Here is a list of general highway maintenance and construction work the Missouri Department of Transportation has planned in the Northwest Missouri region for the week of Feb. 9 - 15.

Route C – Utility work at County Road 190, Feb. 4-13.

Interstate 29 –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;to all thru traffic between Route 6 (northbound Exit 43) and I-229/Route 71 (Exit 56B) for the demolition of the Gene Field Road Bridge, 6 p.m. Feb.7 through 5 a.m. Feb. 9. Traffic will be detoured onto I-229.

Gene Field Road Bridge –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;due to damage from being struck by an oversized load. The project was awarded to Clarkson Construction Company.&nbsp;

Route 752 (Alabama Street) –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;from U.S. Route 59 to Sherman Street for an intersection improvement project through February 2026.&nbsp;

Route D – Bridge replacement project at the Shoal Creek Bridge through March 2026. The roadway may be narrowed to one lane.

Route PP –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;at the Mid-Fork Chariton River Overflow Bridge for replacement projects through the Northwest Bridge Bundle through March 2026.

Route KK –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;at the Puzzle Creek Bridge for a replacement project through the Northwest Bridge Bundle through mid-March 2026.

Route O –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;at the Bee Creek Bridge for a replacement project through the Northwest Bridge Bundle through April 2026.

Route KK –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;at the Little Chariton River Bridge for a deck replacement project through March 2026.

Route K –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;for a culvert replacement from Route U to NW Prairie View Road, Feb. 11, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Route BB –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;for a culvert replacement from Route TT to Vow Avenue, Feb. 9, 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Route BB –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;for a culvert replacement at 110th Street, Feb. 10, 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

I-29 – Bridge maintenance southbound at the 86.6 mile marker, Feb. 9-13.

Route 11 –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;at the Badger Creek Bridge, north of New Boston, for a bridge replacement project through the Northwest Bridge Bundle through May 2026.

Route 139 -&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;at the Parson Creek Bridge, north of Meadville, for a bridge replacement project through the Northwest Bridge Bundle through May 2026.

Route K –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;at the North Fork Crooked Creek Bridge for a bridge replacement project through the Northwest Bridge Bundle through April 2026.

Route PP –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;at the West Locust Creek Bridge through June 2026, for a bridge replacement project through the Northwest Bridge Bundle through April 2026.

Route T –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;at the East Locust Creek bridge due to deterioration. The bridge is scheduled to be replaced in the spring of 2026 through the Northwest Bridge Bundle.

Route W –&nbsp;CLOSED&nbsp;for a bridge replacement at the West Fork Grand River Bridge through mid-February 2026.

There may be moving operations throughout the region, in addition to the work mentioned below. MoDOT says inclement weather may cause schedule changes in some of the planned work.

Planned roadwork for Northwest Missouri, Feb. 9 - 15

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

MERCER COUNTY —One person injured in an accident just after 4:30p.m. Wednesday in Mercer County.

The Missouri State Highway. Patrol reported a 2015 Toyota RAV 4 driven by a 26-year-old Trenton man was southbound on U.S. 65 four miles north of Spickard. The SUV rear ended a horse and buggy driven by 31-year-old Spickard man.

Mercer County ambulance transported the horse and buggy driver to Mosaic Life Caare in St. Joseph. The SUV driver was properly restrained and not injured, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims. The patrol did release details on the condition of the horse.

Mo. man hospitalized after SUV rear-ends a horse and buggy

DEKALB COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before noon Wednesday in DeKalb County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Cadillac XTS driven by a 74-year-old Maysville man was westbound on U.S. 36 at taylor Road two miles west of Stewartsville.&nbsp; The vehicle traveled off the north side of the highway, struck a Chevron sign, a field fence and a tree.

DeKalb-Clinton County ambulance transported the driver to Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph.&nbsp; He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Mo. man injured after car strikes a fence and a tree

A press release from the Elwood Police Department says on January 15, 2026, Elwood police conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle displaying a stolen Nebraska registration tag after receiving information from the Kansas Highway Patrol.

During the stop, officers arrested the following individuals:

- Kyle Wissler was arrested for Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of Stolen Property, and Driving While License Suspended.

- Quetin Elmer was arrested for Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and was also held on an active arrest warrant out of Nemaha County, Kansas.

While processing the case, officers reportedly observed additional items that appeared suspicious and proactively contacted neighboring agencies to determine whether the property was connected to any open investigations. 

As a result, the Hiawatha Police Department obtained a search warrant for the vehicle, leading to the recovery of property connected to a double burglary investigation. Information from this case also assisted the Nebraska City Police Department in advancing their investigation.

Elwood Police stop leads to multi-agency burglary and drug bust

The University of Missouri Extension is offering 'Dining with Diabetes,' a healthy cooking class specifically designed for individuals looking to manage their diabetes through better nutrition. 

