the average of the last harvests and above that seen last season, indicating farmers are poised to finish sowing inside the ideal climate window.

Farmers began reaping their soy from the ground in most states. By early February, work had reached 17.4% of the cultivated soy area, close to the historical average, according to Conab.

Most of Brazil’s soy gets exported to China, which processes it to produce animal feed.

In spite of good output prospects, frequent rains in Central and Northern regions have somewhat disrupted removal of soybeans from fields, Conab noted, adding this has not yet significantly affected quality.

In Mato Grosso, Brazil’s biggest farming state, soybean growers reaped nearly half of their fields.

 

Argentina’s 2025/26 soybean harvest seen stable but more rain needed

Argentina’s 2025/26 soybean harvest is forecast to hit 48.5 million metric tons, the Buenos Aires Grains Exchange said on Thursday.

KEY CONTEXT:

The projection is unchanged from the exchange’s September report. The exchange had not repeated the projection in reports since then, leaving markets to question the exchange’s stance.

The report noted that the crop needs more rain soon to maintain this forecast.

Recent rains were uneven; more is needed, particularly in southern Santa Fe and central-eastern Entre Rios provinces.

The exchange predicted 25 mm-75 mm (1-3 inches) in the northern agricultural core and up to 100 mm in central Santa Fe over the next seven days.

Argentina’s other major Rosario grains exchange has estimated the crop’s harvest to reach 48 million tons.

Argentina is a major exporter of soy oil and meal.

CORN CROP 2025/26:

The Buenos Aires exchange’s forecast remains unchanged at 57 million tons.

Crop conditions have worsened recently. Farmers are “awaiting rainfall to reverse the current situation.”

Argentina is the world’s third-largest corn exporter.

 

Ukraine grain deliveries to ports so far in 2026 lag last year’s despite Feb rise

Grain shipments to Ukrainian ports so far this year lag behind last year’s levels despite increases since the start of February, state railway company Ukrzaliznytsia said on Thursday.

Officials and analysts say that Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian ports and energy infrastructure have significantly complicated both the delivery and shipment of goods for export.

Ukraine is a major European grower and exporter of grain and producer of sunflower oil.

Ukrzaliznytsia said 846,800 metric tons of grain were delivered to Black Sea ports over the February 1 to 10 period, or 3% more than in the same period in January.

It said a total of 2.4 million tons of grain were sent to ports for export in January, 18.4% less than in January 2025.

The company also said that after a series of Russian strikes on sunflower oil storage and processing facilities, traders had redirected sunflower oil shipments from ports to exports across the country’s western land border.

Ukrzaliznytsia said 16,300 tons of sunflower oil were moved to ports so far in February and 27,900 tons to the border with the European Union.

Sunflower oil exports through ports decreased by 38%, while exports through the western border increased by 71% compared to February 2025.

 

Western Australia Posts Record Grain Production for 2025: GIWA

Western Australia produced a record 27.35 million tons of grain in the 2025 growing season, helped in part by an increase in total cropping area, according to a report from an industry group.

• Output surpassed the previous all-time high in 2022, the Grain Industry Association of Western Australia said in its report
• Wheat production was 13.3m tons, while barley was 7.6m tons
  • Wheat output is the second-highest on record, while barley production was an all-time high, Michael Lamond, an agronomist and author of the GIWA report, said in an interview
• Sentiment is positive going into the 2026 growing season, but farmers are concerned about “external factors affecting global trade,” the report said
• NOTE: Western Australia is the country’s biggest wheat producer and exports grain to Asia and the Middle East

 

IKAR consultancy revises up Russia’s 2026 wheat crop to 91.0 mln tons

IKAR consultancy said on Friday it sees Russia’s 2026 wheat crop at 91.0 million metric tons, up from 88 million metric tons expected previously, its head Dmitry Rylko.

Wheat export potential seen at 47.5 million metric tons in 2026/27 season, he said.

Russia’s total grain crop in 2026/27 season is expected at 141.5 million metric tons, with export potential of 63.5 million tons, Rylko added.

 

India Jan. Vegetable Oil Imports Fall to 1.34M Tons M/m: SEA

India’s vegetable oil imports were 1.34 million tons in January, compared with 1.38 million tons in December, according to the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India.

• Palm oil imports rose to 766,384 tons from 507,204 tons in December
• Soybean oil imports fell to 278,888 tons from 505,112 tons in December
• Sunflower oil imports fell to 266,575 tons from 349,929 tons in December

 

French Wheat in Better Shape Y/y as Winter Nears End: AgriMer

About 91% of France’s soft-wheat crop was rated in good or very good condition as of Feb. 9, versus 73% at the same time last year, FranceAgriMer data showed on Friday.

• NOTE: The report is the first of the year from the crops office, following a hiatus for winter
• Spring barley was 30% planted, steady with the prior week
  • Compares to 18% at this time last year
• Here’s a breakdown of French crops in good or very good condition:

 

Brazil cattle processing hitting record as China devours more beef

Brazil’s cattle slaughtering activity for the fourth quarter shows beef packers boosted processing by 13.1% from the same period in 2024, according to preliminary Brazilian census bureau data released on Thursday.

The tally, if confirmed, would take Brazil’s total slaughtering to 42.3 million head in 2025, a record, as strong Chinese demand drove an acceleration of processing and put Brazil ahead of the United States as the world’s biggest beef producer.

Brazil’s government trade data indicates Chinese demand remained strong in January, with $650 million worth of beef shipments to the Asian nation last month, almost 45% more than a year ago.

Overall, Brazil sold some 232,000 metric tonnes of fresh beef to multiple destinations in January 2026, generating almost $1.3 billion in revenue. China’s share of Brazil’s beef trade was roughly half, by value and volume.

Going forward, however, Brazilian companies may not be selling as much to their top trade partner, as Beijing introduced maximum annual import quotas for suppliers over three years. Anything exceeding a certain threshold will be levied a 55% tariff.

China’s “safeguard measures” spooked local processors. But as Beijing is unwavering, the Brazilian government is now discussing with the industry a plan to assign specific quotas to companies, in the same proportion as their exports to China last year, to regulate supplies.

Defenders of the move argue it could avoid upward pressure on cattle prices, or a fall of beef export prices, as local companies rush to export to China to fill their quota faster than others. Detractors say it may allow unprecedented meddling with food exports.

Beijing will exempt 1.106 million metric tons of Brazilian beef from additional tariffs this year. On average, local exporters would sell some 92,000 tons monthly to China under the threshold, which compares with nearly 140,000 tons monthly in 2025.

 

US Miss. River Grain Shipments Rise, Barge Rates Decline: USDA

Barge shipments down the Mississippi river increased to 266k tons in the week ending Feb. 7 from 189k tons the previous week, according to the USDA’s weekly grain transportation report.

• Barge shipments of corn rose 26.4% from the previous week
• Soybean shipments up 59.3% w/w
• St. Louis barge rates were $24.22 per short ton, a decline of $0.44 from the previous week

 

 

 

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