A longtime dream came true in 2025 for St. Joseph's Noah Cameron making his major league debut for the team he grew up rooting for.  

Multiple injuries to the Kansas City Royals rotation made the front office make the call to bring Cameron up from Triple A Omaha after an impressive Spring Training.   

Making his major league debut on April 30th, Cameron says he felt all the emotions you would expect to feel 

"Overwhelmed with emotion, nerves, excitement, just super amped up just to be there,” Cameron tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post at the Royals Rally.  “And I think the biggest difference was I was there to try to earn a spot to stay, it’s like hey let’s get you to the major leagues, well then they’re like hey we don’t want to get you to the major leagues, we want you to stay in the major leagues.” 

Cameron went back to Omaha after pitching a near no hitter in his debut but was called up two weeks later and never went back down finishing out the season with the Royals.

The St. Joseph Central alum, for his stellar season, was named the Royals Bruce Rice Pitcher of the Year.  A trait many fans noticed from Cameron, that made him a fan favorite, was his composure on the mound. 

Cameron says that composure on the mound and ability to not let the game get away from him, comes from his competitiveness  

"Like I’d give up those runs, those home runs, and it’s immediately like not necessarily like I’m mad, it’s not necessarily frustration, like yes I’m upset I gave up a pitch to hit and he hit it, but for pitchers that’s out of our control in a sense of after we let go of the ball anything can happen, like yes can I place it in a better spot or something like that, for sure, but I think it’s just more of a competitive mode of man I gave up a solo home run, that sucked, but like I have to face this next batter and not give up another one,” Cameron explains. 

Cameron recalls a moment like this against the New York Yankees, giving up a longshot to Aaron Judge in the opening inning of the game.  Cameron didn't give up another run until the fourth inning.

Cameron finished his rookie campaign with a 9-7 record and a 2.99 ERA, posting 114 strikeouts, and coming fourth in American League Rookie of the Year voting. 

Now in his second Royals Spring Training camp, Cameron says he's excited for this year in Surprise, Arizona to feel different 

"Excited to not have to push over the edge, where I feel like last Spring Training I was trying to earn a spot, so I was coming in guns blazing, throwing as hard as I possibly could to show them hey I want this spot really bad,” Cameron says.  “And now, thankfully, we’re like hey let’s prepare you to be 100% ready come end of March, instead of being 100% ready at the middle of February, so excited to just come in, still just compete my butt off and fight everyday with the guys.” 

Cameron could likely have a rotation spot locked up, but will compete with pitchers such as Bailey Falter, Ryan Bergert, and Stephen Kolek this spring. 

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.

After stellar '25, St. Joseph's Noah Cameron ready to turn it up for Royals in '26

The proposed cuts came out of a ‘core reduction exercise’ requested by Gov. Mike Kehoe. Lawmakers from both parties vowed to undo the reductions, but warned the governor could still veto any restoration

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/squinn/">Steph Quinn</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

Dozens of Missourians with developmental disabilities, their families, care staff and advocates packed a basement hearing room in the Capitol this week to oppose $80.7 million in proposed cuts to services that help people with disabilities live safely in their homes and participate actively in their communities.

One witness after another testified — to applause from the audience and tears from some lawmakers — that the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/02/09/missouri-families-worry-proposed-80-7-million-cut-will-hobble-disability-care-programs/">proposed pay rate reductions</a>&nbsp;of 21% to 29% would force care staff to find other work. That, in turn, could drive many disabled Missourians to seek care from agencies and institutions less attuned to their needs, or worse, where some worry they could suffer neglect.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://budplan.oa.mo.gov/media/pdf/fy27-dmh-appropriation-book-governor-recommendations" target="_blank">budget proposal</a>&nbsp;put forth by Gov. Mike Kehoe would cut $28.6 million in state general revenue spending, and the state would lose almost twice as much federal match funding as a result.&nbsp;

Department of Mental Health Director Valerie Huhn also told lawmakers Tuesday that funding levels in the governor’s proposed budget could lead to a waitlist for new applicants by late summer or fall. Community residential placements could see waitlists by winter.

Lawmakers across the political spectrum promised to look for a way to restore funding for the services.

“Everybody in this room, on this dais, we are all fighting to fund this,” said Republican state Rep. Darin Chappell of Rogersville, who chairs the subcommittee covering health, mental health and social services. “I will do everything I can do to make sure that the fat elsewhere is cut before we ever touch dollars in this area.”

Republican state Rep. Mitch Boggs of LaRussell echoed Chappell’s pledge.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We are listening. We are working on a solution,” Boggs said. “Collectively, the whole body, not just the budget committee.”

State Rep. Betsy Fogle of Springfield, the ranking Democrat on the committee, said responsibility for the proposed cuts lies with the governor.

“There is one person right now who has made the recommendations to cut these two items, and that person is the governor,” Fogle said. “Nobody in this budget room has suggested that we support those cuts.”

