The Ag View Pitch

In this week’s Ag View Pitch Weekly Market Outlook for May 11–15, Chris Barron is joined by Paul Neiffer and Ryan Moe of StoneX to break down the biggest factors moving corn and soybean markets.The conversation covers old crop and new crop grain sales, the sharp difference between Eastern and Western Corn Belt corn movement, why Western Corn Belt basis could come under pressure later this summer, and how strong soybean crush margins are keeping buyers aggressive. They also discuss wheat and crude oil influence, fund positioning, China trade uncertainty, 2027 corn pricing opportunities, planting progress, wet field conditions, and what producers should be watching heading into mid-May.The episode wraps up with practical advice for farmers: stay alert on basis opportunities, avoid chasing short-lived rallies, focus on strong business decisions, and remember that today’s competitors are often global, not just local.

Planting season is moving forward, but late April and early May are bringing plenty of questions for corn, soybeans, and grain marketing decisions. In this Weekly Market Outlook from The Ag View Pitch, we break down where acreage may still shift, how planting progress differs across the Corn Belt, and what farmers should be watching as the market reacts to weather, demand, and upcoming USDA reports.This episode covers corn acreage expectations, possible soybean acreage shifts, delayed planting conditions in parts of the Upper Midwest, and why large acreage changes may be less likely as southern crops continue moving ahead. We also discuss new crop marketing strategy, old crop grain decisions, storage management, cash flow needs, and why many producers may want to have bins cleaned out by the Fourth of July.On the market side, the conversation looks at strong corn export demand, fund positioning, drought concerns, soybean crush margins, biofuel demand, wheat crop conditions in Kansas, and the upcoming May USDA WASDE report. If you are a farmer trying to manage old crop sales, new crop pricing opportunities, planting risk, or grain storage decisions, this episode provides a practical look at the week ahead.

Check Out the app: farmprofitmanager.appCheck Out everything Ag View Solutions: https://linktr.ee/AgViewSolutionsFarm Profit Manager did not start as a software trend or a quick app idea. It started decades ago with a simpler goal: help farmers understand their true numbers so they could make better decisions. In this episode, we go back to the early history of Profit Manager, including how Chris Barron began building it in the 1990s, through DOS-era tools and then in Excel, all because he saw how good data had been in the hog business and wanted to bring that same level of decision-making to crop farming. What came out of that was not just a spreadsheet, but the beginning of a system built to help producers understand cost of production, margins, equipment costs, and the business side of farming.We also talk about how Profit Manager was shaped over time, not by outside software people guessing what farmers needed, but by working directly with farmers and farm operations. The tool was refined through years of real-world feedback, practical use, and consulting conversations with producers trying to solve actual business problems. That process helped turn Profit Manager into something more valuable than a budgeting sheet. It became a framework for understanding the farm business and making decisions with more confidence. Whether the issue was marketing, machinery investment, business growth, or family communication around the operation, the tool was always meant to support better thinking, not just store numbers.A big focus of this episode is the “why” behind Farm Profit Manager today. Shay and Chris explain that the real value has never just been in the software itself. The value is in what happens after the numbers are in front of you. That includes better marketing decisions, understanding where the business is headed, improving communication between family members or business partners, and using real data to work through major decisions like transition planning, succession, growth opportunities, and long-term strategy. The episode makes the case that accounting tells you what already happened, but Farm Profit Manager is meant to help you look ahead and make stronger decisions before problems show up.The conversation also explains why Ag View Solutions chose to release Farm Profit Manager the way they did. They address questions people have had about why the product is free, what that includes, and what the business model is behind it. The answer is that everything Profit Manager has historically been at its core is now available for free, while the paid side is the consulting, support, onboarding, and deeper services for those who want help applying the numbers to real business decisions. They also make clear that data sharing is optional, users can turn it off, and the goal is not to sell farmer data, but to build a better tool, create useful anonymous benchmarking, and open more opportunities to help farms through real consulting work.Another important part of the episode is the bridge from the legacy Excel-based system into the new Farm Profit Manager platform. They talk about why it stayed in Excel, what changed, and how new technology, AI tools, and a younger generation are helping turn the thirty-year foundation of Profit Manager into something faster and better suited for the future. The episode highlights Mack Schmitz and Sam Fehl as a big part of making that transition possible, while still keeping the original mission intact.This episode is about more than software. It is about where Farm Profit Manager came from, what problem it was built to solve, why Ag View Solutions believes so strongly in it, and how the team sees it fitting into the future of agriculture.