This program focuses on proving that healthy meals can be easy to prepare, budget-friendly, and delicious.

Participants have the opportunity to gain practical skills through live recipe demonstrations and comprehensive educational sessions. The curriculum covers:

This course consists of four consecutive Monday sessions. To ensure safety and accessibility, all classes will be held virtually via Zoom.

The Department of Health and Senior Services, says the program is completely free for all participants. However, registration is required to receive the Zoom link and course materials. To register, call Rachel Livesay at 816-324-3147 or <a href="https://pears.io/events/mu/4223/">online</a>.

MU Extension to host Dining with Diabetes: A Free Virtual Cooking Series

(Radio Iowa) - Iowa public schools would have to adopt student dress codes that promote personal hygiene, neatness and modesty under a bill that's cleared a House subcommittee. 

Republican Representative Samantha Fett of Carlisle says the bill sets minimum standards that establish the guardrails for students and the administrators who must enforce the rules. Representative Angel Ramirez, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids who works in a middle school, says requiring students to wear clothes that are clean and in good repair would impact poorer students. 

The bill would ban any gang-related attire and it says a student's clothes must adequately cover the body. Exposing undergarments or midriffs would be prohibited.

Bill sets dress code rules for Iowa public schools

For almost four hours Tuesday, Cole County Circuit Judge Brian Stumpe heard arguments on what it means to turn in signatures for a referendum. Opponents of the redistricting plan said allowing it to take effect renders the right of referendum meaningless

A Missouri judge is being asked to decide which congressional district map — the one&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/05/12/missouri-senate-adjourns-early-after-passing-congressional-redistricting-map/">passed in 2022</a>&nbsp;or the one&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/12/gerrymandered-congressional-map-initiative-petitions-limits-sent-to-missouri-governor/">passed last year</a>&nbsp;— will be in effect when candidates line up to file for office later this month.

For about four hours Tuesday, Cole County Circuit Judge Brian Stumpe listened to arguments over the meaning of&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=III++++52(a)&amp;bid=31810&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">constitutional provisions</a>&nbsp;governing&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=III++++52(b)&amp;bid=31811&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">citizen referendums</a>. He wanted to know why he was being asked to make a decision now about what happens when petitions are delivered when the deadline for determining if there are enough signatures to force a vote is months away.

The first important date on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/calendar/2026cal" target="_blank">this year’s election calendar</a>&nbsp;is the opening of candidate filing on Feb. 24, said Jonathan Hawley, an attorney representing the Jackson County residents who filed the lawsuit.&nbsp;

If the gerrymandered map passed last year by Republicans is used during candidate filing, he said, it will be difficult if not impossible to change when signature-checking is complete in July. That is just days before the Aug. 4 primary.

“If a law could take effect before the people have their say, it would make the referendum power meaningless,” Hawley said.

Attorneys for the state argued the earliest date a law can be suspended by an initiative is when the petitions have been found to include enough signatures to make the ballot.

“Do we assume that submitting an unverified petition and unverified signatures suspends a law passed by the people’s representatives?” asked Louis Capozzi, state solicitor general.

Stumpe asked attorneys to make their final filings by next Tuesday.

Redistricting has become the biggest political war in Missouri in decades. Republicans muscled a gerrymandered congressional map through the Legislature last year under&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/10/after-hearing-from-trump-missouri-gop-muscle-gerrymandered-map-forward-in-state-senate/">pressure from President Donald Trump</a>. The new plan carved up the 5th Congressional District, represented by Democrat Emanuel Cleaver of Kansas City since 2005, in an attempt to flip it to the GOP.

A political action committee, People Not Politicians, began gathering signatures to force a statewide vote and turned in more than 300,000 signatures on Dec. 9 to Secretary of State Denny Hoskins’ office.

By then, several court cases were underway and more would follow, including the case that went to trial on Tuesday. Hoskins, going against a century of precedent, declared that the new law took effect Dec. 11 despite the submission of signatures.

For all past referendums, the filing of a petition with enough apparent signatures to make the ballot was all that was needed for a new law to be put on hold until the vote or the signatures count was verified. That is what happened in 2017 after a referendum petition challenging right to work was filed.

Stumpe noted the intensity of the political and legal fights when he asked the attorneys to restrain their rhetoric in court.

“This is an emotionally charged case,” he said. “This is a politically charged case.”

The key legal question Stumpe will have to resolve is whether delivering referendum signatures is enough to prevent a law from taking effect.

The Constitution says that when a law is referred to voters, it does not take effect until they approve it, Hawley said. The filing of the petition pages with an apparently sufficient number of signatures is enough to suspend the law.

Every decision made by Missouri courts on the referendum power, back to one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://case-law.vlex.com/vid/state-v-carter-899764459" target="_blank">earliest decisions in 1914</a>, backs up that argument, he said.&nbsp;

“For the past 100 years, Missouri courts at all levels have safeguarded that right,” he said.