The proposed reductions in disability care funding originated as part of a “core reduction exercise” that Kehoe requested last year, Huhn told lawmakers Tuesday.&nbsp;

The exercise asked departments to submit scenarios of various levels of cuts from their core budgets for fiscal year 2027 — a process a spokesperson for the governor’s office described in an email to The Independent as “a best practice for good budgeting” that prior administrations have also used.

Fogle asked Huhn whether the recommended reductions came from the department or the governor’s office.

Huhn said the proposed reductions were one of several options offered by the department and that one alternative they presented would have made a smaller cut.

“We presented a variety of options,” Huhn said. “That was an option that was selected by the governor.”

Huhn also said the department presented the options with the intention of “build[ing] some equity in the rate structure” for staff across settings offering different types of care.

Kehoe’s proposed budget would cut $6.2 million in state spending on self-directed supports, a Medicaid waiver program that allows individuals with disabilities or their families to hire and train their own care staff. It would also cut $21.9 million in general revenue funding from structured group programs for adults, called day habilitation, and eliminate two other programs, including one designed to help participants develop their independence outside of their homes.

With the proposed reductions, Huhn said rates for self-directed services and day habilitation would more closely reflect rates for staff in settings including state- and privately-run residential facilities. The department uses&nbsp;<a href="https://dmh.mo.gov/media/pdf/2025-sds-rate-study" target="_blank">rate studies</a>&nbsp;conducted by a consulting company, Mercer, to guide rate decisions.

But families and care staff told lawmakers that rates for self-directed supports and residential facilities are not comparable. They said self-directed supports care staff need higher wages because the program dictates that they receive no insurance, sick leave, paid time off, retirement plans or mileage reimbursement.

And they told lawmakers that the proposed cuts would be especially painful because self-directed supports allows care staff and the Missourians they serve to develop close, meaningful bonds.

Lisa Dunaway, of Ozark, said she has been providing full-time daily care to her client, Grace, for over two years. She understands her medical routines, her non-verbal communication and is primed to catch any warning signs of illness or sudden complications.

In addition to receiving no benefits, she can’t work overtime, because the self-directed supports program allots a specific number of weekly compensated hours to clients.&nbsp;

Dunaway broke down as she told lawmakers that the proposed pay cuts would make it “nearly impossible” for her to keep her current position.

She later pointed to a photograph of Grace, telling The Independent, “That’s my girl.”

Despite lawmakers’ vows to try to restore funding, they cautioned that all budget decisions are subject to the governor’s veto power.

Republican state Rep. John Black of Marshfield, co-chair of the subcommittee, said there’s a real chance that the House and Senate will come to an agreement that would reduce or eliminate the rate cuts.

“I would not be surprised if at least some of the funding is restored by the end of the process,” Black told The Independent.

But, Black said, “the governor has to recognize the financial facts.”

Senate Minority Leader Doug Beck, an Affton Democrat, told reporters Thursday that his caucus is “opposed to cutting services for these vulnerable Missourians.”

Fogle told The Independent it has been “powerful to watch a grassroots group of people…be able to raise such awareness and momentum in the building.”

“There’s a real shot that we’re able to fund these services,” Fogle said. “My question to the governor will be, if and when we do that, will he choose to veto this line item?”

A spokesperson for Kehoe told The Independent that if the General Assembly proposes a rate restoration for the services, they will have to come up with the funding from elsewhere in the budget.

Sheryl Schreck, of Independence, told lawmakers about her 21-year-old son Troy. Because of his nonverbal autism and intellectual disabilities, Troy needs help toileting, bathing, dressing and taking his medications. He needs someone to prepare his meals and cut his food.

Schreck, who is herself disabled, has been doing this work, but she said it’s getting harder as she gets older.

Schreck has applied for self-directed supports to hire a personal assistant and keep Troy at home. She said she worries that if rates are cut, he won’t get into the program.

“With me being 61 and disabled, and Troy being only 21, without help, he will need to go to a [residential facility,]” Schreck said.

There aren’t enough of those facilities either.

Families, caregivers plead with Missouri lawmakers to reverse governor’s disability cuts

HOLT COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 11a.m. Friday in Holt County.&nbsp;

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2005&nbsp; Peterbilt semi driven by a 53-year-old Lancaster, Kentucky man and a 2024 Chevy Trax driven by a 57-year-old Rock Port woman were southbound on Interstate 29 two miles north of Craig. The semi merged into the driving land and struck the drivers side rear of the Chevy.&nbsp;

Atchison-Holt ambulance transported the Chevy driver to Fairfax Community Hospital. The semi driver was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Mo. woman injured after rear-end crash with a semi

The St. Joseph Mustangs have revealed three new additions to their 2026 roster.

New additions include Brayden Luikart, Aron Harrington, and Boston Bruce. 

Luikart, a former MVP, is returning for his third season with the team after a successful year at Missouri Southern. Harrington, a senior at Southeastern University, will also be back after a strong 2025 season. Bruce, a sophomore at Johnson County College, will be playing his first season with the Mustangs this summer. 

