This week, orange juice prices flowed to a six-month high, while jitters about coffee sank that market near a three-month low. Frozen concentrated orange juice futures exploded after a USDA report on Thursday confirmed that Florida’s orange groves are in serious trouble. ...

Crude oil prices fell sharply this week amidst ongoing concerns about a glut of U.S. crude oil that could get worse if refineries are affected by Tropical Storm Nate. The storm is projected to travel northward through the Gulf of Mexico and hit Louisiana, potentially crossing paths with dozens of refineries...

The Federal Reserve announced this week that it was going to begin the process of unwinding its unprecedented stimulus packages implemented during the last decade. After the financial crisis of 2008, the Fed began accumulating a massive portfolio of mortgages and Treasury bonds to lower interest rates and thereby stimulate the economy. ...

As Hurricane Irma swept through Florida, it brought high winds, tornadoes, drenching rain, and flooding, damaging property across the Sunshine State. The loss of life and property were substantial, but damage was not as severe as feared before the storm made landfall...

Hurricanes hitting the Southeast U.S. have typically caused extreme swings in commodity markets as they attempt to assess threats and damage to the natural resources that we depend on for our food, fuel, clothing, and shelter...

On Thursday, the National Weather Service reported Tropical Storm Harvey had quickly developed into a major hurricane and was aiming for Texas. Expected to reach Category 3, Harvey could be the worst storm to threaten Texas in decades, posing a grave risk to millions of people and homes. The storm could also damage or shut down oil rigs and refineries on the Gulf Coast and inland where the storm was projected to hit land...

Corn prices continued lower this week, dropping underneath $3.50 per bushel for the first time this year after the USDA showed improving corn crop quality on Monday. The USDA was already projecting an ample 14.2 billion bushel crop, and improving quality could boost the crop size to the second-largest ever. Southern states have begun harvesting this year’s crop and are reporting high yields...

A war of words between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un spooked global investors this week. On Tuesday, President Trump warned that the United States would unleash “fire and fury” on North Korea if it made further threats on the United States. Kim Jong-un responded by threatening to bomb the U.S. island of Guam...

Farmers are facing a superweed and a super problem dealing with it. The terror, known as pigweed, grows rapidly and produces over 100,000 seeds, allowing it to spread like wildfire, sapping crops of much-needed sunlight, water, and nutrients. Worse yet, pigweed has grown resistant to most common herbicides and often needs to be removed by hand, a time-consuming and expensive prospect for farmers who have hundreds or thousands of acres infested with the weed...

The lumber market roared near a three-month high this week as wildfires threatened forests and sawmills in British Columbia. There are nearly 400 wildfires ablaze in the Canadian province which is one of the world’s largest exporters of softwood lumber...

For the past two weeks, grain markets had been exploding higher on fears of hot and dry weather in the forecast, which could threaten this year’s crop yields. But on Wednesday, the USDA stunned markets lower with a revised outlook for this year’s corn, wheat, and soybean crops, raising estimates for global stockpiles of the three major commodities. The report served as a reminder that global harvests should replace any U.S. production losses, forcing the markets quickly lower...

As Americans celebrated the Fourth of July with rockets glaring red, so too did Kim Jong-un’s regime in North Korea. On Tuesday, North Korea test fired an intercontinental ballistic missile that experts believe could reach Hawaii or Alaska, putting American cities at risk for the first time. The test stood as a clear threat to the United States, and U.S. officials vowed a strong reaction...

As Tropical Storm Cindy made landfall in Louisiana this week, citizens and market watchers braced for its impact. One big concern was that the storm could flood rice-growing areas of Louisiana, which sent prices to a one-year high at 11.5 cents per pound on Monday as storm watchers warned of flood risks. Luckily, the damage to fields was largely contained, which knocked prices swiftly lower by Friday...

A surprise rise in U.S. oil inventories sent the market tanking when the Department of Energy released its weekly update on Wednesday. Oil had its biggest one-day loss since March, falling to a one-month low near $45 per barrel...

This spring was one of the wettest on record, drenching Midwestern fields and slowing down spring planting. At this point, corn and soybean planting is still nearing complete, but is a bit behind schedule. Even as the final acres are planted, some producers are worried about the condition of the corn and soybean crops. Plants that develop during a wet spring typically don’t build a deep root system, which can make them especially susceptible to dry weather if it hits later in the summer...

The White House’s proposed federal budget includes a $38 billion cut for farm support, the bulk of which rests on a $29.5 billion cut of the federal crop insurance program. Many farmers showed their distaste for Trump’s new budget including the American Soybean Association and National Corn Growers Association which said in a statement, “Targeting the federal crop insurance program is extremely short sighted. ...

The U.S. dollar and stock markets plunged this week as political scandals swirled in Washington, threatening to derail the Trump administration’s agenda. After President Trump’s election in November, the stock market and U.S. dollar have largely been climbing on expectations of a stronger U.S. economy, a friendlier tax environment, increased infrastructure spending, and higher interest rates...

Silver prices have been mining out new lows over the last month but may have finally bottomed out after striking $16.00 per ounce on Tuesday. Prices fell from recent highs near $18.60 as investors grew fearful of further Federal Reserve interest rate hikes as the U.S. economy is showing increasing signs of strength. Higher interest rates make other investments more appealing than metals that don’t pay interest...

Last weekend, a massive snowstorm dumped up to 20 inches of snow on western Kansas and nearby states. This late-season storm devastated wheat fields as snow smashed emerging plants and below-freezing temperatures threatened to damage plant growth...

Cattle futures charged over $1.30 per pound this week, reaching a 12-month high. Cattle are rallying as steer weights decline and beef export sales continue to boom. Alongside rising beef prices, cattle producers received more great news this week as corn prices fell near a six-month low. ...