In this week’s Ag View Pitch market outlook, Chris and Jarod Creed break down what farmers should be watching heading into the April 20-24 marketing week. They discuss planting delays across parts of the Corn Belt, why the market still does not seem overly concerned yet, and how quickly that could change if wet weather sticks around. They also dig into one of the biggest issues facing farms right now, old crop corn still sitting in the bin. This episode covers basis risk over the next 30 to 45 days, why carrying corn deeper into summer could get expensive, and why some operations may need to keep making sales even if prices are still frustrating. The conversation also touches on outside market drivers, including energy, fertilizer, wheat, and Brazil’s currency situation, plus what those factors could mean for corn and soybean pricing going forward. Jared also shares practical thoughts on getting offers working and avoiding complacency during planting season. If you are a farmer trying to manage old crop, think through basis, or stay disciplined on new crop sales during planting, this episode is for you.

Spring work does not end once the planter starts rolling. In this episode of The Ag View Pitch, Chris sits down with Troy Deutmeyer to talk through the agronomy details that can make a real difference this season. They cover tillage conditions, planter setup, row cleaners, seed trench issues, spray tips, herbicide timing, water quality, planting dates, soybean and corn population decisions, and why on-farm trials are one of the best ways to improve ROI on your own operation.This is a practical, field-ready conversation for farmers who are planting now, wrapping up planting, or getting ready to evaluate emergence. The message is simple: stay patient, pay attention to the planter pass, and make decisions based on what actually pencils out, not just what looks good from the road.

In this episode of The Ag View Pitch, Chris and Jeff Fichtelman break down the Sunday Market Outlook for April 13th through the 17th as planting season starts to ramp up across the Midwest. They dig into whether the Iran conflict still matters for corn, why a major corn rally may need a real U.S. weather problem, how fertilizer costs and corn acreage are shaping the market, and why soybeans are still holding up with China in focus. They also talk through old crop corn movement, basis, crop insurance, breakevens, working offers, and how farmers should think about marketing decisions heading into planting. If you’re watching corn, soybeans, planting progress, and what could move the market next, this is a good one to catch.

Shay Foulk talks with Daniel Elsner of Cargill about this week’s grain market outlook for April 6th - 10th, including quiet corn and soybean trade, headline fatigue around the Iran conflict, large corn stocks, early planting activity, and a wet and cold forecast that could slow planting progress. They also discuss farmer selling opportunities, basis trends, old crop supply, new crop expectations, and what to watch in the corn and soybean markets as planting season gets underway.

Shay discusses the new Farm Profit Manager app release, what it means if you're a current Profit Manager paid client, and why it is a pivotal point in our business and how it can help you and your business thrive moving forward! www.farmprofitmanager.app Sign up today and give us feedback on what you want to see moving forward

Zack Smith with the StockCropper shares 6 years of development on his team's StockCropper, and introduces their NEW unit that's ready to connect to your existing chicken tractor units. Zack gives a detailed history, talks through profitability, cropping arrangements, methodology of movement, and much more in this episode with Shay Foulk on the Ag View Pitch. Visit www.thestockcropper.com to learn more and pre-register, and also check them out on YouTube, X, and Facebook.

19 Minutes PodcastGrain markets have turned volatile fast, and that changes the conversation for corn and soybean farmers. In this episode of the Ag View Pitch, Chris sits down with Jim McCormick to break down what is driving the recent rally, how Middle East conflict and crude oil are affecting grain prices, why fertilizer costs matter so much right now, and what growers should be thinking about for both old crop and new crop marketing.They also dig into practical questions farmers are asking right now. Should you be more aggressive selling old crop corn? How should you think about 2026 sales if profitable targets are finally hitting? How much could higher diesel and fertilizer costs change acreage decisions? And how do you avoid getting too bullish and missing a good marketing opportunity?This conversation covers corn, soybeans, crude oil, fertilizer, inflation, ROI targets, basis opportunities, and using risk management tools to stay flexible in a fast-moving market. If you are trying to make smarter grain marketing decisions heading into planting season, this is a good one to watch.

19 Minutes PodcastCrude, Iran, and commodity profit-taking. Shay and Daniel discuss all of this and more in the March 2026 first Sunday Market Outlook

Wheat woke up this week and brought volatility with it. In this episode we break down what’s driving the rally, what spreads and basis are signaling, and whether this move has legs or is just short covering.We also cover corn and soybean outlook, including export pace, ethanol demand, crush margins, and key technical levels to watch. As always, the focus is on practical marketing decisions, not just price talk.If wheat stays strong, what does it mean for corn and beans? And more importantly, what’s your plan if this market gives you opportunity?