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.

In this week’s Market Outlook, Shay Foulk is joined by Alex Londerville with Cargill to discuss the recent strength in corn, soybeans, and wheat as markets react to planting progress, Brazil safrinha dryness, export demand, China trade discussions, crude oil pressure, and policy movement around 45Z and RVOs.

They also discuss why farmers should stay alert during planting season, especially as profitable pricing opportunities appear while many producers are still holding old-crop corn in the bin.

Correction/clarification from the episode: Alex noted farmer-held corn stocks across Nebraska, Minnesota, Illinois, and Iowa. The corrected figure is 120 million more on-farm stored bushels in Nebraska alone, and 580 million more year-over-year corn bushels across Nebraska, Minnesota, Illinois, and Iowa combined.

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.

SDRP Payment #2 is coming into focus, and for many producers, it may be much simpler than expected. In this episode of The Ag View Pitch, Chris talks with Paul Neiffer about the latest SDRP announcement, how the second payment works, why many farmers may receive roughly the same amount as their first SDRP payment, and how the combined payment limit could affect larger operations.

They also break down the extended August 12 deadline, what producers likely need to do next, how Stage One and Stage Two payments fit together, and why Stage Two has been so frustrating for many farmers. Later in the conversation, they discuss possible additional farm aid, fertilizer cost concerns, 2026 payment limit questions, and what farmers should be watching heading into the rest of the year.

Topics include SDRP Payment #2, farm program payments, payment limits, FSA deadlines, fertilizer prices, 2026 farm aid, and row crop profitability.

Check Out the app: farmprofitmanager.app

Check Out everything Ag View Solutions: https://linktr.ee/AgViewSolutions

Farm 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.

AI is moving fast, but what does it actually mean for farmers and rural businesses? In this episode of The Ag View Pitch, Chris talks with Scott Klososky about where AI stands right now, what has changed in the last few months, and how farmers can start using it in practical ways instead of just hearing the hype. They cover AI agents, automation, robotics, data centers in rural communities, job concerns, security risks, and how AI can help solve real problems on the farm and in everyday life. They also discuss how tools like Farm Profit Manager show what happens when farmers use AI to build faster, think differently, and improve decision-making.

Whether you are curious about AI in agriculture, AI for farmers, farm automation, ChatGPT for farmers, or how technology is changing farm management, this conversation breaks it down in plain English with real-world examples. If you want to understand where AI is headed and how it could affect your farm operation, this episode is a good place to start.

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.

Book Website & Resources: americanfamilyfarmland.com Media: americanfamilyfarmland.com/media
Follow Johnny on Instagram: @yourlandman
Follow on Facebook: @gesweinfarmland

Shay and Johnny discuss the drivers of transition, the large changes that are coming, and resources to handle these as you or your family navigate them. They also talk about the ripple effects of agriculture connection to the land and why it is meaningful and worthwhile to have these difficult conversations