The team has also confirmed the return of Chris Coy, Gage Busby, and Michael Infranca for the upcoming season, which is set to begin on May 27th.&nbsp;

St. Joseph Mustangs add three players to 2026 roster

UPDATE: The Nodaway County Sheriff's Office has issued an update that all suspects are now in custody following a vehicle pursuit out of Iowa. 

Subject 1 - red\maroon jacket with black pants.

Subject 2 - black hoodie with white logo on the back. Wearing gold shoes.

Subject 3 - wearing white and black jacket. It is white from the shoulders up. Black from the shoulders down with black pants. 

The vehicle pursuit ended on the east side of Maryville near 71 and 136. Suspects fled the location on foot. Suspect names were not available.

The Nodaway County Sheriff's Office advises residents to keep homes locked and call with any suspicious activity.

UPDATE: All suspects now in custody in Nodaway County following vehicle pursuit out of Iowa

(Radio Iowa) - The Iowa Natural Resource Commission approved a proposal to raise hunting and fishing fees at its meeting Thursday. 

Commission chair Tom Prickett says he is elated to finally see the issue move forward and says the public supports the change. The fees have not been raised since 2019 and commissioners have pushed for several years to get the increase. Some of the changes include raising the cost of an annual fishing license one dollar to 21 dollars, a three-year fishing license goes up three dollars to 63 dollars. A hunting license increases one dollar to 21 dollars. 

The Natural Resource Commission action allows the rules to move to a public hearing before final approval. That public hearing will be held on March 24th from 1-2 p-m at the Department of Natural Resources office.

Iowa NRC Approves Increase In Hunting And Fishing Fees

DAVIESS COUNTY —A Missouri girl was injured in an accident just after 5:30p.m. Thursday in Daviess County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Arctic Cat 650 driven by a 12-year-old Gallatin girl was southbound in a private field on Ridge Avenue at 248th Street two miles southeast of Gallatin. The driver turned sharply and the vehicle rolled and the vehicle landed on her leg.

A private vehicle transported the girl to Cameron Regional Medical Center. She was not wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

12-year-old Mo. girl injured in ATV accident

The Missouri State Highway Patrol, in partnership with the American Legion, is officially accepting applications for the 54th Cadet Patrol Academy.

The joint program is seeking motivated young men and women, ages 16 to 18, to participate in the upcoming 2026 class.

Sgt. Shane Hux, with Troop H in St. Joseph says, "We've been doing this for mutliple years."

Hux adds, "Registrants need to be sponsored by the American Legion. We recommend you apply and the decision on whether you are accepted or not will be made at a later date."

To be considered for the academy, Hux says interested students must meet the following criteria:

- Possess a valid driver’s license or permit.

- Be at least 16 years old by April 1, 2026.

- Demonstrate a sincere interest in pursuing a career within the Criminal Justice System.

The cost to attend the academy is $450. Hux says payment is due once applicants have been chosen by the American Legion.

"They will be staying at our general headquarters in Jefferson City. Students will not need any money while they are there. Meals will be provided and they will be issued a uniform. All the equipment they need will be provided for them."

The week-long academy is scheduled to begin June 7. The experience is designed to provide students with hands-on insight into the world of law enforcement. Throughout the week, cadets will mirror the daily routines and rigorous training of actual Patrol recruits, allowing them to explore various career paths within the Missouri State Highway Patrol and law enforcement in general. The program will conclude with a formal graduation ceremony on Friday, June 12.

Hux says topics will cover, "defensive driving at the emergency operations training course, learning motor vehicle laws, and personal defense."

Firearm training will also be part of the academy. Hux says students do not need to have a permit for the training portion, but he stresses, "Do not bring a firearm with you. Everything will be provided by our experts. Safety is our number one priority."

Prospective cadets can find applications through the <a href="https://www.missourilegion.org/">Missouri Legion website</a> or by visiting their local American Legion Post. Applications are due by March 1.

Applications now open: MSHP and American Legion partner for 54th annual Cadet Academy

(Radio Iowa) - The trade group that represents 400 Iowa trucking companies and suppliers is backing a bill that would require anyone seeking a commercial drivers license in Iowa to pass an English proficiency test. 

Blake Grolmus of the Iowa Motor Truck Association says there have been some very public examples of crashes involving commercial motor vehicles driven by individuals who could not speak, read or understand the English language," Grolmus said. The bill also calls for a one-thousand dollar fine for truck drivers who aren't proficient at English caught driving in Iowa -- and even heftier fines for any trucking company caught employing a trucker driving through Iowa who cannot speak or read English. Last June, the Trump Administration issued guidelines that let law enforcement officers stop truckers from continuing their route if the driver is unable to answer questions posed in English, like "What are you hauling?" 

Records indicate 12-thousand truckers in the U-S who cannot speak English well have been sidelined so far, including 500 in the state of Iowa.