In the 1914 case, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled that refusal by the secretary of state and the attorney general to do their duties “did not defeat the referendum so as to prevent the suspension of the act, since the constitutional provision for the referendum is self-executing.”

But the law in 1914 was that petitioners certified the signatures they gathered, Capozzi said. The law hasn’t been referred to voters until the signature verification process approved in 1980 is complete, he said.

The petition must have about 110,000 signatures representing 5% of the 2024 vote for governor in six of the state’s eight congressional districts.&nbsp;

A PAC called Put Missouri First intervened in the case to back up the state’s arguments. Marc Ellinger, attorney for the PAC, said it is unknown whether the petition will have enough signatures.

“Don’t jump to the conclusion that a box of papers stops a law in Missouri,” Ellinger said.

A referendum rests on three legs, Stumpe said: timely filing, legal form and sufficient signatures to make the ballot. He asked Hawley to explain why he should act while signatures are being checked.

“We have to presume the third leg of the stool or the referendum process falls apart,” Hawley said.

It is uncertain what Hoskins has done other than say the law is in effect. As part of the redistricting plan, Democratic voters in predominantly Black areas of Kansas City were shifted into the Republican 4th District and heavily Republican areas stretching along the Missouri River to Boone County were added to the remaining Kansas City portions.

In the map passed in 2022, Boone County was split between the 3rd and 4th districts.&nbsp;

Hoskins’ office has not delivered the information needed to reassign voters to new districts, Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon said Tuesday in an interview with The Independent. Local election authorities cannot change voters to new districts until after the April election, she noted.

Hoskins’ office delivered 2,450 pages with signatures to Boone County.

“We’re almost done” with signature verification, Lennon said.

The case heard Tuesday, while directly about the date the new map takes effect, has side issues that include accusations that it was engineered by People Not Politicians.

After hearing arguments over demands by the state for more information, Stumpe denied the request.

Judge to decide whether Missouri’s gerrymandered congressional map is in effect

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>

Commodity markets daily recap

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.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2026/02/11140419/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

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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The Environmental Protection Agency announced a new federal registration for low-volatility Dicamba herbicides in 34 states. This registration will enable U.S. farmers to have access to this important weed control tool in Dicamba-tolerant soybeans and cotton. Bayer is launching the new registration as Stryax Dicamba herbicide, a restricted-use pesticide. “With a federal registration in hand, we’ll begin the process of seeking state approvals,” said Dr. Ty Witten, Bayer’s vice president of commercial stewardship. ”In the weeks ahead, we’ll launch applicator training opportunities and stewardship education to help ensure that growers and applicators have the best experience possible.” 

The registration will enable the use of approved low-volatility Dicamba herbicides in-crop up to seven days pre-harvest in XtendFlex cotton, and up through R1 in XtendFlex soybeans. Bayer said Stryax is intended to help manage glyphosate-resistant broadleaf weeds, as well as other tough-to-control weeds. 

EPA announces new low-volatility Dicamba herbicides

The U.S. will temporarily expand the amount of beef it can import from Argentina, thanks to an executive order signed by President Trump last week. Reports said the move is intended to help lower the price of beef, but the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association said that isn’t accurate. The proclamation increases the in-quota tariff-rate quota for lean beef trimmings by 80,000 metric tons for the calendar year 2026. 

The additional imports will be entirely allocated to imports from Argentina and released into the U.S. market in segments four times through the year, beginning this week on February 13. “The White House said the action is intended to boost supply and make ground beef more affordable for American consumers,” the reports continued. “The proclamation from the White House said the administration is acting in response to historically high beef prices and a prolonged decrease in the U.S. cattle herd.”

U.S. to quadruple beef imports from Argentina

March corn closed up 5 1/2 cents and May corn was up 6 cents. March soybeans closed up 20 cents and May soybeans were up 21 1/4 cents. March KC wheat closed up 8 1/4 cents, March Chicago wheat was up 8 1/2 cents, March Minneapolis wheat was up 5 1/2 cents.

The soybean market continued to set a bullish tone across row-crop futures Thursday, following President Trump's comments on Wednesday that China may look to extend their old-crop purchase goal for U.S. soybeans by an additional 8 million metric tons (mmt) above the previous 12 mmt. There are obviously a lot of question marks regarding how feasible this is but for now the market is reflecting added demand potential with a 45-50 cent move over the past two sessions. Corn and wheat markets were able to join soybeans with higher prices as well on Thursday, despite being a little more subdued in their rallying efforts. Outside markets on Thursday were mostly a negative influence on ag futures, with lower energy markets after Iran and U.S. officials did agree to move forward with planned negotiations in Oman on Friday. The U.S. dollar was firmer for the fifth time in the past seven sessions, and equity markets moved lower as trade has turned sideways over the past month.

