An active west–east storm track brings Western mountain snow and periodic rain or wintry mix across the Plains, Midwest, and East with changeable temperatures. Best multi-day fieldwork: Southwest deserts, parts of the High Plains, and California valleys. Hazards include gusty fronts, a few strong Gulf storms, and spotty frost.
Cold plasma is moving into agriculture as a chemical-free tool for seed sanitation/priming, produce surface decontamination, and plasma-activated water. 2026 advances add compact, safe, modular systems. Benefits include residue-free sanitation and lower water use, with ROI situational. Limits involve dose tuning, coverage, throughput, and regulatory variability; pilots and monitoring recommended.
Guide to tracking U.S. ag policy: monitor Congress, USDA/EPA/DOL/USTR, courts, and states. Core themes include farm bill, appropriations, input regulation, labor, climate, trade, competition, and tech. Over the next week, watch funding talks, EPA decisions, labor guidance, and court orders; verify enrollments and contingency plans for inputs and labor.
Holiday recess kept federal agriculture policy quiet, with no public congressional, regulatory, or judicial moves. Early January will bring activity on farm safety nets, conservation, nutrition, dairy, competition, labor, trade, biofuels, and compliance. Producers should prepare now: review enrollments, manage risk, budget, and ready comments.
Into Christmas week, thin liquidity and year‑end rebalancing dominate U.S. markets, heightening sensitivity to data. Key drivers: PCE inflation, personal income/spending, durable goods, housing, jobless claims, and Treasury auctions. Outcomes steer rates, equities, dollar, and credit. Expect data‑dependent swings, possible auction shocks, and emphasis on risk control.
On December 23, three milestones reshaped U.S. agriculture: the 1913 Federal Reserve stabilized seasonal farm credit; the 1985 farm bill created CRP and tied support to conservation; and the 2003 BSE case rewrote beef safety and trade. Together they influence stewardship, food safety, and financing today.
Late-December farm outlook: Pacific waves bring West rain/snow and Central Valley fog; deserts risk frost. Clippers keep the Northern Plains cold; Plains mostly dry/breezy. Midwest sees rain/snow with freeze–thaw; South/Southeast periodic showers and inland frost; Northeast mixed systems. Key risks: frost, wind, heavy mountain snow, localized ponding; plan operations accordingly.
Electrified weed control (eWeeding) kills weeds with high-voltage current, targeting roots without chemicals or soil disturbance. Deployed in row crops, perennials, and infrastructure, it complements herbicides and tillage. Performance depends on species, size, and moisture; safety and dosing control are critical. Precision, variable-rate systems improve efficacy, economics, and sustainability.
Over the Christmas week, U.S. agriculture policy movement will be light, with Congress quiet and agencies posting occasional notices. Watch for funding continuity via CRs, USDA/RMA administrative updates, labor (H‑2A/AEWR) advisories, and biofuels guidance. Expect deadline extensions and program timelines, with segment impacts mostly incremental rather than sweeping.
Markets were quiet and liquidity-driven, with thin Sunday futures, stable rates focused on turn-of-year funding, subdued equities, steady credit, and range-bound FX/commodities. Ahead, holiday-thinned trading heightens sensitivity to PCE, durable goods, Treasury supply, and funding dynamics; expect outsized moves on small flows, with energy/geopolitical risks lingering.
December 22 marks pivotal U.S. agriculture moments: the 1807 Embargo collapsing export demand; 1983’s Christmas freeze redirecting citrus and risk practices; 2017’s TCJA reshaping farm taxation with expensing and provisions set to sunset; and 2018’s shutdown stalling USDA services—underscoring vulnerability to policy, weather, taxes, and public data.