Iowa bill would fine semi drivers who can't speak English well, their employers would get heftier fines

HOLT COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 6:30p.m. Wednesday in Holt County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2022 Freightliner semi driven by a 50-year-old St. Joseph man was northbound on Interstate 29 just north of I-159 Rulo exit. The semi traveled off the east side of the road, struck a MODOT sign, continued down an embankment and struck a tree.

Atchison-Holt ambulance transported the driver to Mosaic in St. Joseph. He was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Man from St. Joe injured after semi crash into a tree

The bill growing out of an interim committee’s work would set separate tax rates for different types of property and set appraisals at replacement costs rather than sale value

BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

Property tax bills would look different next year, with separate rates for each type of property,&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?year=2026&amp;bill=HB2780&amp;code=R%20&amp;cal=1" target="_blank">under a measure</a>&nbsp;given first-round approval Wednesday in the Missouri House.

The proposal from state Rep. Tim Taylor, a Republican from Bunceton, would also move all local tax elections to November, change how the taxable value of homes and commercial property is calculated and limit when homes rented for short-term stays can be taxed as commercial property.

The wide-ranging bill is designed to quiet public outrage over rapidly rising tax bills tied to biennial reassessments.&nbsp;

“Our tax system is a mess in many ways,” Taylor said. “It did not become a mess overnight. It became a mess over a long period of time.”

The bill won first-round approval on a voice vote. A final roll call vote is needed to move the bill to the state Senate.

Last year, Taylor chaired the Missouri House Special Interim Committee on Property Tax Reform, which toured the state to take testimony. The bill debated Wednesday grew out of that work, he said.

Some of the changes are technical in nature, such as allowing tax bills to be paid in installments in every county of the state.&nbsp;

The bill’s directive to implement separate tax rates for various types of property will have the biggest impact on individual taxpayers, Taylor said.

“This bill is crafted in a way that it is going to make substantive changes for our taxpayers and bring stability to their issues we heard so much about as we went across the state,” Taylor said.

When Missouri governments set property tax rates, they are stated as an amount to be charged for every $100 of assessed value. The minimum tax rate for school districts, for example, is $2.75 per $100 of assessed value.

Each of the state’s 2,811 taxing districts has a tax rate ceiling, which is the highest rate it is allowed to charge. The ceiling may be different from the actual rate charged.

Under the 1980 Hancock Amendment to the Missouri Constitution, revenue from property taxes in each district is allowed to increase annually by the rate of inflation. When property values rise after the biennial reassessment cycle, if the tax rate ceiling would produce revenue in excess of the limit, taxing authorities are required to reduce the ceiling.

Everywhere in Missouri except St. Louis County, taxes are uniform for all property subclasses — residential, commercial, agricultural and personal. If values on one type of property rise faster than for others, the owners in that subclass pay a bigger share of the total taxes while other property owners pay less.

That happened in&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/12/30/diluting-the-rollback-missouris-tool-for-capping-property-tax-rates-gives-limited-relief/">Hamilton in Caldwell County</a>&nbsp;last year. Commercial assessments in the town of about 1,700 increased by 200% or more and tax bills for those properties rose dramatically even as tax rates in some districts that include Hamilton declined moderately.

In St. Louis County taxing districts have charged separate rates for each subclass since 2003. As a result, residential properties generally pay the lowest rates, followed by commercial property owners.

In four St. Louis County school districts, the spread between the rates paid by homeowners for residential property is more than $2 per $100 of assessed value.&nbsp;

The largest difference is in the Bayless School District in south St. Louis County, where the residential rate is $2.788 per $100 while the personal property tax rate — paid on autos, trailers and boats — is $5.3231 per $100.

During reassessment last year, the assessed value of residential property in Bayless School District increased 16.4% and the tax rate fell 9.5%. The assessed value of personal property declined 2.9% and the tax rate was unchanged.

Creating separate tax rates for each property subclass is called&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/10/21/missouri-house-committee-eyes-plan-to-silo-property-classes-for-taxation/">“siloing” the rates</a>. The change is intended to end the process that has shifted the tax burden away from farms, railroads and utility companies to homeowners and commercial businesses.&nbsp;

“To me, that is the base of this entire bill,” Taylor said. “It is the foundation.”

The siloing provisions of the bill received little debate compared to altering election dates and questions about whether the proposed changes are too expansive.

Currently, taxing districts can call an election for bond issues or tax increases on several dates during a year. The bill would require all tax elections to take place at the November general elections in even-numbered years.

Other election dates can have extremely low turnout, and that appeals to district directors seeking a tax increase, Taylor said.

“There are those taxing entities that will seek to get the lowest voter turnout time so they can get their voters out,” he said.

Other members questioned whether that will allow the flexibility to meet emergencies.

“You can’t adequately plan it if you have to wait two years for the election to come around,” said state Rep. Eric Woods, a Democrat from Kansas City.

