Pete's Pick of the Week

Geographies at the greatest risk of consolidation are those that rely heavily on wheat and cotton production; where drought continues to be an issue, including the Great Plains and the southeast Cotton Belt; and areas of the Corn Belt with marginal soils. As always, economists say the size of an operation is a factor.

So far, 12 of the 18 states with corn planted are ahead of the five-year average. North Dakota, Ohio and Pennsylvania also planted their first corn acres this past week.

A farmer recently asked Jon Scheve if he should take advantage of the free storage programs his end user was offering and move grain now. Scheve's response: Absolutely not. Here's why.

Federal officials are seeking to verify the safety of milk and meat after confirming the H5N1 virus in nine states since late March. The public health risk is low, but is higher for those exposed to infected animals.