Live cattle futures quickly backed away from part of early week gains Thursday. Losses of $4 to $5 per cwt were seen at midday, creating some concern that additional sharp losses may continue to develop over the coming days. The news focus seems to be pointed to the processing reduction seen in the JBS Greeley plant based on reported impending strikes at the plant. The likelihood that this will have a major impact on overall industry processing capacity beyond a few days is limited given the current structure of the market and current overall company and industry availability. This industry is not beyond rerouting trucks to other plants or companies in order to sustain needs and capacity levels. But watching daily slaughter rates through the month of February will help give an indicator of overall capacity levels. Firm pressure in outside markets and weaker beef values cannot be downplayed in the hesitancy for futures buyers to step into a market which very well could have run out of oxygen at current price levels. Cash cattle markets are still sluggish with a few bids on the table in parts of Iowa, and a major packer has offered to "call in" for $378 in eastern Nebraska. Packer inquiry should continue to improve as the day progresses, but significant trade volume will likely be delayed until later today and/or Friday. Boxed beef prices are lower: choice down $0.82 ($367.20) and select down $1.08 ($361.01) with a movement of 48.79 loads (38.54 loads of choice, 4.14 loads of select, zero loads of trim and 6.11 loads of ground beef).

Feeder cattle futures were leading the market lower Thursday. This market move seems like a general reversal to early week buyer support that flooded the market during trade Monday and Tuesday. The news cycle focus in the market seems to be centered on the developing strike at the JBS plant in Greeley, but this move is likely much more focused on the ability to sustain additional buyer support at current price levels. Nearby futures have rallied nearly $70 per cwt since the November low, creating a generally unchecked upward market surge within the entire cattle market. This lack of small to moderate corrections can make any market vulnerable, including the cattle market which is focusing on tight supplies. In comparison to the wild shifts seen last fall, these swings seem generally tame. But it does create significant uncertainty given how lightly traded the feeder cattle market remains with generally light volume.

Lean hog futures had been the quiet market through the entire livestock complex Thursday. Spot February futures were leading the market lower with light pressure, while very narrow losses are seen through the rest of the contracts. The continued upward move higher in nearby futures since hitting seasonal lows in November have continued to move prices well above the 40-day moving average. Recent volatility in cattle trade seems to have lost its short-term impact on hog traders at this moment as traders continue to look for continued strong demand support as 2026 develops. At current price levels and comparative price relationships to beef, the pork industry seems well insulated to potential economic pressure that may develop over the coming weeks and months.

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WASHINGTON —President Trump invited Kansas 4th district Congressman Ron Estes to the Oval Office for the official&nbsp;signing of the Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act.

On his social media page, Rep. Estes wrote, " I’m pleased to see this common sense legislation signed into law – President Trump and Republicans are leading with results and fighting to support the American taxpayer."

"By permanently allowing the SSA to share full death data with the Treasury’s "Do Not Pay" service, we are stopping erroneous payments to the deceased. This will stop hardworking Americans from footing the bill for waste, fraud, and abuse."

"The Fiscal Service estimates that by December 2026, this data exchange will save $330 MILLION in improper payments across the federal government."

Estes has served the 4th Congressional District since April 2017.

Kan. Congressman invited to Oval Office signing ceremony

🎥Heated exchange between Mo. U.S. Senator and Minnesota AG

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating a double homicide in Kansas City, Missouri have identified the victims as 26-year-old&nbsp;Brittnee McMillon and and 28-year-old&nbsp;Jerrell Westmoreland.

At 9:30p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to the 1300 block of E. Armour Blvd. in Kansas City, Missouri, on a sound of shots call, according to KCPD Sergeant Jake Becchina.

Multiple callers reported the sound of gunfire from behind an apartment building there. On arrival officers were directed to a parking lot in the back of an apartment building where they located a vehicle with shooting victims McMillon and Westmoreland unresponsive inside.&nbsp;

Officers called for EMS who declared both victims deceased at the scene.&nbsp;Homicide detectives responded to the scene to conduct their investigation along with crime scene investigators processed the scene for available evidence.&nbsp; Police have not released details on possible suspects.

Homicide: Police ID couple found dead in car in Kansas City

SHAWNEE COUNTY–Law enforcement are investigating a school threat in Topeka.

Just after 6:30a.m. Tuesday, police responded to a call regarding an online social media threat involving Eisenhower Middle School, 3305 SE Minnesota Avenue in Topeka, according to a media release.. No other schools are involved in this incident.

Topeka Police are working jointly with the FBI and are investigating the credibility of this online threat. The impacted school has notified families.

Anyone who sees or hears anything related to this incident is asked to immediately contact the Topeka Police Department by emailing telltpd@topeka.org or by calling the TPD Criminal Investigation Bureau at 785-368-9400.

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