State Rep. Rodger Reedy, a Republican from Windsor who was vice-chair of the interim committee, said limiting election dates could deprive agencies like fire or ambulance districts the money needed to meet public service demands. He said he did not see a problem having tax elections on days with low turnout.

“People have the freedom to vote,” Reedy said. “They have the freedom not to vote.”

Information about local tax measures could be swamped by the messages from candidates or statewide ballot measures where campaigns are spending millions of dollars. Ballots could grow to multiple pages that confuse voters as well, said state Rep. Bill Falkner, a Republican from St. Joseph.

“What they are doing is they are going to vote on the first page and leave the rest blank,” he said.

The number of changes in the way taxes are calculated and set could make implementation difficult, said state Rep. Peggy McGaugh, a Republican from Carrollton.

“We need to slow our roll out a little bit and we need to talk to the counties and we need to talk to the townships about how this will be implemented,” she said.

Taylor acknowledged that there will be districts that gain and districts that lose under the legislation but said he thinks the results will be acceptable to all.

And, he said, it will be up to future lawmakers to adjust the provisions that go too far.&nbsp;

“For the years to come,” he said, “this body is going to be responsible for additional changes and cleaning up something that is quite complicated and where people are getting hurt in many ways.”

Missouri House moves ahead on bill to silo property tax rates, move tax elections to November

March corn closed up 1/2 cent and May corn was up 1/4 cent. March soybeans closed down 4 1/4 cents and May soybeans were down 3 3/4 cents. March KC wheat closed down 11 1/2 cents, March Chicago wheat was down 3 3/4 cents, March Minneapolis wheat was down 5 3/4 cents.

It was an overall mixed to lower session in row-crop futures to close the week, with corn showing resilience to trade marginally higher, while soybeans and wheat futures fell as traders looked to square positions ahead of a long weekend, with markets closed on Monday for Presidents Day. Overall, for the week it was positive price action for U.S. grain markets as prices made technical strides as well in holding chart support. Outside markets for Friday traded primarily in reaction to a cooler than expected inflation reading via the Consumer Price Index, which declined to 2.4% annual price growth, the lowest since early 2021. This was a source of pressure to commodities early on Friday, while also fueling recovery efforts in equities after a two-day selloff through the middle of the week. The U.S. Dollar Index was lower on perceived lower interest rates (as a result of lower inflation), while crude oil and other energy markets recovered from daily lows in an otherwise narrow session to close the week.

The live cattle complex drifted only slightly lower as traders try to remain patient, waiting for cash cattle to trade. It's fully assumed prices will be higher late on Friday when trade develops, but the real question is: How much higher? A single bid was on the table in Nebraska at $238, but otherwise no news has developed as of this writing. Asking prices remain firm in Texas at $245 to $247, but aren't clearly established elsewhere. Boxed beef prices are mixed: choice down $0.45 ($364.39) and select up $0.26 ($363.29) with a movement of 30 loads (24.05 loads of choice, 2.18 loads of select, zero loads of trim and 3.48 loads of ground beef).

Keeping in alignment with the live cattle contracts, the feeder cattle complex traded mixed to slightly lower as well. Demand has mostly higher this week in the countryside for both feeders and calves, but there has been notable interest in the heavier weight feeders that will make grass cattle in a few months.

In keeping with its lower trend, the lean hog complex continued to lose position as the market anticipates more supply to be working its way into the system, which causes traders some fear that pork cutout values could weaken. Not to mention, just a little over a week ago the market did reach new all-time highs in the futures complex which put heavy pressure on the market's technical side.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2026/02/13145333/web-closing-markets-1.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

Commodity markets daily recap

The first Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor of 2026 shows the U.S. ag economy entered the year in a clear crop-sector recession. However, the survey also finds a deeper crisis of confidence. Economists say the downturn is cyclical and manageable through optimization, but farmers are experiencing it as a structural stress test on their operations and livelihoods. The first survey points to a continuing split in the ag economy, which is strength in livestock, particularly beef cattle, versus persistent financial stress across most of the row-crop sector. 

The Monthly Monitor asks respondents to compare the ag economy right now with the same time a year ago, and most retailers, producers, and economists report being somewhat worse off. “Across nearly all responses, margin pressure emerged as a dominant concern,” said Tyne Morgan of AgWeb. “While several producers talk about diversifying as a key, others responded with cutting costs to the bone, especially around capital spending.” 

Survey shows producers “fighting for survival”

According to data from Joe Janzen, an economist for the University of Illinois, The buildout of grain storage capacity in the U.S. has stopped.  He wrote that U.S. grain storage capacity grew in parallel with production from 2000 to 2019 at about 350 million bushels per year. However, that growth has stagnated since 2020 across all regions and facility types. Janzen said this stagnation, combined with continued production growth, has led to a record-high-capacity utilization rate, particularly in on-farm storage. 

The 2025 crop brought these tensions to a head, with December 1 on-farm utilization reaching 80 percent. What’s less clear is why investment in grain storage capacity dropped. It’s also difficult to determine if current U.S. storage capacity is sufficient for efficient operation along the grain supply chains. Janzen said, “The entire grain industry will need to consider these questions as it addresses the shifting geography of global grain production.” 

U.S. grain storage capacity growth has stopped

March corn closed up 3 3/4 cents and May corn was up 5 1/4 cents. March soybeans closed up 13 1/4 cents and May soybeans were up 12 3/4 cents. March KC wheat closed up 15 1/2 cents, March Chicago wheat was up 15 1/4 cents, March Minneapolis wheat was up 7 1/4 cents.

It was a mostly positive session across the board for row-crop futures Thursday, with soybean futures again leading the way higher on continued trade optimism ahead of President Trump's upcoming visit to China in April. Meanwhile, wheat futures have caught a midweek burst, rallying from trendline support and aided by a strong past few weeks for export sales. This positively influenced corn futures as well for Thursday, with strong export sales in their own right. Outside markets were very volatile on Thursday, with no clear macro news to explain the sharp turn lower in stocks by late morning. Treasuries were firm again following Wednesday's better than expected jobs data for January. The U.S. dollar was firm, but energy markets turned lower on U.S. inventory build-ups in crude and finished motor gasoline last week, and at least a temporary soothing of supply risk as negotiations between the U.S. and Iran are planned to continue.

Following Wednesday's sizeable rally, the live cattle complex was back to trading slightly lower as the market tries to patiently wait to see what's going to develop in the fed cash cattle market this week. With boxed beef prices declining -- as they seasonally do during this time -- traders need to see additional fundamental support, which will likely come from the cash market when trade develops at some point this week. But in the lightning fast world we live in, waiting until the very bitter end of the week to see what's going to develop fundamentally for the market is a painful waiting lesson traders aren't necessarily fond of. Boxed beef prices are lower: choice down $0.39 ($365.53) and select down $0.59 ($361.99) with a movement of 46 loads (24.40 loads of choice, 3.08 loads of select, 7.95 loads of trim and 10.72 loads of ground beef).

And as one would logically assume in this market, with the live cattle contracts trading lower, the feeder cattle contracts followed suit. Demand has been mostly strong this week in the countryside for both feeder cattle and calves -- and especially for cattle that will make yearlings this upcoming summer.

The lean hog complex continues to tumble lower as the market anticipates a wall of supply that's likely going to hit the market at any point in time now. The latest Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report showed market-ready supplies were larger than originally assumed, and the market is bracing itself for that supply to hit.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2026/02/12200936/web-closing-markets-1.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

The USDA is facing some doubts about the reliability of its data from farmers, grain traders, and economists. Reports say the doubts are coming about because of the agency’s significant staff losses and the sharp upward revision in how many acres of corn U.S. farmers harvested in 2025. “Thousands of employees left the agency last year as a part of the administration’s push to shrink the federal government, and industry stakeholders are worried that the shrinking staff limited the agency’s ability to produce timely and accurate data.”  

USDA’s final January estimates of how many acres corn farmers planted and harvested in 2025 represented unprecedented increases from June’s initial estimates. Already-low grain prices dropped over five percent at a time when growers were already struggling to make enough money to stay in business. The unexpected revisions prompted the National Agricultural Statistics Service to launch an internal review of its processes for making acreage estimates.

USDA data under increasing scrutiny

It’s well-known that the U.S. cattle herd continues to shrink. The January U.S. Cattle Inventory report showed the total inventory at 86.2 million head on January 1. That was down 300,000 head from last year. American Farm Bureau analysis showed the combination of fewer beef cows and a declining calf crop means the 2026 calf crop will likely continue to trend downward because there are fewer calves available for the breeding herd, even if more heifers are kept for breeding purposes. 

Tighter cattle supplies will contribute to higher prices and volatility for cattle and beef in 2026. Smaller cattle supplies paired with strong consumer demand for beef have driven up prices for both cattle and beef. With cattle supplies this tight, markets have become more responsive to news and events that could impact supply and demand. Beef cattle cash receipts have been one of the few bright spots in the U.S. agricultural economy. 

AFBF: Smaller cattle herd means market volatility

March corn closed down 1 1/4 cents and May corn was down 3/4 cent. March soybeans closed up 1 1/2 cents and May soybeans were up 2 cents. March KC wheat closed up 8 cents, March Chicago wheat was up 9 cents, March Minneapolis wheat was up 2 cents.

Row-crop trade was quiet at midweek with wheat futures leading the way higher after successfully holding above trendline support early in the week. Meanwhile, soybeans recovered from early losses to extend the rally while corn futures were sluggish despite larger-than-expected cuts to U.S. stocks in Tuesday's WASDE report, with a seven-year high forecast for reserves still weighing on price potential. Outside markets leaned mostly positive with firm energy markets amid lingering geopolitical risks as negotiations continue between the U.S. and Iran regarding the latter's nuclear program. In other news for Wednesday, January jobs data was much better than expected, with a cut to the unemployment rate and a surge in job creation. This in turn pressured Treasuries and raised yields as the slowing job market through the final few months of 2025 had been an argument for lowering interest rates.

It's almost as if the overarching theme in the live cattle complex as we headed into Wednesday's noon hour was, "Why are we waiting around? We know the market's direction is higher." So where does all this support come from this morning? Good question, because boxed beef prices were mostly lower, there's yet to be any trade in the fed cash cattle market, and the equity markets aren't doing anything that would justify trading notably higher. But if there's one thing we know and understand about the livestock complex, it's that it is an anticipatory market. If traders think the market is bound to trade substantially higher, one may ask, "Why not today?" and they followed through finishing fully higher. Still no trade has developed in the fed cash cattle market and both bids and asking prices remain elusive at this point. Boxed beef prices are mixed: choice down $0.41 ($367.14) and select up $1.19 ($364.09) with a movement of 53 loads (45.12 loads of choice, 3.38 loads of select, zero loads of trim and 4.62 loads of ground beef).

Upon seeing the live cattle contracts trading higher, it didn't take much convincing to get the feeder cattle futures to move higher also. Sales have been noticeably stronger this week in the countryside for both feeder cattle and calves as supplies remain incredibly thin.

Meanwhile the lean hog complex is the same story Wednesday that it's been over the last couple of days as the market continued to scale lower. And with pork cutout values down slightly, the market won't likely change its direction until that is corrected.

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A new American Farm Bureau Market Intel Report said Chapter 12 farm bankruptcies increased for the second year in a row, reaching 315 filings in 2025, a 46 percent increase from 2024. The Midwest and Southeast filed 121 and 105 Chapter 12 cases, respectively, far outpacing any other regions. Deep crop losses across commodities common in those two regions have compounded after years of declining receipts and rising expenses. 

Filing for Chapter 12 bankruptcy is a last resort for farmers who have incurred large debts to continue operating with increased flexibility for payments. Midwest states with double-digit filings include Iowa with 18, Nebraska 17, Missouri and Wisconsin each had 16 filings, Minnesota with 13, and Kansas had 11. The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City said farmers are taking out larger operating loans and taking longer to repay them. USDA estimates that total farm debt will rise 5.2 percent to a record $624.7 billion this year. 

Farm bankruptcies continued climbing in 2025

The USDA announced the enrollment periods for agricultural producers and landowners to submit offers for the Continuous and General Conservation Reserve Program. The Farm Service Agency is accepting offers for Continuous CRP starting this Thursday, February 12, through March 20, 2026. Enrollment for the General CRP will run from March 9, 2026, through April 17, 2026. FSA will announce the dates for the Grassland CRP signup in the near future. 

“We’re still very close to the 27-million-acre statutory cap, with 1.9 million acres available for all CRP enrollments this fiscal year, so enrollment is likely to be competitive,” said Richard Fordyce, USDA Undersecretary for Farm Programs and Conservation. “It’s not about the total number of enrolled acres, it’s about producers and landowners offering the acres that can best deliver real and lasting benefits to soil, water, and wildlife.” Producers and landowners interested in participating in CRP should contact their local FSA county office. 

USDA announces enrollment periods for 2026 continuous and general CRP 

March corn closed unchanged and May corn was up a 1/4 cent. March soybeans closed up 11 3/4 cents and May soybeans were up 12 1/2 cents. March KC wheat closed up 1 3/4 cents, March Chicago wheat was down a 1/2 cent, March Minneapolis wheat was down 2 1/4 cents.

Soybean futures led the way higher on Tuesday, resuming rallying efforts after a brief pause on Monday. Meanwhile, corn and wheat markets were mixed as USDA made very few changes to U.S. and global balance sheets but did reiterate multi-year highs in grain reserves. Outside markets were mixed for Tuesday with softer energy markets, while the U.S. dollar recovered from the turn lower on Monday.

In trying to wait patiently for the week's fundamentals to shine through the marketplace, the live cattle complex was mixed for the bulk of the session before finishing lower, as traders simply aren't willing to advance the market at this point without first seeing fundamental reassurance develop. It's quite likely the market could enter a sideways trading range until it sees what the fed cash cattle market is going to accomplish this week. Traders don't want to pressure the market's resistance from a technical standpoint, but at the same time they believe in the market's long-term, bullish fundamental outlook, which is why a sideways trend is most likely to be the theme throughout the remainder of the week and until cash cattle begin to trade. Tuesday's WASDE report shared a fruitful outlook for the cattle and beef markets of 2026. Beef production for 2026 was increased by 185 million pounds as fed cattle slaughter is expected to increase, cow slaughter is expected to increase, and carcass weights are obviously higher. Boxed beef prices are mixed: choice up $2.24 ($370.00) and select down $0.82 ($364.53) with a movement of 74 loads (53.35 loads of choice, 4.31 loads of select, 4.17 loads of trim and 11.88 loads of ground beef).

Without a strong presence seen in the live cattle complex, the feeder cattle contracts were also trading mixed into Tuesday's noon hour, before fading and finishing lower. But what remains interesting about the feeder cattle market's behavior is the deferred contracts aren't concerned about what the live cattle contracts are doing and instead traded fully higher, seeming more focused on the market's long-term situation of short supplies for the bulk of today's session.

The lean hog complex was again trading lower as the market seems to be anticipating increased supplies that are soon to hit the market. The last quarterly Hogs and Pigs report unveiled more market-ready supplies than what the industry anticipated, and there were plenty of hogs noted in the heavy weight categories which will meet the consumer in the supply chain at any point in time now. But what also remains true is that while the futures complex may be scaling lower, pork demand over the last two weeks has been noticeably stronger, which one may logically assume is because some consumers are electing to purchase pork as opposed to beef as it's a cheaper protein option.

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Five individuals were federally indicted this week for their roles in an alleged $220 million nationwide fraud scheme involving purported cattle purchase contracts, according to United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.

Those indicted by a Fort Worth federal grand jury on February 11, 2026, were:

“Thousands of unwitting investors, ranchers, and others in the cattle industry nationwide were drawn in and victimized by the defendants’ multi-million dollar scheme alleged in this indictment,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould.&nbsp; “My office, in concert with our law enforcement partners, will hold these defendants accountable and pursue justice on behalf of the victims.”

“The defendants allegedly used false promises to lure prospective clients into their scheme and then misappropriated client funds to enrich themselves. One individual, Joshua Robert Link, remains a fugitive. We are asking the public to contact the FBI if they have any information regarding Link’s location,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock.

As alleged in the indictment, each of the defendants were associated with Agridime LLC, a business headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas that offered cattle sales and meat processing and retail services to the public.&nbsp; Jed Wood served as the Operations Director.&nbsp; Joshua Link served as the Executive Director.&nbsp; Tia Link served as the Marketing Director.&nbsp; Taylor Bang served as a cattle broker, and Royana Thomas served as the financial controller.

The indictment alleges that, from January 2021 through December 2023, the five defendants, acting through Agridime, perpetrated a fraud scheme in which they falsely represented to individual cattle purchasers, cattle ranchers, and feedlots that Agridime would use their funds to purchase specific individual cattle for each victim, raise the cattle, and eventually sell the meat from the same specific individual cattle for a profit.&nbsp; In reality, as the indictment charges, the defendants did not use victim funds as promised and instead used newer cattle purchaser funds to pay Agridime operating expenses, pay funds owed by Agridime to earlier cattle purchasers, pay personal expenses, and purchase real property.&nbsp;

As alleged, the defendants fraudulently collected more than $220 million from over 2,200 individual victims located throughout the United States due to fraudulent misrepresentations the defendants made in public and private advertising statements.

If convicted, the defendants face up to twenty years in federal prison on each wire fraud count for which they were indicted as well as twenty years’ imprisonment for the charged wire fraud conspiracy.&nbsp; Additionally, the defendants face up to ten years’ imprisonment for each money laundering count in which they are charged.

Tia Link and Taylor Bang appeared for arraignment before a United States Magistrate Judge in Fort Worth today.&nbsp; Both were released under pretrial supervision.&nbsp; Jed Wood and Royana Thomas are set to appear for arraignment in Fort Worth before a United States Magistrate Judge on February 25, 2026.

Joshua Robert Link remains a fugitive. The FBI requests that the public contact the FBI with any information regarding Link’s location.

FBI: Missouri man wanted for $220 million fraud scheme

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">Ariana Figueroa</a> <a href="https://statesnewsroom.com/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — The second partial government shutdown in 2026 began at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, after lawmakers left the nation’s capital without reaching a deal on changes to immigration enforcement tactics at the Department of Homeland Security.&nbsp;

The department’s shutdown is also likely to go on for some time. With Congress out next week for the Presidents Day recess, lawmakers are not expected back on Capitol Hill for votes until Feb. 23.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/judge-weighs-trump-administration-limits-congressional-visits-immigration-facilities" target="_blank">A procedural vote</a>&nbsp;to approve funding for the Homeland Security bill for fiscal year 2026 failed Thursday to gain support from Senate Democrats because constraints to immigration enforcement were not included, such as an end to agents wearing face coverings.&nbsp;

Even with the president’s border czar Tom Homan&nbsp;<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/02/12/border-czar-tom-homan-announces-end-to-operation-metro-surge-claiming-success/" target="_blank">announcing Thursday</a>&nbsp; the withdrawal of the thousands of federal immigration officers from Minneapolis, Democrats argued it’s not enough.&nbsp;

“Without legislation, what Tom Homan says today could be reversed tomorrow on a whim from (President) Donald Trump,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said on the Senate floor Thursday.

Asked by the press pool Friday about cutting a deal on the shutdown, &nbsp;Trump said,&nbsp;“We’ll see what happens. We always have to protect our law enforcement.”

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